spideyz

94 legacy. I installed a new timing belt and water pump the other day. Since then, I've noticed what I'll describe as a belt noise. It sounds like the belt is chattering a little. It is not coming from the drive belts. But this only lasts about 1 minute during the first start of the day. By the time I get to my first stop light away from home the noise is gone and the engine purrs like a kitten. I also have a bit stronger accelleration with the new belt. Engine seems to be running good when the noise is there: smooth rpms, not rough or clunky. Since the car runs great after that first minute, I am not *too* worried about this noise. Any ideas? Keith

Need to have the clutch replaced and flywheel resurfaced on my 87 brat. When I start up in 1st gear, the clutch will shutter and it yanks the car to a start. Shifting in other gears is OK. So what should I expect to pay at an independant clutch place? I usually do my own work on the car, but dont really think I want to mess with this myself. Any experience and advice is welcome. Thanks. Keith

So in replacing the timing belt on my 94 Legacy 5 sp manual, the crank pulley separated from the harmonic balancer. The pulley did not fall to pieces, but the outer part of the pully rotated around on the rubber ring while the inner part stayed put. It only did this with a strap wrench on the outer and a *long* cheater bar on the bolt. I had a lot of force on it before the outer part started to rotate. So now the car is put back together and it is running great. (Just passed CA smog with flying colors.) However, I was only able to get the crank pulley bolt on as tight as I could before the inner part started to rotate in the tightening direction. Like I said before, it was a lot of force. (No torque wrench...) Question is, should I replace the pulley now or wait. Seems to me that until I see some wobble or the like it should be ok. Worst case senario is that the drive belts slip... correct? Blackbart can get me a good used one, so now I must decide if to replace it or wait. Any advice will be helpful. Thanks. Keith

So I go to remove the crankshaft pulley bolt on my 94 Legacy and I hit a snag. I had anticipated having a hard time getting the bolt broken free, but now I have a problem I was not aticipating. I am using a strap wrench around the pulley and a 22mm socket and a long cheater bar. The problem is that before I get enough leverage for the bolt to move, the pully's interior starts to spin, while the outer part stays put. It seems like the pully is two pieces. There is a rubbe o-ring between the two. I cant see any way to keep the interor part from spinning. Has anyone else had this problem? More importantly, does anyone have a solution? Hopefully my description is clear enough. Thanks. Keith

So my wife decided to hit something with the passenger side view mirror on our 1994 Legacy wagon. Scratched the black housing, but broke the mirror. Can I just replace the mirror portion somehow, or does the whole unit need to be replaced? Also, does anyone have a parts car that can help me out? I'm posting this in the New Gen and Marketplace because it seems appropriate. Thanks. Keith

Any other CV joint problem I've had on any other car in the past always showed symptoms first around tight corners going fairly slow. Anyone know how to check the bearings without taking the front end apart? Keith

So the 87 brat is making some front end noise. Clicking and/or bumpity noise. My first thought is that the CVs are going. With more driving I realized the noise only happens above 30mph and not when doing slow cornering. Only when there are curves in the road etc. So is this the wheel bearings? How can I confirm this? Are wheel bearings a DIY job or do you need a press. Thanks. Keith

So the 87 brat is starting to make front end noise. It is a clicking, bumping noise from the front right. I first noticed the noise a few days ago. It happens when I turned. My first thought was CV joint, but I looked at the boots and they are not torn. After some more driving I realized that the sound was really only noticable when I was driving above 30mph and when I was just turned on gradual turns in the road. Slow turns around corners is quiet. No noise going straight at any speed. So I'm thinking maybe wheel bearings and not CV. What can I do to confirm this? Are wheel bearings a DIY job or do you need a press? Thanks for any advice. Keith

Does anyone have an article telling how to troubleshoot a cars electrical system. I am having persistant dead battery problems after the car sits for a day or two. I guess there is a short somewhere and I remember once reading about how to check the system circuit by circuit using a test light, but I cant remember the details. Any help would be appreciated. Keith

The pushbutton on the parking brake handle in my 94 Legacy wagon broke a while back. The brake itself still works fine but does not stay up when you lift it. The clicking sound doesnt happen either. Since then, I've been propping it up using a copy of my kids "Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?" book. It fits perfectly, bettee than the ice scaper I used the day it broke. (if you have kids, you'll know what brown bear is, if not, don't worry about it.) How do I take the handle apart? Has anyone had this happen before? Will I need to replace the entire cable or just part of the handle? Anyone with a parts car want to help me out. (I can post this in the Marketplace later, once I figure out what I'll need.) Thanks. Keith

Nope, I haven't tried it yet. I've gotten used to babying second gear. I'll probably change the fluid when I do the oil next time. Keith

The reason you want to avoid driving on dry pavement in 4wd is that if you turn too sharp the driveshafts and gears will start binding up and you'll hear a lot of clunk, clunk, clunking. Not good. Going straight shouldn't cause any problems in 4wd on dry pavement... but you cant go straight forever. Keith

You are going to have to cut the console to fit in a replacement radio. Also the new one will be deeper so it will eiter stick out about half an inch or you'll have to get a dash trim kit to make it look clean. A good auto stereo place should have them for about $15 or $20. Good luck. Keith

It is possible that it is engaging and you just dont realize it. I had an automatic trans with pushbutton 4wd and i never heard a clunk or any sound at all going into or out of 4wd. I went to a gravel parking lot, and in 2wd, floored it from a dead stop to spin the wheels. Gravel went flying from the fronts only. I put it in 4wd, repeated the wheel spin and they didn't spin at all front or back. The car just accellerated fast over the gravel. 4wd was working, I just couldn't feel it on pavement. If your lucky, you'll have the same luck. Keith

I got a remanufactured alternator at AutoZone in California for my 89. Turned out to be the wrong one. And I wasn't able to get the belt tensioned properly. You should be able to sing the alternator a couple of inches on the bracket. If it only moves a 1/2 inch or so, that could be your problem. Good luck! Keith

bump any help?

Good luck with my 89. I'm glad you found the head gasket was blown. I would have been bummed if you said that all you did was recharge the battery and it ran like a top. Anyway, hopefully you can get her back on the road. Keith

Could be the gas... swap out the fuel filter. If it seems better and after a bit of driving does the same thing, it could definitely be the gas. Pump the tank. Put in new gas a little at a time and keep putting on new filters until the problem doesn't come back. Plugs could be badly fouled also, that would cause some loss of power. Then take the bill to the gas station for all your time and parts:grin: . Keith

So now that I am driving the brat more than around the block, I've picked up a new problem to deal with. 4spd d/r 4wd. Car drives fine around the block, but after I drive on the freeway and get things nice and hot, when I go back to the surface streets for some stop and go, the car shutters like hell when I let out the clutch in first gear from a dead stop. If I am moving at all, there is no problem. I've tried revving the engine a bit more upon start up and letting the clutch out real slow. These tactics help somewhat, but I can still feel the suttering. At it's worst the shifter is shaking all over the place, the car is really shuttering hard and once I had the 4wd lever bounce up into 4wd on its own. The guy I bought the brat from told me he just canged the clutch. So did he screw some thing up? I'm thinking tranny mount maybe? What do you think? Keith

It is fully registered, smogged and insured. Smog was a little close to the limit on HCs if I recall correctly, but it passed. So I may put a new cat (that came with the car) on it when it comes time to smog it again. Drove it to work today and after driving about 20 miles on the freeway, the idle was back up to around 1500. Probably need to spray some more carb cleaner into the carb. Keith

I cant see the picture... Lets try this: Hopefully the link to the picture: Keith

I got the carburetor problem fixed so now the Brat idles at 800 or so, instead of 3500RPM. (Amazing what a long skinny flathead screwdriver can fix.) So, now I can drive it around again without burning up the clutch and jerking to a start. I put a picture of the Brat in my gallery, hopefully the link works. I still need to put the emblems and mudflaps back on. Next I think I'll paint the wagon wheels black. After that, I give serious thought to lifting it... Keith

I feel you guys' pain. I finally got my brat's body all straightened out, painted, interior work done. Brushguard installed. Ready to turn it loose as my daily driver, and the carburetor craps out and the car idles at 3500RPM. So now it sits in the driveway, waiting for me to fix it. But at least it looks good in the driveway now. Keith

A body shop will charge you way more than the car is worth. Are you trying to sell the car? If so, you'll most likely take a loss on cost of the new suspension, tires and brakes you just put on it. I would drive it until it dies, then give it away for free (to someone on this board of course:brow: ). Keith

Hang in there on this Brat. Rust free bodies are not growing on trees. Here's what I've been through: Found a brat that had been in a minor front end wreck. 87,xxx miles on it, no rust. $700 for the brat as is. $120 to get it to pass smog so I could register it. I had the frame rails pulled to straighten out front end ($240 at a body shop), Replaced both front fenders, hood and air cowling ($125 at JY), (Paint job and some dent repair ($625 at earl sheib), seat covers ($20), replaced radio console ($50 ebay), mudflaps ($25 USMB), third eye conversion ($50 USMB + $10 radio shack), brushguard ($20 craigslist-SF), replaced left taillight ($15 USMB). So far I've got $2000 into the Brat and it still needs: Rear brakes (convert to discs or new drums probably, ~$200) Muffler (~$75) Rebuilt Carburetor (hopefully not, but I'm having issues with it right now, $240) So, when my "project car" becomes my potential daily driver, I'll be into it about $2500 (not including registration fees and insurance). But I'll have one of the only Brats in Northern California, it will look great, be in good mechanical shape, and essentially rust free. I've had the luxury of it being my back up car, with plenty of time and *enough* money to do things right. My vote is to keep it and drive it:cool:. That is why these things go for so much on e-bay. They don't grow on trees and they are cool! Keith