riverrat

84 DL 4wd wagon Looks like I win this contest.Riverrat2 odometer is broken at 356,000.The original owner believes it has around 450,000 on it.I am curently putting just under 200 miles a day just comuting to work.Has original engine and clutch.The only items to be replaced are the alt.,starter,and front axles.Unfortunately the original owner used to haul a 12' boat trailer out on the hood canal.Rust will killl this car before the drive train goes south.It runs better than riverrat1 ever did and I killed her around 250,000.

sorry about the hijacking but this has baffled me since day 1. Suby2 is an 84 dl 4wd s/r.It has the single large rectangulaur head lights??

I had overheating problems with suby1.I too started with the basics.After ruling them out I brought to a suby mechanic.It was severly over heated when I gottoo the shop.Already knowing that I had done the basics he went straight for the radiator core with his hand.The metal rim all around the rad was HOT but the core was stone cold.This told me I need a new radiator. I could limp around town with the bad radiator but as soon as I got on the freeway it would boil. What is with these cheap a$$ aftermarket parts.Saving a few bucks to suffer a bunch of grief is not worht it to me.:madder:

Suby2 has somewhere round 450,000 miles on it.We do not know because the odometer is stuck around 345,000.Most of those miles were done with a wix filter.That is all I ever used on suby1.

I cannot answer what purpose it serves realy.I do know that sub1 did not have one and was no where near as quiet as suby2 which does. I would not pay sixty bucks my self.I would cut the resonator out and measurethe gap between.Then i would go down to the exhaust shop and ask for that length plus however deep they can flair on both ends.Lets say yoy have 18" between your cuts.The exhaust shop tells you they can flair 1 1/2" deep.So you would ask for a pipe22"long, flared at both ends.A couple of clamps and off you go. hope this helps and if I am wrong somebody please catch this

I went to regasket the pump of suby1.The pump came of in pieces!Had to buy a new one.I think a rock had hit it.Anyways just a heads up if it is your daily driver.

After all that work what is the gain? I see a much simpler engine which is one of the reasons I LOVE the ea81. How about gas mileage or horse power?

Yay i did not know ls did that kind of thing either but alass.... The original owner of suby 2 had ls replace a bad front axle.The "mechanic couldn't get the spring pin out of the axle.He bunged it up so bad that he tried to grind it out.I still have not figured out how I am going to get this axle free of the tranny.Like it is dificult,especialy for a so called mechanic.

My favorite fishing partner is laying here on the floor next to me as I type.A black lab named bear. she got hit as a pup.She ran out in front of an older couple doing a respectful 25 miles an hour in our neighborhood.Nothing they could of done.She wasn't hurt, just learned a lesson.I felt more for the poor couple that hit her.They felt so bad. Now the worst thing that ever happened to the neigborhood squirrels,is that damn Geico comercial.You know the one with the squirrels high fiven each other:clap: There targets now:banana:

Have you given you inspected your drive shaft?I had a similiar problem which I atributed to axles and found itto be the rear u-joint.

I floated suby 1 through a much deeper than anticipated pudle once.She climbed out in 4-low and promptly died.Turned out it was water under the boot of the primary wire at the coil. When I got to end of the road there were some extreme toyo's and such in amasement that I got there!Always fun:banana:

Suby1[84 gl wagon] had no heater when first bought.Turned out to be a mouse nest in the squirel cageLOL

I ran into a similiar scenerio with an ea81 wagon.I took it to a mechanic, he went straight for the radiator core with his hand.While everything aroundit was HOT the core was cold.Plugged from age.Replaced it solved the problem.I had already ruled out the thermostat and water pump though.Would run hotter onthe free way then in town though.

I use a twenty dollar gear puller purchased at napa to remove the stubborn ones. As far as fishing them back through I just start it by hand and use the axle nut and a couple of screw drivers to pull it through far enough to get the hub-rotor with enough of the axle showing to start the axle nut and then pry again with the screw drivers.Does that make sence???LOL:grin: HAPPY HALOWEEN

It is something along those lines but i can not get the pin to reverse out and he has marred up the opposite side so bad I can't get a punch in there.I think I am left doing a little drilling. I have had nothing but problems with after market axles.It is not the axles but the boots expire after only a few months.Tired of it!!! thanks greg:headbang:

When I get back from a weekend of fishing I will post a digi pic to show you where i am at.In short and 84 bumper with 81 headlights but the bezels are different.I believe what she is,is an pre 84 sold as an 84.She was boght in 831/2 but licsences as a 84. Got to go,headed for the coast fishing,thanks greg:headbang:

Thanks for the welcome back! I am headed out the door for forks,over on the coast as I am typing.I spend alot of time over there fishing... There are some trails up in the buckhorn wilderness area but I am not sure if they are still open.Local kids were getting into some trouble so I heard the erea was getting pretty tight.There are some off road trails out here just outside of belfair.Sanctioned trails on dnr land.Quite acttive actually.I believe there are a couple of off road clubs that donate alot of time to the maintanance and all. I would love to check out some of these lifted hatches and such some time!Always wanted to.Am still keeping my eye out for an 84 gl wagon worthy of the work and money.My current suby suffers from too much rust to warrrent the time and money.A dream would be said wagon with a 3" lift toyota wheels painted forest green with a new ea81 with a weber etc. got to go as i got a long drive yet.talk at ya monday!

Ditto! darnit:boohoo:

Suby 2 suffers from the front axle blues like suby 1 did.The after market boots do not last a couple months if I am lucky.Unfortunately the original owner of suby 1 had les schwab replace the axles as they would go out.One of les schwabs big brained mammals drove the spring pin out the wrong side of the axle and got it stuck.Too make things worse he got something stuck in the champhered side and tried to grind it out.So now I can ot get my drift punch in the side the darn pin was supposed to come out and the pin is stuck coming out the wrong hole. The only fix I see is too try to drill it out ad hope for the best?Kind of tricky but.....Any other ideas? I am sick and tired of changing axles on subys.I did four sets in a year and a half on suby one and bought suby 2 suffering from the same thing.I can change one in a few minutes but not the point,plus I get tired of smelling burnt grease!Do yopu guys think that the all expensive dealer part would solve this problem.Hell I got 180,000 out of the original. well headed to forks for a weekend of fishing.It will be suby 2 maiden four hour drive so wish us well!

On an 84 wgon????Suby 2 has headlite assemblies like an 81 82.It has the 84 bumper without the blinker installed but has the headlite,markerlite,blinker assembly like previos years.I looked at an 80 but the bezel was diferant.Anybody know anything about this and mayby where to purchase a pasenger side one? I swear only subaru mixes up the years like they do!Any help greatly apreciated.

What a bunch of crazed subaru loving goofballs you all are.My kind of people!!! I used to bs a little with you all under the name sirltlcleo.Ltlcleo being my favorite fishing spoon.Back then I owned an 84 gl 4wd wagon.Loved and owned that car for a good eight years.Unfortunately I had way too much too drink christmas eve and I killed her in an accident with a telephone pole.I felt like I lost one of my dogs.She still sits in the drive way to remind me of my mistake.DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE!!!!! I just finally got over the grief and replaced the river rat[My fishing partner named suby 1 that years ago and it stuck between the two of us.]I Picked up an 84 dl 4wd.Of course she is not half the car that the gl was but I could not resist... I bought it from the original owner who I thought was going to cry when I left with it.He took care of it in every way he knew how and managed over 400,000 miles on it.SHE RUNS GREAT!!I almost felt obligated to take care of it for him.Plus winter is coming and I needed another river rat for my favorite hoby salmon and steelhead fishing! looking forward to hangin with you all again!