Subanubi Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 I'm looking to sell a running 1985 GL(?) wagon, maybe as a parts/project car. It seems to have a vaccuum issue somewhere which I have been unable to find which causes it to quit. I have always been able to get it started back within 30 seconds or so...frustrating, but not critical. It's not the timing; the vacuum system has been significantly twiddled with in the past. So sez a host of mechanics. I have a lot of work into this car, but not a whole heap of money, thanks to aforementioned buds with mechanical know-how. I have driven it as a work car regularly since 2012 and if I knew what the hey I was doing with a car I would keep it, cause it's a fun little car. Starts right up, tires are almost new. In any case, if you are interested, drop me a line: koga24 AT hotmail DOT com I can take some photos, you can come by and look at the vehicle, test drive, et cetera. Just don't ask me for technical details; if this car is for you, you'll already know one heck of a lot more about it than I do lol. (My mechanic buddy said it looks like there have been some "unorthodox" things done to it, and the Chilton's don't quite seem correct. He thinks maybe the motor was replaced with a DL engine. Not that I would know.) I'm not posting photos or an asking price because a.) you'll know if you want a car that old and b.) at this point I'd like to get it to someone who will get good use out of it and give it some TLC. I don't want to scrap it or try to make a profit. I don't realistically have time for it anymore. I kinda have a little sentimental attachment, so the price could be pretty good for the right person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subanubi Posted June 8, 2015 Author Share Posted June 8, 2015 I have received requests for pics, so here they are. That's all, folks. Asking $600 OBO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinky26 Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Is this a manual? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombieblues Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Is this a manual? Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subanubi Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 Is this a manual? It is indeed a stick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoobiedubie Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 (edited) You could just find another subaru owner in Bend, and have him visit you. Park them next to each other and pop the hoods. Then compare. About the only vacuum hose that will prevent the car from starting is the vent tube coming out of the top of the camshaft tower covers. An electrical issue is the most likely problem. Check for spark to the plugs first. Coils go out in 260,000 miles. Distributors go out on the 85 and 86 models, a lot. Distributor wires corrode. The rotor contacts inside of the distributor cap, need cleaning every 5000 miles max. Swap in working parts from your buddy that just pulled up next to you. You better know how to set a distributor in an engine, and adjust the timing. If the battery was dead when it quit, the alternator wasn't charging it or the battery is shot. The black fusible link wire gets hard and breaks in 260,000 miles, easy. The wire from the bottom of the fusible link box to the hot battery terminal, loses it's conductivity at the connector at the battery terminal. The engine ground wire loses conductivity at the connection to the body. These wires get hard and lose their flexibility, when they have lost a significant portion of their conductivity. A clue for a bad battery terminal wire is that the car ran poorly with headlights on, just before it stopped running altogether. If you were getting a lot of static in the radio, just before it stopped running, then the condensor with a wire from the +coil connector, and mounts to the body at the coil mount, has gone bad and will prevent the car from starting. A worn out ignition switch in the steering column, will also prevent the car from starting. If the left side cambelt is broken, then the distributor won't spin and there will be no spark. Crank the engine with the distributor cap off, to see if the rotor is spinning. Edited June 13, 2015 by scoobiedubie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subanubi Posted June 13, 2015 Author Share Posted June 13, 2015 Thank you very much for your technical know-how and for the advice; however, at this point I have already purchased a replacement work vehicle and am looking to sell this one to someone who knows what they are doing. I don't want to sell her to the salvage yard, she deserves better. Frankly, I'm frustrated and don't have the time or excess energy to expend; It was nice to try and learn a little something about cars when having it wasn't mission critical (I can build computers and networks from the ground up and have some of my electrical assembly work is in orbit, but don't ask me the first thing about cars). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subanubi Posted June 22, 2015 Author Share Posted June 22, 2015 (edited) You could just find another subaru owner in Bend, and have him visit you. Park them next to each other and pop the hoods. Then compare. About the only vacuum hose that will prevent the car from starting is the vent tube coming out of the top of the camshaft tower covers. An electrical issue is the most likely problem. Check for spark to the plugs first. Coils go out in 260,000 miles. Distributors go out on the 85 and 86 models, a lot. Distributor wires corrode. The rotor contacts inside of the distributor cap, need cleaning every 5000 miles max. Swap in working parts from your buddy that just pulled up next to you. You better know how to set a distributor in an engine, and adjust the timing. If the battery was dead when it quit, the alternator wasn't charging it or the battery is shot. The black fusible link wire gets hard and breaks in 260,000 miles, easy. The wire from the bottom of the fusible link box to the hot battery terminal, loses it's conductivity at the connector at the battery terminal. The engine ground wire loses conductivity at the connection to the body. These wires get hard and lose their flexibility, when they have lost a significant portion of their conductivity. A clue for a bad battery terminal wire is that the car ran poorly with headlights on, just before it stopped running altogether. If you were getting a lot of static in the radio, just before it stopped running, then the condensor with a wire from the +coil connector, and mounts to the body at the coil mount, has gone bad and will prevent the car from starting. A worn out ignition switch in the steering column, will also prevent the car from starting. If the left side cambelt is broken, then the distributor won't spin and there will be no spark. Crank the engine with the distributor cap off, to see if the rotor is spinning. I just re-read this and wanted to address the salient point: [About the only vacuum hose that will prevent the car from starting is the vent tube coming out of the top of the camshaft tower covers.] The car will start and run quite well. Then it will [randomly] die. Then you can re-start it and it will run for a [random] while. Then it will die [or not, depending on whether the chicken you sacrificed to Aesclepius was well-behaved in a previous life]. Then you can re-start it, et cetera, ad infinitum. If you don't run it for about a week you can run it for a couple of days before it starts this behavior. Edited June 22, 2015 by Subanubi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subanubi Posted July 31, 2015 Author Share Posted July 31, 2015 Sold. Thx for looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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