bratman2

Can't help you on the carb except to say that Ragingbull's suggestion would be my first try. Maybe some Seafoam. On the oil pressure mine has done that for 19 years and counting! The oil pump has a spring loaded relief valve that should recirculate any excess pressure to the sump. What weight oil are you using? I have run plain 10w-30 for the last ten or more years. I have noticed over the 19 years I have owned this Brat that some brand filters would make it read higher as would heavier weight oil. Maybe you have the combination of both? Mine starts out maybe a hair under the red, with in 5 miles it usually dead between the red and 50. After 10-12 miles in sets a hair over 50 at cruising, maybe where 35 would be at idle.

I miss my Bandit, thing was silly fast! Replaced it with a Moto Guzzi Norge about 4 years ago. I came back with the Bandit in pouring down rain and dark. Had old 195/75-14 Cooper all terrains that had maybe an 1/8" of tread left. It was a scary ride back to say the least. If they total it are you going to buy it back or just replace? Glad you seemed to make it out okay physically!!!

Is that a Bandit in back? I picked up the 05 GSF1200 I bought years back in my Brat. About a 250 mile round trip!

Some color as my RS seats. I think they are 04 that I installed back late 05 or early 06 in my Brat. The RS seats are super comfortable. I know your going to like them!!

Was it below freezing? Could moisture of gotten into the fuel line? If my Brat sits too much in cold weather my fuel pump will freeze with moisture in it. Eastern North Carolina has high humidity and damp air. I try keeping the tank full as possible. Run pure gas all the time but have started adding a few gallons of E10 which has helped somewhat.

I installed a 2" exhaust from the Y-pipe back with a SS Magnaflow many years ago. I really like the sound of the Magnaflow. Not very loud in cab at all but sounds awesome when my wife was leaving the house in it to pick up flowers at the nursery.

Bearings are not typically specific to a vehicle in this application. Any bearing shop should be able to cross reference a compatible bearing. Google search reveals three such stores in your city.

My 87 Brat has no computer. The 85 did?

That is a pretty decent find as that size has became pretty hard to find. I have used two full sets of 185/80's on my Brat. When I went to replace them there were none to be found anywhere so I broke my Peugeot 14" rims back out and went with 185/75-14 tires. Last time I saw those they were asking over a hundred a piece. I thought, no way!

I got Sachs for my Brat. I think they may have been the last pair Rockauto had in stock. I installed Gabriel's on my 87 Brat maybe 16-17 years ago and they were worn out when I replaced them in 2014. Not bad considering the amount of time they were on. The Sachs ride awesome, or maybe just having new makes it seem that way, lol!

Most countries use a different method to determine octane rating. I believe Germany and most other countries use RON. We use (R+M)/2 which gives a lower number. Many other countries do not use ethanol also which gives slightly more energy per gal. I have been dealing with a local tire dealer for nearly 35 years that is also a major fuel distributor in eastern NC. They sell me pure 87 fresh from the storage tank for my Brat and 4 cyl Ranger. Using that fuel I have averaged near 1 mpg more and don't have to worry about the ethanol separating out if the Brat sits a little. They tell me pure gas has 3% more energy than ethanol blended gas. If you want more fuel economy and better performance seek out "pure gas" gas stations. They are out there. Sadly the fuel is more expensive so there is little to no cost benefit. In the seventies I had a Yamaha drag bike with very high compression ratio. The engine builder told me to use either Sunoco 260 or Amoco white gas that was available at the time. They were 96 octane for the white gas and 97 for the 260 if my memory is correct. Before those times the US used a different method to determine octane so the higher numbers most likely are not comparable. I remember seeing 100 plus octane as a kid at fuel stations in the sixties but once they went to (R+M)/2 I never saw anything higher than 97 as gas at the pump. To answer the op's question, you will most likely see no real benefit from running premium. You will be a little poorer. Your Forester's computer can make adjustments for the premium but not enough to give a cost benefit ratio that you would see.

I went from having to use 93 gas to using 87. Even a mix of 93/87 would spark knock before the seafoam cleaning. I continued thinking it would keep the carbon build up out. Maybe it would never comeback, I don't know. But it worked and was highly recommended by many on this board way back years ago. On the lifters, I don't know, seems like many recommended it for that. My son in law borrowed my chainsaw and left ethanol laced fuel in it. When I pulled the saw out a year or two later it would barely run. Added 1 oz of seafoam per tank and 4 tanks of fuel later it was back to it's normal self. Some things it can do but rebuilding your motor is not one of them.

Been using seafoam annually to remove carbon and top end cleaning in my 87 Brat for at least 15 if not more years. I'll post back in a month about my dead engine. Though I have never added to my oil and have no need to.

Good for you!

He said good paint job, lol! Nipper your best hope would be a small independent shop or someone that does it on the weekends that works at a body shop. A good paint job will probably run you $1500.00 with the fender replacement and fixing the ding or more. That is the very low end. Basing this off prices I have seen my brother charge for basic painting and very minor repairs. There is a lot of prep time involved in a good paint job. He is one of the cheaper around eastern NC. New York I would think would be higher. Ask around a lot and maybe you can get a lead on someone reasonable and good. For example he painted a Ranger pickup for me 4-5 years ago. Price was mid $1300 with spray in bed liner, paint was free. He just mixed three different shades of white that he had leftover from other jobs and he also had bed liner leftover from several jobs. Came out a snow white with the last coat mixed with clear. Sun hits it you will nearly go blind! About 8 years ago he painted my Brat a second time. About $1100.00 but there was more body work involved. Two coats of urethane black with clear mixed into final coat. He charged me a very minimum labor on both of those jobs. Family discount, lol! Good luck!!!

I'll second that! Nice Brat!!

Did you block off the exhaust recirculating valves that the "Y" pipe connects to at the heads?

Knew you would be!

I'll third it. Magnaflow SS muffler been on mine for right many years now. Have 2" from Y-pipe back with 2" exit. I am 55 and don't like ricey sounding exhaust.

Are you talking about the glass lens has fogged up? I installed Sylvania SilverStar lights many years ago. Replaced them for the first time about three years ago when one went out. If you have set up relays to bypass some of the old wiring and connectors you should get pretty awesome lighting out of an off the shelf set of Silverstars. They are H4656ST low beam and H4651ST high beam. They will typically not last as long as standard replacement bulbs but I still got maybe 10 years out of them. When the first one went out I figured the rest were not far behind! . I have been thinking about setting up relays to bypass some of the old wiring on mine to increase volts at the bulb too! Have done this to a Suzuki bike I owned sometime ago and it made a noticeable improvement in lighting.

The ignition switch has an electrical side that has contacts in it. Probably what has happened is the electrical contact side is worn out. I had a similar problem with my 87 Brat a couple or three years ago. Turn key and nothing. Maybe do it 5-6 times and then starts up like nothing was wrong. Until it wouldn't start at all. If your sedan has tilt wheel and is the same as my Brat you need this part here:http://www.ebay.com/itm/Forecast-Products-IS67-Ignition-Switch-/301743374409?fits=Make%3ASubaru%7CModel%3ABrat&hash=item46414e8049&vxp=mtr It has to have the pink connector. You can search down the side of your steering column to the pink connector under the dash to confirm. Also some times the pink connector itself has over heated and failed. That would be my best guess. While your at it not a bad idea to check/clean or install new batter cables. Clean up your grounds under the hood and check ignition to starter connection to be on the safe side.

The stock thermostat is 192 degrees. I am using a 180 degree. I don't know what temp the fans cut on and off at.

Your friends are right! You will need 14" rims. Then it opens a whole new world for you. You can drill hubs, drill rims or find 14" Peugeot rims. I have Peugeot 14" steel rims off an older turbo diesel. Both Goodyear and B F Goodrich make a 195/75-14 all terrain tire. They maybe others but currently I think that is it. I had a set of Cooper 195/75/14 all terrains years back, had a tread pattern similar to the Goodyear Wranglers. They maybe bigger options in 14" but I think you are asking a lot from a old little four cylinder to turn much bigger tires.

Wife's 2011 Forester headlights cut off with the ignition. I don't have many gripes about my 87 Brat. I guess FI would have been nice since by 87 almost everything had it. Factory 14" rims would have been awesome, I think they were about 6 sets that came to the US???

You can try an independent shop. Two inch steel exhaust ran for my 2" Magnaflow was maybe $125-130 quite a few years ago. I purchased the Magnaflow on line in stainless steel for well under a hundred. Prices may have gone up some but still doable.