Mike W

Hey thanks that's a good idea! I kinda forgot that sender units can stick. So far I only directed verbal abuse at the oil sender unit. I'll give it some love taps and also do the same with the temp sender unit. I did recently install a new oil pump, reusing the old sender unit. The gauge worked fine then and the oil pressure was good. Pressure still seems good...hydraulic lifters pumped up and no valve clatter. Just seems odd that the temp, volt, and oil pressure gauges quit working almost at the same time. I'm thinking there must be a loose or dirty connection in the harness or something. That or a faulty ground. Anyone else had this happen? I'll be taking the dash apart again next weekend. After cleaning tons of dust out of the cluster last weekend, I noticed that one turn signal indicator bulb isn't working.

Hey there guys. Mike W here. Damn, I haven't been on USMB in a loooong time! So I recently brought the red Hatchback outa storage. I'm working out a few bugs and thinking I might finally sell this beastie if I get everything proper. But this minor electrical voodoo issue is having is driving me nuts and have the feeling I'm missing something very obvious! I sure hate to post on here but I'm a bit frustrated and could use help! '88 Hatchback (EA81) All the dash gauges used to work. But recently the Oil Pressure, Batt Voltage, and Temp gauges...all quit working. But not all at once! First the oil pressure quit working, then a few days later the temp guage quit, then the volt gauge just quit. WTF?!! The fuel gauge and the rest of the dash works just fine. I can't find any blown fuses. I've checked (and sprayed) all connections in the engine bay. All seem fine. I checked and sprayed connections behind the dash , they seem fine too. Is there some secret fuse I don't know about? Bad ground??? Where to look? Failing voltage regulator? Headlights etc brighten and dim a bit with RPMs and I'm seeing some voltage spikes in the 14.7 range. What am I missing here??? Any help would be appreciated!

Some years ago I was laying under the car pondering mutant t-bar suspension ideas. One concept involved mounting a Legacy/Imp style front cross member, a rear diff, and suspension stuff to where the read hubs normally go. Doesn't make sense but I was trying to come up with a way to increase wheel travel by allowing the diff to rotate or float like a solid axle multi link setup. I wanted to lock the torsion bar travel on the road and let it move on the trail. I don't know what I was thinking for struts or dampers. Too much beer that day I guess...just wacked junkyard war ideas flyin around.

That Car Bible link is the coolest thing I've seen in a long time. I too have brainstrormed ideas using the torsion bar up front but never got anywhere with it. My plan was to put the components up on blocks in the garage and stare at it and experiment until a design comes together or fails. Subaru junk yard wars...great winter entertainment.

Maybe. That is if I don't get another date with this hot babe I've been seeing. I'll try to get out and do some wrenching on the hatch this weekend. Don't think it needs much, it's just full of stuff and has been in storage for what is it, three or four years now?

Someone modified stock struts to take replacable strut inserts so if you find the right size hydraulic you should be able to do that too. But it still seems like to get more travel you need a different IFS setup. There's truck stuff but that's heavy. What about Audi stuff with 930 CV's?

Now I know there have been a lot of Subarus that ended their lives as farm work vehicles but that's by far the classiest and most useful one I've ever seen. My concern is the cage. Looks like enough for a minor tip over but I'm wondering if it'd hold tumbing down an embankment. I agree that it could go on a bit of a diet but for a first generation design I think he did a fine job. A second transfer case would be a nice addition and the rear wheel drive might make it even more fun for blasting around the back 40. The strut tower design is sort of innovative but could lose some weight. Looks like it has air shocks in the rear, nice for adjusting spring rate. It'd be nice if a different front suspension was used maybe with a-arms and t-bars for more travel but that'd add weight and then you might as well go solid axle. Heck I'd just like to have a shop like that, lots of time, all the skills, and hundred acres or so to play on!

I guess I could see that being the case if your Mom's Outback is a '95 or early '96. I have '97 OB struts with '93 springs on my '93 Legacy and I can barily cram Outback size tires under it. When I get time I'll be installing a set of 97' OB struts with OB springs. That'll raise it another inch or so and might stiffen the ride a little. I had good luck with the last set of reman axles so I'm not too worried about the extra angle.

Hey keep up the good work, er uh, side trip adventure drives! Your photos and story made for a nice five minute lunch break road trip. A month or so ago we did a club cruise around the Mountain Loop. Next time ya' oughta come on along. Those drainages north of Darrington toward Glacier Peak look rather inviting.

Ok I might be in. Not sure how the schedule will play out. I'm snorkled up to the firewall...basically good for water up to the windows. I haven't been to Tahuya since mountain biking...oh man what was that 1990'ish? Cool place, serious puddles. Funny the thing I remember most was riding right into the middle of a paint ball war crossfire.

Yeah something like that is what I should have done. If you're a fabricator you could probably find a sexier way to relocate the compressor up a couple of inches. I ended up tossing the A/C and putting a second battery there.

With a three inch front lift it takes a lot of bashing with BFH to make room for the compressor. I did it and kind of regretted it. Much better to move the compressor in my opinion. Or get a smaller compressor if you can manage that. There's a really small and light a/c compressor out there (from a toyota car I think) that works really well for onboard air systems as well as for making cold air.

Man we were lucky to be up there between storms. This rain today is amazing. Mother nature sure has some nasty mood swings and hot flashes!

Thanks to all contributing to the fun, most notably Zap and Qman. Also special thanks to Qman's wife for catering the event. I recon we got out of there just in time. When the party started breaking up I went out to the end of road 70 and explored some other roads. About the time it was getting dark the chinook wind started gusting and I decided it might be time leave. Trees were coming down and I had to clear a couple of smaller ones to get out. Would have been fun to stay to watch the storm but glad to get out when I did.

nice one!

Yeah that's how I got all the dents in my hatchback. Dang wookiees. I'm embarrassed to admit that I haven't been up those Green Mountain roads. If the snow level still hasn't come down too low, I'd like to do a trip up that way between Xmas and New Years. Do you think there'd be enough stuff to explore at that time to make the trip worth while or should it just wait 'till spring? I like how things up that way are more laid back than in terms of the FS closing off every last turn off and washed out old road. Along I-90 and Hwy2 the FS has every last turn off blocked by an impassible trench and/or mountain of rocks and logs. They've so restricted access that if there isn't a major hiking trail up the road, the gate is locked and you'd better watch how you drive or they'll nail you for speeding or anything else they can get you for. The rangers are now gun toting cops with attitudes. The best thing about the Mt Loop though is that for the most part it's just not as heavily visited by urban yuppie folks. Next summer I want to explore the Suiattle River area north of Darrington. Looks like a lot of cool terrain up there and there should be good views of Glacier Peak and the N Cascades.

So when this change happens, what would the total cost come to for some guy like me to try 'cross for one day? I was starting to think about it but I'm having second thoughts already.

The tire is the Hankook Winter iPike W409ire I know, you're gonna say a review of Snow Tires does not belong in the Offroad section! But I gotta tell ya' that after driving these Hankooks for a couple of weeks in all sorts of conditions, I feel that that they may be the best all around tire you could put on a go anywhere Subaru. And since I only paid about $100 for a set through that online sale at Discount...I'm loving them. If I could have only one set tires on an Outback kind of car, these are what I'd run. They hooked up really well on gravel logging roads, clean themselves in gloppy mud, pretty good on wet roads, and stick reasonably well on dry pavement. Hopefully in a week or so I'll get to try them on pure ice and deep snow. I'm running 205/70R-15, the standard size for an Outback. Usually I would go a size narrower for a snow tire but I'm happy I went with the factory size. They certainly are not Superswampers, they're not tarmac race tire, but if you're gonna ask one tire to do everything ok, this seems like a decent choice, especially if they're on sale. I know a bunch of folks bought them. Have you used them yet and what do you think? Agree? Disagree?

Welcome to the USMB. It's been a long time, but if I remember right, the guy mostly responsible for starting this message board (Billy C.) had at least that many Subarus by the time he turned sixteen. So I guess age 37 might be considered late detection and there may be no cure for the disease.

Ok then I'll head on up to Denny's. Last night I discovered that the Ballard Denny's is no more. All boarded up. Hope the Arlington one is still alive. Gotta get one last grand slam.

Officer I've never met these rally crazed drift junkies! I'll try to meet you at the Ballinger hell. Google map to Denny's Bring FRS radios if ya' got 'em. Probably no cell phone service out there.

Looks like the trip is still on for 10am this Sunday (11/11/07.) All are invited. I'm driving a street car. See the thread in the Meet and Greet section here.

Looks like I'll driving the Legacy. Still haven't fixed the emmisions problem so I'll have to get a trip permit. Here's the link to the Forest Circus webpage describing the route and scenic viewpoints etc. There used to be a couple of fairly safe old mine shafts right next to road not too far from Red Bridge and the Washout. Bring a flashlight and boots if you want to get a quick dose of what it's like underground. For a preview of some scenery check out: http://darringtonwa.org/pictures.php Here's a TopoZone map showing the road to North Mountain Lookout: http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=48.29523&lon=-121.64617&s=200&size=l&datum=nad83&layer=DRG100

Ok if you guys are up for going then I'm in. I've been sorting and getting rid of Beth's clothing and stuff. Damn sad business. I really need to get out and be around people. Sounds like there might be rain that day.I don't mind rain or snow, I just want to be able to see the big mountains. White Horse and Big Four are just a couple of the peaks along this route. Great scenery if the clouds aren't hangin too low. I'm hoping we can get up to North Mountain Lookout above Darrington and maybe try exploring the Coal Lake Road and up to the old Mount Pilchuck ski area.

So who's still going? Meet at 10am this Sunday near Denny's at I-5 exit to Arlington.