I'm a new member - just came across this site as the tow truck guy was leaving my dead 88 GL Wagon in my front yard. No job, no money, and now no car! My little kid and I will be hoofing it and catching the bus until I can figure out what to do. I just lost my job a month ago and we are pretty near BROKE!

Are there any Portland, OR folks out there who know somebody who is honest, does good work, and knows how to get parts cheap? Wentworth Subaru here wants start cost at $1800. Way more than I've got! We like this car, and I generally believe in fixing rather than junking, when possible.

 

Anyway, hello from Portland, OR, from a fellow owner of a Subaru (do the dead ones count?)

Are you fairly good with tools? A set of metric tools, a torque wrench, a Chilton or Haynes manual, and a $20-$30 set of gaskets may save you. You don't even have to pull the engine to do it. Also rent or buy a compression gauge and test the cylinders both sides of the engine. If you do it yourself, also replace the o-ring on the bottom of the cam towers, they're usually hard and cracked which decreases the amount of oil that goes to the hydraulic lifters.

 

-Mike

 

 

 

I'm a new member - just came across this site as the tow truck guy was leaving my dead 88 GL Wagon in my front yard. No job, no money, and now no car! My little kid and I will be hoofing it and catching the bus until I can figure out what to do. I just lost my job a month ago and we are pretty near BROKE!

Are there any Portland, OR folks out there who know somebody who is honest, does good work, and knows how to get parts cheap? Wentworth Subaru here wants start cost at $1800. Way more than I've got! We like this car, and I generally believe in fixing rather than junking, when possible.

 

Anyway, hello from Portland, OR, from a fellow owner of a Subaru (do the dead ones count?)

Consider this,the main reason any of us ever learned to fix an engine was that we had 2 choices : fix it yourself or walk. I intensely dislike walking. We can point you in the direction of people who have parts they are no longer using and its not a big deal to pop the heads off an ea 82 and you will get plenty help and direction from this board. I know I did and still do.. If you never did this kind of work,well ,you will not learn any younger. You can then go back to the dealer and ask him if his price includes a kiss.Tell him you like a kiss when you are being ******

Good luck,

 

Jude

Has anyone here ever used Steel Seal or KW Block Seal with any luck? I had a coolant leak on the outside head of the #3 cylinder and it appears to have sealed it.

I know I could do it WAY cheaper than a dealer.

 

If I had my excel files on this computer I could tell you what it would cost me to replace your head gaskets.

 

Basically I would want to do timing belts at the same time (as I think its dumb to use old belts unless they are near new)

 

Oil seals and stuff are nice, but if you are on a budget, leave em and just watch the dipstick. Water pump would be recommended as who knows WHY the gasket blew.

 

I really want to say parts and labor would be around $500 or so, but dont quote me on that. At this time I have 2 brats in my garage that are mine so I dont have room, but if you are interested, shoot me a PM and we could talk about me wrenching on it in the future.

You can then go back to the dealer and ask him if his price includes a kiss.Tell him you like a kiss when you are being ******

Good luck,

 

Jude

 

OMG:lol:

 

all jokes aside...i'd be happy to lend any extra parts i have that may be needed

I'm a new member - just came across this site as the tow truck guy was leaving my dead 88 GL Wagon in my front yard. No job, no money, and now no car! My little kid and I will be hoofing it and catching the bus until I can figure out what to do. I just lost my job a month ago and we are pretty near BROKE!

Are there any Portland, OR folks out there who know somebody who is honest, does good work, and knows how to get parts cheap? Wentworth Subaru here wants start cost at $1800. Way more than I've got! We like this car, and I generally believe in fixing rather than junking, when possible.

 

Anyway, hello from Portland, OR, from a fellow owner of a Subaru (do the dead ones count?)

 

I had a blown head gasket also, $1200 I replaced the engine with one of those 35000 mile engines from Japan. The place was in Tacoma. Alls good.

Just be aware of this... often times the low mile import engines still require attention. My 87 GL got one back at 215K (I installed it) and I am at almost 314K now. My oil pump seal went out shortly after getting the engine and the other seals werent perfect. The engine was great, but since it only had like 35000-60000 miles on it all its parts were probably original (and therefore due for its 60K service with timing belts and such)

 

So a new engine is nice, but dont get cheap and not put good parts on the new engine.

 

I still say just reseal the one you have. I have done head gaskets on two 88's my 87 and an 86 carbed and 86 turbo. All have been just fine with the reseal (including the turbo!) The 88's and the 86 were WELL over 200K on the original block and heads and had no ill effects from just resealing as opposed to replacing.

 

All you need really is:

2 head gaskets

2 cam tower o-rings

oil pan gasket

valve cover gaskets

oil pump gasket

water pump and gasket (only like $30, its worth it)

cam and main seals are recommended, but not absolutely essential, same with the oil pan and valve covers I guess, but its worth the $50 now to avoid $400 later.

 

Stuff like plugs and wires and cap and rotor dont need to be touched at all. Exhaust gaskets can be reused, I recommend replacing the intake gaskets.

PCV valve can be left, air filter can be left. (basically all the external stuff can be left alone)

 

Just my thoughts.