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With my Brat sidelined I was out looking for another car. Things were looking bleak.

 

Then my wife's ability to spot a Subie didn't fail us. She spotted a 98 Outback Legacy sitting behind a building that turned out to be the dealership we were looking to pay a visit to.

 

So we walked out in the back to take a look at it. It is is excellent condition. Only one minor rust spot due to a ding, the rest is clean. The interior is like new, non-smoker from the looks of it.

 

120K miles

 

The kicker, the engine is sitting in the back. The owner was a mechanic that worked there and it had a blown head gasket, so they pulled the engine to do the work but between lack of time and lack of exp on Subie engines, it got mothballed. Has all the parts and gaskets for the job.

 

Got talking with the owner of the dealership and he wanted $750 for it but said he said it was worth $300 for scrap when I first talked to him. SO when I came back I offered $300 and I'd have it off his property today. He chewed on it for a bit and said $500. If I waited a day or so he would let it go for $300 but he would be trying to get money back on the gaskets and new parts. The gasket set alone is worth $200, so after consulting my mechanic who was there to look it over before the offering began, We took it for $500.

 

So now I am having it put together for around $500. All told I'm looking at $1500 to have it up and running and tuned up. :headbang:

 

Anyone have links for engine rebuilding in case it's needed?

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Edited by MaddCelt
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Congrats man! Sharp looking ride. And 5spd too!

 

LMK if you find another Subie Wagon with a 5spd under $2k. I check craigslist daily, but I can't check all the streets. ;)

 

Ideally, I'll find a 96 Outback with the 5spd, but I can only find 10 of them in the Country on Autotrader. And as much as I'd LOVE to visit the Subie masters that inhabit the PNW, it's not feasible time or money-wise right now.

 

So, I'm looking for something cheap that will do for now that's closer to home (Indiana midway between Indianapolis & Louisville KY).

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I was stoked when I saw the 5 speed. After a year in the Brat I have gotten to dislike driving an automatic. I drive my wife's Jeep Liberty to work for the time being and I feel like I am forgetting to do something or I will try to throw myself out the windshield when I attempt to hit the clutch when I am not paying attention.

 

Now I'll have to remember there is a 5th gear.

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Got a few steps further on getting the engine back together.

 

Since we had all the needed seals we pulled the valves and replaces the seals. What I found interesting was that there was a lot of carbon build-up one only one set of valves. Any ideas why that would be?

 

So now the heads are ready to go back on the block.

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  • 1 month later...

Just an update of the engine rebuild.

 

This has turned out to be more work than we thought. So far we have had to replace;

 

Cam shaft ($212)

Radiator ($110)

idler pulley ($65)

crankshaft pulley, mounting bracket for alternator ($45)

Clutch set ($190)

Turned fly wheel ($40)

Head bolts ($65 a set)

 

So, I'm up to $1692ish with mech cost. Despite the wife's grumbling about how much it's costing, I'm only about $200 over the budget set for it.

 

Today we drop the engine back in.

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After driving 4 speeds, then driving a 5 more regularly I think you will find that it isn't that you will forget to shift the Outback to 5th as much as you will try to shift the Brat into 5th.

 

Quoted for greatness and I can relate.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Got a few steps further on getting the engine back together.

 

Since we had all the needed seals we pulled the valves and replaces the seals. What I found interesting was that there was a lot of carbon build-up one only one set of valves. Any ideas why that would be?

 

So now the heads are ready to go back on the block.

 

Bad spark plug wire, or bad plug not firing can lead to carbon build up.

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Funny you should mention that.

 

One of the bugs we have to work out had to do with lack of power and rough running. When we pulled the plugs on the drivers side they were black and no sign of firing. When we got to the other side there was a tremendous heat difference and the plugs looked like they should when firing.

 

New plugs in and new wires in route.

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Funny you should mention that.

 

One of the bugs we have to work out had to do with lack of power and rough running. When we pulled the plugs on the drivers side they were black and no sign of firing. When we got to the other side there was a tremendous heat difference and the plugs looked like they should when firing.

 

New plugs in and new wires in route.

 

Recommend either OEM or Bosch plug wires. Buying the cheapies from a parts store will cause problems.

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