Subarule

I'm trying to get everything put back together. We (the car and I) just spent a while at the customizing boutique yesterday (where I didn't have any customizing done). I had moldings from all over the place that had fallen off, were falling off, were messed-up-cockeyed from some idiot at a prior shop, and had a brand-new original 4WD decal put on, where the old one had worn away. Also had new weatherstipping put on the doors. I am restoring this car back to dealer showroom condition everywhere I can (it was never actually in the showroom). We're getting a bit of a make-over tomorrow too.

Yes, I learned what I needed to know. There is no better vintage Subaru resource than right here. You guys always come through. As you might have guessed, I am female, and have no mechanic skills. I mean, I do, but up to a point. I can do real simple stuff but I don't get into taking parts of my car off. I understand the stuff pretty well but I would just get myself in trouble if I started dismantling.

I know, I know. Trust me, I don't have a choice. I don't work on cars. Don't have the knowledge, don't have the tools. And it would ruin my nails. LOL

I don't have a 10 mm thingie. I keep meaning to buy one.

Ugh. I am not that capable or confident. I am pretty good at taking things apart, but........... I will leave that to a professional. Got an appt. @ the dealer's tomorrow, I'll let them mess with that. I don't do panels 'n stuff.

I did get the plastic clips popped out that hide the screws, and then removed the screws. That allowed me to take the backside cover off. I want to take the whole assembly off, or rather, away from the window. It's very dirty - I've never been able to clean that area of the window or the lens. Are you saying I need to remove the cover on the tailgate itself to do that? Did I feel a fuse or fuses in there? I didn't have good light when I was trying to see where the next screws were.

'86 GL wagon That brake light mounted in the tailgate window - is it (fairly) easy to remove to clean the lens & replace the bulb? I've looked at it but I can't figure out how get into it. And tips? Thanks in advance.

Possibly a vacuum leak from one or more hoses. My advice: replace all the vacuum hoses/lines, secure their fittings and then if it still has the problem start diagnosing other things. Easy place to start & v-hoses are fairly cheap to replace and should be done every so many years anyway as maintenance. Do them all at the same time so you start out with them all the same age.

Hmmmm, sounds like a lot of effort for iffy results. I already have everything removed from the original factory installation, from when I had the replacement assembly installed. If I took pics & posted them here could you tell if I had everything already pulled that should be, in order to diagnose & repair (if that's even feasible)? I fdon't mean diagnose it it from the pics, just to know if I have everything in hand that needs looking at.

I have one that was taken out of my '86 GL wagon and replaced with another. The replacement one is blue and the one I took out is black. This is the whole harness assembly and control panel. Is there way to get it working in tip-top shape again? I'd prefer to get the original one in good shape and replace the blue one, which I'd pass on to someone else.

Right, I had planned to do that. I need to get everything masked off first (as far as the wipers go) so I don't get overspray where I don't want it. Will be a while since it has rained every single day here for the past cpuple of weeks, at least. I'm going to give the grill a good washing firt, in the bath tub with a brush & some dish detergent, to get any oily residu e off (as well a plain old dirt).

Wagon. I think I'll go with the semi-gloss. I want to paint the luggage rack bars too. And the wiper blade arms - they're down to bare shiny metal.

Is cross-posting a no-no? If not would you please take a look at this thread in "Stuff Wanted". Thanks. If it is a no-no, I apologize and understand if this post is taken down.

Wow, even I can handle that. LOL It's been so long since the car was new I can't remember - was the grill a flat black or a semi-gloss? ;86 GL wagon

OK, I see several screws to remove - is that all there is to it?

1986. Are there just crews to remove?

Would like to spray paint it black. Is it easy or a bit of a pain to remove?

You can't fix them, only replace. Trying to fix one amounts to trying to get some more life out of the ink cartridge on a printer, only with the results not nearly as good. Some people pull a used one off a parts car but that is only a stop-gap measure, not a fix. They're not like spark plugs or air filters, etc., either, only meant to last for a short time (comparatively speaking). The canister - if that's the source of your fumes - will last many tens of thousands of miles. My car started getting "smelly" well after 100K miles. Replacing the original canister took care of that immediately.

Does your year/model have an anti-backfire valve? Maybe it's toast. They seem to expire at a rather young age, judging by when mine croaked. And they are very expensive to buy new (and I can't think why anyone would want a used one, given their short lifespan).

Fresh gas or exhausted gas fumes?

One very real possibility - the evaporative canister is so old and used up that it can't do its job anymore. That will definitely give the area around & in your car the aroma of exhuast fumes. Very unhealthy exhaust fumes. If the canister has never been replaced, it's time.

Does "Engine Check" light mean that it's time for the car to have it's XXX-miles tune-up, or does that not apply on a car that old?

I would go back & get them if I were you. If you have the room to store them just hang onto them, and every so often post them in the "Subaru Stuf For Sale" section. I use those myself. I bought a 2nd set of 4 last year and had them powder coated (white) and replaced the original ones on my car, which then went to one of the forum members.

Going to a junkyard is not an option for me (too long to explain but trust me, it's true), so I will post in the "Subaru Stuff Wanted" section. This is not an urgent thing for me as my seat belt does function fine except for not retracting. I have to prioritize the available cash I have that I spend on my car (don't we all?). This past week it was a new power steering pump, pulley, filter & hose. Two weeks ago it was replacing the front axle, installing the rebuilt carb, a front end alignment and a tune-up. Sigh. Does this look like a good guide for the replacement procedure? http://www.wescoperformance.com/seat-belt-install-3-point-retract.html

My belt just puddles on the floor when I release it, and then gets caught in the door when I close it. I like the idea of taking it apart & cleaning & lubing it, provided it'd easy to do. What are the major steps just to get to it?