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An old car is never going to be as safe as a newer one. This is 80's technology. Even the crash tests when the vehicle was new are not going to be the same when the vehicle is 20+ years old and rusty. Drive defensively, don't speed.....oh wait it's a Subaru Just drive defensively.....cause you can't speed!:-\ It is true that safety wise Old cars can't compete, However Older cars seem to combine safety and survivability. New cars you get in a accident the car is usually totaled are the damage is very expensive. Older cars tend to stay together better, Do I make since?

Actually I dont know how to start a car that way. Do you have pictures by chance? Im sort of a noob at stuff like this.

Is the relay you are talking the box above the battery that contains 4 wires and on the lid of the box it has Black, Green, Red, Green Printed on the top? Also I found the white plug (I think) it was covered black... It feels kinda of loose but looks alright.

White Plug on the alternator I couldnt find, however I did check all the plugs on it and they look fine. Alternator runs fine I believe, funny story about Advance Auto Zone... I went there to check my alternator a while back and they did... They said it was bad. So I bought a new one there (Rebuilt) and installed it, checked it again at the Auto Zone... Bad... Had the guy check the alternator on his car... Bad... So I think my original alternator was fine, o well. The new alternator is shiny... Moral of the story. Get another opinion lol. I will clean the terminals again and look through my wiring. I might try that relay thing, But I am not sure if I understand what I need to work on that well. To throw another tidbit in. When I had my starter replaced my ECS light started to come on when driving. My mechanic said (And I will go look it up later) that the reason it was coming on was there was a error with the starter system however seeing as my car was starting it wasnt a problem and to ignore the light.

Thanks All My Connections Are Clean, I will look into that white plug thing. "The clicking and not starting issue is common - it's the actual ignition switch itself. You can install a relay run by the ignition switch to transfer full battery power to the starter solenoid. That will solve the starting problem and is the prefered method as it allows the ignition switch to be operated normally." I think that is out of my cabilities however I might mention it to my mechanic if it becomes worse. And last the 5 speed transmision sounds like a great idea, how hard is it to change that out? If my transmision goes out I will plan on putting a 5 speed in but for now I think My 4 speed is fine. It gets to 90 without any real problems and thats about all I need right now.

Its nice to know that the newer ones are still sturdy, but then again, Fords and I dont get along very well with me..

Ya that just confirms the steal metal death trap, O well, However I think I will take my Suby over some of the more modern plastic cars. Cause you know, Atleast my car will survive

Can you post where you found those safety ratings? I have a 86 (Im sure there isnt much deference) and as far as I am concerned it is a steal metal death trap... Ex: Just two weeks ago I got in a accident, making a left hand turn, light turns from yellow to red (Im sitting in middle), first two lanes cars are stopped, third is empty, I turn... Some guy in a Yukon size SUV comes flying through... Next thing I know, Clink, Crunch and there we go. Long story short, Broke my tail light, and left a dent on my poor wagon As for him I ate the right side of his car, one tire and prety much 4000 dollars worth of damage. His fault... He paid me a 100 and after the new taillight I was 87 Dollars richer.

Best and I mean THE BEST Is a guy in cascade. Cascade Subaru is you best bet for Subaru repairs. I got my car screwed up at JJ Tracks in Monument. And this guy fixed my car up like new and didnt gauge you on price and was completely honest. Maybe I will see you around sometime. I have a old rusty tanned Subaru that is around the springs.

Heres What I got 1986 Subaru GL 1.8L Fuel Injected 4-Gear Automatic Transmission 2 Wheel Drive Electrical Draw. AC, I have a CD Player System 200 watt nothing fancy, Powered Windows, Power Steering, Power Locks (Who ever ordered this suby got the works, and yet didnt get 4 wheel drive, go figure... And some of the "Blue" headlights" (I believe they are the same as the stock but coated differently) So the alternator has been replaced with a rebuilt. And I have a die hard silver (2 year and cant find the crank amp for the life of me...) Here is the problem Turn on the AC or just the fan on high (AC is worse) there is a noticeable difference in the voltmeter (Under 12) and sometimes the car will die from lack of power if I have a lot of stop and go driving (Low RPMs does it). Turn Lights also cause the voltmeter to jump with the lights. Second Problem. If my battery is at 85 percent power then sometimes my car will just click and not start. So any ideas? Also I am looking into buying a new battery, how are the Optma Batteries? and would they be worth it for my setup? I have read through the threads for putting in a more powerful alternator, might do that.

How hard is it to do the conversion I know my old subaru has freon (is that R-12?) and if it ever needs to be switch out I will have to do it because filling that thing with more freon is expensive and illegal...

PS the 4+ ya the guy who did it wast not that smart... I noticed on the machine it even said what it should of been... right underneath him lol.

Ya I was testing them at 2000+ RPMs and comparing them to the originall tests of the product my new one works great while my other one had its problems

I replaced everything on my 86 except the wiring... It appeared to go through the frame... But I love how mine sounds I just wish that there were some other speaker slots other then the ones by your feet... My stupid leg tends to cover my speaker... Anyway I had little problem getting in the new speakers and hooking up a new cd player, except one of the speakers was a pain in the a$$ because it had started to disolve. It funny when people get into my tank of a car and I turn on to a cd player most people are completly surprised...

I go to a place called A-1 Salvage in Colorado Springs they have 8 of my year (86) I have "raped" so many parts from those my machine is starting to look like frankenstien My interior now looks like new. If only I could find a front driver side seat thats like new... mine looks ok but its dissolving. That styrofoam was not made to last the car hehe...

Though that happens every once and awhile with my old 86 it usually means its low on oil I would also check your belts for anything caught in them if the sound is in the engine.

Just put a new alternator and and it tested the same... DAMN YOU ADVANCE AUTO PARTS... But it did check out ok at the subaru specialist. So we tested the machine at advance auto parts on another car to see if it was working well... it was also reading the amps low anyway So now i have a newer alternator that really wasnt needed but it seems to be running a little better so maybe the 40 bucks to replace it and put a new one in isnt that bad. Thank for the help and yes 60 amps is around what it should be max.

Other then my car is a 86 with fuel injection mine sounds like a tank to... I am willing to bet that is is the exhaust cause that is were most the noise comes from that on mine. Mine is well "holey..." rotted through I will replace it one day when I have the money or access to the tools anyway something that really helped with the noise on mine was changing the oil and adding a new oil filter. Along with a new air filter mine purs except it is a little loud but thats just the exhaust. Enjoy your subaru hell I was born in mine...

Have a 86 Subaru GL Fuel Injection and I am looking for what he alternator should run at... I had it checked and volts were alright but my amps is at about 2. I was planning on replacing it anyway and was just curios what my amps should be at the worker who tested it said it should be at 4+ but he didnt look to informed or the subject. Thanks in Advance if you know the answer!

I love my wagon but I have had a few problems with it... One the rear windshield wiper fluid motor sucks anyway to fix that or but somesort of newer motor in it??? Second I seem to be leaking oil but I dont know were. First off there is a new 86 engine in it (So I was told by the mechanice who fixed it (Even though they jipped me)) It takes 2 Liters of oil for it to say full on the dip stick instead of 4 which the old engine took. Second I seem to need to add about two more liters every 3 weeks because it gets low. My car only drips maybe one drop a night and the exhaust isnt smokey so Is there someplace else that the oil could be going??? Last right under the spare tire above the engine by the exhaust there seems to be a smoke that comes from it that smells like rubber. I know my exhaust has holes in it but I dont think it is the exhaust. any recomondations? If you can answer any of these are know of another thread that has my answers please either respond to this or email me at chris_brosz@yahoo.com Thanks!

The problem is how it is locked in there I cant get it out (special tool maybe) I already got the console out but just no luck getting th estupid thing out... Thanks fir replying though

If anyone has a sight or know how to plz help me out here. I have the parts but I am not quite sure how to get the blooming thing out any help is greatly appreciated. Hey if you got pictures that would be spiffy! Thanks