Jump to content
Ultimate Subaru Message Board

noob soob question :)


Recommended Posts

hi all! new old subie owner, got rid of an infiniti G35 (sick of pymts) and picked up the cleanest '87 GL wagon 4wd on the planet!

now, reality. aside from leaking oil from every seal on the engine, i've also got a coolant leak somewhere that's draining down onto the cat towards the passenger side. it's not a consistant thing, and i can't seem to pinpoint where the coolant is coming from :mad: is there anything in that area of the coolant system besides the heater core? pls help!!

(p.s. already picked up 15' turbo pugs, this is gonna be fun!!!!!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hi all! new old subie owner, got rid of an infiniti G35 (sick of pymts) and picked up the cleanest '87 GL wagon 4wd on the planet!

now, reality. aside from leaking oil from every seal on the engine, i've also got a coolant leak somewhere that's draining down onto the cat towards the passenger side. it's not a consistant thing, and i can't seem to pinpoint where the coolant is coming from :mad: is there anything in that area of the coolant system besides the heater core? pls help!!

(p.s. already picked up 15' turbo pugs, this is gonna be fun!!!!!)

 

anything would help, seriously . . . i'm about to go remove my dash zzz so if it could be anything else i would appreciate a heads up!!

thanks

chris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You may find that the little hose going from the middle of the top of your engine block to the manifold is leaking. Its very common. Its right under the carby.

+1. Usually if its a heater hose going bad, the metal tubes that the hoses connect to will show rust at the seam, or there will be some rusty staining on the hose where the leak itself is.

 

If its a pinhole leak spraying from one of the heater hoses, then it might not leave much of a rust stain, BUT you can try to rule that out by fishing a laser pointer all around the engine bay when it gets good and hot, and look for steam.

 

Wiggle hoses around, try to loosen any theoretical "pinhole" up and the laser pointer should make it easy to see even a tiny amount of steam, if its pointed in the right spot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

started looking closer at the point at the firewall where the 2 coolant lines go to/from the heater core, and it looks like that was the leaky area . . . it wasn't leaking into the cabin though, could it have been just the semi-loose hose clamp i found on one of those lines at the firewall, or could there still be a leak at the core inside?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Usually, if coolant is leaking inside of the vehicle, one could smell it inside the cabin. Doesn't always mean a bad heater core either. A loose hose clamp, like you found, can let coolant enter cabin by following the tubes of the core.

 

I would reccomend replacing the heater hoses along with the smaller coolant lines found ontop of the engine, radiator hoses too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Try snugging them up and if they look aged, changing heater hoses is usually a good start . I havn't had to change a heater core from a Subaru yet.. but I hear it isn't fun.. but there are shortcuts etc... usually windows would fog up on inside if leak in coil and smell etc..

 

Depending on the heater hose, you can use the hose off the role, but I think on the return hose it has a dog leg on one end and using the roll stuff it can crimp over, so for that one I usually buy a exact replacement whether from Subaru or after market.

 

Also the little hose from the carb down to the air manifold I buy that one also. It is located on the left/front side of the carb when facing engine and another squirley one on the right side I think...

I have used fuel line but again, the factory short bends make it worth the extra money to assure no problems. And that 90 deg hose off the top of the water pump, after market or Subaru orig. but too sharp a bend too use hose off the role.

 

Hoses are on the bottom of the list of things to replace.

 

Sorry so wordy and hope some of this helps

Link to comment
Share on other sites

thanks for all the help! i'm hoping it was just a loose hose clamp . . . i won't know until i'm done with the rest of the overall tune up.

 

1) i've got the magnaflow y pipe/cat coming and a bosal brospeed muffler to cap it off with, i just want a little more of the "subie sound" that you get from a boxer, ya know?

2) i'd like to eliminate as much of the emission control stuff as possible, i'll be doing a thread search for that, unless someone would be kind enough to post a linkey :brow:

3) i've got the valve cover gaskets, oil pan gasket, transmission gasket and filter, gotta stop the bleeding :dead: any other suggested replacement items while all fluids are out of the engine and trans/diffs?

4) i've got a replacement coil, cap, rotor, wires and plugs for the electrical side . . .

5) the timing belt was in great condition, but the accessory belt(s) are in horrible condition, so i've got those ready to go

6) and i've got my 15" turbo pugs, just need rubber . . . if i don't want the "super swamper" look (i.e. just a better overall ride/traction on road) what size tire should i use- 195/60/15 was the plan, but would a different size look better?

 

thanks again for all the help everyone, as retarded as it sounds i'm more excited about my 80something H.P. subie than i ever was about my 300+ H.P. infiniti!!!!!!!!!! :banana:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's funny how these old cars make you want to take care of them. I sold my sick azz 2006 Dodge Ram seen here http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t153/jascodiesel/IMG_1336.jpg

to get ready for my first daughter to be born. I have not had this much fun working on a vehicle since I was 16. My Loyale had a coolant leak and miraculously "healed" it self for now. Good luck with the leaks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why remove emission controls if they are working? Its not like the old days where you just ripped the stuff off and gained instant horsepower. (unles you get an aftermarket carb :D )

 

For oil leaks, take the car to a do it yourself car wash and wash the engine using a degreaser. The usual suspects are main seal, valve cover gasket, cam seals (if it has a timing belt), oil pump, and water pump, depending upon the make-up of the muck.

 

nipper

Link to comment
Share on other sites

thanks for all the advice, the gunk under the engine is just the usual for an EA82, oil seapage, road grime, and now some coolant!

the coolant never made it into the cabin, so i'm thinking i got lucky and won't have to remove the dash to replace the heater core . . .

soobtank, here's my last project car . . .

th_IMG_0789.jpg

th_IMG_0661.jpg

and here's the new one, just before i purchased it

th_DSC00472_edited.jpg

th_DSC00469_edited.jpg

th_DSC00468_edited.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

.

I have used fuel line but again, the factory short bends make it worth the extra money to assure no problems. And that 90 deg hose off the top of the water pump, after market or Subaru orig. but too sharp a bend too use hose off the role.

 

Automatic transmision cooler line. Available in small diameter and heat resitant.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Your avatar kicks rump roast.

your mom kicks rump roast! ;)

 

 

my buddy has turned every innocuous statement made by anyone for the last two years into a "yer mom" joke, and I have picked up the habit.. it makes getting to know new co-workers... interesting to say the least. Ah well, keep 'em on their toes, is what I always say.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

your mom kicks rump roast! ;)

 

 

my buddy has turned every innocuous statement made by anyone for the last two years into a "yer mom" joke, and I have picked up the habit..

 

same here, except my co-worker was female, i think she missed the sexual harrassment video . . . :lol:

 

so any suggestions on the tire size i mentioned before, or anything else (besides the radiator hoses) that i need to ad to my shopping list i put on this thread for the major overhaul?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For that 90* hose from waterpump to heater supply line, a Gates 28466 hose will work, just trim to fit.

 

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c264/TomRhere/7b2961db.jpg

 

The old hose in that pic is from an EA-81. But I checked new hose against an EA-82 engine here and it'll work on them also.

 

Ford V8's from the 60's to the 90' (289,302,351w,351m,390,429,etc...) use an elbow at the waterpump just like EA pumps. Podunk gas stations in the middle of BFE, almost anywhere, will have one of those elbows. At least they are much more likely to have that than "subaru" parts

Link to comment
Share on other sites

its been a busy few days! drained all fluids, replaced waterpump, thermostat, thermosensor, pulled oilpan and trans pan, removed and replaced valvecovers, removed and replaced ngk spark plugs, wires, installed accel coil, new fuel filter, replaced leaky fuel hose at the pump, and test fitted the pugs!

 

if only it was as easy as that sounded :rolleyes:

snapped a waterpump bolt while re-torqueing (there was enough sticking out of the block to get ahold of thank god) so i replaced all of those.

the thermostat was fused into place, had to "persuade" it to come out zzz

had to degrease the whole bottom of the car just to be able to see w.t.f. i was doing :-\

the old gaskets had never (ever) been replaced, so removing their remenants was a fun task (finally settled on using the brass bristle wheel attatchment on my dewalt drill and a razorknife), the valve cover gaskets were so hard that they looked and felt like those long rectangular magnets i used to play with as a kid . . .

figured out (@11pm) that napa had given me the wrong transmission gasket/filter set :mad:

discovered that the plugs on my subie required a 13/16ths socket that i didn't have, also at 11pm :banghead:

 

so, now i've got to re-install the fluidpans, still waiting for my magnaflow y pipe/cat to arrive, going to my favorite exhaust shop to get a custom catless and mufflerless pipe bent to go from the y back to a universal bosal brospeed i found on ebay, i ordered the new falken ziex 912's for my 15" pugs (i hope it looks good :confused: ) and other then that, just waiting for whatever else i haven't thought of to rear its ugly head:Flame:

 

this is as fun as i thought it would be, and more . . . i love this car already

:headbang:

chris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

its been a busy few days! drained all fluids, replaced waterpump, thermostat, thermosensor, pulled oilpan and trans pan, removed and replaced valvecovers, removed and replaced ngk spark plugs, wires, installed accel coil, new fuel filter, replaced leaky fuel hose at the pump, and test fitted the pugs!

 

if only it was as easy as that sounded :rolleyes:

snapped a waterpump bolt while re-torqueing (there was enough sticking out of the block to get ahold of thank god) so i replaced all of those.

the thermostat was fused into place, had to "persuade" it to come out zzz

had to degrease the whole bottom of the car just to be able to see w.t.f. i was doing :-\

the old gaskets had never (ever) been replaced, so removing their remenants was a fun task (finally settled on using the brass bristle wheel attatchment on my dewalt drill and a razorknife), the valve cover gaskets were so hard that they looked and felt like those long rectangular magnets i used to play with as a kid . . .

figured out (@11pm) that napa had given me the wrong transmission gasket/filter set :mad:

discovered that the plugs on my subie required a 13/16ths socket that i didn't have, also at 11pm :banghead:

 

so, now i've got to re-install the fluidpans, still waiting for my magnaflow y pipe/cat to arrive, going to my favorite exhaust shop to get a custom catless and mufflerless pipe bent to go from the y back to a universal bosal brospeed i found on ebay, i ordered the new falken ziex 912's for my 15" pugs (i hope it looks good :confused: ) and other then that, just waiting for whatever else i haven't thought of to rear its ugly head:Flame:

 

this is as fun as i thought it would be, and more . . . i love this car already

:headbang:

chris

 

We got another one!! :brow:

 

 

and I learned, for my self anyhow, that taking everything seriously, all the time, isn't any good.. I use laughter as a ward against many things, and its the best anti-depressant out there.

 

Well, other than octane :burnout:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ok, noob questions 2 and 3 . . .

 

to replace driveshaft fluids i need to know if my diffs are limited slip or not, does my vin tell me this?

 

does anybody make a carbon fiber hood for these old wagons, with a hood scoop? (seriously, my wagon is all white, with an almost all black roof, and i think a black hood would look good . . .)

 

thanks

chris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

here's the soob with the pugs and new tires, just done today, looks fvkin awesome!!! i love how far off the ground it is now too, that extra 1.5 inches makes the subie look meaner, and it just feels like it's the right distance from the ground now . . .

up next, blacked out windows, and some fender flares (a la wrx sti's), some 4" yellow piaa's under the bumper too!

 

th_DSC00563.jpg

th_DSC00562.jpg

th_DSC00561.jpg

 

 

. . . sorry, just another excited soob noob :banana::drunk::headbang:

 

:burnout:

chris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...