zyewdall

On the other hand... I didn't expect it to be zero degrees and 50mph winds today... I took the dog for a couple mile hike up west of Peak to Peak -- only actually got blown over once.

Yes, the dual range is nice. Real 4wd (locked center), and while it's not a great crawling gear compared to jeeps or yodas, it's way better than any other car has and you'll surprise people with where you can get it. I think the differential will have a tag that says LSD on it. '89 was the last year for the dual range 5 speed, and was the last year for the GL's. In 90 they renamed the DL the Loyale, and discontinued the GL. None of them got the dual range any more. So... if you found a dual range in a '92... someones already been doing some swapping.

Physically, any of those transmissions in the table will bolt up to the EA82T. However... you probably only want to get the dual range 5MT ones. The non-turbo one has a much lower low range, which is usually better. However, like Turbone said you will have to put a 3.9 rear diff from a non-turbo car in there. The turbo 5 speed from the XT would be an easier swap, and allow keeping the LSD rear diff (but requiring the different axles). It doesn't have as low a low range though. But what it does have is full time all wheel drive -- the non-turbo 5 speed is 2wd/4wd. Depends on whether you want the all wheel drive, or the lower crawling gear more. The 4 speeds, even the dual ranges, were kind of problematic (well... only if you liked 3rd gear) The Legacy transmission won't bolt up (without adaptors -- people do it the other way round a bit -- bolting the legacy engine to the D/R 5 speed in older cars (or putting the D/R 5 speed in newer cars)

Some of the smaller cars have the 140mm pattern too -- my neighbor has a tiny little 50's Peugot that looks like a VW bug from the back (and it's a rear engine too), and he's got a set of 8 spoke subaru wagon wheels on it.

Anyone want to do a run of the switzerland trail up near Nederland/Ward this weekend? Great views of the divide from spots, and it's getting deep enough drifts on it to make it a challenge (wind packed hard drifts... ), but probably still passable with some effort. Some forest service roads shoot off the side in places. My only running suby right now is the Justy, which doens't like drifts much at all, so I'd be running the old Ford Sasquatch instead.... hope that's okay -- it is still a 1.8 liter engine ) I did it three weeks ago in the Justy, and two weeks ago in the truck. It'd be kind of fun to have a few vehicles along so we could venture farther down the side roads.

Just measure the bolt pattern -- if they are the 140mm square, they should fit. The other concern on something that old is whether they will clear disk brakes... that I don't know. Z

I think it's probably because they're aluminum blocks, and hence don't hold paint very well compared to a cast iron block if you don't prep it properly.

HAHAHA. When I first saw this thread, I figured someone had spotted drcrazy's lifted sedan... but no... more than that

This doesn't seem like it woudl be a problem in of itself, because until the 70's or so, fans were solidly bolted to the water pump without any clutch at all.

Good point. Our brand new Chevy Silverado (company truck) does the same thing -- if you don't floor it, it upshifts at like 1600rpm, and feels quite slow and boggy. POS. But, back to topic, I've talked to a number of people who thought that 5MT EA82's were slow, because they were shifting up at 2500rpm -- instead of 3500 or 4000. Those engines don't have alot of power below 3k. And, revving them doesn't affect the gas mileage nearly as much as it does the big V8's -- the best mileage I've gotten mine is on the freeway at 3700rpm for 400 miles.

The fuel might be... but there's lots of rusty fuel tanks on old cars Lots of the inline filters are semi-translucent plastic that gets you the ability to see in there, without being glass. I wonder, are the glass carbureators out too? My truck has a 3" square glass window on the side to see the fuel level inside. Z

My dad drove a '99 Volvo trash truck for a while -- and the transmission on that was nothing but trouble.... that's why I guessed that.

A late 90's Volvo with the fancy electronic automatic transmission?

the '85 and '86 GL wagons have the 5 speed dual range as well. Z

That's a really interesting theory -- because the courier has an air injection pump that puts alot of extra air into the exhaust manifold intentionally. Did 70's subaru's ever have this? Seems like they stopped doing this by around 1979, and started putting cats on instead.

By overrun, you mean a situtation when you are engine braking down a hill? I actually haven't noticed it with subarus, but my old ford courier does it pretty bad -- bang, bang, bang, going down the hill.... I do wish I knew why.... Z

First problem: it's an EA82 Second problem: it's a 3AT But, more seriously, it sounds like you've replaced most things. But, a few more to check. Clean the MAF sensor, replace the cap and rotor, and check the timing (if it's one cog off on the timing belt, it loses alot). And like someone suggested, check the catalytic converter for clogging. Also, check the transmission -- enough good fluid in it? Maybe the engine has plenty of power, but it isn't getting to the wheels -- that happened to my friends old chevy cavalier when she let it run out of transmission fluid

The solution is to not get rid of drip rails -- my '76 truck has drip rails over the doors, so the water doesn't run into the gasket and freeze it shut. Virtually every vehicle made after about 1980 has this problem. Of course, the lock on the passenger door of my truck froze, so I can't open the door anyway. I wonder if you could get some wax or silicon or something for the rubber that would keep it from sticking even if freezing water did get in there?

Those are the stock tires for the 2wd EA81 wagons and seem to handle pretty well on them... but the EA82 is a little heavier. You might notice some sidewall sway if you tend to corner hard.... but if you drive it lightly, and don't load up the car with 1000lbs of firewood, it's probably fine.

I probably wouldn't.... I've done it in 20F temps, using quick drying rattle can paint, with good success, but that was also in somewhere around 20% humidity in CO -- at the winter humidity levels in PA, probably wouldn't dry so well. And if you're using REAL car paint.... That's my opinion

1980 through 1984 wagons, hatches, or brats. And maybe 1985 throgh 1988 hatches? Any EA81 4wd, pretty much.

Any vehicle driven in really deep snow will generally pack up and freeze to some extent.... doesn't happen to most cars because they get stuck before they get into snow that deep

I killed the power steering belt on my old tractor this weekend -- fluid was so thick due to the cold that the pump wouldn't turn, so when I finally got the engine to start, the belt just shredded. So now, I can only drive in straight lines... not so useful No subaru issues yet (knock on wood).

Don't those EA81's have an internal freeze plug that exits into the oil pan???? Someone back me up on this... or not... Worst case, you should be able to get a used EA81 for way less than $1000. Heck, I have two sitting around, if you're anywhere near Colorado. Pacific Northwest has lots of them -- probably find a whole parts car for $600 if you look a little. Is the chaser what the hatchback was sold as in Canada? I've never heard that name before.

As one of my coworkers said today... what did you expect buying a car with a 1.2 liter rubber band engine ?? Stickers definitely help. I have some on my old Mazda/Ford Courier truck, and I got through a drift yesterday that my friend didn't even try in his FJ40 landcruiser. Or I had slightly better tires, and slightly worse judgement