subnz

Unless you can get a reasonably priced 2nd hand engine / (trans maybe) and do the work yourself The age / distance car travelled and its value its not wothwhile paying someone to do it. or the cost of rebuilding the existing motor - there are so many unknowns with engine until taken apart. If its just an engine replacement and you do it yourself and car is in reasonable condition with no other issues maybe its a worthwhile exrercise. Also while engine out the clutch may need some attention ie another $500/$600 to replace as well. Agree with latter decision if multiple issues replace radiator - sell - start again with another better car.

I'm an old school diehard prefer the gen 3s [05-09] (have one) and not so fond of the looks of the gen 4 [10 - 14] (ie looks as if its taken steroids) its not to say its any less capable. Recommend the H6 smoother (headgasket issues -Tbelt changes H4) does it with less fuss ie for over taking carrying people sporting gear mountains ski fields etc. The fuel consumption differences with H4 ie highways negligable at worst in urban shortrunning-10% more (have owned both H6/H4) However it will not be as good as your Miata. best I get / got H4/H6 is 28MPG trips, average 24/25MPG as Outback is an AWD and a heavier car. Also if get a gen 3 , get a later one with SI drive H6 (3 transmission modes) - this is better for power / economy (trip computer) As a single multi use vehicle Outbacks take a lot of beating ps It sounds as if 4th Gen CVTs are getting better fuel economy than previous 4EAT 5EAT so that would be one of the advantages in gen 4 Have a look in subaruoutback.org forum there are more specific discussions there or Just search on google your question and this will pull up most the relevant discussions on your questions.

Basically the same apart from ground clearance so Outback better able to go off road / better in snow etc, loose a little in sharp cornering ability. (So ideally suited for people with outdoor interests / carrying sporting equiupment etc) Highway fuel consumption differences negligable if similar engine and drivelines Never liked Legacies because of lack of ground clearance and limited offroad ability (too highway focused) particualrly the lowered GT and performance versions. Your choice depends on your life style needs environment etc

Nice work / progress - have always liked the look of these last 2nd Gen Leone GL touring wagons especially with the factory alloys fitted. And original black NZ new registration plates - nice. My 1st Subaru was an 83 wagon sort of similar but flat roof and with single uglier headlight enclosures (a lower spec one 2nd hand ex japan JDM a mix of DL / GL features.

Post updates etc as we're all interested in progress / success etc

Without stealing Mitchells thunder can answer the question on spares NZ has been importing JDM 2nd hand cars for the past 30 years and availability of spares / mods / upgrades usually no problem. There are companies here that specialise in importing ex Japan JDM 2nd hand car parts / components. As this area where we live in NZ has the highest per capita level of Subaru ownership so there are spare parts lying around somewhere as well, probably most used abused especially up and down mountain roads here. We Kiwis like to get the most out of something til it dies.

Hey from up the road in GY. Nice examples since on dobc last This is a great site for knowledge for both ie leones BC BG etc

The next thing I'd check is the distributor - Ignition timing - advance components ie the the centrifugal advance shaft / weights - this could be sticking (in an advanced position)/ worn / dry / need lubrication. and vacuum advance unit.

Agree low octane / bad fuel , Spark plugs a grade too hot / wrong type , Lean fuel mix due to faulty carb if fitted / vacuum leaks. (air filter?) sensors ? Incorrect operating temperature - suggestions as previously mentioned. Hot spots / carbon deposits in combustion chambers , Ignition timing too advanced (check) - light pinging under heavy throttle applications from low rpms - timing ok. - continuous pinging - timing too advanced, under reasonable throttle. no pinging at all and sluggish acceleration, back firing under heavy throttle applications- timing retarded (could also be a faulty accelerator pump in carb if one) Modifications?

Wow we don't see many gen 1 brumbys /brats anymore - most have rusted away to nothing

Gen 2 2000-2004 is starting to get dated. Recommend Gen 3 05 / 06 3.0R (245hp) with 5EAT an improvement over 2nd gen H6 + 4EAT (212hp) ( no headgasket issues no cam belt changing issues smoother more power ) Replaced my 01 2.5 manual D/R recently with an 06 3.0R SI drive JDM. Recommend that if you can afford it a later 3rd Gen 3.0R with SI Drive is better for power / economy (3 transmision modes) than the earlier gen 3 3.0Rs

Agree its pointless doing a half assed job ie just draining the pan ie 2 to 3 quarts or so out of the pan and leaving the remaining old 5 to 6 quarts fluid in trans, torque converter and trans cooler. Its not a hard job (maybe a little fiddley / time consuming ie drainers containers jugs length plastic hose etc) to flush whole trans system with new fluid at the same time completing the job properly. There's enough info on here (mr google) and on youtube on showing you how to do it. That's probably why garages quote the prices they do to account for their (extra time to do this) and the mark up on fluid prices etc. Have just done (flushed / replaced fluid) my OBW 06 3.0R 5EAT recently myself ie its the 1st auto I've owned and serviced. This is how I did it - Take car for a good run 1st to warm up trans fluid (needed 10 qts new fluid 9.5 litres) - drained trans pan into drain tray (3.5 liters - 4 qts measure with 1qt measuring jug into another waste container ) Replaced this with same amount of new fluid in trans through trans dipstick tube with small funnel and in 1 litre / quart increments (container) Find trans cooler return line/hose (approx 1" hose) at bottom of radiator ie pull hose off, connect a clear plastic 10 foot length of tubing onto fitting - place other end into empty drain try so it can be measured out. [this was on the bottom right (looking from drivers seat) side of my radiator 3.0R 5EAT JDM but this may be different on 4EAT and USDM] Also put a 2nd drain tray under trans hose that was taken off cooler so if have disconnected the wrong one and this runs it doesn't make a big mess on ground. Start car run engine briefly to see if have correct line connected ie old fluid coming out of plastic hose - if not ie fluid coming out of disconnected trans hose - reconnect that trans hose and try removing the other one on the other side of radiator base and reconnect plastic hose to this. and reposition 2nd drain try under this disconnected hose just in case - to avoid mess on ground. Now arrange drain tray with plastic hose into it so you can see it easily from driver seat while starting /running car briefly (10 / 15 seconds max so don't run the risk of running trans too low in fluid) enough time to pump out approx 1 quart of old fluid. via tubing into drain tray / measure with jug out of tray into waste container - replace with the corresponding amount of new fluid via funnel into trans dipstick tube. While car is running for each 15/20 seconds while flushing out old trans fluid move trans selector back and forth through RND reverse neutral drive to help the trans flushing process Need to make sure parking brake is on firmly / rear wheel chocked so car doesn't move / creep during this process. Need to continue this 15/20 second start /stop 1qt approx removal / replacement process until fluid being drained / flushed looks clear / new looking. Reconnect trans cooler return hose to its rightful place. I put 10 quarts 9.5 litres through my 3.0R 5EAT so it may be less required for 4EAT. Used Penrite Synthetic ATF FS (Australian) Never replaced filter - so if do its needs to be a genuine subaru one as after market ones are restrictive apparently and don't flow well enough. There is an internal filter / screen in pan but not necessary to service for a fluid change

Had a great run out of my 86 GL - had for 14 years (95- 09) added 120K miles (220K miles when sold) Only major was clutch, alternator replacement and replace carb with 2nd hand one as stuffed up rekitting / rebuilding original one. Apart from the usual cambelts twice. water pump tyres batteries filters spark plugs light bulbs etc Probably the best car ever owned for simplicity reliability cost /ease to fix / maintain apart from silly cam belts etc.

Another thought - do you keep your tank full / topped mainly if its half full /less most of the time and car lives outside there could be condensation issues / water in fuel along with the ethanol thing. so throw in a quart of methyl alcohol - for 1/2 tank fuel to help disperse water / consumed through motor. This is what I do especially after winter ( or some bottle of trick juice that does the same thing but meths is cheaper) Or fuel filter partially blocked (in tank I think - never changed one)

Never reuse old tensioner / idler pulleys is not worth the risk for the small replacement cost of these components. These are the things that fail 1st destroying the belt. / motor if interference Made the mistake of reusing toothed idler once ( even after subaru agents pressed in a new bearing into it for me) it seized stripping the new belt - 1 year and 7500 miles later. Thank goodness it was on an old EA82 (non interference motor) You learn from making mistakes like this. - perhaps bearing wrong type - damaged being pressed in.

Goodness me you're good for 5 years / 50K miles with all that done not just a 1.5K roadie :-)

Haven't had this happen but suggest / I would use aerosol upper cylinder cleaner (in throttle body) seafoam? intake manifold (take off pcv valve -clean, clean out hoses if slugded, spray cleaner thru pcv valve hole into inlet manifold with engine running (have to turn up idling speed to do this) - ie a little piece of wood btwn/in throttle stop linkage. Also suggest throw in a bottle of injector cleaner in to fuel tank for good measure as well. If this doesn't help agree it could be faulty throttle position sensor Play (side play) in linkages looks normal. my previous 2.5 manual like this also.

There is bit of a whine in transmission in lo 4wd anyway from the gear reduction but as previously suggested check all oil levels etc. Selectable part time 4WDs don't have a centre diff / just a transfer section ie for 2WD/4WD/Low range so the front and rear wheels are locked together (a crude cheap simple way of having 4WD.) This is similar to an AWD (full time 4WD with a centre locking diff locked on) So when you turn, the front wheels travel further than the back wheels so on hard surfaces / high ways it winds up the the drive line can feel it jerking / surging and the front wheels are trying to slip. Thats why if you try and shift out of 4WD into while turned / turning a corner it can difficult / impossible to do so until straighten up d because of the stress/ load on the driveline / transmission (wound up.) Should only engage 4WD on road / ground surfaces that allow wheels to slip ie loose metal roads dirt grass snow etc as previously mentioned. Can do it (ie 4WD / Low range) on hard surfaces so long as drive it / keep it straight ie reversing trailer etc / climbing steep sections etc to avoid slipping the clutch as much. Ideally tyres should be the same brand, equal amounts of wear (definitely the same size) all round as previously mentioned but not so critical on a part time 4WD as it is on an AWD. At least they should be similar brand/type on front 2 and rear 2 but definite all the same size / wear. eg I run winter tyres of similar size (fitted to another set of wheels) on front wheels only on my Brumby / Brat when required (probably not ideal but same size as rear) but had no problems doing this.

My 87 Brat is a DL, has no (tach, A/C, power steer, central locking, sun roofs) AM radio only, vinyl seats, basic pressed steel wheels with no trim ( just axle nut caps) plastic interior floor cladding, plastic door linings My 86 Leone GL wagon had tach, cloth seats, cloth door linings, central locking , powered external mirrors, carpeted floors, alloy wheels, touringwagon stepped up roof (DL wagon had flat roof here) Black trim around tailgate window, single headlight enclosures, mine didn't have power steer / windows nor AC - liked the non power steer - felt better to drive than 88GL with P/S that had as well. The advantage of DLs is that there is less to go wrong particularly as 30ish years old ( so yes agree less is better in this regard) The GL looks better finished than DL (more basic looking - particularly the interior) My old 86 Leone GL Touring Wagon when sold in 09

Sounds like a classic case of air locks in / worn hydraulic tappets. My old EA82 used to do this Do they go in and out ie noisy then quiet (that's what mine used to do - didn't do anything about them then as car was old) Or are they ? noisy continuously? Use a long handled large screwdriver as a stethoscope placed on the respective 4 valve positions on top of valve covers to try and determine where the noise is coming from or if you suspect its piston slap place on top of the block and listen there too - there is a good chance there is some of this as well. But listening to video it sounds like valve train noise IMO

Other things to consider as well a balancing wheel weight falling / flung of a wheel may account for for the sudden arrival of vibration. also the rear drive shaft universal joints gone can make the whole vehicle vibrate / shudder especially at 55 mph if the worn mount doesn't solve your problem.

These carbs need care when rebuilding / rekitting Stuffed up my 1st attempt, wouldn't idle properly - something jammed inside somewhere and had to buy a 2nd hand replacement Carb from the wreckers and have another go

Have the same problem / reasons with my Brumby ie probably / possibly gummed up oil rings as well and a quart of oil used per 600 miles (litre per 1000km) and was wondering if the diesel oil detergent helped / worked in your case? Am willing to try this also

Rule of Thumb Slight detonation under heavy throttle openings from low rpm - timing about right -reasonable detonation - timing advanced -no detonation and sluggish acceleration / backfiring - timing retarded. Static ignition timing to 6 degrees BTDC (before top dead centre), 90 RON fuel or more / less depending on what fuel you're using. I use a static test light across breaker points and rotate motor by hand (ignition key on) lining up timing marks on flywheel as soon as light glows ( rotating distributor back and forth to achieve this.) with rotor pointing at #1 cylinder lead position on cap. Its important that breaker points are set 1st to 20 thou (thousandths of an inch) and not pitted and in good condition /new If electronic will need a strobe style dynamic timing light connected #1 cylinder lead Also If the diaphram on vacuum advance isn't working too well other parts maybe worn as well; ie wear on the shaft / centrifugal advance components etc ;so it wouldn't hurt to replace the whole distributor. If its worn good consistant, ignition timing isn't so good. Depending on which distributor (Hitachi / Nippon Denso, breaker / electronic) is fitted to your vehicle, some vacuum advance units can be removed ie 2 screws holding unit into body and vacuum advance link looped over pin on advance / retard plate holding breakers / coils Also agree find Haynes service manuals very good on the whole. have been using these for years before the internet.

Agree as previously mentioned: The EJ251 / EJ253 is a good engine apart from the the external head gasket issue and cam belts etc to replace at the required intervals but its much easier / cheaper to repair than the H6 3.0 which is actually a better engine because it has less of these issues and no cam belts etc to replace (chain driven) Also if both engines are serviced regularly and cooling systems flushed 2 yearly and the correct fuel used ie premium in the H6 (as recommended by Subaru) all these issues will be reduced / minimised. https://allwheeldriveauto.com/subaru-head-gasket-problems-explained/ https://allwheeldriveauto.com/subaru-head-gaskets-problems-explained-part-ii/