edrach

Jay, I was just interpreting what I thought I read. Your wagon is about the same mileage as my '86 when I changed the radiator at 225K so I wouldn't count that out. But, I really think you have a thermostat that is sticking shut until it finally pops open. Good luck with the repair. Sorry I didn't connect the username.

Best Legacy mechanics in the area are Smart Service in Shoreline. Try http://www.smart-service.com/.

It would help to know how old and which model you have. However, two things jump out at me: The sudden drop in temp could be due to a stuck thermostat allowing the car to start to overheat and then suddenly opening. Odd that the car normally goes only up to 1/3 on the temp guage. All of my cars are typically 1/2 or just slightly below. My Brat used to be 1/3 until I replaced the thermostat; turns out the unit that was in there was a "summer" thermostat that opened at a lower temperature and the car always ran cooler. Works fine now that I have the correct thermostat in the car. Secondly, older Subarus has marginal radiators. With age they become less efficient and the car is prone to running hotter than normal. The typical symptom is that the car might run at normal temp at 40 or 50mph, but will run noticeably hotter at 60 (but not overheat); hotter still at 70 (maybe not overheating yet); when you slow down the temp will come back to normal by itself. Nothing helps this second problem other than replacing the radiator (easy job and not too expensive; I bought a radiator for my GL wagon for $120 from http://www.radiator.com and it took less than 30 minutes to install). Don't try a backflush on the radiator--waste of time and money. Take it from someone who spent $75 on various remedies on my wagon and finally fixed it once and for all with a new radiator. If I'd have been smart, I would have taken that $75 and put it to the purchase price of a new rad. So, to summarize, I think you may have a stuck thermostat as well as an older radiator. Try the thermostat first, it'll be less expensive.

I have my own feelings about Scott needing to be impartial. Hopefully, the responsibility of the job will force him to see other viewpoints. We'll have to wait and see on that.

Corky, you're preaching to the choir. And you're right. However, the idea is not to add classes like in autocross when you almost have a separate class for every make of car. Six basic classes is about right ffor rallycross and I can understand ORG's need to not add classes if that can be avoided. The equalizer in all this is the road conditions which allow a Brat to be quite competitive with the Durango. Slippery conditions and the Brats will usually win every time; dry conditions and a wide open course and the Durango has a considerable advantage. But it's really the driver and not the car that makes a difference in this event. You should come out and run; you'd love it! The cars that really lose in Truck/SUV are the full size trucks, especially the 2WD variety. Just an afterthought; I think a Brat, properly modified (not extremely), with the right driver could be quite competitive in almost any class, including Open.

Austin, great idea. Neon cruise control! Just have a few well placed hooks on your dash and loop the string around the appropriate hook for the speed you want to travel at. Cool. Glad you made if home okay.

Corky, the classes were originally conceived to put like-performing cars into the same class so there would be some semblance of order and to increase competition. My preference to not having wagons in Truck/SUV referred to the Loyale series; my personal feeling is that they are more appropriate in Production class. Actually, my real argument is with SCCA in not defining a class list for ralllycross. If you look at Article 10 of the SCCA regs regarding classes, it is the most amazing, confusing, contradictory set of rules I've ever seen. I think ORG did a pretty decent job of re-defining classes for rallycross. Their only mistake occurred last year when they didn't allow Jason to run in Production with his '76 wagon because he didn't have a stock air cleaner. Production--by the ORG rules--"allows minor modifications" and a non-stock air cleaner on a 1400 cc motor doesn't seem to justify kicking the car into Open or Truck/SUV class. Actually, I think Jason just wanted to run (but not in Open) and pointed out the MPV classification on the door pillar of his wagon. Once he was in, every GL wagon, Hatch, etc. could put aggressive snow tires and any modifications into their car and run Truck/SUV and basically take over the class. ORG was hoisted by their own petard as it were. Frankly, I don't make the rules; I'd just like to run the events and have fun (and be a little competitive when I have a good day). Lots of interesting reading in the discussion link I posted as well as Article 10. ORG was only trying to come to grips with a "perceived" problem of loss of competitors being due to Brats and other low power Subarus. Statistically, the problem of loss of returning competitors in Truck/SUV had less to do with other marques being outclassed but with the fact that for two years in a row, 75% of the entry in that class did not return to compete in the following year. Since the Brats always returned it didn't take long for the "perception" of Brat superiority to be blamed for that fact. As a matter of fact, only Subarus made up the significant majority of the first two events of the series in 2003 and in a three car series for year-end points allowed them to take 5 out of 6 trophies for the 2003 series. It'll be interesting to see what 2004 brings in terms of rules and results. I just wish that the "final" rules would be posted soon so I can get the Brat ready in time for the RallyCross school in March. Oh, forgot to respond to your comment about the Forrester. It was and should be in Truck/SUV. As a matter of fact, one Forrester ran the series in 2002 (might have been 2001) and took 2nd for the year I believe. He didn't return to run in 2003; I don't know why.

Andrew, like it or not, get used to it since it won't change for at least a year. Frankly, I agree with him on that point; I really don't feel that our wagons belonged in Truck/SUV. I'm just waiting for the updates so that I can figure out what class I'll be running in this year. If you want to change it, join ORG and make your voice heard. If he's wrong, it'll become apparent in short order. Who knows, this might even improve things and make it better. Right now, wait and see. For those who want to see the entire discussion that occurred before the Dec. 17th meeting, look for: http://pub35.ezboard.com/foregonregionsccafrm17.showMessage?topicID=7.topic

This was published in the January 2004 issue of the Loud Pedal (ORG's monthly magazine) in Matt Tabor's Rally Column: "The Oregon Rally Group, Rally Division of the Oregon Region SCCA, are proud to welcome our new RallyCross Manager for 2004, Scott Kovalik. Scott has participated in RallyCross for a number of years and we are thrilled and excited that he has decided to help us out on the organizational side of things. One of Scott's first duties was to bring to a resolution the discussions that were taking place regarding some rules tweaking being considered by the ORG. Scott lead a discussion of some of these at our December meeting. Some of the things that came out of that meeting were: A clarification stating that wagons are not to be run in the Truck/SUV class. A mandate to explore splitting the Truck/SUV class into two classes with Upper and Lower horsepower split. An increase in non-member (SCCA) entry fee to $30. And a new system for randomizing the grid rows which run first. For a more detailed explanations of these and all the RallyCross rules, please point your favorite browser to http://www.oregonrally.com or click the rally link from http://www.oregonscca.com." Note: More detailed explanations are not yet posted as of 1/3.

I remember lots of discussion regarding oil getting sucked into the air cleaner on the old EZBoard. Anybody remember and links or conclusions?

The relay is mostly the best permanent fix, but you might also check the connector on the cable coming from the ignition switch. the first plastic connector coming out of the ignition switch has one wire for the starter solenoid. On the older cars this connection goes bad and starts to heat up and drops voltage there instead of at the solenoid. You can often see that since the plastic connector turns brown from the heat generated at the connection. Either replace the ignition switch and cable with a newer one from the wrecking yard or splice a wire (heavy guage at least #12 or #10) around the faulty joint.

I'm with Ken on the fuel filters. As old as our cars are, fuel starvation can easily be caused by a clogged filter. Check the simple things first. If that doesn't solve your problem, you can always do the hard things.

I'm fond to fthe Hakkapelliitta NRW all season tires. Very good in the rain (I live near Seattle) and quite good in the snow when I get up into the mountains. Find sizes/dealers at http://www.nokian.com

It might not be the distributor. Let me hunt up my shop manual for you and see if it covers the turbo models.

Most people with PS turn the weber around 180 degrees to clear the pump; needs more finagling with the throttle linkage but it can be done.

Our webers are notoriously bad in cold weather. None, even with proper choke and mixture settings like to idle properly when cold. Mine takes about a minute of driving down the road before it stops stalling; that's about as good as it gets.

I love my Hakki's also. But I can't spell it (seems no one can). It's HAKKAPELIITTA Sorry, I couldn't help myself. As for wear, my son is still driving the Q's I bought 5 seasons ago. Of course they come off in May and on again in November on his '83 GL wagon. Even though they are half worn, they still do the job in the snow. He's a ski-bum and drives up to Stevens Pass every chance he gets. I put all season Hakki's on my Legacy this year because I couldn't see the annual changeover on a car that seldom will see snow.

My '86 GL wagon has 256K and is still going strong. It's ready for new headgaskets and other routine work.

Decisions were apparently made at the last ORG meeting. Just waiting for the formal paperwork. Check the ORG discussion board for the confirmation.

Lots of the older subes around. Jason runs a '76 wagon at RallyCross and there are lots of '80 wagons still on the road. I think Austin's blue wagon is an '80 also. Longest running (i.e. highest mileage) that I'm aware of belongs to your boss at Smart Service. His white Legacy must be pushing 400K by now.

Cool. But it's not really how the Brat is truly classified, it's how it's perceived!!! Anyway, I don't really care at this point. I just want to know what I need to do to optimize my Brat for whatever class it's in. Did the emissions printout indicate SUV also? If so, bring it along just for laughs. I take it the weber passed. It would be nice to publish the results for those who are thinking about a weber and are concerned about passing emissions.

Anyone else having problems with that link, or is it just me?

Posted today: http://pub35.ezboard.com/foregonregionsccafrm17.showMessage?topicID=8.topic

Pull a Part replacement is the least expensive fix; besides their unit is guaranteed for 30 days (keep the receipt). I've never priced an VR for an alternator, but I'll bet it's quite a bit more than $8.50. Brushes should be done as mentioned. Also, is there a significant amount of oil in the engine compartment and on the alternator? I don't know what the cause is, but I've had similar failures on three different cars when the alternator was covered in oil.

This is similar to the problem of keeping the hub from turning at the wrecking yard when the brakes are inoperative and one is trying to remove the castlenut to get at the axle or the hub. I had a friend weld a 2 foot pipe onto an old steel wheel rim (tangent to the diametet). I would attach the rim to the hub and the pipe would keep the hub from turning while I used a 3 foot extension on my breaker bar to loosen the castle nut. As Dr. RX said, it's not easy, but it can be done. If you like I could post a jpg. of my "special" tool for nut removal.