smelly_cat

Good info. I think it is a pretty good car. One thing though. it still has the old timing belt. . Do I have to pull the engine to change it? Sc

Hey everyone, Since My kid rolled my 83GL a few years ago. I've been away. It is time to get a new car and I'm looking at a plain white forester with 80K for about $6900. I read about the head gasket issues on earlier years and it has me worried. Any pros or cons on the 2004's that you can share? SC

Im near Chatt, no emission control checks. The 87 is FI is a 2wd 5speed wagon like my 44 Gl SW my engine is a Carb, I need to do this as cheap as possible. and since the hitachi is running, it will stay for now So the transmission of the 87 will bolt to my 84 engine peachy keen right? SC here be the 87 http://chattanooga.craigslist.org/cto/947377120.html

Thanks for the link Subiemech, I have to learn to search better, It is looking like a doable project. there is an 87 5 speed SW for sale for 350 around here, IS ths correct. Pull 87 motor, drop in e81 motor, it will hook to the 87 trans? There was some post about clutch slipping that I did not understand. Will exhaust pipes will line up with minimal welding? I can probaly figure the power steering SC

Subie Mech Search were? SC

Hey everybody will 84 GL 1800 engine fit into a 87 SW. or is everything differnt. SC

Good question, I probaly should work this out in my brain first, before buying all this stuff. Pull subie motor, Clean it up change oil pan gasket and valve gasket, Clutch. any thing you don't want to change later. It be tight in de back of de bus. If we can remove all the emission air pumps and things? I would try, Get rid of Hitachi Carb, if I can find a cheap alternative Change FLywheel , mate the adapter to trans, Change clutch things, mate the engine to adapter, probaly have to rig a brace under the engine . Old bed frames , 2x4'es or something. Now put the radiator some where. Buy 30 feet of pipe and flex radiator hose, Run it to the roof. or in front of the bus. If it is a camper bus maybe hide the radiator in the luggage rack someway Probaly need the electric fuel pump from the SUbie Its getting expensive. Clutch stuff $100, water hose, fuel line. $50 Adapter $400. Misc stuff I don't know about $100, Old Bus $500? 120 hours of fun and frustration. I need to score a used adapter some way. Did I miss anything? SC

I found this, they say the push rod 1800 CC fit in old buses http://www.kennedyeng.com/vw_por.htm The following is a list of engines that we adapt to. Average price is $440 for 200mm VW, $540 for 9” (228mm) VW. Step 1, one find old cheap bus Step 2 Buy this adapter Step 3 figure out how to get motor out of GL SW Step 4 Get tired of project and leave it half finshed, sell all for loss

I cant weld but I can JP weld the parts togehter. Looks like I need a kit. SC

Does the van have to be a vanagon, I was thinkin an older bus. Those aircooled jobbies had 60 hp so this 1800cc would be a kick in the pants

Since my ol' 83 GL 1800cc got crumpled, Is there an adapter to the motor to go into a vw? The ones I've seen all are newer FI kits. SC

Check the wires going to coil., , They break or fall off after 20 years. pull a wire from the a plug, expose the metal , put a leather glove on, hold it a close to the block. turn it over . see a pretty blue sparK? if yes, electrical is ok sc

OK lets say the 1800 1984 Engine 170K and 5 speed are ok and the seats are not torn blue velour, most of the glss is ok What is this wreck worth? SC

THis is a check, I have not seen my added posts. sc

Would a 84 1800 motor fit in this? \ 1987 Subaru GL10 Turbo 4x4 Wagon - $800

That is an awesome idea. I could keep it street legal. I think all I need is Windshield and blinkers . are there some pictures of one somewhere? I live around the Chattanooga tn area if anyone has a brat body. That would be so funny driving a convertable station wagon . I'm going to bang out the bent rims and see if I can hold some air in the tires I guess the car would taco if I cut the roof with out the rol bars Huh? SC

Well it had to happen, New CV axle.. Check. New Muffler. Check. New Radiator...Check, Teenager + ditch = rolled 3 times. After the tow slide it off the ramp. I had to plug the neg wire back to the coil. It started up with me reaching in the door window and turning the key. That door is never going to open again. I figure the engine and 5 speed are OK. Anyone know what model years I can stuff this 4 banger in? Its a 1800cc with a the lovely hitachi Carb. Flowers can be sent for the memorial service being held under the big oak tree on Subaru Hill...... for the car..... the kids sore but are Ok. Seat belts rule.. SC

I just put 15 gallons in my GL and I went 300 miles, My kids had to push me the last 20 feet to the station. I think there were 3 cars with people there that knew me. I have been training 2 teenagers to drive a 5 speed every day for the last week, starting on hill, conking out , rev it, dump clutch, Bark tires. roll 10 feet, stop .. repeat. We end the lesson when I can't take it anymore, I also had a plug wire not plugged in and still go 20 mpg, What a car, I feel bad for it. Cheers. SC

Zuk, Im up near chattanooga in GA

I have so much oil on the under side of my 84 GL. The drips are evenly spaced about 2 -3 inches apart, under the engine parellel to the bumper. I hope its the oil pan. If its not the old pan gasket, I'm making a drip pan. All the bolts were a half turn loose and I could not get to the 2-3 pan bolts bby the tranny. After 24 years the gasket may need rejuvenating? It looks like the steering rack is right under the pan. Is the oil pan gasket a easy job? SC

Awesome stuff. I figure I will be plunking in a clutch pretty soon from my kids chirping the tires every time they dump the clutch, I never knew my GL had such tire burn out power. SC

suburuGuru, I did not know the wires need to be changed so often. is that what everyone else does? When I changed these I though they were the hardest plug wires I had ever replaced. Heck even the distributer cap is wedged under the air cleaner and is kind of picky about coming off SC

This is just me bragging but maybe it can save someone some time My Gl has had a stutter problem for 2 years that i figured was a gas starvation problem. The problem is that it would only stutter the engine under heavy acceleration now and then and it would self correct if I let off the pedal a bit. I found a major problem with my spark plug wires. some how, some time, I must have pulled real hard on a plug wire either taking off the air cleaner or doing water hoses . I had pulled the end with the contact out of the distributer cap but the rubber boot stayed on. so the spark had to jump a half inch to light up the plug. . Cheers. SC

Reading what that tool said made me mad. After all the work we do on these cars and some jerk wants to nag . Half the time I'm afraid to sell to someone cause I figure they barely know how to check the oil and they will never be happy or able to keep an old car on the road. Try selling on Craigslist next time. http://atlanta.craigslist.org/search/car?query=vw&minAsk=min&maxAsk=max&addTwo= Seems like the buyers are cooler and its free.,

I got my parts, took off the old spring washer and the the cone washer. the cone washer was indeed scratchie looking. I did not have a torque wrench but I did find a giant socket rachet wrench. and rolled that nut as much as I could. Its mucho tight . It is mostly better, I hear clicking sometime but it is way softer and it could possible the cv on the driver side. So way to go GD, good call. I'm turning another teenager loose in the incredible indestructable. 84 GL. SC