How to remove the pads from Brembo brakes

Hello everyone,

After upgrading the brakes on my Legacy to a used set of Brembos from a 2004 STi, I hear this noise which I can only describe as a metal clap or creak coming from the front left. The noise only happens once as i'm leaving the driveway and engage the brakes. Also it's not a re-occurring noise. Prior to doing research online, I wanted to get a closer look at the caliper and the pads to see if anything was loose or interfering with the brake pad. After removing the pads and ultimately finding nothing, I did the research and it's possible that since the rotors are used, the piston inside the caliper has to travel further to make contact with the pads and then the rotors. Basically, it's possible that when I replace the pads and rotors, the creak will go away.

I got a closer look at the caliper so here it is:

*Remember*
-Put blocks behind the rear tires and pull up the E-brake before jacking up a car
-In the picture, the weight of the vehicle is on the jack-stand and not the floor jack
-Wear gloves and safety glasses

Once you have jacks in place and the wheel off, I used a 16mm wrench socket to remove the bolts holding the caliper in place.

Using a pair of pliers I removed the cotter pins. Since the pins running perpendicular are gunked up with brake dust i used a steel punch and hammer to tap them out. Keep in mind you don't want to use too big of a punch or you could damage the caliper. Be aware that the metal wish bone is under stress so lightly depress the tab as you are removing the perpendicular pins.

Let's take a look at the pads

                       

The pads themselves were in good condition. You can see the circles made by the piston in the first picture, all the grease was pushed away from where the piston makes contact. I removed the old grease, sanded the rust away and regreased them. Use ample lubrication. I even sanded the wishbone and applied grease where the pins would slide through.

Now retrace your steps and reassemble.

Oil change

Welcome back,

This will be an informative post on how to change your own oil. Oil changes aren't that expansive to get done at a shop however, there are a number of benefits if you do it yourself. Such as using synthetic oil for the same price as the regular oil or synthetic blend the shop would put in. (if you ask them to use synthetic expect to pay x3 more at the shop). Not to mention the peace of mind that it was done right. I've heard some horror stories like mechanics overfilling oil or not tightening the drain plug down.

Let me clarify why it's very bad if one puts too much oil in. Once the car is started, the excess oil wont have anywhere to go while under pressure except out through seals and gaskets.
*I won't be doing this with you as it's about 15°F outside but I'll walk you through it*

Back to the oil change:

First consult the owners manual for how much oil to use.

         

I have the U.S. 2.5L model so it's recommended by the manufacturer to use 4.2 quarts. I mentioned earlier that you can get better quality supplies for about the same cost as having it done with lower quality supplies at a shop. Once you get to the auto parts store you may want to ask for recommendations on what to use. I use a brand called "Eneos" full synthetic 5w30, it works wonders for turbo-charged vehicles and about $50 for 5 quarts. If you're driving a Subaru like me, I recommend using an OEM filter which you can get from the dealership for about $10, be sure to get a crush washer as well (pictured below). If you decide to get a filter from the auto parts store, don't forget to ask for a crush washer.

   

Why is this crush washer important you ask? It will prevent oil from seeping through the threads of your oil drain plug and onto your driveway. I'll explain more further down.

Once you have the required tools and supplies, you'll want to jack up your car or drive it onto ramps (pictured) so you can access the undercarriage easily.

It might be easier if this is your first time to drive up onto ramps than deal with a floor jack and jack stands. If you decide to use ramps DRIVE  SLOWLY up onto them. It can be easy to give it too much gas and drive right off the ramp. Just go slow and you'll be fine.

If you decide to use a jack, remember to use jack stands on a sturdy location like a pinch weld or the frame rails. DO NOT throw them under the car haphazardly.

                             

Unscrew the oil fill cap from your engine to depressurize the system. In the picture below, the oil filter is conveniently located next to where we'll add oil later. 

                               

The oil filter will most likely be located below the engine

Have an oil drain pan ready. I would surround the base of the drain pan with cardboard, just in case any oil splashes out. And it will get messy so have rags on hand. Also don't dress in nice clothes.

Select the appropriate socket for the drain plug. Most Subarus use a 17mm, make sure its a snug fit before you start wrenching. Oil will splash to release the drain plug slowly, wear gloves, and just be out of the way of the oil flow. (see picture). Unscrew the oil filter, whip down soiled areas, screw the drain plug back in, then replace the filter with a new one.


                                

No matter what car you're preforming this on, this information still applies to you. Notice how this technician is pouring this quart of oil. By doing so it allows air into the bottle without causing the oil to glug and burp out uncontrollably. Add the correct amount of oil as indicated by the owners manual. 

*Optional*

You could start the car up but all the oil I just added is sitting at the bottom of the motor. 

This next piece is just my personal preference, it's option for you. Turn the key past "Acc" to the "On" position so that the motor turns over just a few times but it don't let it turn on. Then reset it to the "off" position. If the car starts, turn it off right away and repeat a few times. Remember, you just want the motor to turn over a couple times. This probably sounds weird so far, the idea behind this is in those one or two repeated cranks of the motor, it pumps oil into where it needs to be. If one chooses to start their car right up after the oil change oil will eventually get to where it needs to be.                                                                                

Check and Replace Air Filter

Welcome back,

Today I'm going to show you how to check and replace your air filter. It's important to check it every 4-6 months depending on how much driving you do. It's a good idea to replace it if it's gunked up. Every time you accelerate there is a valve the opens up to draw in air, if the filter is clogged then it won't draw the right amount of air (or any if all?).



Pop the hood

I circled my airbox in red. (To get full access to it one should remove the air-dam in front of the airbox, but it's very cold out at the time of the picture and in an effort to speed this along, I was able to get at the filter without removing the air-dam.) Start by removing the clips on top of the airbox (pictured below).






It will open up like a pistachio shell...

You can see I'm starting to pull half of the airbox away, you're going to need enough room to get your hand in there so gently keep pulling. If you're encountering resistance it may be clipped to the body of the car, in that case locate the clip or bolt and loosen it.

Reach in and pull the filter out.

In this case the filter is still good. My filter is approximately four months old. You might be asking, what does a bad filter looks like? I've pictured one below





Replace the air filter and reverse your steps to button everything back up.