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A Network of Subie Mechanics...


Alexx
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I would like to keep my 1981 Subaru for at least five more years. I would appreciate it if the members of this forum, based on their own personal experiences, created a database, or at least posted to this topic thread contact information of Subie Mechanics that will work on older Subies that have actual Carburetors in them.

 

The Subaru Dealer that I went to in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County made a big deal out of telling me that Subaru stopped putting Carburetors in their cars in the mid 80's. It cost me $112.00 to find out how little they could help fix my carburetor problem.

 

I'm learning from this forum who specializes in Subaru maintenance but how about a state by state contact list?

 

A state by state database of specialized Subaru services could be real handy. I know many here are do it your selfers, but it's always important to supplement "the do it yourselfers" by doing business with those who can capably make a living by maintaining our older cars. Clearly the Subaru dealers have little desire to support the stalwart specialized subaru mechanic who is a whiz with rebuilding criticial Subaru components no longer availabe via Subaru so it really is up to us to make a Older Generation of Subie Mechanics Contact List a reality, or is one already available?

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Thanks for the leads.

 

It just dawned on me that if those responding could specify if your subie mechanic contacts are for fuel injection Subarus, Carburetor Subarus, or both, that would be much appreciated.

 

I know there are several other designations and categories we could add, but carburetion versus fuel injection is a very broad distinction to start with.

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just a little note. dealer mechanics usually dont know jack about any car 5years or older. unless of course they worked at a indepenant shop before. I agree it would be nice to give people some contacts. probably just as easy to ask your local sube guys. If your from so. Cal. I cant help you there. like NV zeno said in this area there are still a few shops that specialize in subes.

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No need to limit this topic post to just Southern California. The whole USA is fine by me.

 

I specifically asked this Sube Dealer if they had any mechanics from the 80's still working there, and I was told yes, and that's who looked at my car.

 

I was disappointed that in this day and age with the internet available that dealers don't investigate new alternatives for their customers. It seems that once they have made up their mind that a certain part can no longer be obtained, they just give up. In my opinion, having a 20 year old subaru drive up for maintenance work should make it EASIER to sell new cars, especially to those who are considering buying a subaru for the first time.

 

Many companies seem to have made permanent decisions about parts availability well before the advent of the internet and they refuse to consider new internet options that were previously not even available to them when they cast their company policies in stone.

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I work at a shop here in northern VA. Most places now days don't even want to touch carburetors. My shop definetly won't work on them, nor anything below 1980, nor certain Euros. I have some buddys working at the local subaru dealer and i know they won't work on carbs. It sucks, but the moneys not there, so most shops aren't either. I'm waiting for my weber, its a much simpler carburetor, and there are alot more people who know how to tune those.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've got one guy here in Lincoln, Nebraska. He is the only professional mechanic I will trust with any of my cars. He worked at the Subaru dealer from about 1990 till 2000, then he opened his own shop.

 

Kessler Automotive

Corner of 48th and Adams St.

465-4210

 

I know he works on fuel injection, but I'm pretty sure he knows his way around a carb too.

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Problem is with the Hitachi's, a vast majority of them are DONE/WORE OUT......:(

 

In this I mean, even if you were to rebuild one it will still perform poorly due to the Main throttle shaft being wore to a point that at certain points during acceleration it sucks air there, thus causing a bad air fuel mixture......

 

At idle, this causes odd rpm fluctuations, and during acceleration, it causes jumpy starts, and hard stumbles on take off....

 

on decelleration it causes backfires, and sometimes engine stall.....????

 

none of these symtoms would go away if the carb were rebuilt....:(

 

Right now I have 2 boxes worth of junk carbs. All have good top ends, and mid sections, but all have bad bottom sections......I've sourced these to rebuild a few, and the cost effectiveness of it isn't there, cause you can still buy a new Weber for less money.....

 

If you Like, your welcome to add me to your emergency list for Folks travelling thru Oregon, I'll give you my personal # for emergency calls thru e-mail if you drop me a note......

I've played with everything from a 2000 Forester on back to a 1974 Sedan....:)

 

Later, John in Oregon

541-729-8490

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My father is a whiz with the Hatachi Carb, only problem is that with any rebuild, they always need to be adjusted and tinkered with. And if the person on the other end doesn't know what they are doing. Almost have to rebuild one, stick it on my car, and then take it off and send it out. Unfortuately that is not cost effective.

 

Though he is good with Hatachi's he doesn't like rebuilding the Carter cuz he is not good at it.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Wow, great leads! Yeah, I think my carburetor just died. Because it's a california model there are three types that were made.

 

I never did find the info that the rebuilder needs so I am thinking of just shipping the actual carburetor to Colorado.

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  • 4 months later...

A lot of good advice. RooBuilders in Colorado rebuilt my carb, and yes, he does great work on the Carburetor bottoms getting the throttle shaft nice and steady.

 

If you have bottom's of carbs that you can't fix you might want to see if roo builders needs any rather than junk them.

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I can't really help you with your data base as I live in New Zealand but its a shame that you don't have mechanic's willing to work on older cars.There is no problem with that over here in almost any workshop.I have a mechanic for my 1972 GSR who did his apprentiship on them and is still working for the local Subaru dealer.The carb problem you have is a common one but a mechanic who I don't know his name ,figured out the problem and can repair them successfully.All the best in your quest.

 

Wow, great leads! Yeah, I think my carburetor just died. Because it's a california model there are three types that were made.

 

I never did find the info that the rebuilder needs so I am thinking of just shipping the actual carburetor to Colorado.

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Well-I work at Specialized Foreign in Medford, Oregon. We are not the cheapest shop in Medford, but we do have about the most fun----Everything from bread&butter cars to the weird&wild---I do NOX installs, Super & Turbocharger work, 50's & 60's foreign stuff (British & German)--anything that IS NOT cut & dry I like to play with---:)

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There is a guy I took my GL-10 when I was having a hell of a time with an engine problem. I was referred to him by a coworker who had Legacy. This guy specializes in subarus, and as an independant, he actually knows how to troubleshoot a problem. Anyway, here is his info:

 

Askim's Auto Works

22 Woodland Ave

San Rafel, CA (Marin County, near San Francisco)

(415) 459-3309

 

Keith

 

*Edit* By the way you should try looking for a Carborator repair shop. You could probably find some one who still knows carbs. A small engine repair shop (for lawnmowers and chainsaws) maks their $$ off fixing carbs.

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  • 9 years later...

Any good shop in San Francisco? Helping my neighbors one more time... but they declined my cheap labor, to replace their water pump on the 85 GL... seems like a no brainer... The local shop could not locate a water pump.... Oreilly's has them....

 

and another post suggested to get the subaru gasket.

Edited by letank
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