DecimalCat

Hey all, Got some more questions about my 91 Loyale Wagon/4WD. ( Last time I posted was when I asked if/how I could get more power. . arg, arg, arg, tool man. . eh heh. . anyway. ) A while ago I started having trouble with the brakes not having enough power, and after adjusting the rear drums and checking the front pads to no avail, I replaced the master cylinder. The brakes were then good and solid for a day or so, and then started to taper off a little bit back to where they were. They've still got plenty of stopping power (managed to lock the wheels up from 50MPH to avoid hitting a pig in the road. . an honest-to-god pig. This is Maine. Don't ask. ) But they're nowhere near as powerful or solid-feeling as the brakes on my mom's 96 Legacy Brighton. Is this just normal for Loyales, or does it sound like I've got a problem of some sort? The rear shoes have plenty of beef left on them, as well as the front right pads - front left I didn't check yet. There's no brake fluid leaking from anywhere that I can see, so I don't think that's a problem. Could the booster be going maybe? Also, yesterday, I was driving along on a road trip to Bar Harbor, ME to take some pictures, and I noticed that at low speeds, I can hear a high pitched squeaking noise coming from the rear when going over bumps or rough pavement. I'm voting for the struts in this case. My question here is, do I have anything to worry about if it is the struts? Should I get them replaced ASAP or is it not too big a deal? Thanks in advance, -DecimalCat

Hey again! Wow, I wasn't expecting so much response. . Anyway, yeah, the AT is pretty bad in terms of robbing power, and I plan to replace it with the 5MT when it dies, or when I have the money to sink into such a project, whichever comes first. It's the 3-speed computer controlled AT. I don't know much about driving an MT but I've done it a few times and can pick it up fairly quickly, especially with a car I know the other characteristics of. (Handling, where to shift, etc. ) As for the turbo kit, I found one that *supposedly* will fit a Loyale by going to http://www.accessoriesgiant.com and putting in the make, model and year of my car and scrolling down to 'turbo system'. I can't guarantee it'll fit the EA82 engine, but the site claims it will. . so it's anyone's guess! I don't remember where I found the Nitrous kit, but if I run across it again I'll post the link. Thanks again, and take care all! I'll post up some pictures of the beast soon if anyone's interested.

Hey folks, I'm kinda new here, so, hey, I'm Decimal Cat. I drive a 1991 Loyale Wagon 4WD AT (soon to hit 130K). It's a very solid car and I plan on keeping it for as long as I can keep it in one piece. (no pics yet, sorry. ) Live in central ME, so the 4WD is nice for getting around in the winter. :cool: I've got a few questions, though. First off, it's a very good car and gets fair mileage (been averaging ~27 mi/usgal lately), and fair cargo room. But the 90 HP engine. . . it's killing me. Are there any easy and cheap performance upgrades that can be fit to the EA82 engine? Cold air intake, maybe? ECU reflash? I have found a couple websites that tell me they sell turbo kits and nitrous systems that will fit, but I don't have that kind of money, and that engine's probably a little long in the tooth to take that kind of pressure. I know it was designed as a utility car but the lack of power can be scary sometimes. One thing I've never really liked about the car is the AT, I wish I had the 5MT. . but I'll worry about that if the AT ever fails. Anyway, thanks in advance for all your help. Love this board so far! --Decimal Cat