SuspiciousPizza

What I've learned refurbishing my 3rd gen wagon (89 GL). Parts: Hoard them. Buy yourself an ultrasonic cleaner because there's gonna be a lot of greasy used parts you'll need to clean if you intend to run this car for any period of time. Engine: EA82's are simple to teardown. However, aluminum threads don't like to be abused. Be careful with exhaust flanges and intake manifold bolts. They tend to strip or corrode in some form or another. Pistons, connecting rods, valve springs, valves, valve retainers, oil pumps, OEM water pumps, cylinder heads without deep cracks, oil pickups, and more can be difficult to find. Luckily you're in the right place to find them but still. There's a reason EA82's have gone the way of the dodo. Buying a good parts engine (if you can find one) isn't a bad idea. Suspension: Front struts and good quality front strut mounts are difficult to find. The chinesium parts that makes up 80% of the parts market for these cars usually aren't worth giving the time of day. Look at DRW Bushings for suspension bushings. I've been very impressed with the bushings and the owner's communication, I'd highly recommend. Springs can be hard to find, there are overload springs out there. Wheels & Bearings: 4x140 is going to be your biggest hurdle. Looks like you've got a set of shallow wagon wheels (I'm jealous). It's just difficult to find known good wheels, new 4x140 wheels are quite obscure. Bearings aren't too bad if you have a bearing puller. Honestly the seals can put up more of a fight than the bearings. Remember to replace your axle nut spring washers. Axles: If they're not rusty and crusty, clean them and reboot them. Buy neoprene boots, I recommend EMPI. I use Yamalube ACC-MOLDM-GS-05. Use what you like but it's good grease. You may find out, if you haven't already, that if you do need to replace an axle, it's difficult to buy "the right one". There are multiple different axles (4 or 5, I can't remember) that are used depending on the cars drivetrain and fuel delivery system. Stay away from most cheap axles. Sometimes remans are okay but your best bet is used OEM that have been cleaned and rebooted. Get familiar with the identification bands on the axle shafts near the outer boot and your axle spline count. Outer axle joints cannot be disassembled, to clean wipe the grease off and pour a cleaning solvent into the joint. Pour out the sludge and wipe away the rest. Let the solvent off gas and repack with grease. Interior: Speedometer cables and throttle cables can be difficult to find. Yes there are cheap parts put there, but those are always a crap shoot. The foam on the HVAC blend doors has probably severely degraded and that will cause issues with actually feeling the full effect of your HVAC system. I'd recommend replacing the foam. Once you've torn the dash off, its easy to do again. Getting it back together can be a pain with the HVAC controls (4 vacuum hoses and a cable). Plastic trim pieces are NLA and will have to be a junkyard, craigslist, or eBay find. If you decide to manual swap the car, get a pedal box from a later GL or a Loyale. Older pedal boxes are prone to cracking. Glass: Junkyard. Literature: Get a copy of a parts manual and I'd also recommend a hardcopy of the factory service manual set. Yes you can find them mostly online but having a hardcopy is very helpful. Good luck :]

I have a parts guy, we're going to get in contact this weekend (he's busy out of town at the moment) to see when we can meet. I need to get over there asap to pick up an engine while mine out of my GL is being rebuilt (6 months at this point). I know he's got a turbo car, no clue on his prices. If you PM me a list of parts (stuff you'd want for the future?), I'll ask. I know he's got a turbo car sitting there. I also have a turbo cylinder head I'm not going to use since mine is N/A. I just got it for a really good price. If you're interested PM me and lmk. :] P.S. https://turbochargersdirect.com/turbochargers-direct-remanufactured-oem-turbo-for-subaru-gl-xt-rx-and-loyale-1-8l-tur-106018-tdr/?srsltid=AfmBOoqOzF6v587m_TyQszG6yslhtNdmZ1ZJRiWPfLog9jMkZBbPHLPI

I wouldn't mind the stock gauges, but they are so vague. My GL has the fancy gauge cluster with voltage, oil pressure, and temp. But I'd like actual values rather than relying on a 35 y/o gauge without values. I actually don't know if my oil pressure gauge works. The P/O had a mechanical gauge installed where the dash clock was and this leaked oil all over the dash wiring harness and he cut into the defrost vent to get the gauge to fit. That really didn't help on a Wisconsin winter morning. I just like numbers for monitoring and diagnostic. :] If I had to choose one gauge to not get, it'd be the fuel pressure.

ISSPRO has them. I'd go all ISSPRO since they're good quality and come with sensors and harnesses. But they cost a pretty penny, thus this discussion before I spend that chunk of change. Plus you can program in custom warning lights and change the backlight colors. :]

I'd like to install some electronic aftermarket gauges on my dash to display more data and keep tabs on the health on my EA82. Electric gauges since I wouldn't have to run fluid lines into the cabin. Though I prefer the simplicity and cost of mechanical gauges. The gauges I'd like to install are oil pressure, coolant temp, fuel pressure, and coolant pressure. The reason for the coolant pressure is that I'd, in theory, be able to see if my coolant pressure is spiking/ rising and thus detect head gasket leaks into the cooling system. Also monitor the water pump performance. For my coolant temp, I'd thought of installing a T-fitting to where the stock coolant temp sensor sits, allowing me to keep the stock one and add on the additional sensor. Will this affect my temp readings? Would this cause turbulence in the cooling system? Would air cooling the fitting throw off my readings? Would my readings be affected by the sensor being repositioned in relation to coolant flow? I've never messed with aftermarket electric gauges before and I'm open to thoughts and opinions before I go and spend the money on the gauges and sensors. Thanks :]

Congrats man, glad you're keeping it on the road. For suspension work, check out King Springs, they have overload springs that stiffen the suspension up quite a bit. Kind of a rough ride but allows for more cargo capacity and handles better. You may have a tough time finding front struts. But they're out there if you keep your eyes open and have patience. Their availability seems to come in waves. Also check out DRW bushings, good polyurethane bushings made by a very small business. If you ever need parts you can't find, I have a local parts guy I plan to visit in the next few weeks. Shoot me a PM if you need anything. :] P.S. you plan on doing wheel bearings while you're in there doing brakes?

I'd investigate your relays for your lighting issues. Getting stuff to work after repeatedly flipping the switch sounds to me like a relay issue. Look into service manuals online, or better yet buy a set of hardcopies. Well worth the investment and will tell you all you want to know and more. I believe the wiring should be the same as any 3rd gen/L-Series/Leone with a turbo MPFI engine. An XT is basically an L-Series with a cooler body and interior. I could be wrong though, I've never been fortunate enough to work on one nor see one in the flesh. Check everything that goes into the ECU before you plug it in. Takes time but with the car's age it's better to begin checking stuff now. :]

1989 GL SPFI Been slowly getting my interior back together and I unfortunately forgot to take a photo of this wire's routing before removing it. I cannot find this wire in any diagrams in my parts catalog nor my FSM. It's not the radio ground wire that goes from behind the dash to the mount near the shift boot, that's in place. It's too short to really go anywhere except the ECU mount, but the ECU doesn't ground through the case, or am I incorrect? Also I'm not 100% sure the one end mounts to the steering column, but I remember the wire being located in this general area. Your view is of the ECU mount area from the driver's side. Thanks! :]

I checked the troubleshooting table in the FSM for "Engine stalls after initial combustion". All the following are what it says for the fuel injector: Poor contact at terminal (could be at the injector connector itself, an issue with the wiring in the harness, poor connection at the wiring harness connectors (large black connectors near the driver side strut mount), or poor connection at the ECU. Performance characteristics unusual (maybe the mesh "birdcage" on the injector is dirty or it's sticking.) (To check if it's sticking, place the business-end of a screwdriver on the metal body of the injector and put the handle on your ear. Put voltage to the injector BRIEFLY LESS THAN A SECOND and listen for the "click-click". One click for power on, one for power off.) Clogged filter. I'd check the injector, mate. You've got a good pump, lines are clear, new filter, good regulator. Really the only other component in that fuel circuit is the injector. Maybe the mesh birdcage sieve is dirty? Either that or the injector is borked? Injector resistance should be between 0.5-2ohm (measured on the connector on the injector). If the injector tests okay and is clean on the sieve/not sticking, check the engine harness for damaged wires or poor terminal contact. (I doubt it's a contact since squeezing hose has nothing to do with electrons) :]

Did you check that fuel filter down near the fuel pump? Too bad you had to go buy that pump but it'll give you more peace of mind in the future. Plus you can keep your old one in the car as a spare if you're ever in the situation you need it. If you do have to replace any rubber fuel hoses, Codan makes hoses that are the right diameter and are very good quality. Check out Volksbolts, they've got a good write up on fuel hoses. If you ever need some reading material.

Yeah that pump should work. Really so long as the pressure, voltage, and current draw are correct (the pump you showed looks to meet those specs) then these cars really don't care. I don't know if it'll last as long as an OEM or equivalent pump but it'll do the job. You may have to do some electrical work and figure out a mounting solution since this isn't an OEM equivalent pump but that's not a big deal and it's nothing too complicated. Sadly OEM/equivalent SPFI pumps are NLA but if you do ever want to keep a lookout for one, the part number is 42021GA242. Good luck, let us know how it goes. :]

For SPFI models, the fuel pressure discharge from the fuel pump is 36-50 psi. After the regulator is 20-24 psi @ 700rpm. The regulator drops the high pressure from the pump to a usable pressure for the injector. So there is a high pressure side and a low pressure side, separated by the fuel pressure regulator on the throttle body. Could be an issue with the fuel lines or filters. But most likely the fuel pump is tired and out of spec.

Did you measure before or after the fuel pressure regulator? If after, that seems pretty close but others more experienced would have to let you know for sure. If you decide to pull your injector, I've found a large needle nose vice grip works the best. Don't use the straight part of the jaws, rather the semi-circle part of the jaws works very well. You may have to spin the injector to loosen the 2 o-rings. Be sure not to lose the 3-padded metal ring the injector sits on top of. Throttle body & injector gasket kit I use is Walker 18015.

I'm not familiar with the older gens. Does each line indicate something? Like first line is where the thermostat opens, second line is "high normal op temperature", 3rd is "dancing with danger" and 4th is really not good? I've never opened an older gen FSM or owners manual, let alone seen an older gen in the flesh other than a BRAT at a car show once. Are the dash readouts known for any inaccuracies such as the 3rd gen oil pressure gauges being quite vague?

https://jdmfsm.info/Auto/Japan/Subaru/--Old Models--/ You're going to want the Loyale Leone EA82 1989 Service Manual at the bottom. Basically scroll all the way down to get the wiring diagrams. Also section 2.7 has good electrical information and shows what pins go where on the ECU and to what sensors. :]

Also I checked my service manual, there is no power that goes to the sensor. Only ground and signal from the sensor (a resistance value). If you'd like to test the CTS, get a bowl of water, heated to the temps below and read the resistance values. The values are: 7-11.5 kOhm @ 14°F 2-3 kOhm @ 68°F 700-1000 Ohm @ 122°F I should note that the troubleshooting diagram in the service manual states that unless there is some form of initial combustion when starting the engine, your issue is NOT a CTS. If it does fire and dies, then it is possible. But if it doesn't have initial combustion, then I'd look elsewhere.

Could be very possible, engine harness wiring is old and has been dealing with heat cycles for decades. Do you have an engine wiring diagram? If not, they're available online. I could get you a (not broken) link if you need it. PLEASE CONSULT A WIRING DIAGRAM BEFORE YOU GO DISASSEMBLING ANYTHING. For your own understanding and sanity. It may be worth pulling the engine harness (with a diagram by your side), remove the plastic loom and test the wiring. I've had to do this before, bending every wire along its full length to find any internal breaks in the wire. Also test the resistance of every wire, obviously starting where you think the issue is to potentially save yourself time. If there is an intermittent internal break, your ECU may not throw a code. This can make chasing an electrical issue even more challenging. It could also be a bad ground (I believe a ground issue should throw a code, but checking the resistance of engine ground wires isn't that big of a deal) Also, is there white crusties on the CTS or the intake manifold threads? This could cause a ground issue to the CTS. :]

Have you flushed out the old gas or is this several year old gas? Also, have the fuel filters (all of them) been replaced? Is there sediment in the fuel tank? If you're not throwing codes and you were experiencing fuel issues, that's where I'd look first. The only bit that confuses me is the test connector/coolant sensor scenario. Have you tested the coolant sensor for the proper values? Hang in there :]

Shoot, sorry the link didn't work. Just look up the forum post, it's been recently discussed so you shouldn't have an issue finding it.

The EGR code is for the EGR solenoid, not the EGR valve. The ECU can only read electrical faults, it will not know if anything mechanical is going wrong (the EGR valve is purely mechanical, as such the ECU won't tell you if it's dirty, sticking, etc) The solenoid controls when the valve gets vacuum. I've had this issue, it's an easy fix. Check out ('92 Loyale - Difficult to start, rough idle, and stalling/no power while in gear.), scroll to the bottom and it'll tell you how to install a new EGR solenoid. The solenoid will cost ya 50 ish bucks but you shouldn't have to replace it again. :]

Does your ECU throw any codes?

Valid point, I didn't word that properly. I meant a new unused "plug & play" pump is getting very difficult to find. If OP was looking for a pump they could just fit without having to buy extra fittings, hose, electrical or mounting solutions, the options are limited. Its definitely not impossible, it just might take extra time waiting on the right hardware. :]

*This is all just musing, I have no intentions on doing this... For now* I'm in a bit of a lull waiting on my EA82 getting rebuilt and that's given me time to think. I remember seeing an old rally video showing a race spec EA82. The dual-carb setup they had going got me thinking. What if you did a dual setup using two SPFI throttle bodies rather than carbs? From what I remember the carbs on the rally engine were basically set directly on top of the intake ports either side of the engine. I don't have extensive experience with engines and I only have limited experience to base my ideas off of. Regardless, here's what I'm thinking. An N/A EA82 with MPFI heads (for better flow) with dual SPFI throttle bodies. Setup a quad exhaust (would take some tinkering with the internally split single exhaust ports). Most likely setup with a custom ECU (megasquirt or something similar). The power gains wouldn't be what I'd be going after, rather just an experiment using an outdated engine for the fun of the challenge. Any thoughts? Ideas? Book recommendations to help me better understand the math of engine design? I don't remember reading of anyone doing this but I think it'd be interesting to see it done. Obviously there's a lot that'd have to be considered. Injector CC's, how to plumb the cooling system into the throttle bodies and engine block, sensor locations, etc, etc. I'm just thinking out loud here. :]

scooby2 have you determined if it is your fuel pump that needs replacing? There is a way to put your ECU into "learn" (improper nomenclature) mode and when you turn the key to ON, the fuel pump will turn on in pulses. You'll be able to hear the pump, if you don't hear any pulsed buzzing then you know the pump isn't functioning. In my opinion this is the easiest way to test your pump as you don't have to remove anything other than some plastic panels below the steering column. If this vehicle is a single-point fuel injected model, fuel pumps are basically extinct. There are multiple forum posts on others using different non-OEM pumps so there's always a way to MacGyver something. :]

Here's how I set up my valve. I planned to get a proper piece of EPDM hose and a fitting but there's nothing more permanent than a functional temporary fix. The stock hose does fit on the "rear" fitting, but I also used a tight hose clamp. I soldered the wires to the terminals in the polarity you see in the photos. Red (with the blue heat shrink) is +. In the engine harness connector, the top terminal closest to the connector hook (latch thingy) is -, the bottom vertical terminal is +. :]