Jump to content
Ultimate Subaru Message Board

Who drives their Justy fast & on long trips?


Recommended Posts

We never run our engine hard like on acceleration, but trying to determine safe engine RPM for extended travel? (for fully rebuilt engines)

 

at 75MPH is runs around 4,000 RPM. I this OK? we're talking on a 9 hour drive, that I do return every week or 2 to see my wife & other Justy.

 

We change oil 2-3,000km, sometimes every 2 weeks. DAMN glad they're a no brainer and small capacity. We buy oil & filters by the case.

 

We need these cars to last 2-3 years b4 another rebuild, any recommendations on RPM?

 

They are AWD cars so we cant change the final drive ratio, or I would. The bigger tires brought RPM down a bit.

 

Any thoughs or experience on high RPM highway driving?

 

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Or towing a trailer, have you seen that one video of the justy pulling a 14 foot trailer up a hill, It's all smoking and stuff, goes off camera, then you hear it stall, restart and gear grind, then it slinds backwards down a hill and crashes into a bank. It's the funniest thing ever.

 

i have that... some british tv add, and its very funy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Or towing a trailer, have you seen that one video of the justy pulling a 14 foot trailer up a hill, It's all smoking and stuff, goes off camera, then you hear it stall, restart and gear grind, then it slinds backwards down a hill and crashes into a bank. It's the funniest thing ever.

 

Link?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We never run our engine hard like on acceleration, but trying to determine safe engine RPM for extended travel? (for fully rebuilt engines)

 

at 75MPH is runs around 4,000 RPM. I this OK? we're talking on a 9 hour drive, that I do return every week or 2 to see my wife & other Justy.

 

We change oil 2-3,000km, sometimes every 2 weeks. DAMN glad they're a no brainer and small capacity. We buy oil & filters by the case.

 

We need these cars to last 2-3 years b4 another rebuild, any recommendations on RPM?

 

They are AWD cars so we cant change the final drive ratio, or I would. The bigger tires brought RPM down a bit.

 

Any thoughs or experience on high RPM highway driving?

 

Thanks

 

QUestion,

I found a 1991 Justy 3cyl with a 5 speed for sale. I wont say where just yet, but was wondering, do all these things have 4wd?

 

nipper

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As long as your not towing a boat at 75mph or have the car otherwise fully loaded you will be fine.

 

Do you find the justy comfortable on these long high speed runs?

 

nipper

 

Actually it cruises quite comfprtably at 85 MPH, handles great. I suspect the car itself would cruise at 95MPH, but not the engine. My mechanic says he would be concerned about anything over 70 MPH.

 

We have picked 75MPH 120 Km/H as our safe speed. Runs barely under 4000 RPM and still has acceleration to 85 MPH for passing.

 

We just don't want to kill the engine by running at 3900 RPM for several hours. Our main drive is from Penticton BC to Edson Alberta. So we must cross the Canadian Rockies, then it's flat & straight!

 

We just drove all night from Portland OR to Penticton BC at 75-80MPH in our stock tired car. Most of my driving is in our car with 175/75-13 tires, which brings the RPM down about 200 RPM is my guess.

 

For anyone concerned about speedo calibration. Our all season 165/65-13 (Stock size) reads 4% OVER true speed on speedo. Our brand new studded winter 175/75-13's read 5% UNDER the actual speed as measured by GPS on flat prarie land.

 

When on roads with high speed limits I drive by tach, I don't thinik over 4,000RPM is cool for say 3 hours. We haul a modest load of gear, to a car full. we've got cameras, clothes, tripods, survival gear.

 

Soon will add light bush bumpers, skid plate, elephant rack, 2" body lift, completely re-engineered suspension with quick release sway bars, and removable 8,000lb winch. We have designed an elephant rack that dismantles quickly into bridges to cross Justy swallowing ruts. We expect to lose some real speed on this car when completed, but it's to be an adventure car to tow/drive from Alaska to Venezuela. Speed will not matter then.

 

Our initial shake-down trip will include Alaska, Yukon, NWT, Victoria BC, Newfoundland & Labrador, Florida Keys, Copper Canyon Mexico, San Diego then home to Penticton BC, over a 2 year period.

 

My wife's car (Flipper) will remain a stocker for high speed low cost commutes. My PJ (Puddle Jumper) will begin real transformation as soon as it gets warm again. We have owned several cars as "candidate vehicles" for our long term travel. We selected the Justy for weight size, power balance & fun. Used to own a rabbit convertable painted like a cow, but it wasn't 4*4.

 

Modified Justy will be towed behind our 1959 MCI MC-1 highway coach. In 2007 we begin our 2 year journey. The retrofit car & bus again for a permanent journey as far as Venezuela. We will drive the entire way except for the Darien Gap & Columbia.

 

Those of you that think you can go anywhere in your ride, read up on ther Darien gap, it makes for some cool reading.

 

This guy claims to be the first motorcycle thru http://www.motivation-tools.com/notes/darien_gap.htm.

 

Here is the first car to cross the Darien Gap. Another Land Rover made it thru earlier, but it was amphib and floated down rivers. http://www.geocities.com/~landroverpty/trans_darien_1970.htm Major John Blashford-Snell had up to 17 natives at a time muscle his truck thru. Many days they collapsed after 18 hours of struggle, and could hit with a rock where they slept yesterday. He said one day he hit the spot where they were THREE days ago!

 

People say that BICYCLES are your best bet for the Darien gap, personally we will take a cargo ship from Western Panama, thru the canal, to Venezuela.

 

We have some friends that just completed Patagonia to Alaska, NWT & Yukon in a Landcruiser, now off to Nova Scotia to catch a boat back to Germany, safe journey Didi & Astrid! I expect those gloves I gave you to ride across the Saraha soon, for your 13th time!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUestion,

I found a 1991 Justy 3cyl with a 5 speed for sale. I wont say where just yet, but was wondering, do all these things have 4wd?

 

nipper

 

No they do not! Some are 2WD, what a waste. I suspect that mosr 2WD are also CVT transmission, do NOT buy a CVT unless you want to swap to 5 spd. Cars with CVT are often cleaner, with good engines. The CVT was the world's best transmission improvement ever developed, it just didn't catch on! Nor did they hold together after warranty runs out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

These motors can handle the rpm. Keeping the rpms in the power band is better on the motor than lugging it around at 1500-2500rpm. These motors have a very big rpm range, even though the tachs redline is set conservatively at 6k, my car and I bet most others rev to 8k or further. and make power up to 7.5k. As long as it has good oil pressure it should be fine.

 

I hear the most common failure is the oil pump wears out and the low oil pressure eventually kills it. Maybe inspect the oil pump or test the oil pressure (Im not sure how to test it yet, but it's something I want to do to mine too) There are 5spd 2wds, but I'm not sure that the ECVT ever came in 2wd. Ive only seen 4wd 5door ecvts

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My mechanic says he would be concerned about anything over 70 MPH.

 

We have picked 75MPH 120 Km/H as our safe speed. Runs barely under 4000 RPM and still has acceleration to 85 MPH for passing.

 

We just don't want to kill the engine by running at 3900 RPM for several hours.

 

Well.. I don't know how much experiance with Subarus that your mechanic has.. and I can understand his feelings on that with MOST cars. But Subaru motors are designed by people that used to build airplanes. These engines are very comfortable with their entire rpm range and you should have no problems running at and above 4000rpms for extended periods of time. I know it's not the exact same car but I drove my Legacy from Tucson, AZ to Portland, OR (roughly) doing 90+mph (4000+rpms) for about 90% of the 3300mile, 50 hour round trip. With no problems at all. Subarus are at their best at 4000rpm :grin:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We will drive the entire way except for the Darien Gap & Columbia.

 

Those of you that think you can go anywhere in your ride, read up on ther Darien gap, it makes for some cool reading.

 

This guy claims to be the first motorcycle thru http://www.motivation-tools.com/notes/darien_gap.htm.

 

Here is the first car to cross the Darien Gap. Another Land Rover made it thru earlier, but it was amphib and floated down rivers. http://www.geocities.com/~landroverpty/trans_darien_1970.htm Major John Blashford-Snell had up to 17 natives at a time muscle his truck thru. Many days they collapsed after 18 hours of struggle, and could hit with a rock where they slept yesterday. He said one day he hit the spot where they were THREE days ago!

 

People say that BICYCLES are your best bet for the Darien gap, personally we will take a cargo ship from Western Panama, thru the canal, to Venezuela.

 

Interesting that all the sites quote the range rover as the first one through the Darien gap, but they had to call in an old beat up landrover to scout trails for them...

http://www.transafricana.com/index.php?option=displaypage&Itemid=169&op=page&SubMenu=

about halfway down the page

 

Sounds like a fun trip you have planned.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting that all the sites quote the range rover as the first one through the Darien gap, but they had to call in an old beat up landrover to scout trails for them...

http://www.transafricana.com/index.php?option=displaypage&Itemid=169&op=page&SubMenu=

about halfway down the page

 

Sounds like a fun trip you have planned.

 

Actually I had thought they were both Landies, was surprised to realize it was a Rangie. I read a detailed account, they didn't really drive, more like hire 17 natives to muscle the car along. They talked about being left by one tribe, and the neighboring tribe would not help them, cause the tribes are hostile. The attempt previous went thru a large Columbian/Panama National park where a corrupt official tried to get a bribe, they said no. The official claimed their Range Rover as his own, and told them to walk out, or remain in the mud forever near the Rangie. One member was killed in an unrelated incident. This expedition avoided that park, making the trip much harder.

 

We have been planning this trip forever, practicing RV life, selecting the right vehicles. I am so glad we found the Justy's, when they run they are exactly what we want.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...