zyewdall

The EA81 engine is the simplest subaru engine I've seen (I haven't seen the EA71's and EA61's, which might be simpler). I believe that if you have a 10, 12, 14, and 17mm sockets and ratchet, you can pretty much take that entire engine apart. Hopefully it wasn't overheated when the pump failed -- if not, then you're probably good to go with just the pump. I think the V-belt is tensioned by moving the alternator on the alternator bracket on that one, but I'm not certain on that -- I could go look at mine, but it's dark and raining outside right now I've owned a few of the '82 4wd wagons, and one '82 2wd wagon (which is actually going to a different forum member tomorrow morning). Working on putting fuel injection and a 5 speed dual range and 14" tires and a slight lift on the the 4wd wagon (very very slowly.... been collecting parts for three years, and the engine's been under the bench in the shop for a year..)

I guess the biggest argument against ABS is for those of us not used to it. I can lock up the wheels on my Justy in ice (even with 4 studs) but I have a pretty good feel for when it will and when it won't. Plus it tracks amazingly straight when skidding (doesn't fishtail... still can't steer of course). When I drove a newer subaru with ABS (and summer tires) in the ice, it kept activating the ABS, and freaked me out every time because the pedal started vibrating -- not something I expected, and I kept backing off on the brakes because it felt like something was broken. I'd rather have a predictable car, not one that my instincts tell me is broken and cause me to back off on the brakes every time I touch them on ice. If it had had good tires, maybe it would not have been that bad. I admit that for most people, the ABS buzzing might have felt normal, and skidding tires would have felt abnormal and scary. But that's not the way it felt to me.

I agree that it sounds like it sounds more like a fuel/ignition issue, not a charging issue... however I've also never had the charge light come one to indicate a bad alternator/charging circuit... they ALL come on -- just like with the key on but the engine not running. Don't know why this is exactly, but it's the behavior I've seen. If you have a voltmeter, it's easy to rule that out, though. Z

Might want to avoid the 90 legacies... they apparently had some engine issues the first year with a certain manufacturing plant (porous engine blocks... I didn't believe it, but a friend had a car with that problem...) The 91 to 94 have been good. And... even though I generally hate automatic transmissions, the 4EAT in the 1st gen legacies is one of much less annoying auto trannies I've driven. I'd take it over the Honda accord of the same era, and definitely over any american made one I've ever driven.

Depends... if she is keeping it at a stop on the hill by keeping her foot slightly on the gas, then it is kind of heating up the transmission more than necessary while stopped. If she has her foot off the gas, and on the brake while stopped, it should be fine -- it's what it's designed to do, for the most part.

What is the battery voltage while it's running? (on a digital voltmeter, not the dash guage) Sounds kind of like the alternator is not charging... however, that should not cause it to stall... could be multiple issues. Z

Yes, you are right.... and 95% of people want that, and push the industry towards that. But it doesn't mean that I want all of that stuff though (bluetooth what?? and about 95% of the accidents on my commute are one car accidents, and that 30 foot boulder in the creek wins no matter what car hits it -- snow tires help you survive much better, by not going into the creek).

Agreed. It's hideous. However... I didn't like the last (2005?) model much when it came out, but over the past few years, it's grown on me and I kind of like the wagons now (still think the sedans are ugly). Looks like subaru is getting bigger and bigger. Even the 2006 one feels like driving a boat compared to my old GL wagon. What happened to it being the small 4wd wagon? -- now it's just another giant awd SUV. And they won't even offer the manual transmission with the H6 engine. The reputation they are getting with alot of people who are new to subarus is as a higher end car, with not that good of mileage. Competing with Audi quattros now, instead of VW rabbits and toyota tercels like they did in the 80's. I'm kind of dissapointed.

All the tinted window's I've seen are impossible to see through -- bubbling and such. I think they were the do-it-yourself applied stuff though... Plus, they were dark enough to be illegal in Colorado, so I had to scrape and goo-gone it off the front windows. So... don't get the do-it yourself stuff...

Yeah... this is a hard decision. The '98 is a much nicer car...unless you like the better manuverability and low range of the '88 (which I do). Both of them are old enough that a bunch of preventatie maintenance probably needs to be done to make them both reliable. And, the '98 has the potential for needing much higher cost repairs than the '88 (head gaskets could cost $1500 or more, vs $300 for a whole new engine for the '88 -- $800 installed).... Z

+1 -- the big truck stops on I80 and such have a whole shelf of CB's and antennas and such usually.

The last new one I bought for an EA81 was set up for the transmission cooler, but I just ignored those ports on the side I think. Or capped them.

I think in the '82 the alternator has the built in regulator... not sure about '81.... Having all the lights on the dash light up at once is a classic sign of the alternator being bad (on mine, it was the main power wire fell off.... ooops). But, the car kept running fine, even with 7.5 volts at the battery... The symptom was that it would not crank because the battery no longer had enough power to run the starter motor. But, if you kept it running, it kept running.... at least for a while (like a day or two before I ran the battery dead enough that it stopped starting...).

Come to think of it, my old '82 wagon had this problem too -- it would ALWAYS start when cold. But towards the end (rust is what claimed it eventually, around 220k miles) it had a harder and harder time starting when warm (never failed to start, but you'd have to crank it for 10 or 20 seconds sometimes) and it wouldn't idle very well. The shop said it was internal vacuum leaks in the carb... $300 to rebuild. I bought a new suby instead for $500.

Another theory. The leaky bushing is being a vacuum leak, which is causing it to be hard to start because the mixture's too lean. If the choke is applied because it's cold, that is richening the mixture enough that it starts even with the vacuum leak. Maybe??

Not till about 1997, I think.... Z

Considering that most other people in the mountains in CO are driving jeeps or 4wd trucks, the subaru does pretty well on the dirt roads and snow, while delivering quite a bit better mpg. That's why there so darn many of them in Colorado. I have a few old 4wd trucks too, but honestly 90% of my miles are on the subaru (or the VW rabbit in the summer). And yeah, they will run nearly forever, with suitable maintenance.

Nope.... I did the same thing the first timing belt I did on an EA82 too. Actually got the car to start but it ran horribly then stalled. Have to do one with it facing up, then rotate 360 degrees (crankshaft) and do the other one facing up -- ends up with one facing up and one facing down at a time. Z

Having never owned one either... here's my two cents There is a noticeable difference in my EA82 between sea level, and 5,000 to 9,000 feet, where I usually drive it. I started spinning the front wheels on takeoff when I went down to Oregon, till I started not gunning it quite as much. Up here in the mountains you have to gun it. So, if a 20% difference from the elevation can be felt... I bet that 25% higher power from a turbo could be felt too. I don't know if that'll make it a "fast" car. I've never even come close to owning a fast car... someone was telling me about the AWD Alfa Romeo that he used to own. You could be cruising at 60mph, and punch the gas, and it would light up all 4 tires. 600 horsepower in a 1900lb car.

Plus you get dual range.... I haven't done it yet on mine... still sitting in a pile of parts in the workshop, with the motionless car out in the yard... doing an SPFI swap on the EA81 at the same time... Z

If this is the yellow stuff... probably not. The can says that only mechanical methods will remove cured foam. Acetone dissolves the uncured foam according to the can. You could always try whatever nasty chemicals you have around and see if there's one that will do it. I found out that gasoline dissolves white styrofoam quite well... Possibly urethane car paint thinner (sold at automotive paint stores)... since it is a urethane foam. Z

Hmmmm. That does sound like a beast. I've never seen more than three carbs on a car before (6 clyinder jaguar). Z

I've never seen an EA81 with points even (1982 is the oldest I've owned)... you might have to go back to an EA71 distributor or something. You're going back to carbureators and points ignition? Why? (my dad wants to do the same to his '96 Outback too...) The carbs from the 60's aren't bad, but the late 70's and 80's ones are awful... fuel injection was a big advance IMO. I'm switching most of my older stuff to diesel's, because they seem to run better for me. I hate ignition systems for gas engines when they stop working... Z

Have you checked the tire pressures? I've found that by the time mine looked noticeably low, on the '89 GL wagon, I'd shaved my mileage from 28 average to 22ish. Oops. You've already replaced everything else I'd have suggested... so I'm not sure what else ??? As far as the O2 sensor, I've had a check engine light for that on for two years on the wagon, and it still averages 26 to 29mpg, and 31mpg on the highway. It seems to have jumped about 1mpg when I replaced the rotor and plugs though (the rotor and cap were both noticeably burnt after 50k miles).

The 88 was also fuel injected, which helps a bit.