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hey guys new here jsut picked up 88 DL


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just wondering what can i do to make it run better granted i only paid 360 bucks for it but it runs

 

the biggest problem it has is that its hard to start it takes a 10minutes before the car can drive

 

its a 1988 subaru DL thats all i know about it and its 5 speed

 

jsut wondering what i could do to it to make it run smoother and maybe a little hp gain

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Hi there. Congrats on your new ride.

 

To answer your question in specifics, we'd need to know a bit more about it. What exactly is it doing wrong? For the moment, there are some things you can do that may help, especially since the car is new to you.

 

First, do a basic tuneup. Fuel filters (yes, thats plural...you have two of them), air filter, oil, oil filter, spark plugs, distributor cap, rotor and wires. You'd be AMAZED at the difference these basic things can make! Has the car been sitting a while? If so, try draining the fuel tank and refilling with some good quality fuel. Perhaps even add a can of your favorite fuel system cleaner.

 

This will go a long way towards helping the car run better, assuming there are no major mechanical problems. However, remember that your car made MAYBE 80-90 hp the day it was new. you'll have trouble beating your neighbor's lawn tractor in a drag race, but the car should be darn near bulletproof in terms of reliability.

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well i picked up from a mexi dealership for 360 bucks it had been sitting there for some time. its 2wd. we added fuel injector cleaner and filled the tank. we took off the exhaust from the middle right where it bolt together. cleaned out the throttle body a bit. and cut i nice hole in the wheel well to allow some more air to the intake.

 

but the big question is why does it try to die when it first starts and we give it gas. we dont have a tack so we dont know what the rpm are like but it feels like we have to rev it past 3000 just to keep it alive. we thought it could be the MAF sensor since that what we dicked around with jsut to get it running the first time

 

anyway im doing a oil change and coolent flush tomorrow and check the spark plugs and work on running some pipes to the back.

 

but i have to say i love driving this little "red devil" as me and my buddy named it

 

has anyone built any sway bars or anything like that cause the body just seems to move around like its nothing

 

also how about removing the A/c since ill never use it

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Here's a list to start you off.

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=32721

 

I personally wouldn't recommend using the injector cleaners as they can do more harm then good. The MAF sounds like a good place to start, check the computer (?) see if it can shed light on the situation.

 

Does it run nice when it warms up? I'd love an A/C... why are you going to get rid of it? Check the front timing belts haven't jumped a cog or been installed incorrectly, the plugs, plug leads, rotor, rotor cap... anyway, that thread should keep you busy.

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