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questions from a noob to soobs


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What I just got:

1988 DL wagon

5speed pushbutton 4x4 (can I swap a dual range?)

non turbo, SPFI (I think)

 

I've never owned a Subaru before, so I have plenty of questions. Some of my questions were answered by going through 33 pages of messages in the last 30 days alone. There seems to be a lot of knowledge in this list, and at least a few are in the Portland area as I am.

 

Questions:

1. do I need to use premium gas with 9.5:1 compression ratio?

2. are there anything special I need to know about what kind of oils

this subaru takes? engine oil, transmission (5speed), differential

oil, etc...

3. with 204,000 miles what should I be looking for as far as

breakage?

4. any info, tips, caveats?

5. Where can I get a Factory Service Manual for the 1988 Subaru?

6/ Is it possible to put in the dual range transfer case onto my

pushbutton 5 speed? Can I just get the t-case or do I need the

whole 5speed and dual range tcase to swap in? Any caveats I should

be looking for? How hard is it to find a dual range tcase?

 

Thank you in advance,

 

Andre S

http://www.macguru.net/~psubaja

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1. do I need to use premium gas with 9.5:1 compression ratio?

2. are there anything special I need to know about what kind of oils

this subaru takes? engine oil, transmission (5speed), differential

oil, etc...

3. with 204,000 miles what should I be looking for as far as

breakage?

4. any info, tips, caveats?

5. Where can I get a Factory Service Manual for the 1988 Subaru?

6/ Is it possible to put in the dual range transfer case onto my

pushbutton 5 speed? Can I just get the t-case or do I need the

whole 5speed and dual range tcase to swap in? Any caveats I should

be looking for? How hard is it to find a dual range tcase?

 

1. No

2. 10-30 to 20-w50 depending on codition, teperatures in your are and such . tans takes 85-w90

3. timing belts.. if you don't know when they were last serviced, replace them

4. Nothing specific

5. Ebay is a good place to get service manuals. this board is too.. I got my 88 FSM from a board member for about $30

6. Yes, a D/R 5 speed will bolt right in, but its not a regular Transfer case.. you have to swap the tranny. they arent too hard to find, depending on where you are.. they came in EA82 cars from 85 to 88

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Yes - the transfer case is a sub-assembly of the transmission. It's really all one unit. To get D/R, you have to swap the whole thing out. Pretty easy actually since you are starting with a manual. Also easy to find in this area. Any of the JY's will have one - probably 10 - just shop around for best price / warrantee.

 

GD

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the only think I will stress with an high milage EA82 car- is check the cooling system!!! if they overheat, the motor will most likey be toast.. (or at least will need to be ripped apart and repaired)

 

I know this from experience! (my last 88 GL wagon had a bad radiator.. it overheated, and I blew the new headgaskets (and the previous engine overheated too, and the heads cracked)

 

make sure you use the proper mix of antifreeze (my preference is GM's "Dex-Cool" the orange stuff)

and then make sure your electric fans work when supposed to if vehicle is stopped, and engine is running at temp) and that the thermostat is good... and of course watch out for those pinhole leaks and crusty hard hoses that will break easily!

 

good luck

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As for your question about breakage:

 

As mentioned, timing belts probably are due for their third or fourth change by now. While you are in there it's easy to replace the water pump and re-seal or replace the oil pump, and replace cam seals and such. Water pumps usually don't go out, but if yours still has the original, it might be showing its age. As you probably figured out already, old subarus like to mark their territory. They also sometimes have internal seals go in the oil pump, which leads to low oil pressure. If yours either leaks externally or has low pressure, it's time to reseal the oil pump and replace the cam seals, valve cover gaskets, etc. Another thing that tends to happen on higher-mileage soobs is the radiator getting full of crud. If yours runs hot at all, it's probably time for a new radiator. It sometimes works to just flush it, but that usually doesn't fix the problem if it's bad. Other than that, watch out for CV boot and joint failure, which is very common on these cars (that probably has a lot to do with how they are used, though:headbang: ).

 

Welcome to the board and good luck with your car.

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BlueTrain is right. My automotive professor says that running antifreeze that the system is not designed for is a BAD thing. When the Japanese just came out with that red antifreeze, all the American mechanics replaced it with the green stuff, and this caused all sorts of problems. It's the same with running Dex-Cool in our subarus. I've never heard anything showing that Dex-Cool actually does a better job. They're designed for green, so just buy some good regular antifreeze and put it in.

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Welcome to the board. It sounds as though you are mechanically inclined, but if you run into a problem you can't tackle, there are probably more board members per square mile in the Portland area than anywhere else. Send out a call for help, or stop by Richie Rich's shop. He's a thoroughly qualified mechanic who stands behind his work, and a good guy, also. (While you're there, snoop around the back yard and see what "goodies" he has stashed.

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Guest taprackready
Originally posted by torxxx

As far as the Dex-cool comment went, DONT USE IT IN AN OLD CAR. It is not made for it, and if you have any residue from green antifreeze in it, it will coagulate and make a nasty mess.

 

Dex cool jels in the newer systems as well. I know several people with 2000 and newer Suburbans with the dexcool nighmare going on. Those systems were supposedly designed for the newer stuff.

 

Bill

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Hello,

 

I'm a new member and I was informed that in the Portland area, Richie Rich is the man to go. Does anyone have his contact info?

 

I am having a problem with VERY low power in the lower rpm (I have to stay in first up to 20mph and second up to 35mph around town) and having an engine code 35. Are the two related? I'd like to bring it to someone who knows Subarus. I've already spent $215 to find out I have a broken wire to the Idle Speed Controller.

 

Thanks,

 

Andre S

http://www.macguru.net/~psubaja

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