Syonyk Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 Well... after a long day with lots of learning, I now have a decent 87 GL Wagon, 4WD. Interestingly enough, my DL wagon is dead (timing belt shreaded, possibly seized camshaft - not sure yet). And, as always, more questions. 1. Is there any trick to removing the axle nut in the rear other than sheer force? I need to redo the rear brakes, and can't get that nut to budge. Is there anything in particular it needs other than massive amounts of force & PB Blaster? 2. There's no engine driven fan. Is this normal? 3. With the 4WD system: What exactly is the binding between wheels? It seems like the rear end is an open differential, and I'd assume the front is open as well, but is that changed at all when it's locked into 4WD mode? Thanks! -=Russ=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 1) Easiest I've seen it removed is a huge crescent wrench. I use impact gun or 18" breaker bar with 4' cheeter. 2) If you have no AC equiped then yes its normal to have no clutch fan. Just the electric fan will keep you cool. Make sure the thermoswitch is kicking it on properly. 3) Open diffs all around; unless you have rear LSD. You can check the tag on your rear diff cover for LSD in large letters. Binding doesnt start at the diffs; they arent the problem. Its how 4WD is setup; the transfer case LOCKS the power split 50/50 front/rear. On an AWD model you have a center differential that can slip front/rear and this prevents binding. With 4WD you gotta let the tires slip to release bound up tension; hence why it should be used in low traction situations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike386 Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 The shredded timing belt may have simply snapped (belts should be changed out around every 60K miles). Check the center drive shaft with a 19mm socket and a breaker-bar and see if it will rotate. Also check the cams to see if they will turn (you may need a special tool to turn those). If they turn, then try a new set of belts. 1. Rear axle nut: 36mm socket and an 18" to 25" breaker-bar and stand on it! If it still won't budge, then heat up the nut with a hand held propane torch, then let it cool. The expansion / contraction can help break it loose. Note: when you tighten it back on, be sure to torque it to 145 ft/bls (push it to 110 ft/bls first, then to 145) otherwise the bearings will be loose and make a nasty grinding noise when you're driving. 2. No fan? There should be... Look closely at the pulleys towards the driver's side of the engine; one should have four mounting bolts for clutch driven fan. On the passenger's side, mounted to the radiator you should have an auxiliary electric fan. 3. Binding wheels? There is no differential slip between the front and rear when 4WD is engaged. Turning tight corners on dry pavement in 4WD will cause binding and grinding. You can damage the 4WD doing that. Only engage the 4WD on snow/mud/dirt roads where the tires will naturally slip and release the tension. Newer 4WD’s have a slip differential to compensate for this problem. -Mike 88 GL 4WD WGN Well... after a long day with lots of learning, I now have a decent 87 GL Wagon, 4WD. Interestingly enough, my DL wagon is dead (timing belt shreaded, possibly seized camshaft - not sure yet). And, as always, more questions. 1. Is there any trick to removing the axle nut in the rear other than sheer force? I need to redo the rear brakes, and can't get that nut to budge. Is there anything in particular it needs other than massive amounts of force & PB Blaster? 2. There's no engine driven fan. Is this normal? 3. With the 4WD system: What exactly is the binding between wheels? It seems like the rear end is an open differential, and I'd assume the front is open as well, but is that changed at all when it's locked into 4WD mode? Thanks! -=Russ=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s'ko Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 Note: when you tighten it back on, be sure to torque it to 145 ft/bls (push it to 110 ft/bls first, then to 145) otherwise the bearings will be loose and make a nasty grinding noise when you're driving. Don't forget that the wheel could also fall off.... BW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike386 Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 Ya think?! Don't forget that the wheel could also fall off.... BW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoahDL88 Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 Ditto MorganM, no AC no clutch fan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syonyk Posted February 17, 2005 Author Share Posted February 17, 2005 Ok, a few more questions. 4. What are parameters for different drive modes and changing between them? I sort of lack a users manual. Specifically, can I change between FWD & 4WD Hi while moving, what's the maximum speed for 4WD Hi (off-pavement, of course), and do I have to be stopped to shift into 4WD Lo? As a side note, what do people tend to use these drive modes for? I'm in Iowa, so there's sometimes good snow, and there's all sorts of gravel roads. Sadly, much of my driving is on-road (so I really don't *need* 4WD... it's just nice to have, and it was a much nicer looking wagon anyway). 5. There's a grinding/rattling coming from what sounds like the driver's side rear tire. It goes away as soon as I touch the brakes. Would I be correct in guessing this noise will most likely disappear when I redo the rear brakes? They're metal on metal, so I'm just putting totally new stuff on. 6. How powerful are the GL alternators? I do a good deal of late night driving, wouldn't mind having the ability to do some late night rally type runs, and am planning on adding more lights to the front (not for use with oncoming traffic... that just pisses me off). I'm looking at a set of small rectangular lights for the bumper, and possibly a set of larger round flood lights for the roof. How much can I realistically draw, and where do people tend to aim these? 7. Lift kits: Is there any use (other than just looking cool) for a lift kit on a mostly roadway driven vehicle? 8. More of an EA82 SPFI question, but the engine stumbles when I get on it at 2000 RPM or so. I'm planning to do a full tuneup on it tomorrow, but is there anything in particular I should be paying attention to? 9. Anyone ever shave the heads on a Subaru engine for more power? And is a MSD system worth anything? Thanks again! -=Russ=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syonyk Posted February 17, 2005 Author Share Posted February 17, 2005 Bump? -=Russ=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syonyk Posted February 17, 2005 Author Share Posted February 17, 2005 Also, there's a knocking noise from the driver's side rear (I think) that goes away under braking... is that likely a CV joint or is it just related to the beyond-poor brakes? -=Russ=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tin Soldier Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 Well... after a long day with lots of learning, I now have a decent 87 GL Wagon, 4WD. Interestingly enough, my DL wagon is dead (timing belt shreaded, possibly seized camshaft - not sure yet). And, as always, more questions. 1. Is there any trick to removing the axle nut in the rear other than sheer force? I need to redo the rear brakes, and can't get that nut to budge. Is there anything in particular it needs other than massive amounts of force & PB Blaster? 2. There's no engine driven fan. Is this normal? 3. With the 4WD system: What exactly is the binding between wheels? It seems like the rear end is an open differential, and I'd assume the front is open as well, but is that changed at all when it's locked into 4WD mode? Thanks! -=Russ=- Dumb question but did you remove the cotter pin that hold the nut from spnning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 #2 if you have no ac and there is no fan you will most likely have the short style 105mm water pump. if you lok at the pulley tou will notice it bolts onto the pump, but there should be 4 additional holes where you can install studs and a clutch fan. if you ever buy a water pump, get the short 105mm if the pulley looks as described, and it will come with the studs for the clutch fan(napa) or you could deebo them from a parts car, studs, nuts, and fan. use 2 rereches to lock 2 nuts together on a stud, the turn the inside nut to remove the studs #3 the binding of the 4wd is drom the difference of rotation between the front and rear axles. although the frotn and rear are open diffs, one of the tires on the front will be locked in with one of the tires on the back, diagonally from eachother, depending on turning or traction. if you have 2 wheels off the ground either on the same side or diagonally from eachother, the car wont go. you can test this by jacking the car up by one side, putting it in 4wd and and in gear, and those tires in the air will spin, 2 of them, because the other 2 on the ground will be idle through the open differentials. the torque from the motor will go to the wheels with the least resistance, the ones off the ground 4# you can engage hi range without the clutch as long as you are not decelerating or accelerating, but you can at a constand speed/load. you will want to use the clutch to engage lo range, you can do it at the same speed aslong as you shift up as you do so before releasing the clutch. 5th gear lo is just a tad but taller than 3rd gear high, so this speed and rpm at 3rd gear would be ideal to go from 2wd or hi to low at the same speed. the 4wd should only be used on surfaces with 10% slippage, heavy rain on pavement, snow, ice, and gravel are ideal surfaces to use 4wd. if you have trouble disengaging 4wd try backing up to releive any bind as you push down on it. the wheels need to be pointed straight so make soure you travel at least a car length or 2 straight before you disengage #5 sounds like bad brake shoes. if it gets too bad they can fall out, and if so, the wheel cylinder will hyper extend and may blow a seal. if you can get the nut off and the drum is stuck to the axle sytb, you will have to use a puller or do a porr mand stick by removing the rear axle, and popping the axle stub out as you would on a front axle, be careful not to damage the thread. put the nut on backwards so its flush with the end of the axle stub(to heep it from mushrooming), butt the round end of a ball peenen hammer to the depression on the end, and whack the ball peene with a 3lb hammer to drive it out. #6 the stock alternator will handle a pair of 100 watt halogens just fine if its in sound shape. 30 amp alts have a green band, 60 amps have orange band. you will be most likely to find the 60 amp on gl-10 with air suspension or xt's with air. othe makes of japanese cars may have them also, if the mounting looks the same. i think the 60 amp with the orange band is of mitsubishi manufacture. black band alternators from xt6 are 90 amp, but the mounting is slightly different and will have to be modified. a lot of times remanufactured 30 amp altrernators will have the bands painted black. the best place to mount flood lighes i have found would be on the bumper. on 87 and up the bumpers are styrofoam under the shin on top, and 85-86 bumpers are metal. you can mount them on the bottom of the 87 and up bumpers if you cut out between the holes behid it to get a wrench on the nut, once you drill mounting holes. the onlt thing bad about lights under the bumper is once you bottom out say good bye to them! i had them this way on the rx, but i removed them. i made a light bar for the top of the bumper by narrowing a spar from an ea81 roof rack. i tried to do this to an ea82 rack but i couldnt get the screws out, and plus the curvature will make it off. you can use the whole thing like it is but it will be wider than the grille. i made mine the same width as the grille. mine is fastened with self tapping lag screws like you would mount wall dispenders to concrete walls. it bites through the skin enough to hold it on, but the bar will flex a little with the skin. you could tap the holes and use fine thread screws as well. lights on the top will do you no good for night driving, as they will light up the sky and the top of trees. if its raining snow of fog it will white you out like brights in fog. the 100 watts dont point down enough to shine in front of the car. the plastic 55 watts you can point them down to the road in fronnt of the car, but it wont do any good for far away lighting. the flood lights on the bumper is best because you can point them straight ahead down the road. point the bumper lights as far as you can see them lighting the road way ahead of the car, not too high off the road, and not too close to the car. as far as lights on the top i have them there for a specific purpose. i have them mounted to the roof rack, they point down immedialtely past the hood, for baja'n in tall grass where your headlights will be blocked out, the roof lights will let you see. they are good for trails in the woods because they will light up trees and obstructions in close proximity. you can mount another smaller set to the sides of the rack for alley lights, so you can see beside the car when baja'n trails 7. you wont have to jack up the car to get under it! also good for urban type situations if you like to take shortcuts across the berms in mall traffic 8. try clocking the throttle position sensor one way or the other, take it off and shake it to see if it rattles. if so its bad. may want to replace it if clocking it doesnt fix it. jim woods car did this and i took the throttle sensor off and shook it, it was rattling so something was obviously broken inside. replacing it fixed the problem. also check and clean all the onnections on the engine harness and the temp sensor on the thermostat housing(2 wires green clip) 9. you can go so far but the intake bolt holes will be offset and the valves will be closer to the pistons. make sure you know how far the valves move by the cam profile, you will want to find some numbers for spfi valve train so you can determine how far is safe to go. 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Tom63050 Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 9. Anyone ever shave the heads on a Subaru engine for more power? And is a MSD system worth anything? There's a good coil writeup done yesterday (2/17) about 1 PM. Check out page 3 of the post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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