KStretch55

I've got a '91 Loyale MT and a '92 Loyale AT, both wagons and both SPFI.

BTW, another trick in case you aren't aware of it is to use a piece of hose when installing the plugs. Push the plug insulator into the hose (about 12" - 18" long) and use it to thread the plug into the hole. You can't crossthread one this way, cuz' the hose doesn't hold it tight enough, but it's tight enough to run them in most of the way, and keeps your hands away from the hot stuff. Takes a bit of practice, since most hoses have a bit of a curve, but it works.

Ahhh, so it goes between the PCV valve and the "T" to the valve covers?

I've heard that real Aussies don't drink Fosters and always wondered what else you did with it. Now I know and it looks great, but I hope you didn't waste the beer anyway. LOL The only bad beer is wasted beer!! Ok, so where does it go?

Shaving cream is an excellent idea!! Thanks!! I'll file that one in the bag of tricks!!

My thought was that perhaps once the engine is good and warm some component has expanded enough to shift and allow an opening or "crack". Another thing you can do that sometimes helps pinpoint such noises: take a length of hose (garden, fuel, heater, etc.) and put one end to your ear and carefully scan the engine with the other end. Usually, you'll be able to narrow your scan right down to the offending item. Hint: use a hose that's long enough for you to put one end to your ear and still be able to see the other end without kinking it. If you kink it the sound is blocked. If it's too short you can't see your hand and there's too many moving parts on a running engine to do that safely.

My guess, and it's just a guess, is that your rodent findings are coincidental to your hiss, which sounds like an intake manifold leak. Try squirting soapy water around connecting points of the intake manifold when you hear the hissing. Listen for changes in the sounds of the hissing and the engine and look for bubbles or places where the soapy water is sucked in. Not sure about the rattling sound, but it could be unrelated to the hissing and just some of the shroud rattling. Good luck!

Solenoid rebuild kit is 13.99 at Schucks. I just did one. Make sure if you do that you put the side terminals in so they are level and make full contact with the center terminal. I rebuilt mine last week, but my starter is still intermittant. I think the brush assys on the motor may be shot or the bearings need lube/replaced.

Yep, I've done it. I wasn't very confident that it would work, but that was about 30K ago. Bought the kit at Schucks and just followed the directions. With the exception that when I was sure the helicoil would go in smoothly I put a couple of drops of JBWeld on it before I put it in and let it cure for an hour or so. Don't use too much, just enough for some bonding between the head and the insert, not enough that it will squeeze through the insert and get on the threads of the plug. Then be sure to use anti-sieze on the plugs. I've since removed the plug a couple of times, just to make sure the insert stays put.

I happened into Wal-mart this weekend, I don't go there often it's kind of out of my way. But, my son wanted something that was significantly cheaper there than anywhere else. Anyway, I happened to check the price on their oil. Guess I know where I'll be going for a while. Nice 5qt jugs and less than a $ per qt.!

Couldn't agree more. Most mechanics I've talked with say a flush usually knocks more stuff loose to get into the system than it cleans. Goes for engine oil or transmission.

Damn! I still have the intermittant problem. Now, I'm thinking the bearings or the brush blocks in the starter may be worn. Does anyone know if the two small phillips screws in the motor endcap just hold the motor brush assy to the endcap? If nobody knows, I guess I'll find out this evening.

Good, cuz' I have a set of heads that the guides are just slightly out of spec on and I want to install them on my '91 Loyale soon. So, I think I'll get all the seals and gaskets needed to do the job and then budget in the XADO treatment and see how it works. If it works as advertised, it should help all the parts that are oil wetted and exposed to friction, correct?

I've heard of some garages that do oil system flushes. I don't know what they use or how they do it, but they claim it's effective for cleaning the sludge and gunk out of the passages. You might check in your area and see if some do the same.

Schucks sells a helicoil kit that works fairly well. Just too be sure, I put a few drops of JB weld on the coil when I put it in on mine. The aluminum shavings won't be attracted to a magnet, but you can vacuum them out if you have a compressor. Make a vacuum tube out of a blowgun and a "Y" pipe. Some tool companies and parts stores sell them already made and they work great.

Was the rotor damaged?

I'm thinking pretty hard about seeing if I can work a trial into my budget. If or when I do I'll try to keep a detailed log and let everyone know how it goes. The concept and theory sounds great. When I first saw something about it I was hoping maybe it would help with slightly worn valve guides, but from the sound of it that was the one place that it didn't benefit much. But, less wear and friction is always a good thing. I'm skeptical (no offense, Xadoman), but I'm a believer in trying something new now and then, too. If I don't take a chance now and then I don't learn anything new, eh! LOL

Adding another pump won't make any difference to a carbuerated system, because the float bowl is basically an unpressurized reservoir that the fuel is drawn from. So, unless you have your foot in it long enough and hard enough to empty the bowl (not likely, since as soon as you begin drawing fuel the float valve will let more in and it's designed to stay ahead of the demand) more pressure will be of no value. As a matter of fact too much pressure could overcome the float valve and cause you lots of grief.

I agree completely!!

I'm pretty skeptical of products that make these kind of claims. Has anyone ever used it or heard anything about it? www.xado-us.com

Good points, Miles! Also, the 5/8" heater hose or fuel line, whichever you choose, doesn't tend to harden up and get brittle like the stock PCV hoses do. I think they are more of a vinyl material or something.

My '91 does the same thing, though sounds like mine is a bit worse already. I tried the PCV change, just in case, but it didn't change much if any. Pretty sure mine is just worn valve guides. Time to do a head swap, or complete engine as soon as I find a rebuildable spare. Good luck.

I'm not sure what your point is Skip, but mine is that I think they are exactly the same part from exactly the same manufacturer, since the stamps on them are identical and everything. At least the 3 that I bought for comparison. Very few manufacturers, even OEM, actually make their own parts. They contract out, especially for something as simple as a PCV valve. It's 4 pieces: a case, spring, plug and orifice. It's not cost effective for a manufacturer, like Subaru, to make them. So, they contract them, probably from the same manufacturer as many others. As indicated by my test sample PCV valves. That holds true for a great many "OEM" parts. They buy them from a common contractor and stamp their brand on them. OEM does not mean made by them, it means the part meets the Original Equipment Manufacturers specifications, nothing more. In my opinion, OEM more often means Overpriced Exorbinantly, Man!! LOL Sorry, that's just my opinion and we'll probably just have to agree to disagree.

Exactly the symptoms I had with a clogged radiator. On level ground and up hill you're putting more load on the engine and thus the cooling system. Going down hill you're getting lots of cooling air through the radiator with very little thermal load on the engine. A cooling system that's working well shouldn't "need" either fan at speeds above 40 mph, because they can't pull anymore air through the radiator above that speed.

You said the alternator is brand new, correct? By chance have you checked the belt tension since installing the alternator? The belts tend to stretch a bit and need to be tightened up a bit a few hours running time after installation.