Reveeen

Pull the spark plugs specifically looking for rust. Yes, water will get into the intake through the bolts. It will go down the intake, by the valves (and rusting them), into the cylinder (doing a number on the bore, rings, and pistons), and finally ending up in the oil pan. A "marine" engine is what these are called.

One side is good................it grounds through the case.

If you care to look (compare used car prices across the country) there appear to be Subaru "hot spots". Now, as to the why, I really can't say, but as you are noticing, it's "foolish".

The outer CV joint pops off the axle almost as easy as removing a broken bolt in a socket. You clamp the axle in a soft jawed vise, no vise you say, I use an el-cheapo workmate clone. You cut the boot away. Taking a soft punch you tap the center off beside the axle (the piece is hardened, you don't want to use a hard punch, in a pinch I have used a nail). Very rarely have I had to replace the outer end retaining clip. The inner end simply pulls out after cutting the boot away. You then have a lump left on the end of the axle, that when you look at the axle end it is retained by a circlip, whacking the circlip with a screwdriver makes it real easy to remove (you get a new one in the boot kit that you sneak on with a screwdriver). Until you gain some experience at what you are looking at I recommend you stick with replacing assemblies, ie: complete joint assemblies.

2001 Outback VDC H6 wagon (160k) There is a lot of, well, "discussion" as to the service interval/life of the timing chain assemblies on these motors. The folks at my local dealer are not too free with info, it is costly, and they talk about 140,000k. We had some discussions here, I'm sure someone will step up with the info, but I can say for certain: 1) you may be discussing a timing chain service with your banker 2) the thing you do not want is for this chain to take flight If it was mine (I do not own, and probably never will own one) I would try to get a grip on the info and come to a decision soon.

I'd be looking at my suspension bushings.

nixon: If it is a car you like and want to go for it, so be it. Here, I run, on the average, 3-4 "projects" behind, any sign of "foolishness" and I figure any seller can keep what they are trying to sell, it's not like they don't make cars each and every day. If you really wanted to be miserable, you would wait until this listing expired, then throw the guy a low ball.

so it will go over the axle with out taking it apart This is akin to trying to put toothpaste back in the tube. I "knock" axles apart here regularly, and find it harder (and more time consuming) to get the things out, than to take them apart. It is dirt, water, and rust, that "eats" CV joints, how do you get the dirt out without disassembly, and cleaning? Like "staked in" U joint replacement, why are we making this harder than it is? BTW: boots are $12 here, though I wouldn't want to try installing one without at least popping the CV joint off of the axle, isn't that why you get replacement clips in the boot kit?

Grab the entire engine, while they might look the same there are differences, lower compression for one.

I apologize: Scott and I drifted off, into talking about replacing a throttle body on a 2.2 with a carb, easiest way. Sorry for any confusion.

At best, I *think* we can only guess the available transmission options in Britain.

The lifespan of ANY automatic transmission is at best a guess. I have 300,000+ on mine, but am told I am an exception. @200,000 I would have to offer that the best is gone out of it leaving you with luck. Are you "lucky"? Purchase accordingly.

This one brings back memories of working on 60 series of Detroit Diesels. Being fully electronic, you set the engine parameters with a handheld, and truck drivers being truck drivers, you always get one ***************ing that so and so said he has like 600 HP, and he would like that too. I used to keep a tire crayon in my toolbox, so I could write the desired HP on the side of the engine, just to shut these idiots up. My day has been made here today, with fond memories of idiots, bringing a smile into my day.

Full service on front brakes, take them apart, make sure stainless shims are still there, and everything free. In this neck of the woods we do not re-surface rotors, brand new (from China) cost me $15. Thunking noise Re-check after you fool with brakes, check drive shaft if equipped, transmission mounts?. Nice long cloud of bluish smoke from exhaust after long, sharper right turns at speed Check PCV valve and system (hose routing) Added 3 quarts of oil See above Extremely tight steering. Check steering rack while fooling with brakes, this is un-usual, maybe try adjusting steering rack pinion (but I would suspect something broken in there causing binding, or oil contamination with metal, meaning rack/pump time). This is where I would start looking on these items, keeping looking, until I found the problem(s).

No comment. Though, on a totally un-related matter, I will offer this: I have a grandson who has been driving for 2 years, in those 2 years he has been involved in 15 accidents, one included a police car. I said to him: Son, we all have things we are good at, and some things we are not so good at, I suggest you give this driving thing a bit of a rest before you kill someone.

with 67,000 original, certifiable miles There is too much new stuff for a "well taken care of" VW van that has only 67,000 on it.

see here: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=78975

Describe problems. We are talking about cars here, old cars, not properly maintained, very little done to them, besides a set of tires, blasting through the woods. Unless you take the time and trouble to maintain, and fabricate as necessary, you are going to have "problems", and likely lots of them. I have local guys here that have "problems" with Tree Farmers http://www.equipfind.com/logging/1985TreeFarmerC5D.htm ALL coming home to little/no maintenance, or just old clapped out stuff, or both (likely both). How much does it cost, past the purchase price, to build something that will run reliably (and well) in the woods? Here I have it figured the purchase price is the small part.

SU/Stromberg carbs (side draft) are what is called Variable Venturi carbs and all round pretty forgiving as far as running goes. What might trip you up is the size, as in almost too small. You would ideally get something the same size as your FI throttle body (seems to me I remember Jags coming with 2 1/2 inch 4 bolt flange SUs X2 on their 6 cylinder engines). See, the beauty of a variable venturi carb is no matter the throttle position the vacuum controlled venturi only opens up as far as the engine air flow demands, no more, no less. You can play with springs (above), or in the case of a SU, oil viscosity, to modify the opening rate of the venturi. Well worth a try!

Help me out here (please)? Im just wondering how a 88 Justy 4X4 would do offroad with 23" ATV or "ag lug" tires?Maybe a little lift... From someone that posts this: currently Ive been looking at ramchargers and such because I seem to have massive issues with headgaskets on subaru's.Mostly ive had proplems with cheap cars and expecting them to be perfect.What If I were willing to spend a fair chunk of change on an EA81 car.IE really nice,low miles,never been overheated,full service history,etc,etc. I am having this crazy idea floating in my head about a EA81 hatch or brat with the EA82 FI and farm type tires(massive lugs,low speed,massive traction) and a welded diff.Now I found a way to make tires happen but Im not sure if I can the hassle of what my subaru's have been all over again. My dad is so fed up with the subaru being alwas broke he has offered to get a nice reliable rig.Only catch is I dont work on it.(theres ways around that...just no engine internal work.swapping carb to FI is ok... Justy's have "issues", motor issues, transmission issues, driving them "normally", without jamming off road tires on them, and running the crap out of them. As I said before: I don't *think* you are going to be able to take a 10+ year old vehicle, modify it, and run the crap out of it, without "problems". ANY VEHICLE.

I've had a few show up with brand new oil in the sump, totally seized, customer "didn't know what happened"? Years ago I was driving down the highway in a $50 Corvair van (are you getting an idea of my age?). It started knocking, and before I could get stopped it went "bang", blew a rod out the top clear of the crank. I stuffed a T shirt in the hole, topped up the oil, and got another 500 miles out of it. The latest I saw was a Massey tractor, that the guy smashed the oil filter off on a tree stump in the woods, wasn't happy it didn't make the road. People are idiots.

1) even Wally Mart sells stands for like $10 (small 3 ton, will fit in crap collecting area of station wagon) $10 is not worth a car falling on you, but at least stuff the tire you take off with the donut spare on top of it under there as a "safety" type slowdown measure. 2) Chinese wheel bearings are $5 ea locally to me, they should be cheaper there, get the double sealed ones, pulling off the inner sealed side to verify grease, and to grease. 3) I *HATE* doing axles too.

Probably left and right turn signals/brake, running lights, back-up, the fuel will either be around 8V, or flash, depending on the year, 5 wires in total.

its a 74 vanagon by the way. Ahhhhhhhh silly me, here I *thought* a "Vanagon" was a registered trademark of VW. Look around the steering column under the hood (to the right), there should be a wire loom (a group of wires in a ribbon configuration) heading down to the chassis and towards the back...........this is your tail light wires and fuel gauge wire (and electric fuel pump if equipped), a simple test light should tell you what you need to know.