I was looking at a 91 legacy nice body with the exception of paint fade and a cracked windshield, for$800 and the guy is sort of holding it for my until his title comes in. the only thing is though that under 2k rpm there is a "knocking" noise (sounds like a chain going around in a circle) and was wondering what it could possibly be the sound sounds its coming from the front part of the engine and like i said goes away once the throttle goes down. also cruise control doesn't work... not sure if that's related or not.

Edited August 29, 201015 yr by Goobysoobs

Bit much for such an old legacy.

 

 

The knock can be anything. It can be something loose that's bouncing around or it can be engine knock. You really have to investigate it and it might take a while to find out.

I'd wonder if it wasn't piston slap as opposed to knocking.

That'd be bad.

I don't think its piston slap due to it not going away with run time just when its over I'd say about 2500 rpm the only reason I'm considering it is the price though the mileage is 245k.

Check to see if the crank pully bolt is tight. Then, if it's an automatic, see if the noise might be coming from the flexplate, they do crack. Both sound like rod knock, but usually if the rod bearings start pounding the rods come out the top of the block pretty quick.

I'll check those and it is a manual and the clutch feels like there's quite some life in it (not tight like they tend to get at the end.) hmm all this info is making me consider calling it off... He said it was making the noise when he purchased it (2 mo ago) and it was obviously never addressed so if there wasn't damage there very well could be. what I was hoping for was just the timing was off or even in need of a new timing belt but it sounds like possibly piston damage which is not worth it to me.

Could be waterpump had the same sound. After a month or so waterpump seized. Long story short did a waterpump, oil pump, timing belt and idlers in a random parking lot.

 

Those cars can go a very very long time. So if the body is good condition and all it needs is maintenance parts should be solid.

Yeah I think I'm just gonna pick it up, if all goes bad I'll have a body to part out and 8 tires including 4 winter tires though after thinking about it and considering 91loyale's suggestion it might be a loose pulley on the timing belt or serpentine belt. Also looked at a perfectly fine (with only 130k on it) legacy though the guy wanted 2k for it maybe a lower offer that may pan out, though I can say that if it was a manual and he didn't seal up the sunroof I may have swung it but it just wasn't my cup of tea.

So went ahead and got it took a stethoscope to it and it sounds like the water pump engine is fine as you can hear it purr so a decent gamble paid off. Oh and according to the title its a 90 and on the inside it says "Full-time 4wd" was that AWD before they named it that or something different?

So went ahead and got it took a stethoscope to it and it sounds like the water pump engine is fine as you can hear it purr so a decent gamble paid off. Oh and according to the title its a 90 and on the inside it says "Full-time 4wd" was that AWD before they named it that or something different?

 

there should be a sticker on the B pillar, the door post that the front closes to. it will have the build date. around june on each year they start building the 'next' model year. so a march 90 date would be a 90, but a sept 90 date would be a 91. but your title will say for sure..

 

90 was the first year for the legacy and even though the 4EAT, 4 speed electronic auto transmission, wasn't new in that year most of the cars they produce for the 10 years before were 'select' 4wd not 'all the time' 4wd. so yes, it is AWD, the same as the next 10 years of ATs.

 

happy motoring.

Oh yeah I've got an 88 GL 4x4 but it just looks funny saying full-time 4wd instead of AWD. but yeah its a 90.