DaveT

I had a mouse nest in my 86 parts car. The critters moved almost all of teh under carpet padding to the HVAC ductwork and system.. Definatly yuck and don't breath the dust. Dave

That has been one of my "future projects" since I started building our new house yearts ago. Dave

Call Yellow freight. Ask about Exact Express. I just shipped a crate and a box with VW microbus parts across the country for under $200.00. The crate was about 6-1/2 feet by 4 feet by 8", the box about the same length, but only 9x18. Also, arrange to ship from loading dock to loading dock (or business addresses) to get this rate. Also consider dropping off if there is a local "office". Dave

Somewhere, a long time ago, I found there was an update to the timing belt interval. To change them at 40,000 miles. I had had them fail before 60,000 twice, before I found that info. Dave

Also, check out waxoyl and por15. I have used waxoyl for years, and it stops rust. No good for visible areas, but a lot of the rust comes from inside and the seams where there are layers of metal. POR 15 I just found, and have some, ready to apply. Dave

A long time ago, one of mine had a leak that was slowly loosing coolant. No puddles, no smoke, but it was evaporating so it snuck up on me. First notice was needle way up. Checked water, low. Add water, head home. Needle goes into red in about 1/2 mile @ 55MPH. Heater on High, idled to a parking lot, where I removed the t-stat, thinking it was stuck. More water, got home, seemed to run ok. But kept needing more water. After a 4) 16mile trips on the highway, I found out where it was going - the crank case. Blown head gasket/s. Bearings and all were ok, so I put it back together. It burns about 1 quart of oil per week, (at least it doesn't leak any more:)) so the rings must be fried, but runs pretty normal anyways... Soon to be retired, as I have a couple other better engines around. I am using it to burn used oil from other cars until warm weather and engine swap. Dave

The vacuum modulator is on the passenger side. A little back from the front cat. The shift points seem to be higher RPM with an original modulator, the after market ones seem to lower them, and I end up using the selector to get them where I like. Usually 3500-4000 RPM for decent acceleration. I wind 2nd all the way up to 5500 getting on highways. 4000 RPM in drive is normal for 65 MPH. There is a switch on the gas pedal that delays / holds the gear you are in when the pedal is floored. It also causes a downshift if you floor the pedal while crusing. When I switched to 100% synthetic ATF in mine, cold weather no longer had an effect on the transmission. Dave

I have / had 4 various GL / loyale EA82 SPFI 3 speed AT 4x4 wagons. All got: Amsoil 100% synthetic engine oil and bypass filter, spin on oil filter, air cleaner. Amsoil synthetic ATF. Amsoil synthetic gear lube. No oil changes. ATF every 100K. All are over 180K miles. All got the synthetic switchover when originally acquired by me. I usually use the selector as a shifter, *letting* it shift around 4000. Getting on the highway, the gas is floored, the shifts are around 5500. Often, (dirt or wet or hill) from a stop I pop the 4WD switch in until in second gear. When I get in a different car - my wife's Forester, dad's minivan, I get in trouble (wheel spin) because I am used to putting the pedal to the floor until up to speed. Occasionally I tow 1000LBs trailer. Occasionally put 300Lbs on my full length roof rack. Occasionally haul around 500Lbs of audio equipment in the wagon - rubber bumpers touching the stops. Sometimes this with the trailer. I tends to drive calmer with the big loads, but still keep the shift points up to not lug. I have had *no* engine trouble traceable to this use. *no* transmission trouble except the vacuum modulator, normal part to die every so often. The '90 Loyale we have had since it had 15K on it. Somewhere around 160K, I pulled it to fix the leaky oil seals, head gaskets. The engine looks new, in spec crank journals, wrist pins. Hone marks still on cylinder walls. The cars that have gone out of service have gone due to body rot and we lost one to an accident. The engine from that one (86) is now in my 92. Dave

My 86 4WD wagon had front struts with hight adjustment nuts built in, factory original equipment. I also picked a pair off a car at a scrap yard a while back. Theis summer, they go into my 2 Loyales. They don't go all they way to 2", but it is an option. Dave

Also, check the timing belt tension, and the little bearings on the idlers. Make sure the belts are tracking correctly, not rubbing on things they shouldn't. Every time I have heard those kind of strange noises from the engine area, it has either been an idler bearing, alt. bearing or lead to a broken timing belt. I use a piece of 1/2" hose as a stethoscope to probe araound. Also, a long screwdriver touching things with the handle end pressed on the bone forward of the ear hole can help discover the source of bearing noise. Sometimes the screwdriver works better than the tubing, sometimes the other way around. Be careful of the alternator fan with the tube, and any moving part with either method. THINK carefully about what is moving, etc. before actually doing these tests. Dave

The other good thing about the jiggle pin is that you can tell if the coolant system is full without opening the cap. Checking the overflow bottle does not count. I blew the head gaskets once due to the bottle being full, and insufficient coolant in the engine / radiator. When the eengine is cold, grab the upper radiator hose, and squeeze it. If the system is full, you should hear the pin jiggle. If there is a little air, you can hear the bubles. Bad low, you hear nothing, since air won't jiggle the pin. Dave

I have had good luck with Stant brand thermostats. I have Run 100% glycol, 100% water, 50/50 normally(recomend that). Never noticed a difference in normal conditions. Dave

My #1 criterion, if you are planning to make the car a runner, is how much rust? No-very little = buy. I would rather replace all the gaskets, and replace the tranny than do body work. It is normal for all of the gaskets & oil seals to be leaking on that model, that old. The diff in the front is in the same housing as the automatic transmission, but the transmission parts are seperate / sealed from the diff, which uses gear lube. The diff can be replaced / repaired without opening the transmission part of the case, as long as the pinion shaft / gear / seals are good. Always check the gear lube dipstick periodically, as the seals like to develope slow leaks, and no oil will kill the diff. Talk about horrible noises! The shifter just moves a rod that moves a valve inside, maybe the linkage, maybe not. I have heard that turbo engines must be handled with care. Head cracks are common. Most of my non turbo heads have cracks also, but seem to run fine. I never had a turbo. Dave

I put never seize on the cover bolts early on. Never have trouble getting them out after that. Also, I came across an update on the timing belt interval. It was changed to 40K miles. I only had one make it past 60K, and could not figure out what I was doing wrong. They had all made it past 40K. Dave

My experience with these solinoids is that they don't last long. I get toyota or honda soliniods from a scrapyard and put them in. Subaru 'noids ~ 2 years, Toyota >10 years, still working. You have to adapt wires, and figure the vaccume lines, and bracket, but pretty simple. The purge 'noid is near the EGR one. It pulls the gas fumes from the charcoal canister that catches them instead of letting them evaporate into the atmosphere. Unplug the connector and use an ohmeter to see if the coil is open, the usual failure. Or hook 12 V to the 2 contacts and listen for the click. Dave

I have 5 EA82s none turbo. all but 1 SPFI. Most heads have the crack. They seem to run fine anyways. I check coolant and oil every weekend, to avoid overheating, which, in my experience, at minimum, blows a head gasket. Dave

I bought the 87 w/*NO rust*. I will have to drill the holes to mount the rear differential bar (the one at the back). The tube that mounts the rear suspension does not have the little bracket for attaching the front of the differential, so I will either make one and weld it on, or use my spare 4WD one. (it is rustier than the car, so I don't really like that option) I have to add the wiring for the 4WD switch and all that stuff. Stripped my dead 4WD wagon, started cutting tape and labeling connectors. Dave PS should I update on this thread as things progress, or put up new ones? There may be shorter and longer intervals between the updates.

I found a set at one of the scrapyards where you pull the parts you want. I tried to get new ones, but the aftermarket suppliers just make fixed ones, with the height set half way between the "high" and "low" end of the adjustment. Subaru wanted a lot of cash for them. This is what I found a few years ago. Dave

This is the "normal" state of these solinoides... *Every*single one I've had has failed. My solution is to go to the junkyard and find mid 80's Toyotas. They have a few each of a similar solinoide, and they are easily accessiblke to remove. Save the little "filter/caps" also. You have to figure out the airflow paths to make them work the same. Modify the mounting bracket a little. But they do not fail. Cut the Subaru connector off the dead one, solder it to the wires from the toyota one. Polarity doesn't matter. Subaru units fail <5 years. Toyota units still in cars >10 years. The EGR solinoid is off while the engine is warming up. At some engine temperature, the ECU turns it on. So it is on for most of the time the car is running. When it is on, the EGR valve can function. When it is off, the EGR valve is closed. Dave

The bushing for the diff has a much bigger center hole. I may ahve an extra part #13 in the diagram. The rod and bushings will make the shifter sloppy if the bushings are worn. You could also have problems inside, but you might as well fix the bushings if they are loose. I also have a set of them, from a parts car - I do not know how good they are, but I don't htink they are shot either.. Dave

e4rfv Yikes! I have an extra spacer from a 76-78 wagon. It is .985" long and 1.390" ID. Loyales and earlier that look the same (GLs) use a spacer the same ID on the front, but they are longer, so you would have to cut them shorter. PS they are hard steel, so that would be no fun. I use them to help re assemble Loyale CV shafts into the bearings. I also used to know where a 78 wagon was sitting... It may still be there. Dave

Hi, I know this isn't why anyone swapps out an EA for an EJ, but how does this effect MPG? Obviously, if you use all that power, it will use more fuel, but if you don't *always* use all of the power? Since the EJ turns below 3000 at 65, and the EA is right around 4000.. If I were to use the tranny that goes with an EJ, that would match better, but now the wheels are "too small".. Or maybe an XT6 tranny or touring tranny, since they have an overdrive gear? (I prefer to use AT transmissions) How much more does a Legacy weigh more than a Loyale? -In other words, does makeing this kind of mod get you more acceleration than a sock Legacy? Thank you, Dave

I was looking through my FSM the other day, and saw the section on the 4 speed AT. All my Loyales & GLs are 3 speed AT. The ratios are just a hair higher on the first 2 gears, same on 3rd, and 4th looks like overdrive. So if a swap a 4 speed AT into my car: 1. would I notice a difference in acceleration?? 2. get better milage on the highway? 3. have more or less reliability? What car was the 4 speed AT normally in? Thank you, Dave

This (smoke) drove me nuts for a while. Finnaly found out that Subaru has a modification kit for it. About $50.00 from a dealer. If the big rubber duct that goes to the SPFI throttle body has 2 seperate hoses on the rear side that go to each rocker cover, and the driver's side one is thinner than the passenger side, you need the mod. All it it is 2 "T" connectors and a piece of hose that replace the thin hose the same as the passenger side hose. Also included is a small plug for the small hole where the seperate thin hose went into the duct. No more smoke on long high G right turns. Dave

For tools, also check http://www.mscdirect.com. Don't break like craftsman, don't cost like Snap-on. I have a mixture of all, but no "no-names" Had a set of Kobalt screwdrivers - the chrome chipped off on the first screw I turned, they went back, never again. The Snap on screwdrivers I have are far outlasting any others I have had, mostly Sears. I tride the platinum plugs in my fleet of loyales- made them PING like mad. Even with 93 octane. Dave