Hello to all Subies Lovers!!

[devil_x911]

Sawaddee Krub all Subies Lovers,

My name is Karn krub, I am new to SSS, and I'm very new in tuning cars. I have very few(no) knowledge in how to look after a car properly. I was hoping to get some advice from P' P' krub. I have a White RA-R for about a year now I bought it second hand @ 2700 Km in AUG2009 now it is @ 7500 km, and I haven't look after the car properly. All I have done is changing the engine oil and the oil filter krub. I don't really want to ask the shop because they might just tell me to change everything and I would have no idea if I really have to change it or they just want to change everything. I would like to ask P' P', about what I have to look at, and how often krub. For example, Gear Oil, Brake Oil, Air Filter etc. etc. What to do and not to do? What brand to use, and not to use? And any other information will be very helpful krub. The car is very near to STANDARD, standard engine, turbo, inter-cooler. Only changes are Exhaust Pipe, Spark plugs, and air-filter (now กรองเปือย) and reflash to octane 95 sohol.

I know people here have a lot of knowledge about how to look after a car properly. I'm stupid that i have a car but I don't know how to look after it properly. But I think SSS is a place to start learning, and its the place where P' P' can give me advice. I hope its not too late.


Thanks all P' P' in advance krub.   

With all Respect,
Karn
(Subie Newbie)


p.s. P' P' can type in THAI krub, I can read but I can't really type.

[F@M3]

Welcome to the SSS Club krub P'Karn! 

อิจฉาจัง ได้ RA-R แล้ว

[สาหร่าย05]

 

Welcome Karn!

 Congratulations for yr new RA-R! what a car it is and I'm sure you're already know that by now 

From time to time, just join us in all varieties activities that we do then you'll know everything you need to know.

Enjoy!! 

[ScooBy crew]

Check out in article, it can provide everything u got,

about subie garage mostly they cost u only as u ask to

but most popular garage in here please pm.

[Noob]

Welcome to SSS krub Karn,

Congratulation krub you have such a great car that almost everone would dream of however great car needs and regular maintenance like others.

I will give you some basic idea about how you should look after your gem. (others might have some different approaches)

For maintenance wise

1. Check you oil level regularly and change it every 5000-7000 Km (make sure you use synthetic oil with recommended grade for Subaru, it should be 10W-50 or 10W-60) everytime you change your oil, make sure oil filter is changed.

2. Check your water level regularly, and everytime you change your water make sure you blend water with radiator coolant.

3. For gear oil and final drive (เฟืองท้าย). my approach is that every secend time I change my engine oil or every 10000-14000 km I would change gear oil and final drive oil.

4. Clean your air filter regularly. for me I do it every month.

5. check your brake pads worn often whether they are worn out or not. if can't see them at the caliper, you might look at brake fluid level too if it is near Min level then you should find new pads. (don't compromise with worn out pads it will never be worth) everytime you change your pads it's better to change brake fluid and make sure you use at least  DOT 4 or DOT 5 brake fluid because it better suits your car.

That is just a very basic maintenance guide that you should do it regularly.

For performance wise

If I were you I would do nothing with the car and just keep it clean and well maintenanced because RA-R is quite a nearly perfect car in my opinion (after drove my friend's car few times). just learn how to control it until you can make the most out of its performance and you will be surprised how much this car can do.

Good luck krub
 

 

[devil_x911]

Thank you very much for the warm welcome.

Noob krub, for the gear oil and final drive oil, brake oil, is there a particular brand that you would recommend?? and where i can find them?? For the engine oil, i'm using Motul 15w50 costing around 1990 baht for 2 litres. And if I want to find a garage where they really know Subaru where is the place to go, preferably some where near to Srinakarin, other places would be fine too.

For the mod and tuning, I wouldn't do anything else to the car. The changes to the car was done by the previous owner. I like the car to be as near as original as possible. Even for the horn, it sounded like a dying duck, I still wanna keep it.


Thank you all

Karn

[Noob]

There is no highly recommended brand in particular for gear and final drive oil but either Valvolene or Penzoil will do just fine krub. I use these two brands interchangeably.

For brake fluid, people say motul Dot 5 is great but In my opinion Ate Dot 4 is more than enough for our use as long as it's Dot 4 or above. The brake fluid will make a huge difference in very intensive use of brake like in a circuit or endurance race where brake temp is very very hot and brake fluid has a tendency to boil. however, in daily use or light circuit use, any Dot 4 fluid will do just fine krub.

[thor111]

Great Recommedations from Noob

[devil_x911]

Thanks alot for the recommendation. It's very valuable .

Anything else??? hehehe

[subie]

Sorry to say this guys but i would not recommended using full synthetic oil in boxer engine as full synthetic oils can cause bore glazing, blow by and oil in the top mount inter cooler ,

for people who have used full synthetic oils in there engine for more than 10,000kms, keep using it.  if it uses oil and puts a lot of oil in the top mount, then bore is glazed , sorry guys

cheers

[Noob]

Sorry to say this guys but i would not recommended using full synthetic oil in boxer engine as full synthetic oils can cause bore glazing, blow by and oil in the top mount inter cooler ,

for people who have used full synthetic oils in there engine for more than 10,000kms, keep using it.  if it uses oil and puts a lot of oil in the top mount, then bore is glazed , sorry guys

cheers

Could you futher explain more about the bore glaze and how does it happen and what kind of chemical contamination that may cause that problem.

For other downsides that you indicated (like blow by and oil in the top mount) , can you give some scientific explanation on how synthetic oil is more likely to cause these problems than mineral oil base or semi-semi synthetic.

I am not biased toward synthetic oil but just wondering why semi-synthetic should be opted over the synthetic one so I can save my money without doing any further harm to my engine.

[devil_x911]

Sorry to say this guys but i would not recommended using full synthetic oil in boxer engine as full synthetic oils can cause bore glazing, blow by and oil in the top mount inter cooler ,

for people who have used full synthetic oils in there engine for more than 10,000kms, keep using it.  if it uses oil and puts a lot of oil in the top mount, then bore is glazed , sorry guys

cheers

Please enlighten us.......

Thank you

[devil_x911]

Does any one know where we can find/order genuine STI parts in BKK???

I am looking for brake pads incase I need to change it.

Thanks alot

[Noob]

your caliper is 6 pot brembo I suppose and It's not easy to find one but there are many brands other than STi  eg. Project Mu, Ferrodo and Dixcel and Endlesss that make pads for your caliper...try contact A Motorsport cause my freind got it from there.

[devil_x911]

your caliper is 6 pot brembo I suppose and It's not easy to find one but there are many brands other than STi  eg. Project Mu, Ferrodo and Dixcel and Endlesss that make pads for your caliper...try contact A Motorsport cause my freind got it from there.

Thanks alot man. So A motorsports import parts and stuff like that? And is it a place to service our subies as well. If not where do you tak your car to?