samneric

Day 3: The frame push! Trimmed down a length of old hard wood and hammered it into the frame. Used the spreader to push it down. Also used the puller to pull the top of the radiator support forward, then tried pushing the fender sideways but ended up losing push power as the car started rolling slightly with the force. Need to figure another way to secure.... Anyways, some more shots.... Before: Fulcrum: Overhead support: Before the big squeeze: During: After: Sideways: Steve

Thanks, Yeah, there is a quarter inch crack between the rubber seal and the body in that one location. Not sure how to tell if the windshield popped up??? I do have a new seal that I was going to use on another Brat - Is the solution to have a glass shop replace the seal? Does the water get under the seal, trickle downwards and enter the cabin at the lower corner of the windshield? Is there a hole into the cabin at the bottom of the windshield? If so, that wouldn't make sense to me. Steve

I just bought a Brat (now off the road) and hadn't had it out in the rain. There was a heavy downpour last week and when I came to look inside yesturday, the carpets where completely soaked. As I said - it was sitting on the driveway when the rains came so it wasn't road wetness that caused it.... The car was recently involved in a passenger side impact but I had never seen it after rain to rule this out but here is a piccy of the rubber seal on passenger side windshield.... Could this be the cause????? Steve

Cab, I really don't have time to do the full fender swap at this point so I don't want to take anything off. In the meantime I am just straightening out as much as I can with the parts in place so I can get the headlights and bumper back on. When I tackle the proper project, I will be glad to take piccies of the frame under the fender. In the meantime, I took the hood off so I could pull and push in various directions. I have added some shots of the battery area and another looking directly down the front frame. I can take more shots of the fender closer to the windshield where there is a kink if you like.... Here are the piccies: Battery area - I'm not sure of the shots show this but the battery mounting plate and the inner fender underneath it where pushed over the frame rail. You should be able to see the whole of the frame rail if looking from above but the inner fender wall seems to have pushed the mount an inch towards the engine.... Here is the shot down the length of the frame rail.... Steve

Day 2: Bought another tool http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=33611 I pulled the towing hook back into shape and put a big bolt through the frame in the big hole between the bumper mount holes. I gave it a good pull, there was some creaking and groaning for a while before I released the pressure. Not sure if it did any good, it certainly didn't seem to straighten the frame but it may have started the process. I think I am going to have to put a jack stand behind the crumple, fill the gap in the frame (maybe with a trimmed block of wood) and then press the front end down against the fulcrum of the jackstand. Prior to pulling, I got under the car, removed the left and right splash guards and took comparison pictures of the frame warp on each side: Left (good) side first...(the buckle point is circled in red) Right (bad).. Steve

I'm sure that auto lift does the job perfectly fine..... providing the region isn't prone to Formosans

I have never welded before - what kind of welder do you recommend for the thin sheet metal of the subies? Is it worth taking classes in welding or can I get a guide from the web and practice on scrap metal - I was always planning on going to night school but I really don't have the time or money right now - house is taking priority. My body shop of choice (they did a great job on a fender bender of mt wrex) quoted $400 for the frame pull but they simply wouldn't touch it at the moment - they are backed up till the end of Jan. You really wouldn't understand the situation down here - its surreal - there are crashed cars on the sides of streets everywhere. Its like a post-appocalyptical state that everyone is driving in. Most people are so dazed they can't focus on driving... Bizzare. Anyway, I will pull it the best I can and either take it back to the body shop when I have the new fender/hood/rad support and when they have less work on. Is there a web site that will match your bodies paint color and send you gallon or 5 cans of paint? I will spray the parts myself after I have mustered up a paint booth. Steve

I think if you'd cover the car from head to toe in 1st class stamps and dropped it off at your main USPS collating office they wouldn't have a problem with it Although, to answer the serious question, with DAS I'd conquer - or was that Caesar ? They quoted me $630 while all the "6 quote" websites came in at least $200 higher. In the end though, I paid a little more ($655) from www.ableautotransport.com for door-to-door service. Steve

The wheel must have hit something because there is a tear in the rim wall. I think the car hit the truck wheel which patterned itself on the fender. The impact shunted the car in a sideways direction and the rim must have hit the hollowed out rim if the truck. Anyways, the leading arm bent the most and the control arm twisted back a little at the bushing where it attaches to the cross member.There arnt any Brats in the junkyards down here and my other one is from Florida so the frame is rusted through where the bumper fastens.Another member has kindly offered the front end of a wagon so I will do the swap in the spring time. At the moment I am going to just pull it back to shape so I can get it rolling quickly.I do need a pulling ram because the pulling kit I bought only spreads ???? Oh and I need some pulling clamps also.Keep y'all posted....

Cheers Tysn. All, Please direct all future posts to the new repair progress thread so the existing two are consolidated into one: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=69117 Thanks, Steve

Hey all, Let me start by thanking everyone who helped out with advice about my Brat repair job. I want to consolodate my previous two threads into a new repair progress thread so everything is in one place: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=67795&page=2 http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=69100 So here is the progress report so far: Day 1: Bought my first tool - I'm sure there'll be plenty more . A 10 ton pulling kit: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=44900 I took the grill, bezels and bumper off last Wednesday so it would be easier for bodyshops to examine the damage. I also hooked up a friend's Jeep and pulled the control arm forward enough so that I could change the wheel and drive it off my trailer. Not much else so far so here are the latest piccies of it's present state. Will check back in next time some work is done....

Need advice on a body repair job - Any of you guys body shop specialists I posted the details as a follow-up to a recent ebay purchase.... http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=67795&page=2 Cheers! Steve

Alrighty then, I guess I'll cave in and get a replacement tank. Can you get me the cost inc shipping to 70115. Do you need photos of mine to make sure its the right one. It has an indentation underneath so it can clear the rear diff.... Thanks Dude, Steve

Hi, Do you know where I can buy a new sender unit or recommend a suitable alternative from another vehicle? I have seen this one hear but not sure if this is what I need... http://www.autopartsauthority.com/parts_catalog/buy.php?make_text=subaru&model_text=brat&ml=brt-4wd-002&year=1986&part_name=fuel_pump&brand_name=airtex&make_code=SU I have an 1986 Brat with Carb. I broke all the nuts taking the old sender off. I think I can restore the gasket but will need the new sender/plate. I bent the neck around the hole at each bolt position so I could take out the rusted bolts. Can you buy those anywhere also??? They are threads that have a flat head on them. Any help is appreciated, Cheers. Steve

My perspective from the fuel point - If you turn over the engine and can't smell gas from the carb, it's a fuel issue. If it's not getting gas, check to see if the fuel pump is humming when you first turn on the ignition. If not, check voltage to it. If voltage, replace pump. If it does hum, there may be a blockage anywhere from the tank to the engine. I just made progress with my fuel delivery issue.... http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=67106 I reckon there was rust in the tank that blocked the pipe and set over time. Steve

Starting to make headway now... After removing the tank, cleaning it out and soaking it with degreaser overnight, the fuel delivery outlet was still blocked. I tried applying 90psi from my compressor still no luck. I tilted it upright, outlet pointing up, filled the tube with PB blast until it overflowed and left it overnight again. Hit it with 150psi today and it finally cleared Hurrah! - I am going to leave it soaking in degreaser overnight again and look at using the POR tank liner kit. Keep ya posted when I get it hooked up and can try starting it again. Steve

Alrighty, Finally got my tank off (after having had to drop the rear differential, a slight oversight on the part of the manual -thank you Haynes). Now I wonder if it is supposed to be opened to be cleaned. It looks like a sealed unit to me - I could be wrong. Can it be opened? Steve

Hi again, I just need the center grill with the subie logo on it. I took another look at the car and I can get away with the passenger headlight. I just need the driver headlight without the trim, I already bought that off someone on the board a couple of years ago. Damn - I am getting the Brat bug back again - haven't touched mine in 2 years and its very rusty because it came from Florida. I wanna buy another one with a good frame now seing all those pictures in the for sale section. Ho Hum - I think I'll just be content with getting this one road worthy for now... Steve

Brilliant, thanks a lot mate What do you recommend for cleaning the tank? Actually, if you are involved in the yards, I also need a passenger side roof glass because Katrina smashed up my old one. Oh and a front grill and headlights (two rectangular ones on each side) A bit cheeky asking for all that but not sure where I can get all that stuff new even. Cheers, Steve

Hi, I was wondering if anyone has worked on EA-81 gas tanks. My fuel pump is not drawing any gas from the tank so I traced the lines back from the pump to the tank. There are two lines coming out of the front of the tank, one with a small diameter and one with a large. The pump is connected to the outlet with the large diameter. The interesting thing is that when I disconnect each line from the tank, only the smaller outlet drips out fuel. Is the smaller outlet delivery and larger return? If so, my pump is hooked up to the wrong outlet. Maybe it is hooked up right and there is a blockage inside the tank stopping fuel from exiting the larger outlet. I will probably drop the tank to clean it up and protect it but would appreciate any experience on this subject. Cheers, Steve 1986 Brat 4WD - Hitachi Carb

Get a little blanket thrown in the back, a little Bree, a good Australian Red, a few crackers and a subtle steering towards a job well done, you think!! I reckon I need to start a sticky for my progress reports Steve

Thanks for the advice, My girlfriend liked being right BTW Steve

Hi all, Quick question about the selective 4wd on a 91 Loyale. I drive an '02 wrex myself which has the AWD feature. My girlfriend is under the impression that it is bad for the Loyale to drive it in 4wd mode while not off-roading. My theory, based on my wrex is that the only downside is slighly reduce gas milage - is this the case or is it risky to drive the Loyale in 4wd mode all the time. The only other warning I have heard is with Jeeps that arn't supposed to be driven at speed in 4wd mode - because of the risk of flipping me thinks. Hmm. Next question - I have replaced the front axle on the Loyale and needed to remove the caliper to do so. I bled the brakes until clean fluid with no bubbles came out of all the lines and the brake pedal is hard until you start the car and it goes spongy again. Is this the master cylinder with air? If so, do you have to bleed it with the brake lines that come out of it???? Is there a special wrench you can buy to undo those nuts with the lines in them because I used a regular wrench and they are starting to get rounded. I have read on other threads that you should try bleeding with the engine running - will this effectively bleed the master cylinder? Thanks for any help, Steve

OK, updated status report... My girlfriend has been driving the car for a coupla days now and the oil seal doesn't seem to be leaking Thanks for the advice and, John, my GF *DOES* seem appreciative for the work gone I live in New Orleans and unfortunately there are not so many subies on the roads down here so I fear there will not be a huge selection of rellics in the scrap yards - Definately need to scope them out though, sounds like I could do with replacing the rear drums with discs if I find a donor! Steve

Progress report: I have gotten the pesky snapped bolt thread out I had to buy an $170 Close-Quarters drill to get in there with the correct angle . Luckily I had snapped the bolt in the top hole - if it had been in the bottom one I'd have been proper F**cked. The drill-out bits were $40 for 4. For the threaded bolt, I manged to get it out by turning it I bought a re-thread set - $40 (total salvation cost so far $250 ) I re-thread the first few turns of the hole and put the bolt in to do the rest. It seems to go in and get tougher. I bought some lock-tight and didn't know whether to use it or not. I also have some J&B Weld clay waiting in the wings incase I need to do that (if it leaks when I run the engine). I presume you pull the bolt out after 5 mins before it totally sets in there Anyway, I still need to get a new cover bolt and I will call subaru about that tomorrow. If that fails I may treck over to a junk yard and hunt down a subie. Thanks again for the advice, Phil ! Peace to all Steve