PennyMc

Well I've already replaced the battery and put 2 new head lights in because of this problem....so off to the store to get a new alternator.....at the rate I'm going with repairs I'm going to have a brand new car by the end of the week...lol. as usual, thanks for all your help guys!!

We used a mulit-meter and it is correct...the voltage goes up high when the rpm does....so it may not be as simple as a loose wire or something stupid like that?? Thank you

my voltage spikes to about 17volts at about 4000rpm and up- is this normal?

Thanks guys...nipper, that does make sense. And I agree about the "extra plastic" on the Outback....I actually thought it kinda made it look cheaper (but maybe that's just my mind trying to justify not being able to have one...lol) Either way I'm sure I'm going to love a new Legacy...now if I could only find a way to pay for it, so if any of you have any bank robbing tips please feel free to share.

lol iflyifr.....yes, couldn't agree more with the ford comment. Thanks for the imput.....We have a farm and are 100% GMC Fans....our trucks and every other vechicle we have ever owned have been one of the GMC family. I came across my '92 "Roo" because I LOVE wagons, I liked the idea of a 4x4 car and it was cheap....it has 260,000km on it and other than the recent "timing belt" issue it has never missed a beat.....I love this car to death and that's why I am looking at new Subarus....this is the first car I have owned....I am a SUV and truck nut. There were 3 reasons why I want a Subaru...first was fuel efficiency, second, I love the 4x4 option and 3rd...they are dependable. Alot of you mentioned that you loved the AWD, my point is. There are some days when I will need AWD and others when I won't....so why put all that extra wear and tear and decreased fuel efficiency burden when I really can't see a need for it driving down a straight highway on a summer afternoon....there is no doubt that I'm getting a Subaru but I was just wondering about possible problems....thanks guys. PS: mtsmiths if the Legacy adn the Outback were the same price would you still get the Legacy??

I've been looking at the new Legacy's (would like an Outback but there to much $$).....anyway, I'm finding that the "salesman" will tell me anything I want to hear so I wanted to see what some of you had to say....I am worried about the full-time AWD....to me this is bad, I see it as having all those parts moving all the time and a better possibility of something breaking....not to mention not the greatest fuel efficiency.....any insights??? Other than the Legacy and outback does Subaru make a wagon that is not full-time AWD??? Thank you

oh man do I feel like an idiot.....went through the whole thing again, and the Haynes manual (which was highly misleading with their cam diagram)....they were out the 180...guess I should have checked a fourth time, and not settled for a third time. Thank you all so much for your input, you saved my "roo" from being thrown off a cliff and myself from a mental breakdown (not to mention a huge mechanic's bill)....

yes....that's what we did.....

Lined up all the points like it says in the Haynes manual (and what other people have said on the forum)....now the car starts but is backfiring and won't idle, it runs rough and seems to be fine once I rev it past 3000rpm but anything under that and it runs crappy....thought it may be a spark plug problem so replaced the distributor and the plugs and it's still doing it.....I'm about ready to push this thing off a cliff.

No it didn't, this is a new sound. Everything is lined up with the timing unless I'm missing something?

Forgot to mention, timing was double and triple checked....what is going on??

last time I posted everyone agreed that the timing belt was ca-put in my '92 station wagon loyale....so, after replacing both belts, cam thingee's, water pump, went to start up the car and it is turning over (not starting) and sounding worse than ever....like it's skipping or something...actually it's making the sound a car makes when the engine is already running and then you try to start it again (hope that makes sense)....what the heck's wrong? Please help...thanks guys!

Thank you so much guys, the initial thought was the timing belt (after of course I checked the gas gauge...lol).....hopefully this is what it is and will be an easy fix....what a great forum board!

I have a 1992 Loyale station wagon and it died on me today, just acted like it ran out of gas, when I tired to start it it tried to turn over but just wouldn't start and it backfired....ran great up until now, any suggestions?? Thank you