GeneralDisorder

We use sand and gravel mostly, but they also use a product called Freezeguard. It's mostly Magnesium Chloride - it will stay on the road and keep it from freezing for up to 3 or 4 days they say. It's also quicker to apply, and cheaper than sanding. Better for the environment than sand too apparently. Salt is really naughty stuff - kills everything including cars. I suppose it's all the salt mining done in the east and midwest that makes it cheaper to use. Out here it's very expensive as it has to be brought in by rail or truck. Our DOT maintains sand and gravel mineing operations to supply our trucks, and we use the chemicals often too as we get bouts of freezing rain that make things really gnarly to drive on. A couple years back they actually had to close the intersate - 1/4" sheet of solid ice. GD

Carb or FI? You mess with the timing at all? Have the distribtor out? GD

I would do it if I had the capital. But the problems are numerous.... #1 Most people looking for these know exactly what they want, and are willing to pay to get it, BUT there's very few of these people on the whole. #2 Of the people that know they want them, few realize they can be had out here in the condition I'm trying to describe. Most people on the east coast grew up with rust, and find it hard to beleive we don't have that problem.... sort of a case of denial I suppose. Until they actually see one up close, and then they do this: #3 To have one shipped, or drive one out there, you are probably looking at close to $1,500 to $2,000. More to drive than to ship frankly - plane tickets, food, lodging, time off work, etc, etc. Shipping isn't so bad really - lots of companies will handle the details and you get to avoid the break-down potential, which can never be entirely eliminated. If you are handy with tools, and have AAA it shouldn't stop you, but I don't like being the guy that sells said car..... and eventually it will happen..... I can't forsee all eventualities. But I'm willing to look over cars for people, meet the seller, etc. GD

Pay no heed to the above post by BDG. He's our resident nut ball. Just service the cooling system, inspect the radiator, etc. Headgaskets and water pumps are not likely your problems. GD

New radiator, hoses, and thermostat probably fix ya right up. You have verified that it actually *has* coolant in there right? Could be why it's overheating I'm guessing being Alaska things are a bit rusty? The 20 year old subaru radiators just disintigrate in rusty conditions. The fins rot off and they can develop leaks. GD

Yikes! No moss here. Not unless you park the car under some trees for a couple years. My 86 came that way - moss and pine needles. Two runs through the car wash and she's fine. Could probably shine up the paint if I really, really gave a crap. But it's $100 car with 230,000 on it. Of the 20 soobs I've owned, that's the only one that came complete with fauna Dated a girl down in Eugene for a while. About 2 hours south of me. Eugene is getting into the more rural side of Oregon, so you are likely to see less well-kept vehicles. But as to the wet environment - it's not a problem as the wetness isn't salty. We don't use salt on our roads - they use a chemical de-icing agent instead. At any rate there's no rust anywhere. Check out craigslist for portland and see what you can find. Cost to ship a car is around $750, which really isn't that expensive considering the value of a rust free GL out there versus here (virtually worthless). I see them all the time with stupid problems like timing belts, or bad clutches. Use your current rusty unit as a parts car. If you locate one around here, I'll check it out for ya if you like. GD

Yes (even JDM), but that tells you exactly nothing about what's under the covers. All it tells you is that the cover was either from a solid lifter engine (and may still be on one :-p), or that it's been repainted or the sticker removed. GD

Valve covers are incidental, and can easily be swapped/replaced/painted etc. To check your valves take the covers off and inspect the pushrods. Smooth steel rods are hydro. Aluminium rods with steel caps are solid. GD

Just fly out here, pick up a nice rust free GL, and drive it home. We have thousands of the silly things, and they are soooo cheap. My 86 doesn't have a spot of rust. If you haven't been out here to see the cars, you probably don't quite understand.... we have NO rust. GD

EA81's don't have secondary vacuum hoses. GD

Fuel filters GD

He has an 83 Brat, so it's a side starter. D/R's didn't come in top-mount, and neither did the EA81. GD

Sorry - not a MAP sensor I guess (although only in the sense that it doesn't monitor *manifold* pressure). It's an amospheric pressure sensor (so AAP I suppose) built into the ECU. Northwet was talking about it in relation to another thread. I assume the EA82 4EAT is similar to the Legacy in relation to the early TCU designs.... http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showpost.php?p=535251&postcount=22 GD

The TCU requires a signal from the MAP sensor on the ECU of an MPFI equipped vehicle. That's one reason why you never see SPFI or carbed 4EAT's. Shouldn't be a problem to wire that into the EJ harness I wouldn't think. Speed sensor is in the guage cluster, and is present on all subaru's since 82. GD

Oh yeah - the axle nut thing is common. Whoever did your axle or had that side apart failed to properly torque the nut to the spec 150 lbs or more (I usually go as tight as I possibly can). You need to get a NEW cone washer from the dealer or it will probably happen again. If it's got really bad, the axle and hub might have to be replaced as well as the splines can wear to a point that no amount of torque even with the proper cone washer will keep it from comming loose. Been there, done that. Make sure you put the concave side of the spring flat washer facing inward towards the cone washer when you assemble it. GD

Sounds fine. That's normal. There shouldn't be any advance at idle anyway. The Haynes manual is just trying to be thorough, but there's no need to plug anything. Yep - the pot diaphram is shot so you aren't getting probably any real advance from it. There's a place in Portland that can rebuild them for like $25. Outer port should be left open as you say. You can try the junk yard too. The pot just unbolts from the distributor so you don't have to replace the whole disty. GD

It is a rare occurance indeed when the exalted one bestows us with "skipture". Thank you wise one, for your words echo out across the land and lay low those who seek to poison our thoughts. The Skip has spoken. So shall it be. GD

I think they are 8x1.25mm Don't use a 1/2" torque wrench. It's not designed for low torque like that, and you will snap the bolts. Get a inch/pounds 3/8" wrench for them. GD

He's using the 4 speed D/R, and the 4 speed's had the same lever for single range and dual range. The push-button single range was an EA82 thing. GD

I use a wire wheel chucked into a drill. As for torque - 12 to 14 is fine. But the key is to wire wheel the bolts, and chase the threads in the block till the bolts run in real smooth. Otherwise your torque's won't be accurate. If these steps aren't taken carefully, the gaskets will leak sooner or later. It's just a sensitive mating surface that is often overlooked. GD

You can get at the IAC screws with needle nose vice-grips. GD

My 86 has them also. GD

Any single wire narrow band should work as long as it fits. Speed sensor is in the speedometer. It's either wireing, or a problem with the guage cluster itself. Being a digi it shouldn't be too complicated inside. Probably just a wheel with a magnet or something. Both are in the shifter mechanism.... actually they ARE the shifter mechanism if you get my meaning. They are built right into it, and if they are shot, you'll have to replace the whole unit likely. Your hessitation is probably the O2 sensor. I'm not sure exactly what you changed with the fuel cap, but *if* everything else is normal, it really shouldn't matter. The only possible explanation I could see for it would be a vacuum leak created through the vent line to the tank.... but that would probably require some other components to be bad as well, or the vacuum lines hooked up wrong. GD

There's no such beast. All hatchbacks (EA81 and EA82) were 2 door's. GD

Probably not on an 89. The 85/86(maybe some 87) 4WD rear coil-overs had 3 adjustment notches that you could change with a pair of channel locks. Later coil-overs didn't have the adjustment notches. Front struts are the same as EA81's - there's two lower spring perch adjustment nut's to raise the front suspension. GD