Syonyk

That's... really rather normal behavior? I assume it wasn't in 4WD Hi or Lo while being towed - that should be fine for it. There's no center differential to damage - if it's in 4WD, the front & rear are locked together, if it's in FWD there's no connection. If you use 4WD on dry pavement (don't, you'll damage things if you do it for long), or even on something that's not absurdly slick, you build up a bit of binding force in the drivetrain. Try backing the car up in a straight line for 2 car lengths or so while pushing down on the lever. That releases the binding and lets you drop it back out of 4WD mode easily. It really sounds like it's behaving normally. -=Russ=-

See, the other forum I lurk in is an RX-7 forum, and they have an annoying tendency of *really* catching on fire (pulsation damper above the exhaust manifold). My first reaction was "Well, if it smells like gas when you park it, and you didn't change the PD, you get what you deserve!" -=Russ=-

Wow... $4000 of tools? $400, maybe... (at least for most DIY jobs on an older car) Regarding service places (both dealers & non) and adding services, a few of my friends have in the past worked at Jiffy Lube & other such places. A while back, Jiffy Lube managers were under heavy pressure to have an average cost per car of $65 or so. When an oil change is $25, you need to add a lot of services. I suspect this is also related to the fact that Jiffy Lube now charges for topping off fluids between changes (it used to be free). I now no longer go there at all (though having my own garage to change oil & such has been a big part of that). I really don't think the problem is techs being dishonest of their own accord, but pressure from management either tying their pay to the amount they can convince a customer to spend, or saying "Average X amount of additional work per car, or you'll be looking for another job." That said, I don't take any of my cars to shops anymore. -=Russ=-

I've seen reference to this in a few scattered threads, but never found a fix. My car was apparently driven by someone who *never* sped in it - the speedometer starts sticking at 70mph and doesn't do much past that. It will sometimes bounce up a bit faster, and it works properly below that, but... it's useless on the highway. I have to drive by the tach (which isn't a huge problem, but it's still a bit annoying when the needle sticks at 80-85 for 50 miles and I know I'm only doing 75 at the time). Is there a good fix for this? I'm planning to pull the dash apart & just clean it/wind it up and down a bunch of times, unless someone has a really good idea. -=Russ=-

Rear shoes seem to need manual adjustment on a lot of the Subarus - I've met some that were so far out of adjustment that I was amazed it stopped. Also, leaking rear brake cylinders can let air in - if one or both rear brakes are slimy, wet, or generally anything other than really dry (assuming you haven't been fording rivers lately), you should probably replace the cylinders. A master cylinder going out can cause brake issues. -=Russ=-

Aw, man! I was hoping for a thread on someone putting a Hybrid drivetrain (gas/electric, like the Prius & Insight) in their Subaru, and getting 60mpg + more power. Good luck. If it helps any, my SPFI EA82 still has a distributor. I assume it's not doing anything fancy with the ignition system. -=Russ=-

First: I'm specifically asking people with older generation Subarus, because they're more likely to keep a lot of tools & parts & such in their car. Also, I'm curious as to what sort of "Subaru-specific" tools everyone keeps around. If this is still deemed off topic, feel free to move it, but I'd sort of like it to stay here. Personally, I keep a pretty complete "roadside set" with me - I'm of the opinion that tow trucks are for things that require major work (such as an engine rebuild or new transmission). I also am one of apparently very few people who will still stop to help someone change a tire at night on a busy highway (nothing to make you feel alive like trucks zooming past 3' away at 80mph). So: Things I keep in the back of my Subaru: In the tool chest area: Hydraulic jack Jumper cables Spare ignition coil 36mm axle nut wrench & breaker bar 75W work lamp (110v, but I have an inverter) Small air compressor (slow, but works) 3/16" punch In the side compartments: PB Blaster Brake cleaner Flex screwdriver set Bungee cords Quart of oil Spare V-belts Voltmeter Zip ties In the back, either in bins or just floating around: 4-way tire iron Jack stand Windshield wiper fluid Socket set/wrenches Coolant Timing belts (in boxes) Elsewhere in the car: Inverter (300W) Hat & gloves I have 4WD, so a broken CV joint *shouldn't* be a huge issue - put it in 4WD and it should at least get me to my destination. I have a new fuel pump, but I'm debating getting a spare alternator to keep around. I really should also throw some duct tape in the car to patch a blown coolant hose if needed (and/or some worm clamps), though if I just change out all the hoses they should be fine. Is there anything else I should consider hauling around with me? -=Russ=-

I'm planning to replace the exhaust on my GL this weekend or next, because right now it leaks so badly that I actually don't get any exhaust flow out the tip. The current plan is to put a glasspack/presilencer at the back of the Y-pipe (no cats), straight pipe back, and possibly another muffler at the rear end. My goal is improved power over stock, but also a fairly quiet exhaust note on the highway. The GL rides & drives like a luxury car, it may as well sound like it too. Growl when wide open is fine, but I don't want any sort of drone at highway speeds. I don't know if just a presilencer will do this, or if I should add a muffler as well. Possibly 2 glasspacks, one at the front, one at the rear? Suggestions? -=Russ=-

I've also discussed this with a friend of mine, and his opinion on the helicoil stuff was along the lines of "Eh, just crank it a few times with the plug open & the ignition disabled... it'll blow that stuff right out the plug hole. Heck, maybe even leave the ignition on & run it on 3 cylinders for a bit." The stumble below 2000 RPM may be related to a throttle position sensor - I haven't bothered with mine, because it's only a problem when stone cold. -=Russ=-

Look in the classifieds, and have someone ship you a tranny for a LOT less than $1200? -=Russ=-

*nods* I consider myself educated. Sorry! -=Russ=-

So, something like this? http://www.technologie-entwicklung.de/Gasturbines/VNT15-Turbo/body_vnt15-turbo.html The vanes open & close (watch the animated .gif at the end for a good feel of how it works) to adjust the effective exhaust pressure. They close at lower RPM to tighten up the inlet slits and increase the velocity of the exhaust. At higher RPM, they open up to let the full exhaust flow through. -=Russ=-

Well, right now I basically have a straight pipe that ends under the car, due to exhaust system rust. The plan I have for the exhaust is to put a presilencer (glasspack) where the cat would go, and then back to a normal muffler. It'll be quiet enough. -=Russ=-

Not sure if I'll get much response, since it doesn't seem like too many people around here are running standalone ECUs, but I'll ask anyway. If a non-turbo EA82 is tuned as lean as it will run on the highway, what kind of mileage numbers pop out? I'm considering getting/building a standalone fuel computer for my GL, since I put absurd numbers of miles on it (5000 in the past month, roughly). I'd be running without a cat (though I normally run with a ferret), so I'm not worried about high EGTs. I'll put a wideband in for tuning, and under light load in my normal cruising range (3000-3500 RPM) tune it as lean as I can go without getting surging. There's a side factor for this as well - I'm starting (slowly) on a project RX-7, that will eventually be pushing 400+ HP to the wheels. If I get a standalone & become familiar with it on my Subaru, it will be beneficial for tuning the '7 (rotary engines don't tolerate detonation at all). Plus, if I can get a significant boost in economy (from my 23-27mpg currently), it will literally pay for itsself in short order. Is 70mph economy of 30+mpg doable, or does the stock ECU do a good job? Since the stock ECU will be cycling around 14.7:1 for emissions, I'd think running 16:1 or 16.5:1 would be better for economy, and there shouldn't be any problems under light load with detonation. I might be able to get a bit more power out of it as well. Anyone have input on this? If not, I'll probably go ahead & do it at some point anyway, and provide some feedback. -=Russ=-

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/article.php?a=57 Pretty much everything you should need. -=Russ=-

No problem! For reference, a new fuel pump for a fuel injected EA82 runs about $130-$150. It might not be a bad idea to keep one around for a few weeks, in case the old pump decides to crap out. They're pretty easy to change on the side of the road, but you'll want some zipties in the car to hold the pump up when you're done - the bolts holding it will most likely snap when you take them off. -=Russ=-

If you have the mount bolt holes for it, you could call around to some junkyards & see if anyone has one. I can't imagine there's a huge demand for them. You could post a WTB thread in the Subaru Classifieds. Finally, the best option is probably to find a friend who can weld, get some 1/4" or 1/2" plate metal, weld it into a skid plate, and bolt it on. -=Russ=-

... a carbed engine won't have an O2 sensor. Or at least it shouldn't. How fast do you normally drive? That makes a difference. Also, are your tires fully inflated? I got a boost from ~23mpg to ~27mpg by changing my O2 sensor, but I have a SPFI GL, so that actually matters to it. One thing that might help some - since you're running an aftermarket coil, you can gap the plugs a bit wider. On mine, stock is 0.044" and most people seem to suggest 0.050" works better with an aftermarket coil. I need to get around to regapping mine & see if it affects anything. -=Russ=-

Nice. 1st Lo is a pretty powerful little gear. Always good to see "silly little underpowered station wagons" make some jaws drop. -=Russ=-

My 87 GL D/R 4WD Subaru has a factory skid plate. It doesn't strike me as something that will take a LOT of abuse (and it has holes in it), but it will protect the oil pan. Unless Subaru has some sort of significantly more sturdy skidplate available (I doubt it), you're probably best off making one yourself. It shouldn't be too difficult once you find a machine shop that can bend the metal (or weld it at the right angle). -=Russ=-

But... if you fix it so it doesn't leak... how will you know it has fluid in it? Sounds like a good project. Pull the engine out, it'll make it easier to do the seals (and make it possible to do the rear main seal). -=Russ=-

I got a new radiator for my DL for $90 from O'Rileys. -=Russ=-

You could probably find a used radiator from someone on the board... I personally wouldn't trust a repair job on the plastic section. Alternately, a new radiator for a Subaru runs around $90, the one I got was all metal, and should long outlast the car. -=Russ=-

Yes, that's perfectly normal (I've done it by mistake too - forgot to hook up the MAF). The engine will start, run for a few seconds, and die. -=Russ=-

I can't speak for Subarus in specific, but generally an oxygen sensor cycling fewer than 4-5 times a second indicates an old O2 sensor. -=Russ=-