New Oil!

 Hello sports fans! It's been a long time since I posted anything, and I think it's appropriate that I take the opportunity to give you an update.

 February 2026

Oil. Oil! It's the lifeblood of the engine, and consequently, it's a very important part of maintenance. I've had an obsession with oil changes since my first car; consequently, I double up on my oil changes so that I effectively change my oil twice as much as the maintenance manual requires.

 I'm gonna link a previous article where I discussed my oil choices, but essentially what I did was use the OEM oil manufacturer's oil and would buy it and have it installed at my local Subaru dealership, as well as my independent mechanics.

 A little word of encouragement and appreciation to my local mechanics, Elgin Auto Sales and Service in Cambridge, Ontario. I've been going there for at least 15 years now, and they were referred to me by a friend, and I have had a wonderful relationship. Can't speak enough about their loyalty to their customers and also their integrity and mechanical skills.

 But this is, well, a post about oil. Exciting, isn’t it?

 One of the things that occurs with any technology is that it improves. I'm a former aircraft mechanic, and consequently, standards are really important to me. The assumption, and I know what you're going to say next, is that the newer standard should be a better product or process. In this case, the oil standard that I am currently using has been superseded. Here is a great article outlining some of the information that is involved in oil standards and why they change.

Essentially, I've been using an older standard oil (IFG 5), and I wish to upgrade to the most current standard. I would like to stay with my current vendor, but sadly, this oil is not currently available in Canada (Idemitsu part no. 30015132953). A vendor by the name of Liquid Moly does create such an oil (Liqui Moly Special Tech AA Motor Oil 0W20 Full Synthetic) that complies with the highest standard currently available.

Another important aspect is viscosity. The reason that the engine oils are designed this way to the specification of 0-16 W is in part related to the auto Start-Stop feature, which is supposed to save gasoline and increase your fuel economy. I'm not a big fan of this system. There are a couple of reasons I don't like it; the main one is the wear and tear it puts on the engine, as well as on the starter and battery. I also don't like the fact that when it engages in certain situations, it causes a lag between when the engine starts and when you can accelerate, and there will be times that you gotta get going! This system could potentially prevent that from happening and be dangerous as far as I'm concerned.

I figured that I would stay with the lower band of viscosity but increase the higher range, particularly for this summertime. I can report that I currently have very little, if any, oil consumption, though with a flat boxer-style engine, you do tend to get a higher consumption rate, and please, please check your oil every time you stop the gas, especially if your Subie is a little bit older. A great indication of engine health is how clean the oil is between engine oil changes. My oil goes off colour, but does not have much in the way of suspended material. It's also a great idea to make sure your crankcase ventilation system is working well, as a holistic approach to the oil system, as well as the crankcase breathing system, is important.

 So the Red Mist is going in for an oil change next week, and I'll collect my new oil and OEM filter and take it into my guys in Cambridge and get the Red Mist ready for another 5000 kilometres.

 Just for reference, this winter was a tough one as far as weather and driving were concerned. But the red mist has performed flawlessly, and I'm so happy I bought her. No complaints other than the fact that I really did pick the wrong tire combination for the wintertime, and I think I'm gonna remedy that next season. She hasn't let me down at all. She continues to drive and ride beautifully, and she's got enough power and pep for what I need. Every day of my commute is a pleasure. It's nice to be able to spend approximately 90 minutes a day enjoying your driving, and the Red Mist is a big part of that.

 So, campers! Feel free to leave a comment or join my Facebook group. It is specifically for Imprezas, and not WRXs or STIs.

Remember to keep the rubber on the right side of your vehicle. Drive safely and practice the Subaru Salute.

52,000 Kilometers

 I have put some mileage on the Red Mist. I have put an average of 92 KMs per day on this car. The two trips to each coast racked up the mileage, and she's been a good girl the whole time, putting up with me and accepting my inability to avoid potholes with grace and patience.

While I wait for the service at Stratford Subaru, I will pen some thoughts.

Some thoughts:

Infotainment System

At first, it was slow, and it was irritating to make a selection and then drive 100 kms before it would respond. This is an exaggeration of course, but in today's world, with dozens of interactions on technology devices offering instant gratification, it was concerning.

But I am happy to report that the infotainment system seems to have matured, where the delay appears to have disappeared. It runs smoothly and responds well.

I am pleased that the (I think 2) software updates I have applied have resulted in this outcome.

The soft touch controls are fine, but in the winter, it necessitates the removal of your gloves/mitts to operate, and the position of it below the cowl of the dashboard causes a driver to "heads down" a bit too much.

I think there is a move back to tactile controls, and the ones Subaru offers, such as temperature adjustment and defrost (front and rear window) are much appreciated.

The only pet peeve I have is that the Android Auto voice command goes awry from time to time, with "Google" unresponsive for no apparent reason for the entire drive. Usually, if you stop and restart the car in the normal course of use, Google comes back.

I find the inflection in my choice of voice on Google eerie, and sometimes it sounds like she is mocking me as I use voice recognition for texting while I drive.

This function I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. It can send texts to people in your contacts and read them back. It has a character limitation, and sometimes the voice recognition shits the bed and wants to render some bizarre iteration of your intended message.

Snow Tire and Wheel Combination

This is on me. I did this. Don't you do this.

I kept the same rim size, 18 inches, and tire size.

I should have got 17 inch rims and tires to increase the wheel well clearance. My current setup gets PACKED with snow and slush, and you can hear rubbing on some bumps and when making a tight turn.

I also think the width of the tire affects the traction negatively compared to a thinner tire.

Climate Control System (Winter)

It works GREAT...

Except that it does not regulate the heat. Bear with me on this. Set the temp to 25 degrees Celsius. She'll warm up and distribute the heat perfectly. But it will get warm. Turn down the temp to 20 degrees C., and it will stay warm. Too warm. I have found that once the cabin is toasty, putting the temperature to 18 degrees C seems to set the heated air to the place I am comfortable with. It feels like the temperature does not vary to the expected selection.

It is a small quibble, and I need to investigate this.

Subaru Auto-Start

I wish I could turn this off. I have no practical use for this.

There are 3rd party solutions that can resolve this, and I am considering this as a solution to an irritant that had no practical value to me.

My main objections are...

- It is my car, and if I don't want it, I should be able to disable it, without resorting to 3rd party solutions.

- I do not like the hestitation if creates when accelerating from a stop. There are times this delay could be detrimental to the safety of the driver and passengers.

- It increases wear on the starter, battery, and engine for a very small incremental increase in fuel mileage and the return on investment of the fuel savings compared to changing a combination of battery and starter and the increase in engine wear over the life of the car.

Other than these items, the Red Mist is a fantastic car. I am more than pleased with her and look forward to driving her every day.

What adventures are in store for us in the coming year?

The Red Mist is Violated... Oh, and Some Bling

 HELLO CAMPERS!

I'll start with the nasty bit and show you the bling later.

The Nasty Bit

Today I had an errand to do in London. It was a foggy drive, but the Red Mist dutifully let the miles (or kilometers in Canada) fall away for the 1-hour drive to my destination.

I did my chore and needed to be in the area for a bit, so I pulled into a location close to where I completed my errand and settled down for a drink in a fast food establishment.

Now, Sports Fans, I take great pride in owning the Mist. I wash her at least once a week, sometimes more.

And I try to park tactically to minimize contact with errant drivers who do not know or care about car etiquette and the importance of not knocking the shit out of another car's bodywork.

Earlier, I had a young boy knock the driver's side mirror out of the sideview mirror housing which caused s minor scratch, BUT now the mirror jiggles and vibrates a bit. Not super noticeable, but very irritatiing when I notice and think on it.

The Mist has some minor paint chips (2) and the bumper has some as well from road debris.

Yes, Sports Fans, it is normal wear and tear.

Today, fate would have it that my efforts to preserve the Mist went for naught.

As I approached my car a man putting in metal sign posts seemed a bit nervous and just as I started my car he approached and confessed to having damaged my car.

Its interesitng... IF someone owns up to their shit, I handle it calmly. This was such a case. I mean, I know, really, really know how he felt and he was direct with no excuses and stated he would pay for the repairs. I offered to get two quotes and he declined as one of the body shops is in a different town from where I live. He was actively encouraging me to take the least onerous route to get my car fixed.

As you can see, the damage is not significant. It is on the right front of the hood, But it will still cost between $1,000 and $2,000 CDN to repair and take 3 days. The main issue is not the damage, as much as the cost of the labour. They will have to take the bumper fascia off to fix the plastic that has been deformed, and the paint may need to be blended with the hood and the right front quarter panel so that the paint job looks correct.

So, I am awaiting a quote and the shop I went to can fit me in sometime in November. They look really professional and the shop is clean and well organized.

The Bling

Are you a XENALVR? Perhaps entirely comfortable with your orientation? If so, Subaru is for you!

Playing on that, I got a custom decal made and installed it in the engine bay.

Sports Fans, I hope you like it...

Remember to keep the rubber on the right side of your vehicle. Drive safe and practice the Subaru Salute.

To Moo or not to Moo?

Good day, Sports Fans!

One of the aspects of owning a Subaru is the aspect of community. On my first road trip I noticed that several Subaru owners would flash their lights or wave as you passed them. There seemed to be an ethos similar to that of motorcycle riders where Subaru owners would take the time to acknowledge another owner.

It does not happen often, and most of the drivers who do wave are typically younger than Baby Boomer, in my experience. Often, it is the surfer (Shaka) hand wave signifying a connection related to the joy of owning a Subaru.

Apparently, Sports Fans, as I have just discovered, there is a dedicated Subaru hand wave! Who knew?

Part of this spirit is expressed in "Moo Moo Subaru." This involves people leaving small "offerings" at other people's Subarus, comprising a business card-sized paper card and a couple of plastic cows, usually in a small cloth bag.

Though I have not been mooed, I found this phenomenon in a Facebook Group where the group has over 152,600 members exists.

In that spirit, I have decided to start leaving moo offerings and have utilized some software and products to put together and present my offerings.

Basically, I used business cardstock from Staples, replicating the Avery 8371 product and using a PDF file for the "You have been MOOED" side of the card, and printed them out on my HP Inkjet printer.

Follow this link to a PDF copy of the document.

For the reverse "Red Mist" side, I utilized the 8371 template from the Avery website. This template is available in Word and Google Docs formats. It also comes in a host of other formats for those with more sophisticated graphic software and skill.

I printed the front side first and then the reverse side. The cardstock is perforated, so it will start to detach from the perforations and cause paper jams. But if you practice on some plain paper and get your design down, there is a good chance you can get good results.

I printed in "normal" mode, which saves time and ink, and when I compared it to "best" mode, there was no noticeable difference in print quality.

I really am pleased with the resul,t and my first attempt of creating the packets of Moo was alright. The bags I sourced are a bit small and will draw closed partially if you pull on the drawstrings gently.

I sourced my cows from Amazon.ca and am pleased with the quality. The size, being so small, is a bit underwhelming, but I think the look and feel great and since, to my knowledge, there is no official size for "mooing" a Subaru, they'll do just fine!

 

I am excited for the opportunity to spread some Moo and I hope this post spurs others to take the leap!

Engine Cover Install on 2024 Impreza RS: The Red Mist gets an engine bay upgrade!

 Good day Sports Fans!

Today we will gussy up the Red Mist's engine bay. As you can see it is a bit pedestrian with the intake manifold and associated hardware exposed like some Steam Punk art exbisition. The engine is left to be exposed, and even entry level Hyundias, like the Venue, have a cleaner looking engine bay.

To remedy this, I wondered if there was a solution based on the Crosstrek or other Subarus where I could fit an engine cover from another model using a similar engine. The Impreza RS comes installed with an FB25D 2.5L, and with a little research, I found this Reddit post outlining the parts they found for their 2023 Crosstrek Limited, and it was the basis for my little project.

It works, and you will need the following:

• P/N 14025AA560: Engine cover for 2019+ Forester,
• P/N 14032AA230: Rear mount brackets for intake plenum (two required),
• P/N 14032AA290: Front mount bracket for alternator,
• Two M6 x 10 mm bolts for attaching rear mount brackets to the intake plenum,

The cost, taxes in, was about $176.00 CDN, and it took 3 weeks for the parts to arrive.

The parts diagrams for Subaru are famously atrocious (one would not get away with this in aviation). Many diagrams show only the cover and do not reference or show the associated hardware.

The good new is we will walk through the process of installing the cover, step-by-step. A image will be followed with an explanation and instructions.

Engine Bay Cover Install

Parts: as outlined previously.

Tools: 10 MM open or closed wrench, blue Locktite or 3 X M6 lock washers (stainless), rags.

These are the parts you will need. I am using blue Locktite in place of lock washers, and you can see the two P/N 14032AA230: Rear mount brackets for intake plenum below the tube of Locktite, followed by the M6 bolts and the P/N 14032AA290: Front mount bracket for alternator.

The engine bay cover (upside-down view) shows the corresponding attachment points for the engine cover and the correlated attachment points. Closest to the camera are the two slots that slide into the rear mount brackets, and behind them are the two clips that attach, one to an existing mounting bracket, and the other to the installed bracket.

The engine bay before installation. Note the pulley cover to the left of the oil filter. This will be removed. Note the nutplate bosses to the right and left of the intake plenum (silver inserts in black plastic).

Close-up of nutplates in intake manifold. This is were the rear mount brackets will go.

Take one of the rear mount brackets and an M6 bolt. Place a tiny amount of blue Locktite on the threads of the bolt and install the bracket with the black plastic oriented to the front of the engine.

Note the orientation of the bracket. It is facing FORWARD with the tang to the left. This is the orientation for BOTH brackets (left and right side). Tighten the bolts (I was not able to find the torque specs), taking care NOT to overtighten. I am not sure of the material of the nutplate boss and if it is aluminu,m the bolts, which are steel, will strip the threads and then you will need to replace them. Note the tang oriented into the slot built into the intake.

Once installed, the brackets will look like this. Properly oreinted to the front of the engine. Note the tabs on both brackets fit into the plastic slots on the intake piping.

Remove the belt and pulley cover next.

Remove and retain this bolt. You will need it for the bracket you will be installing next. Note that the cover has a plastic pin (right side) that is slotted into a corresponding hole in a bracket. Remove bolt and pull gently and firmly up, releasing the plastic pin attached to the cover. Remove cover.

Access and view with the cover removed.

Close-up of the receptacle for right front plastic pin.

This is an image of the nut embossed in the body of the alternator. Note the "U" shaped receptical above the hole and the black tang on the black bracket. They mate when installed.

Reusing the bolt that held the previous belt and pulley cover, add locktite to it and position the black bracket so the tang of the bracket fits in the "U" slot on the alternator bolt boss. Tighten. But do NOT over tighten, because if you strip the bolt boss you may have to rethread the boss or get a new alternator.

Once the last bracket is installed, review your work. You should have two rear mount brackets installed and pictured, and the alternator bracket installed, with the existing bracket on the right side of the engine, by the oil filter, being ready to accept the engine bay cover.

Orient the engine bay cover with the logo and text facing the front of the engine bay and slip it into place. It goes in "flat", at a horizontal angle with a slight tip up at the front of the cover. The "feel" for the two brackets on the intake plenum is not, at first, positive, but with a bit of patience and hunting you will find it slips in and feels like there is an interference fit between the plastic ends of the bracket and the receptacles embossed in the plastic. You know you got the pins properly aligned and fitted when the forward pins that go into the rubber grommets on the forward side of the engine align. You cannt see the pin/grommet on the right, as the engine bay covers it, but you can see it on the left. With a bit of slight jostling, you will get a positive engagement.

You're now done, Sports Fans! She looks good, and with the acoustic padding on the underside of the engine bay cover, the engine runs a little quieter.

My driving impression is that engine noise is less noticeable, and I plan to test this formally in an upcoming post.

Suffice to say, I am pleased with the more finished look of the engine bay with the cover.

Oil Change and a Bath

Sports Fans!

It has been a bit since I posted. I have a draft post relating my trip in May to BC and back, but I thought I would bring you up to date with what has been going on recently...

Bought on 26 July 2025, the Red Mist has travelled to the Provinces of Quebec, New Brunswich, Nova Scotia, Ontario (home province), Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia. She has long, wonderful legs with her long range and comfortable seats and excellent ventilation and climate control. She has be absolutely reliable and a real joy to drive.

In my quest to keep the Mist in tip-top shape, I double-down on the oil changes. The major service intervals are done my Stratford Subaru and the intervening oil changes are done by my trusty independent service providers, Elgin Auto Sales and Service. I use IDEMITSU IFG5 (part no.  IDM 30013013953) oil and an OEM Part no. 15208AA21A filter.

The oil change went off without a hitch, and in celebration I took the Mist through a touchless wash and "dressed" her up a bit. I normally would do a manual wash but lack of time and the heat of the day did not allow that wonderful ritual to occur.

She is looking good for 36,600 kms. Some small paint chips on the hood and on the front fascia, but, all in all, she is weathering the tribulations of living in a climate where winter is harsh and the roads are salted and sanded.

Note that there is a new IFG7 oil availabe for Idemitsu using the part numbers 30015132-95300C020 for 5 quarts and 30015132-75000C020 for 1 quart. It does not seem to be in general distribution yet. But when it becomes available I will start using this oil, as it is the higher standard.

It always feels like a car with a new oil change just runs better!

Well, Sports Fans, drive safe and you know where the rubber goes!

Trip: From White Rock BC to Revelstoke BC.

Hello, Sports Fans!

Android Auto Notes Feature and Trip

Android Auto Notes

Before I get into the nitty-gritty of the trip today, I want to share a little feature of Android Auto as it pertains to the infotainment system in the Impreza RS.

In a previous post, I lamented the slow performance of the Infortainment system. It still is slow, but I have found a really useful feature that I did not expect and happened on quite by accident.

If you are connected to Android Auto, you can say "Hey Google," and it will ask how it can help you. If you say, "Create a note," it will transcribe your voice into a note.

This is really handy!

I keep a spiral-bound notebook and a pen handy and will write down points of interest that  I might want to look up later, like, say, a historical site. The problem is that you are driving and trying to write or print legibly, which is hard for me to do when I am not driving.

Instead, ask Google to take a note!

Now, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. Google does not like long sentences; it does not spell indigenous words well (guesses poorly too); it can fail, especially if you are driving in a remote area with poor cell/data service; it has no read back function so you will not know, until later, that it pooped the bed or not.

The note-taking feature saves your notes to your Google Keep app, and you can retrieve them later. On this 8-hour trip, I created twelve notes. Here is a screen grab of one of them.

A Google Help post from 2022 outlines how this function works. It uses Google Assistant to save the Notes. They went into my Google Keep without me configuring anything, but if they do not show up in Keep, check out where the notes are kept in Google Assistant, and it appears that they do store the notes in Google Keep.

This feature is a real lifesaver and makes my trip more enjoyable and increases the value of the experience.

Trip

If you follow Google Maps, it will route you to Revelstoke via the Coquihalla Highway which makes the trip last 6 hours and 16 minutes, travelling 552 km (Google Maps is adding a bypass due to a road closure due to an Indigenous protest). Instead, I decided to take the entire trip from Hope BC to Revelstoke via Highway 1, which is effectively bypassed by taking the Coquihalla.

This route initially follows the Fraser River north and is spectacular.

This route is 7 hours and 1 minute, travelling 607 km. Being longer in time and distance the views, roadway (read twisties), and lower traffic volumes make it a great way to go.

As you go North, the topography changes at Lytton, where the highway branches East, away from the Fraser River and becomes semi-arid, though the valleys are more open, leading to crop and cattle raising.

One area of interest that I was not able to stop at was Hell's Gate. There is a tram, but it does not run until June, so that opportunity was out. Had to drive on by, Sports Fans!

As you pass Kamloops, the geography changes again, being more like that of the Eastern part of British Columbia with wetter weather, low cloud, rain, and thick stands of coniferous forests.

The road was very good overall, except the quality of the road starting about 20 km west of Revelstoke having rougher pavement and some frost heaving

There are not many services on this route so be sure to have a full gas tank. As an example, the town of Lytton was devastated by a forest fire in 2021 where it was decimated with an estimated 90% of the building were destroyed. Another 6 buildings were destroyed in a fire the very next year. There is evidence of the fire on the hills and slopes extending approximately 10 km before and after the town and it is an example of how global warming is impacting this area. It was eerie driving into "town" to find that all the houses were brand new and there are many open lots were residents have not been able to afford to build or have abandoned the town completely.

Very chilling.

By SounderBruce - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=155194904

As you can see from this photograph taken in March 2024, the destruction in this area was complete. The buildings at the back of the photo may have survived the fire, but are most likely new buildings built since the fire.

A bit of a sombre note, Sports Fans. But we take the good with the bad, and travelling is about discovery and learning about how one fits in one's environment.

Trip Tip: Check out the Ashcroft Bakery and Coffee Shop for amazing cappuccino and bakery goods! About 6 km off the Trans Canada.

Photos