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My '83 GL: The Ski Wagon


TheLoyale
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I think I just had it maladjusted, as my friction point was way to high, 3/4 the way up before it would grab. So I backed the adjusting nut off quite a bit and it drives like it used to. Lower friction point!

 

GL also lays rubber! Didn't think it could. :-p

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I still don't like how it feels. Its rather stiff, and again it doesn't always follow your foot when letting it up, its laggy if you will.

 

I think I may just go to the dealer tomorrow and order a genuine cable. Maybe it'll be normal :-p

 

do you have a return spring hooked up, or the hill holder to provide the return spring?

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do you have a return spring hooked up, or the hill holder to provide the return spring?

 

Yep, the hill holder is hooked up (Dunno if it actually works) but it is acting as the return spring. The cable seems to be working a bit better, just had to man handle it last night while driving and its better than it was.

 

We'll see how it goes.

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Also gotta figure out why its not real smooth when shifting now. 1 to 3 its kinda hard, no grinding (Other than 3rd) but you kinda got to muscle it into every gear (4th glides right in, almost effortless)

 

For instance, shifting out of 2nd into 1st (At a stop) it doesn't wanna go in to easy, you just have to shove it in.

 

ALSO, reverse grinds like a mofo. I know there is no syncro for reverse. But why does it grind this much?

Grzzzzzzzzzzz.... *Pops in* (Supposed to say Grizz, but those damn emoticon wanted to pope up)

 

I could understand a little grind, but its almost like I don't have the clutch in lol. Is this normal in a 28yr old Subie?

 

I am planning on changing the front gear oil (All other fluids are fresh though out the car) gonna run some Lucus gear oil, maybe it just needs a good oil.

 

Maybe I should put ATF in it like a Honda lol!

Edited by TheLoyale
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The grinding while shifting into reverse says the clutch is not fully releasing. That is also why the other gears have a notchy feel to them.

 

Did you have the flywheel resurfaced?

I don't remember, and haven't dug back thru the thread.

May not have done the step correctly.

 

Do you have a 1/2 inch of free play at the pedal?

 

Other than swapping motors/trans in mine, I haven't done much clutch related work on a Subaru, but I have had issues while working on various other vehicles.

 

Did the new clutch disc slide onto the input of the trans easily?

 

I ask that as I've had some that didn't, mainly due to machining burrs that were left behind. A little file work took care of that. If the disc hangs up on the input shaft, it will bind up, causing it not to fully release.

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So maybe I have the cable still misadjusted? Yes the Flywheel was properly resurfaced. And I put everything in correctly.

 

The notchy feeling seems to be more of a current issue after changing the cable. So I am wondering if I don't have ti adjusted right.

 

So if the clutch is not disengaging all the way with the pedal in. Do I tighten the adjusting nut or loosen it? I'm thinking tightening it as it pulls the fork the more you tighten it. But then I also don't want my friction point really high like it was before.

 

Must be a fine line...? lol

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Yeah, I don't recall which of the 5 BRATs I've owned that had the problem. But do recall that "the issue/it works right" was like a 1/2 turn of the adjusting nut.

 

I was keeping good repair logs on all of the vehicles here, even the Non-Subaru ones. I have apparently, not been to adament on that of late...

Not to much on the logs as to replacing clutch cable(s) in them. I know I did a new one on one of them, swapped it into another, Just no info on the who,what,where,when.

Wasn't the '84 though as it was an Auto.

 

It may just very well be that you got a bad cable setup.

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Good question, I will check that in a bit. I will also adjust it slightly in so there is a little more tension on the fork (if you will) maybe the disc isn't disengaging all the way, all I know is, it felt better with the original cable, before it broke lol.

 

I should get pics as to where the cable broke. It was not the cable its self, it was the large round stopper which pops into a grove under the dash then a retainer bolts to the dash and holds it all in place, that ripped out (alloy Cracked)

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The Ski wagon may no longer be the ski wagon after seeing this. I am in love with this color (Thanks Kiwi) I just need the color code. Next year when the car goes for paint, it may become this gray color instead of Porcelain White.

 

RX1.jpg

 

1984 - code 394, Misty Gray Metallic

Du Pont code N8326

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Awesome mick, thank you! I looked at the Subarusofthe80s paint chart, but didn't know which gray it was. :cool:

 

I have the actual paint chip pages that the paint stores had in their binders...

 

always been meaning to scan them and add to the page....

 

that gray according to my chips, was '84 only. I've only seen it on coupes too...

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I like that color. It reminds me of my 85 gl 4wd sedan 'Silver Fox I' which was a more gunmetally color than the lightning likver (84 gl wagon) or the lighter champagne silver like that of an 89 gl-10 wagon.

 

I would oppose of killing off the ski wagon original trim, but i do like the gunmetal silver color.

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The Ski wagon may no longer be the ski wagon after seeing this. I am in love with this color (Thanks Kiwi) I just need the color code. Next year when the car goes for paint, it may become this gray color instead of Porcelain White.

 

RX1.jpg

 

I am partial to that color too. It doesn't have to be the "end of the ski wagon" you could adjust the colors of the decals to go with the new base color.

but then that would take from the red white and blue USA theme they were going for but red white and black would look pretty cool with that grey

 

not trying to start a flame war:Flame:

 

looking good btw! if this turns out half as nice as your EA82 or your FJ80 it will be awesome.

 

Ben

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So we'll see what becomes of this car, I was kicking around the idea of selling out of it, so I just have two cars. But it'll probably be a hard sell even for $1,000.

 

So I dunno what I'm gonna do at this time, maybe I should just sleep on it for a while, I sold Trashwagon10 and kinda regretted it.

 

Ben, I kinda like the idea of adjusting the decal colors to compensate the gray. I'm not really a fan of Red, White, Blue.

 

I preferred the Black/White/Orange of TW10, it stood out but looks cool.

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So we'll see what becomes of this car, I was kicking around the idea of selling out of it, so I just have two cars. But it'll probably be a hard sell even for $1,000.

 

So I dunno what I'm gonna do at this time, maybe I should just sleep on it for a while, I sold Trashwagon10 and kinda regretted it.

 

Ben, I kinda like the idea of adjusting the decal colors to compensate the gray. I'm not really a fan of Red, White, Blue.

 

I preferred the Black/White/Orange of TW10, it stood out but looks cool.

3m(i think) makes a reflective black and orange vinyl, that might look pretty cool.

there are a couple of police agencies around here that use the black graphic on their traffic enforcement cars, it looks really cool.

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