Subaru Legacy

Legacy: questions owners ask

Why does the BL5 Legacy GT lack the boxer rumble?

Its EJ20X has an equal-length exhaust manifold, and that largely removes the off-beat rumble in favor of a smoother, flatter tone. An unequal-length manifold is the usual fix to bring the rumble back. Expect it to shift spool characteristics, so plan on a retune afterward.

BE5 or BL5 Legacy GT: how do the turbos differ?

BE5 cars run two turbos in sequence, with the second joining at higher revs, and owners know the torque dip at the handover. The BL5 uses one twin-scroll turbo instead, which removes the handover. Both make 276 hp, so the difference is in how the power arrives and how the car sounds.

What goes wrong on a BE5 twin-turbo Legacy?

Boost faults, mostly. Perished vacuum hoses and faulty solenoids in the sequential control system are the usual culprits. A vacuum hose refresh restores proper sequential operation, though the work is fiddly in a crowded engine bay. A single-turbo conversion removes the system entirely at the cost of more low-rev lag.

What breaks on a tuned BL5 Legacy GT?

Ringlands. Hard-tuned EJ turbo engines crack them, and an ECU tune that adds boost and midrange torque loads the pistons and ringlands further. Turbo life also depends on a healthy oil feed and supply line, so regular oil changes are essential on any BL5, tuned or not.