erikvr

ok, so I did spray into the engine compartement but I covered the distributor real well. I will check to see if it is wet, though, just in case. When I went underneath, I sprayed all over, including straight up (like, I bent the hose at a 45 degree angle upwards). A better way to say thwarping marbles might be some kind of regular repeating noise, not super loud like TOD. You have to listed for it with the hood closed. As far as the heat shield theory, the stupid car dealer threw away the heat shield before selling me the car. And the sound is not metallic at all. I will try the dist. first. Thanks

Yep, so here I go and clean up my soobie's underbelly at the car wash, got the skid plate clean, oil pan, etc... . I was so proud of her clean look. Then as I drove away I heard something that sounded like thwarping marbles under the hood. Open the hood and sure enough it's there. Can't really tell if it is coming from near the radiator or the distributor........ Did I somehow get oil on the timing belts?? Did I knock goo off the oil pump gasket and air is getting in?? I can only guess, and figured that your guesses were better than mine.

My heat shield has been missing since I bough this car and paid the price. I am on my 3rd passenger side CVJ in 100,000 miles. So I am off to a junkyard to get one. My easy question is where are these suckers mounted??? am I looking only at one shield?? ...I just want to crawl on that junkyard floor as little as possible! Thanks

Yup, my spedometer isn't working. I also have this big electrical short problem. Before I replace the cable, just thought I'd ask if somehow, the electric problem could be the cause of the problem. I have odds that the answer is no but..............

So I am going to swap out my oil pump gasket, per everybody's advice. The question is: looks like I need to get the timing belts off to do this job, correct?

I do have oil leaks, but does anyone have a real good engine diagram that can show me which seals are what. I can figure out the oil pan/pump ones, but as for the others...........

just changed the oil and am using one of those high mileage oils. I put in a FRAM filter, but after reading some threads, will switch to a soobie filter next.

Recently, I have been hearing a loud noise when I first start the car. The same noise the car makes when it is low on oil (I did that only once!). Is that what you guys call the Tick Of Death? Anyhow, this has just started in the last few months and only happens if the outsidetemp gets below 50 or so. Then it goes away after a few seconds. If it does not go away, I turn off the car and immediately restart it and the sound is gone. I have searched through the threads for answers but see nothing........... . The oil pump was changed 100k miles ago....could this be the problem...or its mickey mouse seal I hear about??

Find yourself a copy of the out of print "How To Keep Your Subaru Alive" by Owens (John Muir Idiot Auto Series). You can find them on Amazon, and they are a bit pricey but TOTALLY worth it. Using mine, it got an AWESOME tune up, and by troubleshooting the emissions, I increased my mileage from 19 to 28-30 mpg! And I don't know much about cars. You will save a bundle with that book and this message board. As for engine life, I am at 261,500 and counting on the ORIGINAL engine. Only real repair was the Head gaskets -= changed at 200,000.

I tried a puller but it was too big to fit there and the nuts were too tight on the control arm to get that off so I could beat the dickens out of it!

Yes the bolt is off and the ball is exposed. It is getting that bloody stem out of the control arm that is killing me...............

Here I am thinking I am so cool, a novice "mechanic" replacing the steering balll joint (between the control arm and wheel bearing housing). I seperated the WB housing from the arm, and for the life of me cannot bang out that #(@$*#(@*$ ball joint. I am tapping it from underneath, tapping HARD and it won't pop out. Advice???

Yes, I have an EA82. Forgot that key detail! 85 GL Wagon, 4WD 1.8 carb

I am going to embark on changing my timing belts shortly. Last time this was done, the tensioners were changed. My questiona are: 1) do I need to change the tensioners, spring and idlers every time and if NO, how can I tell when I need to?? 2) Do I really need special OEM tools to do this job Thanks!

Are there any big differences between an 88 GL and the 89-94 loyale? I have the great How to Keep your Subaru Alive, but am heasitant of moving beyond the 88s. I know in 88, they moved to the LED distirbutor. I am assuming that the distributors are the same from 88-94. Any other sophisticated changes...emissions, etc... . I would love to use the repair book assuming that the 88GL is like the 89-94 models. Advice?

my gearbox boot is shot, but everything inside seems nice and tight....no wiggle or play when I move the rods. The question is this: before I put the new boot on, what kind of grease to I use on the ball joint? Same as CVJ grease??

my car is carbed, EA82, 1.8L non-turbo 4WD. No O2 sensor. Hence my pinch to diagnose.

How can one tell if the catalytic converter has reached its end on an 85 1.8 4WD GL? Obviously, there is the smell test (if fumes can be smelled). But other than that, how does one know. And is there just one giant piece to the unit, are there two? I can only find one, but a mechanic told me the one in the front was fine and the one in the back is bad?????? Looks like one giant (and expensive) part to me.

I am debating whether to purchace a Loyale or an early 90s Legacy (2.2).....which is more realiable, which is easier for me to work on? I am no car repair pro but can slug my way through the 12/30/60 maintenance procedures.

THANKS!

What in the heck is a bellows boot? I have How To Keep Your Subaru Alive and see the CV, DOJ and gearbox boots. But evidently this mechanic (a nationwide tire/suspension chain!) wants to replace my entire rack and pinion (I just had a used one put in last year!) because the Bellows boot is cracked and leaking fluid. Any help is appreciated!

nope....different noise for me. Are all of your boots intact?? Maybe you should try a seperate post...wheel bearings? Got me!

I have an 85 1.8L 4WD non-turbo wagon. My gearbox boot is totally torn. The CVJ and DOJ boots both look good. I get a clunking sound when I turn to the left. Related? Also, this gearbox boot has been torn for a long time. Are the ball joints ruined and is it easier to replace the whole darn assembly or should I try to replace the ball joints alone? Last question is easy.... I took the clamp-down bracket off the battery, and now I can figure what the heck the little hook at the bottom hooks on. All I can find is the plastic tray the battery sits on. Then below that there is nothing to clamp to. I had a honda where the battery sat on a shelf, and you clamped the battery to the bottom of that shelf, but that is evedently not the case here......

I just cleaned my engine to find an oil leak and found it. I just need to know what I am looking at. I have an 85 1.8L 4WD non-turbo wagon. OHC. The leak is at the base of the oil fill tube, less than an inch to the right of the base. It is a line that runs straight back and forth. The sparkplugs are on the opposite side of the bead of oil from the base of the oil fill tube. What kind of gasket is this?

First, let me say that I am a total repair novice, but I am on a mission to learn about car repair. I have owned an 84 GL (OHC) and have the HOW TO KEEP YOUR SUBARU ALIVE book by Larry Owens. The book only covers models through 1988 with its nifty little diagrams. It is the first book I have seen that gives me the little confidence to branch out into repairs. As I do so, I realize that my car may be out of service for a few days from time to time so I am looking for a second car, one that I can use the same book to work on. MY QUESTION IS THIS: Are there any real differences between the Loyal an GL for repair purposes? Can I get by with this book on a Loyal, in the same way an 85 GL is the same as an 88 GL?