Heya all! I just got my new to me '91 Legacy Sport Sedan (yes it's a turbo) and it's a nice looking car I will post some pics here soon ... I have some questions and concerns, but just excited about having annother Subie for the road, gonna make my brat a "bearly" street legal off-roader once I have the legacy on the road. First off, it has a quark with the automatic tranny .. untill it warms up, it doesn't get out of first ... it goes into reverse and everything, just doesn't want to shift up for about 5 min warming up. Also, I have been reading the owner's manual, and it has a "auto" shift mode. I have read the manual, but I still don't quite understand how the "manual shift" mode works. It also says it is "full-time 4wd" as opposed to Awd. What does this mean performance-wise? Is this truly 4wd or is it just an early Awd?

gotta up-date on the tranny ... I checked it b4, but not close enough :-p turns out the tranny was about 1 qt low, so I am going to full it up and hope this is the "mysterious" cause of not shifting fully untill warmed up (I checked it b4 at the cold mark doh!) don't think it was driven much at this lvl, so I am hoping it should be ok. Can't wait to try it cold with full tranny fluid P.S. one more question for you legacy owners .. my radio doesn't get very good AM reception, is this common with the 91's? I am replacing the broken anntannae, hope that might be the culprit.

Antenna will do it.

 

nipper

How's the ATF look? Clean or burned/dirty? How's about a ATF change with some good quality fluid and give it some time to work? Maybe some of those solenoids or something are a little sticky?

How's the ATF look? Clean or burned/dirty? How's about a ATF change with some good quality fluid and give it some time to work? Maybe some of those solenoids or something are a little sticky?

The ATF looks good, but not sure how long it has been since it was changed, I know that ATF can go for 15,000 even in severe conditions, but I am not seeing any regular schedule for changing it yet in my owner's manual/warrenty book. I'm pretty sure it was changed in the last couple of years, but not how many miles it has been, gonna find that out from my friend soon. I was looking at the rear diff and noticed it's a 3.90 geared LSD (not that I am planning on 'wheeling it) so I guess it has the "good" low geared rear-end. I hope to make this my daily-driver/bussiness vehicle.

whenever you get a "new" car its a good idea to change all the fluids so you have a starting point. btw tranny fkluid is 30,000 miles, 15000 or once a year if towing a trailer. Turbo automatics dont last forever like NA , so do change the fluid regularly.

 

 

nipper

Good call nipper, I think getting the ATF changed & new filter is a good investment, thanks for pointing out the fact that the turbo will mean it's worked extra hard, and has less longevity. Now if I can just find a good automatic antennae in the JY and figure out why the sun-roof doesn't always wana open/close (thank goodness they have a nifty lil way to manually close the roof with an allen wrench! I thought I was going to have to put a tarp over it :-p ) I will be doing great

bbs.legacycentral.org is where all of us 1st gen legacy people hang out.

 

Manual mode only works when the selector is in 2nd or 3rd. It basically just holds it in that gear, although from a stop in 3-manual it will start in 2nd and then shift to 3rd pretty quickly. It will also upshift when you hit redline. Another thing is that when you put the selector in 1 it sends more power to the rear wheels before the fronts start to slip.

 

the full time 4wd isn't any different than the non-vdc AWD in newer Subarus. Just a marketing/terminology thing.

 

Oh hey you're in Hamilton. I'm from Missoula. Unfortunately the only time I've been home in the last two years was Christmas.

Good call nipper, I think getting the ATF changed & new filter is a good investment, thanks for pointing out the fact that the turbo will mean it's worked extra hard, and has less longevity. Now if I can just find a good automatic antennae in the JY and figure out why the sun-roof doesn't always wana open/close (thank goodness they have a nifty lil way to manually close the roof with an allen wrench! I thought I was going to have to put a tarp over it :-p ) I will be doing great

 

The sunroof on my 91 turbo sedan works intermittantly too. Try giving it a decisive slap on the headliner around the dome light and it will probably work again. At least that works for mine. Must be some weak connection or something.

Mike

bbs.legacycentral.org is where all of us 1st gen legacy people hang out.

 

Manual mode only works when the selector is in 2nd or 3rd. It basically just holds it in that gear, although from a stop in 3-manual it will start in 2nd and then shift to 3rd pretty quickly. It will also upshift when you hit redline. Another thing is that when you put the selector in 1 it sends more power to the rear wheels before the fronts start to slip.

 

the full time 4wd isn't any different than the non-vdc AWD in newer Subarus. Just a marketing/terminology thing.

 

Oh hey you're in Hamilton. I'm from Missoula. Unfortunately the only time I've been home in the last two years was Christmas.

Heya Jamal! nice to meet ya ... maybe once I get it on the road and your in town we can hang-out ... So you work in LA? I'm originally from Portland OR, but a girl got me moved out to Msla, and only reciently I have been in Hamilton, trying hard to get moved closer to Msla ... all my friends and church family are there ... Nels (Free Range) is in Lolo too maybe we can all get together some time ... :cool:

The sunroof on my 91 turbo sedan works intermittantly too. Try giving it a decisive slap on the headliner around the dome light and it will probably work again. At least that works for mine. Must be some weak connection or something.

Mike

Kewl, ty for the info, I will have to try that .. I have a manual that shows removing the sun-roof & motor ... but I'm not really that worried about having a sun-roof ...