Subarule

I bought the car in Colorado when I lived there. If you look at Subes for sale in Colorado, plus states north and south of it, and move west, you will find plenty of rust-free vehicles. Colorado may just have the highest concentration of Subarus anywhere in the U.S. Before SUVs became popular, it was THE car to have.

Rust-free Subes are not that hard to come by. If the inside is grunged up & looks like an ashtray then that's what you can expect for the way the whole car was treated. Who wants a car that's been owned by slobs?

I bought my '86 brand new and it's always been my only ride. I've never tried or wanted to turn it into a Frankensube. I'd never buy a classic car that's been jacked out of all recognizable condition.

You can pretty much bet that if the car still has its original vac hoses that it isn't just one that needs replacing. Those hoses are like sieves when they get old. My advice: replace all of them.

Rock Auto CLOYES Part # BK299 Includes: Timing Belt (2), Tensioner (2), Idler Sprocket $78.79

I like carpeting (including automotive carpeting) with a fitted pad underneath for the back of my wagon. Keeps the sound down, plus I like setting things I haul on something with a little give to it. My big elderly dog appreciates it too.

Does look pretty nasty.

I have that exact bumper laying around in my garage - it's useless to me. No dings in it. But does need a new skin. Do you need the metal bumper?

You could go to a carpeting store and buy some of their rug padding (the stuff that goes under carpeting). It comes on great bg rolls. Just have enough yards cut off a roll so you don't have to do anything but trim away the overage. There are different types of padding that they stock. Also, you could buy an inexpensive carpet remnant at the store too or go to Lowe's or Home Depot and have them cut you off enough of their outdoor carpeting (it's sold by the yard or the foot, and has waterproof backing) that people use to cover their porches and steps. It's usually a berber or very flat weave. And not the fake grass stuff.

Be careful what you use. Some products will clean just fine but they'll also remove the color. There many automotive vinyl cleaners out there: Rejuvenate, Blue Magic, Meguair's...to name a few.

I'm not sure which post you were addressing in your reply. When I was speaking of "octane" I meant what the labels say on the the gas pumps, to differentiate one level (and price) of fuel from another. Would "grade" be a better term?

I don't know about the original poster but my car does not have an ECU and I have used the lwer octane gas for 25 years.

I bought my '86 GL/5sp/4WD/non-FB carbed wagon in Denver brand new off the lot. It came with a high altltitude package on it. I lived at the time in a city that was another 1500+ feet higher than Denver. The sales guy, who had been at the dealership forever, said to NOT use higher-octane gas in it. It was the biggest Subaru dealership in CO so I believed he had to know what he was talking about, since they sold Subarus to people who lived at much higher elvations in CO. That the car did not need it & it would be a waste of money. In '88 I moved to Portland OR (sea level) and didn't change anything as far as gas or my high-altitude pkg. went. No problems at all. Keep in mind we are talking about 4-cylinder engines. Higher octane would not be any better for your car. However, running Marvel Mystery oil through the gas tank all the time will be a plus.

Yep, alternator. Had those same symptoms right before mine died.

Have the rims powder-coated. If you can afford it.

How low? What pressure do you have when you're driving along?

I know it was but I'm wondering what's the difference between using 2-stroke and MMO. Do they affect different engines parts? The MMO is a gas treatment also. Sorry, did not mean to hijack the thread, just wondering if there is something better than MMO I should be using, like the marine oil. Subarule

How would this be better than running Marvel Mystery Oil all the time in the gas tank? MMO is inexpensive, readily available & has been in use for engines since 1923.

My original key was so old & worn down it broke off in the door. A locksmith was able to remove the broken-off piece from inside the door lock and also make me a new one from my spare, no code required. Sometimes it's worth it to pay an expert. Locksmith being a separate, stand-alone, full-service shop, not a person & a machine in Home Depot.

I never realized there was any confusion between the two. I come from the generation that had coupes and sedans to choose from (the occasional wagon). There was no such thing as "hatchbacks" until way later, so the difference was quite obvious. There are also models called "saloons". I am not making that up. ;-)

Personally I would start with a thermostat replacement. None of the other fixes will do you any good if the thermo is bad or failing.

Does Colorado allow the emissions system to be modified (as in gone)? With a Weber you would need to get rid of most if not all the emiss. sys. parts. See what CO's laws are about vehicle emissions before you jump to a Weber.

I've always run 10-40.

Don't know what year & engine you have but what you describe is normal for my car. It's an '86 GL and I bought it new off a Sube dealer's car lot in '86. It's running very sweet and no oil issues ever with it. Idle oil pressure is about 65 and driving pressure goes up into the 70s. Not a problem. I see it as a plus.

Even with lawn mowers and weed whackers it's strongly advised to never let them sit for long periods with gas in them. I can say firsthand that they will not start, even if nothing is mechanically wrong with them.