DaveT

I mostly drive my 3AT SPFI wagons by using the shifter. They almost always upshift too soon. To downshift, say, off an exit ramp, I move the lever back to 2, then tap the gas to get the RPM up, and it drops in. Much smoother than waiting until the auto stuff decides to do it and the engine at idle. I also learned how to mannually do a "kickdown" much smoother than the automatic does when you actually floor the pedal tripping the kickdown switch. ----- Back to the original topic, electric servos probably would be tough to find with the right speed & force. Hydraulic or air powered wight be better. Maybe air would be good- they would move fast under light load, then if the synchros don't mesh immediately, the air pressure would build gradually, kind of like when you push the lever a little harder. Dave

Since Formula 1 race cars use this kind of (indirect) control for shifting & clutching, it can't be all bad... This link talks more about the controls, but mentions how and why they went to electronically controlled shifting: http://www.f1technical.net/articles/30

> When / How should the diff oil I check it before moving or starting the car after it has been parked overnight, on a level surface. Do remeber to check it once in a while. I had a differential fail from no oil -oops. Actually, the bearings on the pinion shaft failed, letting the pinion hit the differential carrier whenever there was no load on the engine.

I have had 3 replaced. $150.00 - $300.00 each (spread over a few years) Each time we re-used the trim. I tried to save a good windshield once, even bought the tool they use to remove the old one. After an hour of real struggle (those guys must have strong arms - it looked real easy for them) cutting the seal, the glass cracked. Maybe piano wire is thin enough to do it w/o cracking?

> 16) Can you buy an altenator rebuld kit? The front and rear bearings are standard, can be bought at any bearing supply house pretty cheap. Get the ones with contact seals. I have been "borrowing" brushes from other alternators - one wears much quicker than the other. Rectifiers & regulators from alts. with overly worn slip rings. All my alternators needed brushes before 190K, amazingly consistant. A cure for a common emissions system failure: http://users.adelphia.net/~davidtief/solenoid.html If you have a SPFI engine, check the fuel pump and protect the damper from rusting. Timing belts change every 40K miles. Check all coolant hoses, not just the 2 main radiator and heater hoses. Check the radiator, especially in the corners of the electric fan. If the fins are gone / falling out, get a new rad. before the tubes split. Overheat from low coolant = at minimum, new head gaskets. Dave

Here is a way to save an old fuel pump: http://users.adelphia.net/~davidtief/fuelpump.html Dave

I use a steel bar - solid 1/2 x 1" or tube 3/4x1-1/2. Put 2 lug nuts on, just to protect the threads. The bar / tube is about 2-3 feet long, so it hits the ground at a shallow angle, and won't move the car. Dave

My 92 Loyale didn't want to start the other day. A shot of carby cleaner in the intake got it going. Off to run errands. 3 or 4 stops later, no start. It will run on the carby cleaner for a second or so. Luckily, the guys at the plumbing supply house had a few tools around, so I got the pump where I could see it. Knocked on it a few times with a screwdriver handle, got in and it started right up. Decided to shut down, and use a piece of wire to hold the mounting plate up, in case it quit on the way home. No start. Knock on the pump, started up. Got home. Called NAPA. They want over $300.00 for a pump! What is it made out of? Gold? Started this evening, of course, when trying to duplicate the problem. I have 2 older pumps (both run, no pressure test yet) and the part of the harness that has the power connector on it so I won't get stuck... Anyone have any alternatives? Thank you

I just saw this post. 2 maybe / guesses: Gas in the float bowl sloshes to one side, starving the engine. (I am not familiar with the weber) Something similar to the SPFI Loyale problem wiht long hard right turns and smoke. Fixed by using 1/2" hoses from BOTH rocker covers to the intake boot.

Good start checking all the fuses. Try the fusible links. Try un hooking the main alternator output wire. My 92 has the annoying power belts. I also have a set of the non power belts from a GL. That will solve the #$%^% power belts problems.

The little hole is meant to drain water from the muffler. Probably only matters if you make short trips that don't get the muffler hot enough to boil it off.

Here is how to replace them with Toyota solenoids: http://users.adelphia.net/~davidtief/solenoid.html

Support the header pipe with a jaclk or blocks, etc. so it doesn't hang on the studs while removing & reinstalling. Buy new studs and nuts if the originals are rusty looking, or be ready to go buy them. Take it easy when removing the nuts (probably the studs will turn) Get the penetrating oil in there good. Sometimes backing out then in again helps free things up. But sometimes they strip. If it does, about $50.00 at NAPA or similar gets you a Helicoil kit to fix it. Anti seize on reassembly helps prevent future trouble. I am about ready to try a stainless steel solution for the stupid studs. It will probably involve helicoils though, because I have been unable to find metric stainless studs or threaded rod with the pitch used on the studs.

That and if it leaked out enough, you want to get the air an moisture out also. I posted a description of how to make your own vacuume pump for little cost a while back. It is also a good idea to find the leak. Look for oil around the fittings and AC components. Or put in the dye made for finding leaks.

I go with this one. Both my loyales have this right now. The noise is not clean and sharp like sticky lifters. (I have heard that ocasionally over the years) It does have some pop to it, but also some FFFt of gasses under pressure through a small hole. Not metallic. The noise is only there when the engine is under load. Cruising on the flat is not enough load to make it really loud. A quick test: For AT: Put the car in 2nd. Hold the brake pedal w/ left foot. Apply gas with right. If it is exhaust, you will hear it. For MT: put in a middle gear. Set parking brake. Slip clutch while apply gas. Don't do this long , but it won't take long to know. Be careful in case the car moves, have room.

I never had a bearing come out. Try to clean some of the dirt off first just in case. The last time I bought a "new" CVJ I got used ones from a Subaru specialist repair / sales shop. About $40.00. Bought the boot kits, relube etc. I like to have a spare one ready to go. Really shortens up the repair time when one fails or you get lucky and find the torn boot before the clicking starts.

Could be bearing, or CVJ. Look at the boots. If they are intact, it is more likely bearings. In over 15 years, I have never had a problem with either in the rear, except 1 boot broke (on '88, in '04). Gave up on the car due to rot before it made noise... Ticking during sharp turns from the front, CVJ. Been there, done that many times. The ticking noise is the warning that a boot broke some months prior...:-\

If you connect the big wire from the batt. to the stud on the back of the alt. and get sparks, the diodes are shorted out. Drawing more current than they are rated for will do that.

Don't know about that particular oil. I have run Amsoil in all my cars. For over 20 years. 100% synthetic motor oil, with their spin on filter, air filter and bypass filter. Install the bypass filter, etc. Never changed oil again, only add to make up the inevitable loss that occurs. I have converted cars with milage from 15K to 80K. The car that was switched at 15K ran to 150K when the aged seals / head gaskets began leaking too much. All clean, no gunk, still in factory spec. for bearing clearances. I also use the Amsoil synthetic ATF and gear lube.

Runners: 01 Forrester 92 Loyale 90 Loyale 87 GL project car - adding 4WD. No rust. To replace rotting out 90 above. Parts: 88 GL (A couple things left to remove) No body, just all the parts: 88 GL 86 GL All wagons (except the Forrester).

Here is something to help with A/C repair. Find an old window air conditioner. The important part is that the compressor housing be a round cylinder. This indicates that it is NOT a piton compressor. Make note of the wiring from on/off switch to the compressor and capacitor. Note the small copper tube that goes to a very small tube. This is the output side. Note the larger tube that comes from the outdoor heat exchanger (condenser). This is the input side. At the least, install a flare fitting & adapter on the input side to match the fitting on the car system or an A/C manifold gauge set. (find on ebay) Or as a minimum, a ball valve between the compressor and the system under repair. I did this with the compressor from an old GE 5000 BTU air conditioner. It pulls a good enough vacuum to boil water at room temperature. You do have to be careful about the run time, since the compressor motor is designed to be cooled by the circulating freon, which isn't there when pulling a vacuum. When it starts to get hot, close the valve and shut it down. The valve is needed - otherwise, air will leak backwards through the compressor.

Sounds like there is a leak. If the leak tracing dye is like the stuff I used, you look for the leak in the dark with a black light. If the system was not working for a long time or open to the air while repairing, the system should be connected to a vacuume pump to remove the air and moisture before charging the system. Not a bad idea to replace the filter / dryer in that case also.

I have had a couple of u joints go bad. Symptoms were humming vibration at highway speeds. 4WD on/off changed the tone / sound of the hum. Low speeds made little to no noise. Sometimes, when parking (tight corners, etc.) 4WD would cause creaking / weird metalic noises.

This helped me remove parts from the last car I disassembled: http://users.adelphia.net/~davidtief/dynahoe.html

check this out: http://users.adelphia.net/~davidtief/solenoid.html