Hello,

I recently purchased a 92 Loyale for 500 bucks. Its in really good shape for its age and has 135,000 miles. Of course it is leaking oil and coolant. Coolant leak is at right side intake manifold. Ordered those gaskets from subaru dealer. My question is should I start replacing valve cover, oil pan, cam, crank seals etc? Are the master gasket sets on ebay ok to use? It's hard to tell where the oil is coming from but since I am taking the intake manifold off maybe it worth doing? It did recently have timing belts replaced.

 

Also, the engine runs really cool all the time. I've noticed the fan cluth is stuck and the fan runs all the time. A new one is 150 bucks! should I replace or replace with an electric fan?

As for cooling, are you sure the fan clutch is stuck? The electric fan is actually your primary cooling fan on the Loyale; the clutch-driven fan is for additional cooling with a/c. Is the electric fan always on? It shouldn't be.

If it's like mine, it's just getting broke in! My '89 DL has 258K and counting!

 

I can't speak to the gaskets on eBay, but mine to runs very cool. I just replaced the entire cooling system. My DL is an air conditioned model and has the supplemental electric fan. My fan clutch was junk, so I put in an electric fan. Be advised, the clearance is tight, but it is doable.

 

 

Unfortunately the e-fan never worked. I suspect I chose too cool a thermostat and the sensor never saw a high enough temp.

 

I removed the after market fan, and have been running on the factory electric fan. So far, it still barely gets into the "normal" range on the gauge.

 

Hopefully I will get the AC repaired in the spring, and I may revisit this then.

 

Good luck!

 

John

Will a failed electric fan end up doing more than $150 damage and headache? The electric fan relies on the power source, the switch and the fan motor. The clutch relies on a viscous coupling and a belt. Most of the time, I have found that the fan clutches fail due to sitting too long. If you use them reguarly they seem to work pretty well.

Also note, for those with the additional, clutch driven fan: it will spin with the motor running, regardless of whether the clutch is engaged or not, so don't judge that it is "stuck on" simply from seeing it spinning. With the clutch disengaged, you can stop it with a finger--though I would recommend you test with something a little less tender if you are going to check this way to see if it's engaged or not.

The cutch fan is always on. Even at highway speeds. Its really loud and can hear it running. The electric fan works fine. It kicks on when idling for a while. Not on all the time. So the electric is the primary cooling fan? Can I just remove the mechanical fan?  And yes the car sat for a long time. Probably why its leaking oil too.

anyone else have experience with ebay gasket sets?

Yes, you can remove the clutch fan assembly. Be sure to put the nuts back on the spindle though. Mine is currently running without the clutch fan, as the blades decided to start cracking at their bases, and I don't plan on installing another one; once my a/c is repaired, I'll wire in an electric in it's place.

Edited November 28, 201312 yr by SmashedGlass

ok cool. My ac doesn't work either. Do these have ac issues?

Any car as old as these usually does 

Could be any number of reasons why the a/c doesn't work. Just roll 4/40 air.

eplacement; either from the JY or auto store.

Edited February 20, 201511 yr by caspice

Dich clutch fan more problems than its worth

the fan and fan clutch are not supposed to run at high rpm or highway speeds like mine is doing. The temp barely gets above the normal temp line. The fan will run upon initial startup until the oil in the clutch is warm. At which point it will stop spinning unless it gets really hot. Spinning all the time like you stated will put stress on waterpump and decrease power and increase fuel consumption.

Caspice......the mech fan is NOT the primary fan. Non-a/c equipped cars do not have them. Check around on the forum, or read up in the FSM.

Fair enough.

 

burtonboarder84..if yours is still spinning along at temp and highway speeds then replace it or as Ivan said ditch it

The problem is that when it sticks like that it overloads the front berring on water pump and will pull the berrings out of pump was no a good idea as it relies on the water pump berring to support it this is a small berring and will fail whenit does the fan gos strait into the rad wil unpleasant results. The electric fan is main fan and if rad is good there should be no problems staying cool and your heat might even work. I remove every manual fan { but must confirm that electric fan is operating properly } elc fan should come on just above half temp and run for no more than a minute 2 at most if runs longer rad is poor

If you are worried about running too hot after ditching the clutch fan, you can replace the radiator thermo switch with one that opens at a lower temp; most commonly swapped in item being one for an early 90's Hyundai Elantra, which kicks the fan on @ 185F (stocker kicks @ 203F). You'd just have to cut and splice on the connector from your original switch.

Edited November 28, 201312 yr by SmashedGlass

i used ebay gasket sets on three different loyale . i fully resealed all there. the gaskets are pretty good i had no problems after about 15000 miles . i would not use there headgaskets. if you are gong to replace them (which i would )i would use subaru or felpro head gaskets

Clutch fan will spin any time engine is running.

 

The difference is the speed it spins.........when cold it isn't spinning full eninge rpm, and not pullign much air.

 

At higher temp, it "locks up" and pulls more air/ spins faster.

 

But if you open the hood and look it will always be spinning whenever the enigne is running.

 

Non-A/C cars did not have them at all.

Interesting, I have a non-ac 88 Gl that has a mechanical fan. I wonder if it's the original engine, the car does have 370K miles on it.

i used ebay gasket sets on three different loyale . i fully resealed all there. the gaskets are pretty good i had no problems after about 15000 miles . i would not use there headgaskets. if you are gong to replace them (which i would )i would use subaru or felpro head gaskets

Why do you recommend repacing head gaskets? I'm not having any problems right now...It is a big job on this motor?

The Subaru headgaskets have extra reinforcing steel on lower fire rings making them 60 % stronger were it realy matters is worth using them if not replacing them a good retorque is worth doing to

when i got my '89 DL, the fan clutch was leaking oil and was wobbly on its shaft and made grinding noises, so there was little doubt that it was shot. the water pump was locked up tight, and upon removal, the impeller appeared to have burrowed into the WP housing.

 

interesting that the electric is the primary and the manual is the auxiliary; subaru kind of does things a little differently don't they? this is my first subaru, and so far i find it to be well engineered and relatively easy to work on.

 

for non-critical gaskets, i often make my own with gasket material from napa and a small ball peen hammer. pretty easy really and since i live 35 miles from the nearest auto parts store, comes in handy sometimes.

 

john

Not so different, really. Almost every FWD (those with transverse mounted engines, anyhow) and mid-engined car uses electric cooling fans.