misledxcracker Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 this is gonna be a semi-long one, bear with me here! well, last time i posted (a very long time ago) i was freaking out about my cooling system being out of whack... well that '88 dl sedan went from los angeles to oklahoma city to des moines and to bullhead city arizona, where i now reside. then i gave into "temptation" and sold it to a man for $500 just because it needed an A/C compressor and a drive belt... oh yeah and that retarded purge canister crap pretty much burnt out my CEL... and it only had 110,000 on it, im still kicking myself in the rear-end for it... but anyways, to the point: i've found a 1988 subaru dl. but the perk is, this time its not an auto, its a 4wd pushbutton 5-speed. also, its not a sedan, its a wagon! (can we say campout?) the bad is... it's got 168k on the ticker. i know these things are reliable, ive driven one halfway across the states and basically back... but it's leaning me back somewhat from buying it. the wag's got no rust whatsoever (its an arizona car)... the interior's shot but nothing a J/Y donor couldnt fix... it's got a flat (no big deal) and theres no spare under the hood. or anywhere else, for that matter. i started it up... it ran okay, except, yes you guessed it, i think it's a TOD case. also, the CEL was seriously flashing like a crazed maniac. after running it for a second, i checked the radiator, it was bone dry. also, the oil was semi-low but from where it stood, no oil leaks. it has been sitting in this mom-and-pops lot for around 7 months (or longer, the old guy dont remember how long)... but he said the person claimed it has a HG failure.. yet no smoke when i started it. the old guy wants $400 plus tag, title, licensing... brings it to approx $450. i planned on paying $150 or so, a week to him until it's paid off (casino employment blows, cant afford anything) and then driving it home. Is $450 worth a '88 dl wagon with 168k (and god know whats wrong with it until i buy it) on it? now... do you think it's worth it? i want (keyword, want) to drive it to work and back (40 miles a day) and do the monthly campout/road trip (600 to 1500 miles a month) with it, figuring throwing 30k or so a year on it. Think this thing will suit my needs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
555Ron Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 dry radiator means there won't be any smoke. Dry radiators will also rust because they dry out and the anti rust chemicals are no longer there. Rust = blockages. So, lets say, new radiator, New HG (possible cracked head - new head...), couple new tappets, engine reseal(oil pump) and well , you may as well whack on new timing belts. $450 sounds like a lot of money for a trashed car that needs work. Just my $0.02. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misledxcracker Posted February 5, 2006 Author Share Posted February 5, 2006 The oil was light brown, no milkshake, looked no different from what my old DL's looked like. It was presumed head gasket, people often say that when it overheats... and a good percentage of the time it isnt even close to severe as a head gasket. I once cried head gasket when my thermostat was out of whack. And its not really trashed, the interior is just sun-burnt (we get 130 degree summers) and its been sitting in a lot because no one in this part of Arizona even really knows what a Subaru is. No rust repair or body work needed, didnt idle rough, ran fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WagonsOnly Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 No rust? Grab it and throw a known good engine in it, don't let it overheat, you'll be good for another 200K. Just my .02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misledxcracker Posted February 6, 2006 Author Share Posted February 6, 2006 well, im a third of the way there, i put $150 down to get a "sold" sign on the windshield and did some more research on it. i ran it today... with water in the radiator (no calcium-ated arizona water, plain distilled stuff) and let it run for about 20 minutes. the temp gauge got to a bit above half (barely) then went to half-way. sounds like a thermo slightly stickin, but i've done my share of thermos, so replacement will be made. nooooooo smoke. how did someone assume a HG when it doesnt overheat or smoke?! probably some old arizonan that let it run dry on coolant maybe? i also threw an extra quart and a half of 10/40 in it (it was 2 quarts low), and NO tick. runs better than my old DL did! maybe because it was low on oil, it was ticking? anyways, after turning the engine off to inspect the body of the car, it dripped oil, well, a tiny bit of a puddle. you know, the usual subaru deal. i plan on running an engine additive (maybe ATF or MMO, cant find Seafoam for the life of me) for a quick Lake Havasu run then switching it out, just to be on the safe side. as for inspecting the body/underbody of the car, NO RUST. also, the boots and axles on this thing are basically NEW, so no more "omg my speedo moves but my car dont!! :eek:" i see absolutely no reason to run the 4wd, but it seems to engage fine. and also, all 5 gears shift fine, clutch is tight enough, unlike my '92 sentra se-r that blew 5th yesterday so basically in 2 weeks, its mine. i'd like to get a type of list.. or a link to a thread that has one (search revealed nothing to me) for what to do when you buy a subaru... i definately know to do the timing belts (do u need a timing light to change them??) and i know to do the oil, flush out the cooling system (the heater works great! so does the AC!) and change the drive belts. go subaru! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRhere Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 so basically in 2 weeks, its mine. i'd like to get a type of list.. or a link to a thread that has one (search revealed nothing to me) for what to do when you buy a subaru... i definately know to do the timing belts (do u need a timing light to change them??) and i know to do the oil, flush out the cooling system (the heater works great! so does the AC!) and change the drive belts. go subaru! No particular order here, but things I do when I pick up a vehicle, regardless of Make.. Pull each wheel and do a visual on the brakes, just checking rotor/drum condition along with pad/shoe life left. Give a good look at tire condition. Replace plugs, cap & rotor, wires. Replace drive belt(s), and check condition of idler pulley(s) (if engine has them). Replace all hoses on the cooling system, along with T-stat. Flushing system 1st, then re-fill with fresh coolant mixture. Oil & filter change along with gear lube in trannyy and diff(s), (fluid & filter if Auto tranny). If engine is so equipped, check condition of T-belt, looking for fraying/cracking or missing teeth. (I also have method of checking wear in timing chains on engines so equipped. Check operation and bulb condition of all exterior lights, replacing any that look dark on the glass. Check condition of U-joints, and/or drive axles. That's about it. If you decide to the T-belts on this one, I suggest a new water pump, and re-seal or replace oil pump while you're in there. Also, check condition of the tensioners and idler pullies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 plugs, wires, cap rotor, fuel filter, air filter. i'm surprised this thing ran that good if the gas is 7 months old? after the basic tune up, run it for a couple tanks of gas to see how it runs, if there is any major fluid loss, keeping an eye on the volt meter, temp and oil pressure before deciding what else to do to it. timing belts, water pump, oil pump reseal all at the same time. buy a new oil pump if you're planning on lots of miles. also repack or replace your timing pulley bearings, at least any that aren't tight (on this age soob i've yet to pull pulleys that are tight and full of new grease). for a reliable daily driver, trip maker get new pulleys or read my thread on how to repack the existing pulleys. replace the cam carrier seals and o-ring while the belts are off. replace thermostat. replace coolant with antifreeze and distilled water. and radiator caps. change other fluids, brake, trans, diff. inspect brake pads. i like replacing the battery terminal ends with new if they aren't in perfect shape. keeps your battery and alternator in tip top shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patkennedy78 Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 Congrats on your new ride! The previous 2 replies covered lot bu here is the article you were looking for: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=32721 pat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misledxcracker Posted February 6, 2006 Author Share Posted February 6, 2006 very good news... theres a mechanic shop right by my house. today i went over there to get an estimate on my lower control arm being replaced ('95 hyundai accent) and guess what i see? a BEAUTIFUL (frontal surface rust, no biggie) red GL sedan parked in the back. i screamed "wow!" and asked the guy how much do you want? he said make an offer, he said $200 but i bet i can get it down to $150. pros: new radiator, radiator hoses, water pump, timing belts, brakes, tires(one flat though) and an oh-so-ugly grant-type steering wheel. beautiful tan/brown interior, 80,000 original miles!! cons: been sitting for 2 years, missing some exterior stuff such as badges and mirrors, dirty as hell, no tags (there is a title though), BLOWN HG on the passenger side. the mechanic guy said he put on a used head gasket, and it just failed again 500 miles after replacing all the stuff. whaddaya think? i've never done a HG but I'll be willing to learn (and pay) if I can get this GL on the road! subaru kicks a**!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subarian Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 A mechanic put in a used head gasket? And he's surprised it failed? All I can say is, if you decide to buy the car, fine, but I'd stay away from the mechanic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misledxcracker Posted February 6, 2006 Author Share Posted February 6, 2006 he wasnt surprised, he said it was just supposed to be a run-around car for parts and such, with his 16 year old son driving it. he threw a used head gasket on it and i guess the kid blew it. told me he didnt want to spend much money on it... yes i plan on staying away from him, he wanted $320 to do my lower control arm on my accent... and theres too many shady mechanics out here, i want to do the work myself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misledxcracker Posted February 7, 2006 Author Share Posted February 7, 2006 and... what would be my best route? doing the HG's or buying a used engine and put it in? how much would either be to do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subarian Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 If you do the work, a HG is going to cost around $110 for the set from the parts bin, for example. You might also need to do some reconditioning on the heads. My local machine shop charges about $140 to do a set of Subaru heads. A used engine is going to cost whatever you can find one for. Sometimes you can find a donor car cheaper than you can buy an engine from a wrecking yard. Used JDM engines are typically $600-800 for NA applications. If you have a manual transmission, you might also want to change the clutch while you've got the engine out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misledxcracker Posted February 9, 2006 Author Share Posted February 9, 2006 It's an automatic transmission. Yeah I know..... but my old one didnt fail on me, I always checked the fluid I'm thinking since this motor only has in the 80,000 mile range (somewhere around 85,000) it's worth fixing... I'm thinking about yanking it and rebuilding it myself, in my free time, and when im not working on it, i'll be waxing it, preparing for it on the road :cool: Oh, and mine looks just like tyler_seattle's, only difference is mine's an automatic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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