Subarule

Vapor canisters eventually quit doing their job. I found this out after smelling excessive exhaust fumes for quite a while and putting a new canister in. Made all the difference. Those canisters are not cheap! And now I have one that I bought new and barely used because I switched to a Weber carb and the emission stuff had to come off.

was afraid it was Richmond, VA. Oh well. Oddly enough, I came back from running some erarnds and when I turned the car off in the garage I tried the hood release inside the car and it opened the hood. Really, I'm not weak or wimpy. So right now it's unlatched and I'm going to leave it that way. To take the photos I have to put the car outside in natural daylight. Much too dar in the garage to see things under the shadow of the hood in a photo. Especially when using a cell ph. camera. I'll get them soon.

I am not a mechanic, at all. I was just looking at OES hood release cables. After I buy one I will need to take it to a mechanic to get it installed. Money I hadn't counted on spending. You live in Richmond, OR? If so, that isn't far from me. It might be just as easy for me to drive there to have you look at my engine compartment than to get pictures and try to figure out what's what.

Well, kwap. I went out to take photos and the hood release decided it just doesn't want to work anymore. I guess I can forgive it, it's 25 years old. In people age that's prbably about 80.

OK, I'll get some photos. The AC system you have, what year and model was it designed to fit? Is there a brand name and part # on the box for the compressor? Do you have the R12 too? (hah-ha-hah!!)

Does your car have a vapor canister? It's part of the emissions system, if it still has that stuff.

I just happen to have a spare 4WDTURBO mint decal.

Oh, I see it now. Was it originally red? Mine that said 4WD was originally red and it had faded & peeled so much it was nearly invisible. I managed to get my hands on an original factory one in mint condition and had it put on.

Then you need the original red 4WD decal that came on the rear.

If it's a vacuum leak wouldn't it idle low rather than high?

Very nice, The dash and surrounding area looks wonderful. Is that a 4WD?

OK, dumb question: Where is the compressor located under the hood? I am no mechanic - far from it. And I never had to deal with AC issues myself so I've never ID'd which thing is the compressor. A picture taken from the front of the car with the hood up would be good, to give me the area where it's located. And then a picture of a compressor itself in place would be highly appreciated. I did look through all my Chilton's, Haynes and "How to Keep Your Old...." and have yet to find a drawing or photo of an AC compressor My car is an '86 carbed GL on-demad 4WD, 5-sp. MT. TIA

I'm not sure the brand really matters. 10w-40 sounds right unless it gets below 0 degrees in the winter where you are. Try to think of what brands of motor oil were available when your car was new. Whatever was considered good for the engine then should be good for it now. Oil is oil, pretty much. As long as you can keep contaminants out of it and it gets changed when it's time, I'd guess that just about any brand would do. I'm old, and I've never heard a single person complain about any brand of motor oil :-) Be preapred for some sticker shock - motor oil has shot up in price right along with gas prices. So buy what you can afford at a reputable place (I like Walmart as a best-price place, if they extend to where you are) and I'm using Walmart's brand. Walmart doesn't make oil, they subcontract it to a provider and slap their brand on it. One ofthe best old Sube mechanics I've ever seen just a did an oil change for me and he was fine with it. Please post lots of photos of your newly refurbished girl (all old Subes are girls - grand old girls).

Rock Auto wants a core when a compressor is bought so that is another charge I don't need on top of their pricey compressors. Think how heavy a core would be to ship.

I don't know if my compressor was a dealer add-on or if was a factory item. I am the original (and only) owner & I didn't have AC added. The compressor I have my eye on is an Hitachi. I will try to get a good look at the one that is on there now. There is nothing listed on Rock Auto under my year/model as an "a/c amplifier". The only part I've bought so far is the receiver/dryer. Hopefully Rock Auto will take it back if it doesn't fit. I think the M word you're looking for is "Matsu************a". I sure appreciate all the input.

I went to Rock Auto and looked at all the AC parts they have for my year & model, then put them all into a Word document along with the price range for each (if there was one). That way I will have a comparison sheet to look at when I am ready to acquire parts. I already ordered a receiver/dryer from them that was on a screamin' sale. Their prices for remanufactured compressors are outrageous. There are much better deals at places who do nothing but make & remanufacture compressors & sell compressors. Right now I have my eye on one. They way I use Google & the Internet to shop for parts there is no way a shop could get them cheaper. They have certain vendors that they go to and that is it. The shop may have the R12 - they used to. I don't know if they've sold it all yet or not. I hope not. Subarule

28 oz. - thank you very much! I'm going to replace A/C system with a reman'd compressor (incl. clutch) and all new hoses, fittings, etc. Want to get back to like it was from the factory. I'll have a good HVAC shop do all the labor but I want to accumulate the parts myself. Is that a bad idea? I've already had a quote from them to do all the work & suppy all the parts of around $1K - would like this to cost considerably less.

Assuming one can find and afford some, how many ounces does it take to fill a completely drained system on an '86 carbed GL? Thanks, Subarule

My '86 GL wagon broke a timing belt while it was still under its new car warranty, while sitting at a stop light. The car shut off & I couldn't restart it so no damage done to the engine. How does a timing belt break while only a few years old? It did not have very many miles on it, so who knows.

I had a battery die on me several years ago in a Walmart parking lot. I got a jump and drove it to the Wlamrt auto service dept. and bought a Walmart battery, since my old one was really old and had far outlived its expected lifespan. Anyway, Walmart only had one, or maybe it was two, batteries that would fit my '86 wagon. I bought the most expensive one - I think it was $35 or something like that. That battery has been fantastic! It too has far outlived its projected lifespan. I can leave the car lights on, forget to completely close the door, leave the hatch up, all overnight, and exactly once I had to get a jump (just recently) to revive it. Drove it around town that day and it's been just fine ever since. What's the deal with people down on Wlamart batteries? I would get another one. Subarule

You're welcome. I have a good VIN decoding chart in one of my Sube repair books but my books only go up to '88. I imagine they have the same charts for the later models in the appropriate books.

Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN codes)/Subaru/VIN Codes http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Vehicle_Identification_Numbers_(VIN_codes)/Subaru/VIN_Codes

The good online auto parts places show 60 amps for the EA82s.

Yeah, there is that $$$ factor.

I recently sat in a mid-80s wagon that had those seats in them (as a retrofit) and I hated them. They're really narrow, worse than airplane seats. And I'm not a big person. They were uncomfortable as hell. My stock '86 GL wagon seats are so much more comfy.