After all those Impreza Rust Diaries, it’s finally Forester’s turn for some love. This week, it’s time for an oil change, and since the mileage is steadily increasing, the spark plugs were also due for replacement, as per the book.

For the record, at 305969km:

• Engine oil change (Castrol Edge LL 5W30),
• Fuel filter replacement,
• Air filter replacement,
• Cabin air filter replacement,
• Spark plug replacement (NGK Iridium).

I finally got around to replacing the headlight washer nozzle T-joint. It’s a well-known issue: a spring loaded pressure valve. The washer fluid reservoir has two pumps, one for the windshield and one for the headlights. The headlight pump builds up pressure, the valve opens, and the fluid sprays the headlights. The problem arises when the spring inside the T-joint valve rusts and doesn’t return the valve to close position when the pump stops pumping the fluid, or when the rubber cap that seals the branches wears out. Fluid slowly leaks through the headlight washer nozzles. This can easily be diagnosed by blowing into the T-joint; when you take it out of the lines, the top branch should be closed, while the side ones should be open. Here’s what it looks like:

The T-joint is located under the left headlight. Small hands might be able to access it without removing the lamp, but I unscrewed it and gently pulled it out:

While I was at it, I also replaced the missing lower grill clips (91059FC041).

• Maintenance
• Forester
• Sg