JustGo_GL

That's absolutely perfect, thanks so much, all of you. I'll give this a shot and report back.

Yeah, the more research I do, the more I indeed suspect that the starter motor is the issue. Does that repair kit you linked actually fit the GL? The website seems to indicate it doesn't. Also, I'm not a particularly skilled mechanic, but I'm working on improving - is this the sort of swap that's not incredibly difficult if one has the right instructions, or should I just go ahead and bring it to a shop?

Intriguing update: I've determined that, essentially, the car will only start with regularity when the car is cool. Basically, any time it won't start up, if I open the hood and leave it for a bit it'll eventually turned over. Sometimes it'll start just fine when it's warm (for instance, when I stopped for gas today), but it's hardly consistent. So yeah, I've been cleaning up the wiring, checking the fusible links, and I'm suspecting that the issue is somewhere in the contacts to the starter motor, but I'm really not sure.

The Battery's been fine since it got jumped on Wednesday, but that's a good point - if it happens again, that's definitely what I'll look for, especially since the battery is brand new and was confirmed to be in fine condition.

You know it. I'm only about a week and a half out from doing the first leg of the trip - me driving it out to Seattle to begin with! There's a ton to keep track of, but I've been finding the time lately to remind myself just how awesome this car is - I've had to tinker with it a bit, but it's been great fun and I'm getting more and more excited for the trip with each passing day.

Oook, so this morning I had the same issue where it would click, but the engine wouldn't turn all the way over. I had full battery power, etc. I went ahead and tightened the connections and tried to clean up the wiring as much as I could. I then went and tried again and the engine started right up. Now, I only was able to drive it around a little bit before I had to head to work, but when I turned it off I was able to get it right back going again. In no way am I certain that the problem is solved, but it seemed to have helped. I'll know for sure tomorrow when I'm doing a longer trip to Jersey.

Stunning. That's fantastic. I just finally brought this guy to the city - parked up near the GWB

Absolutely, will do, probably tomorrow morning before work. Thanks again, and I'll report back how it goes.

Thanks for the advice, I'll definitely try that next. This morning, before I went in to work, I just tried to turn it on again for the heck of it and it turned over immediately. Could definitely be just an old inconsistent connection.

Hey folks, So I've got an 84 Subaru Wagon, and it's been running smoothly for about a month now, drives basically perfectly. The other day, I parked it on the side of the street, and then when I tried to restart it I suddenly couldn't. I was getting battery power, it seemed, as I could hear the radio, use the lights, etc, but the engine wouldn't turn over. As a result, I suspected it was something wrong with the starter motor, and I went ahead and checked all the connections from the battery to the solenoid, and there was a wire that wasn't completely slotting in properly, I managed to bend the wire back properly and get it to fit snugly. This seemed to work, as I was able to get the car running again. I came back the next day to the same spot and turned it on again, just to make sure it was working, and it turned over just fine. Great! Problem solved. Or maybe not. This morning I went out to the car to turn it on (in the same spot - I didn't actually drive it either of the past two days that I got it running again) and it was completely dead - the battery seemed completely dead, I was getting no lights, no radio, nothing. Now, nothing had been left on, the lights were all off, and there shouldn't have been any reason for the battery losing its charge, but somehow it had. AAA came and jumped it (they also tested the battery and said it should be running fine, they also checked the electrical system/alternator and seemed to think everything was okay). The jump worked and the car started up, so I drove it around for about an hour to charge the battery, parked it, and then shut it off with a bit of trepidation. I was right to be wary. It wouldn't turn on again. I was back to getting some battery power, the lights and radio, etc, but once again the engine wouldn't turn over. I'm a bit at wits end right now with regards to the issue, I can't tell if the battery is giving me SOME power, just not enough, or if there's an actual alternator issue, or if the starter motor is the problem. Any help would be incredibly appreciated. Thanks, Greg

Several folks have asked for a little more documentary info, and of course you can check out the website, but I wanted to explain it just a little bit further here - In talking with friends (late 20-somethings in NYC) there seems to be a pervasive feeling that as a generation we don't have the type of accessibility to adventure that has existed in the past. Other generations - for better or worse - sort of had adventure built in. There were the wars. There were the 60s and civil rights. There wasn't facebook. There weren't cell phones. People hitch-hiked and worked odd jobs from coast to coast. But the Kerouac "On the Road" ideal legitimately is no longer possible for a host of reasons. The world has changed. What we're trying to do is bridge the gap and show young people (and old too, if it resonates) who are feeling trapped that you don't need a fat wallet and a 401k. We're trying to reclaim adventure for a generation that's letting it slip through its fingers while they tweet, text and tinder their way through life. That's why we're going on this 5,500 mile journey through 20 states in our '84 Subaru GL, camping the entire way. We're going to prove that even in 2014, true adventure is not only accessible, but affordable. We aim to prove that fulfilling your own personal desires doesn't have to come at the expense of your money or your career. They aren't mutually exclusive. Stop waiting for the right time, or enough money, or the perfect circumstances - they'll never come. Stop waiting and just go. That's pretty much the spiel!

Thanks! We're incredibly excited about the car. There's a website for the documentary itself at www.justgofilm.com, and yes, the GL will actually be the ONLY car actually featured in the movie - we'll be going the whole 5,500 miles in it.

Yeah, the dealer really seems to do a good job of finding really nice older cars. I'll admit, I was tempted by some of the saabs there as well, but I'm damn happy to have been able to get this. And will definitely be on the lookout for wild arm waving!

haha well you'll have to wait for a little while - we don't start the shoot/trip until August 3rd, which gives us two months. I'm seriously considering the Weber swap after everything I've read. the parts are a bit over $300, and sadly none of us are versed enough yet to do the full swap ourselves (though we're working on it!) - so we'd have to find a mechanic. Is there a place on the forums to ask about local subaru mechanics? Or does anyone have some resources on that front? Also, if you want to learn a bit more about our film you can check out our website www.justgofilm.com Thanks for the help everyone! Truly appreciate it.

Yup! Well, live in Manhattan, but just bought it from a pretty cool place in SI.

Posted elsewhere, but just bought this guy:

haha I know right? yikes. fortunately it's not a ton of gear and three of us are on the short side.

We actually live in NYC, and are shipping the car out west to drive it back. Sounds crazy I know, but we're actually filming a feature length documentary, thus the whole point of the trip The car spent its whole 30 year life in Colorado, so I assume its equipped to handle the altitude, but we all know what happens when we assume something like that. Haha. I'm checking to see if the car has an HAC installed (haven't actually picked it up yet). But that would probably make a difference yes? Would doing the Weber carb swap be a good idea in this case as well? We'll have a decent amount of gear along with four bodies. Definitely don't want to get stuck on a mountain pass in CO or Utah. Yikes. Thank you all for your help!

Hey thanks guys As it stands I think we're actually taking a southern route (we're not going straight-shot), but if that changes - which it very well may - I'll give you guys a shout! I really appreciate it!

Haha well.... we maaay be planning to pass through Denver. And when I say may, I mean we are. We have friends we're crashing with there.

Hey all - I'm new to Subarus and new to the forum, introduced myself and my car here: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/146965-brand-new-subaru-owner-84-gl-awd/ I'm doing a cross-country trip in August from Seattle to NYC in my GL, and I'm not too familiar with carburetors. Someone told me that for all the change in altitude with a trip like this, I may have to jet the carb myself along the way to compensate for the density of the air. Is this true? Can anyone speak to this from experience? Would love to get more info. Thanks!

It's an auto, sadly, but it's a beautiful car. My name's Andrew, and I'm a producer on a feature length documentary being shot this August following four guys driving 5,500 miles from Seattle to NYC in an effort to prove that the "On the Road" ideal of cheap, meaningful adventure is still accessible in 2014. OK enough of that though - this isn't about plugging a movie. I'm here to learn about my new car - all the ins and outs, and learn from the vast wealth of experience here on the board. I used a lot of info I found here when researching the GL, so thanks! The car is in pristine condition - one owner for its entire lifespan, and the ORIGINAL owners manual is still in the glovebox, complete with all the inspections, etc. Only 106k on it, and even after sitting at the used car lot for a decent amount of time, the engine turned over instantly. I'm kind of in love right now. Haha My only question right of the bat, is about the carb. I'm not very familiar with carbs, and I've been told that if we do a lot of altitude change - which we will - that I may have to jet it on the fly. Anyone have any experience to that end? Here are a few pics: