Raindrop

Not sure exactly. Definitely at least 50/50 though. Shouldn't be freezing I wouldn't think. Then again, I'm not very experienced.

It took probably somewhere close to 2/3rds of a gallon of fluid? Maybe just a bit more. Hard to say as I put some in, ran out of what I had on hand and then put some more in later. I put it in until it started coming out of the left side thing that unscrews (don't remember what it's called). I filled the radiator then I put enough in the overflow to see if there were bubbles coming out. I only drove it a few miles after doing these things, but it would have overheated by now yesterday. Temp gauge didn't move after warming up. The smell is very faint. Like I said I haven't actually smelt the exhaust but just sometimes over the past year as I get out of my car I can smell it. Well, I guess I think I can. Hard to say exactly what it smells like since I'm not too experienced. But it's what I would expect it to smell like. So now I need to burp it and get all the air out from filling it? This car had a problem overheating a couple years ago. Seemed to just leak water/coolant pretty bad. After I replaced the radiator cap around a year ago it still is leaking slowly but it has become reliable as long as I check the radiator every now and then. Thanks!:cool:

Poured some coolant into the overflow as suggested... Bubbles come out when it's running. Definitely a bad head gasket? Pretty sure I can smell the coolant in the exhaust or at least when I get out of the car.

Right now I'm thinking I've got a small leak somewhere. I'm going to try some stuff tonight and see what I get. Thanks!

My '91 Legacy is acting strange. On my way to work the past few mornings the speedo needle has been pretty shaky past ~20 mph. It's been 5-10 degrees F outside as I leave for work in the morning the past few days. This morning it made a really strange sound that sounded like it was coming from the instrument panel. I think this problem is separate from my more concerning issue, and might just be a problem with the cable. On my way to work the heater didn't ever blow hot air, just freezing air. The temp gauge was working and normal, sitting just a hair below half way after it warmed up. On my way home from work after it had warmed up the temp gauge started to go up past the normal. Still no heat coming from the air vents either. I pulled over, the radiator cap was cold and when I unscrewed it a bit of coolant gushed out with what sounded like bubbles of air too. I drove the last couple miles home making sure it didn't over heat too much past the middle. Except the last time I pulled over, letting it rest and cool down, I started driving again and the heater started blasting out hot air and it the temp gauge didn't go past op temp for the last mile home. I'm a little puzzled as to what is going on... :-\ I'm thinking maybe coolant temp sensor or air in my system or a blockage? If I didn't provide enough information let me know. Or if I missed something in my searches that has my answer please let me know what to look for.

Thanks for the pictures I love seeing what it might look like. Especially with the same wheels! I thought it wouldn't be a problem as long as there was clearance but I just wanted to make sure there wasn't something I was missing, since I've never done this before. Sounds like I should find some outback struts and then get some 205/70R15's and I'll be sitting pretty. :cool: Thanks for the help! (Sick Legacy btw)

So I recently picked up some "new" wheels (from a ~98 outback) for my 91 Legacy after getting some "new" struts from the junk yard. The rear struts were pulled off a FWD 90 Legacy Wagon, and definitely are much better than the old ones, but as you can see give it an unintended lift. The tire size the new wheels have on them is 215/60/R15 and they barely fit. The almost rub the strut in the back and they are close to the spring perch in the front. So I'm looking for recommendations here... My front struts also need replaced, I want to get some kind of lift but nothing intense. Just something to lift it up a bit so it matches the back. I'm also looking for recommendations about tire size. Right now I'm thinking 205/60/R15. I'm not looking to get massive tires but I want ones that look good for the new height of the car. I could get taller tires for the back but the front won't fit more than a 215/60/R15 without different struts. One more thing: I might have put the struts on opposites because I think they were on opposite on the car I pulled them off. Unless the L and R strut is the same and just the top hats are different. I know the top hats are on right sides but the brake line holder ended up on the wrong side of the strut when we put the new ones in. Thanks! Always enjoy seeing the forums' ideas. Here are some pics to show the proximity of tire to strut. Sorry it's hard to get pics up in there. Front: Rear:

So it appears that I wasn't careful enough about which car I pulled the struts from, and it was a FWD, which I think has slightly different top hats. So now I have to swap the new top hats with the old ones. At least I figured out the problem and it appears the struts should still work. Cheers.

Sorry for a second thread about struts. So I pulled a pair of rear struts from a '90 Legacy Wagon and the top hats of the struts seem to be slightly different from the ones I saw on a '92 Legacy earlier, and look closer to the old ones I just pulled off, but slightly... bent or angled on the top. Both top hats of the new struts we pulled of the '90 Legacy Wagon appear to have this "bent" or slightly angled top where one side of the top hat is above the other two very slightly. Just want to see if anyone knows anything about this before I put the new struts on, possibly find out they don't work, and have to swap in different ones. The ones being pulled off are the factory ones, and the ones I am replacing them with are the "KYB GR-2" ones. Cheers

So it sounds like if we use the top hats from an impreza and our old springs it will work?

Could you use the top hat from the 92?

Simple Question Do struts from a 1992 Subaru Legacy fit in the 1991? Rears only. KYB struts. Thanks.

Ok so as we were pulling the axle nut off, we realized it was on pretty loose. Now, when the nut it torqued correctly there is no wobble back and forth at all. That still leaves me wondering, should I replace the wheel bearing anyway? Cheers

So, we replaced a caper on the right side of the car (front) because it was leaking break fluid everywhere. In the process I've realized that the rotor is not on very tight, what I mean it is has lots of play after its bolted on. I think its a bad hub/bearing. Here is a video of the rotor: I just want to make sure its the bearing before i rip it out and replace it. thanks.

Well I changed the front pads last year. I always use anti-seize on the caliper pins. I'll pull it up and take a look and also I'll change the break fluid. The grinding noise isn't like a rock in the disk. I think the rotors might need to be resurfaced. But I changed the pads last year. Ill make sure the Bearing isn't shot. I have changed the bearings on my BMW. I'm sure the rotors aren't rusty as well. I'll go though tomorrow and check through and see what we got under that wheel. it would be sweet if someone has a DIY on break fluid replacent as i've never done it. I'll search for one as well. I remember when I purchased the car something about not towing it too far with the 4wd fuse in? Any know what I'm talking about?

Today when my brother was driving home his Subaru (1991 legacy non turbo) the the front right wheel was making a loud grinding noise, like something was dragging or hitting. Then about a mile later the breaks stopped working well. You press them all the way to the floor and the car brakes very slowly. The car has been having an issue where when you break sometimes the pedal will sink to the foor and you have to press it again to get the brakes to engage. There is brake fluid in the car, the reservoir is about half way between low and full. Also, I drove the car around a parking lot and braked hard a few times, then checked the front right rotor. It was cold to the touch. There was also a distinct brake fluid, burning break smell. You could smell it in the car very strongly. The car didn't pull in either direction, although the noise was only in the front right wheel. Any help would be great! it all you want. I'm thinking maybe the front breaks aren't getting any fluid? Master cylinder maybe?

Excellent. I know how to "burp" it now, it was just back when he first got it that he didn't know. I'll talk to brother and see what he knows. About a year ago just before I got the new radiator cap the heater stopped working and the radiator was almost empty (had water in it, brother was poor). Since then it's got the antifreeze in it and I just put more in last week and it was still almost full. Based on what your saying I'm wondering if it's just a small leak somewhere? Since I got the new cap I've never seen it go past the running temp, even climbing up some hills for 20 minutes. Once I have some time I'll do some "harder" driving and see if I get any of the signs mentioned. Thanks everyone!

At what point would I be able to decide (without any chemical tests, just driving for a while) that I was good to go?

I've got a 91 Legacy L that I bought from my brother for $20. It's got 170k miles and is running like a champ for me. Here's my problem though: Back when my brother was driving it he didn't get all the air out of the radiator or something and he thinks he blew the gasket. The car would overheat for him. Since then I have replaced the radiator cap and that's pretty much it. I've never had it overheat on me, but I haven't driven it more than 20 miles at a time. (scared it might overheat) I'm just looking for advice as to know whether the gasket is really bad or not. I don't know very much about cars.. so please take that into consideration for any explanations Thanks! Awesome help from the forum so far.

Just glued the nickel to the door and it appears to be working. Thanks for the quick replies!

Yeah I took a look at them and they are split a bit on the side, allowing the plunger to push through. I'm recharging my battery right now but tomorrow i'll see if I can't get it to work. I might try the nickel trick. So it's just sometimes it's not pressed far enough? Because all of the rubber boot's are broken but only that door is having the problem. Thanks!

I'm looking at the black plungers, correct? They are pretty worn but all of the doors are the way, with the driver's being the worst.

My 91 Legacy thinks the front passenger door is always ajar, even though it's definitely closed. This would not be a problem but I think it's causing my battery to die if I don't drive it for a while. I'm just looking for suggestions to see if someone knows how I could turn off the light or if maybe something else is killing my battery. The only solution I have thought of currently is to disconnect my battery if I won't be driving for a while. Thanks! Alex