nipper

Dont drive the car untill this is figured out, i would even be hesitant to start it. remove the TB covers and see whats going on.

12 is low, even at altitude. The idlers and tensioner NOt being replaced is a mistake on somebodys part, as even subaru recomends replacing them When you dont in 5-20000 miles they let you know they should have been replaced. http://www.classictruckshop.com/clubs/earlyburbs/projects/vac/uum.htm My next step would be a compression etst, but i wonder if you have a tensioner or idler going bad and allowed to TB to jump. nipper

I am interested in the idlers and tensioner, were they replaced?

Thats a head gasket. They like to tease you alot. When you do it also do an oil change. nipper

Get yourself a cheap vacume gauge and let us know exactly what it is reading. Also any odd noises from the front of the engine? When the timing belt was replaced, what else was replaced? Any new axles of late?

Hrmph. nipper

Bench testing is such BS. Have them test it on the car, thats really the only way to test it. They need to use an analog (looks like a big metal cheese greter with jumper cables) tester. You have a bad Alt and may have to buy another one that is built from a reputable shop. I dont know what the online suppliers get for a reubuild for your year (www.1stsubaru.com) etc. If you are not getting full output above 1800 rpm (14 voltish) and everything on, the alt is fried. nipper

Swap wires around and see if it moves. What kind of plugs are in the car? how is the gas mileage? Check the coil connections. Is there any oil on the spark plug boots? and welcome to the board.

Well thats what we get for driving them untill the doors fall off nipper

Google Dustys Justies too. His prices are HIGH on some things, but he has lots of useful information. One thing i have been educated about, if you change the oil often, dont push them too hard, they will run a long time. nipper

BROTHER! I just got an 89 2wd CVT. http://subarujusty.proboards20.com/ good source. They have some weaknesses, like the oil pump and the water pump. install a oil pressure gauge and replace the oil pump innards with every timing belt change. Ebay is a good source for parts. There seems to be two generations of them, well 2 1/2. 89 is one dividing line and 90 i think is fule injection. nipper

There is no such thing as a "brand new" altenator. Unless the rebuild came from a local shop or subaru, it is most likely not fully rebuilt either. Check the Alt never assume. nipper

For anyone else how may need a driveshaft and does a search, people seem to like these guys http://www.wholesaleimportparts.com/driveshafts.php nipper

No. Just get a used one. After all this is done then it still has to be balanced. Too much work, too much cost and not something one should do in the garage. nipper

The are welded/stacked to the driveshaft. There are no snap rings to get the caps out. You must replace the entire Universal, inclding the knuckles. Technically anything is servicable and a good driveshaft shop can rebuild them, but it will cost $$$ to do it. Just better off geting a used one.

That may be the main relay, not sure. Is it the same one that clicks when you turn the car on? Check your battery cables and Alt output. nipper

Canadian eh? Find a good used one. As that rebuild price was from a place in texas. A used one will last for quite sometime at 1/3-1/5 the cost. nipper

New Cap nipper

Did the donor engine run? Hard start and smoking, this should be a no brainer. Stop just replacing parts and think about it. It is hard to start, cranks for a while, and smokes once it starts. Runs fine when warmed up. How about a bed negine temp sensor. It is flooding on startup, hence the hard start and the smoke. nipper

PS if it is the shaft a used one will work well, or you can get a rebuilt one for about 350.00. nipper

Ok back up. They replaced 1 tire? Tires should be replaced in sets of 4, two, one per axle if in a pinch (unless wear is within 1/4 inch circfrance on the tires). NO NO NO Or did the replace 1 wheel? There are no Universals that fit this car because they arent servicable. Also it is rare that three of the four go bad. Get a second opinion. Also a bad uni vibration does not appear this way. It starts at high speed then slowly drifts down. I dont like anything you have been told. nipper

I dont get something. The roads are icey, the car is having traction issues for whatever reason. Yet someone is complaining that other drivers are passing him? Thats not the point of safe winter driving. The point of it is to drive at a speed you feel safe in the car, not the speed you want to drive at. i have people pass me all the time on the parkways around here, and 70% of the time a few miles up the road the wrong end of the car is pointed to the sun. nipper

Cams hydraulic Chain-drive 4x4, about 7 feet of up OR down motion on each tire: specs below Engine is a fuel injected Ford 5.0 V8 out of a '93 cobra mustang, c4 transmission and t-case out of an early bronco. 9" w/ 5.38 gears and ARB air locker mounted in the center (below driver) running chain gears on the ends where the swing arms pivot. Swing arms are hydraulically controlled individually or together, and there is coil spring and shock suspension as well. large chains running inside the swing arms turn hummer gear reduction (2:1) hubs at each wheel. tires are 39.5". The steering is linked through the swing arms as well and the steering box is mounted just infront of the axle below the driver. body construction is steel tubing (mostly DOM) and the total weight is 5900 LB.

How many miles are on this car. Do a wet and dry compression test to see if there is any ring damage from over heating. Also you will need to do an oil change. Oil on modern engines (funny how modern is 1990) is also used to do some of the cooling, and i am sure at this point it is quite stressed.

Why do people think cars can do miracles on black ice? They cant unless the tires have studs in them. On the mixed surface, what kind of tires are you using? Are they properly inflated? nipper