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How to tell if its the turbo version of the GL?


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Hi guys.

 

I am HOPEFULLY going to buy this car on saturday. The kid apparrently doesn't know much about his dad's car which is mostly why i'm going to look at it before just giving him the money. He says its a "gl 4x4 with a manual trans" in his description and he has pictures that don't show the sides or back... just two angles of the front.

 

He says he thinks its the turbo version with the D/R tranny... but he didn't seem to know anything about the car really. I asked about the diff lock and he just got puzzled.

 

To sum up. If it doesn't say gl-10 is it N/A?

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Just open the hood and look to see if there is a turbo in the right rear section of the engine bay. Am I missing something here? Jay

 

not near car

guy selling is not near car and its his dad's he's trying to sell so he knows little about it.

going from memory of exterior / interior

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Look at the top center of the engine. If it has a silver/gray intake tube that says "TURBO" or "4WD TURBO," it's a turbo. This intake tube will be flat on top and is made of metal, and runs from the top center of the engine, makes a turn toward the back of the engine bay, and then a sharp turn downward. A nonturbo engine will have a big round rubber intake tube running directly from the passenger side fender well to the top center of the engine if it's fuel injected, and a lima bean-shaped metal air cleaner on top if it's carbureted.

 

A turbo car will also say "TURBO" below the tachometer on the instrument cluster. That is, if it's a GL or RX. If it's a GL-10 it will have a digidash, and I don't know where the turbo indicator is.

 

Turbo cars are supposed to say "TURBO" or "4WD TURBO" on the back doors and on the trunklid/hatchback. But not all cars will have these decals.

 

Being a GL or a GL-10 has nothing to do with the engine choices. They were available either way.

 

 

That's about all I can say about simple ways to tell if it's a turbo. There's a few other technical ways to tell, but those are the basics. If he doesn't know enough to tell you if it's a turbo using that information, then you're just going to have to look at it. If you can get the VIN we can tell you what it is.

 

The fact that it's a dual range means it's more than likely NOT turbo, but they did make some turbo dual range RX's and some early model GL-10's.

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Hi guys.

 

He says its a "gl 4x4 with a manual trans" ...

 

He says he thinks its the turbo version with the D/R tranny... but he didn't seem to know anything about the car really. I asked about the diff lock and he just got puzzled.

 

To sum up. If it doesn't say gl-10 is it N/A?

 

Even if it does say GL-10 it may or may not be a turbo.

From the front view (pics), I don't think there is anything that will tell you if it's a turbo.

Unless he has a pic from under the hood??? :brow:

 

A GL 4X4 with a manual is not a bad thing without the turbo :rolleyes:

 

Good Luck,

Glenn

82 SubaruHummer

01 Forester

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Even if it does say GL-10 it may or may not be a turbo.

From the front view (pics), I don't think there is anything that will tell you if it's a turbo.

Unless he has a pic from under the hood??? :brow:

 

A GL 4X4 with a manual is not a bad thing without the turbo :rolleyes:

 

Good Luck,

Glenn

82 SubaruHummer

01 Forester

 

i agree its not bad... but for my purposes i need the turbo. I want to build a cheap beast and use some spare wrx parts i have lying around.

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Point of advice when Subaru shopping.

 

If it has a hi-lo Dual Range transmission, it's most likely NOT turbo.

 

Exceptions are:

 

1985-86 RX and SOME turbo GL-10's (DEFINITELY NOT ALL) had a part-time 4WD dual range trans.

 

1987-89 RX and some turbo GL's (COUPES ONLY!) had a full time 4WD dual range trans.

 

 

If it's a 1987-89 car and it's got a part time 4WD dual range trans (3 selector positions, no diff lock), it's most definitely NOT a turbo.

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