85Sub4WD

Basically, all SPFI cars post-1986 MY are the same, some minor changes over the difft model years, but yes, they are the same, and it would probably be an upgrade. P.S. the ECU is swappable, so you could put a Loyale ECU in an SPFI GL - if you wanted to ...

you would have to put the entire engine harness for the FI computer in - and that is a project in and of itself!

I know they are quieter, because there is an 83' or so wagon (non turbo) that I see that has VERY noisy valves, but a friend's 84 (with hydraulic lifters) was much quieter. Then again, the valves may be damaged in the car I see - at any rate, your engine is designed for hydraulic, so if I were rebuilding it, I would use hydraulic.

a bad wire to the starter from the computer may be the cause, but the factory troubleshooting info is here: http://www.finleyweb.net/default.asp?id=142 good luck - the last time my car threw either code, I had a no-start condition, so I can't help you much

they should not be the first to lock up anyway if the brake system is functioning properly - the fronts should lock up first - that is the purpose of the porportioning valve - anyway, they are the same size/bigger than the ones on my dad's '96 Dodge Caravan that said, rear discs are a nice advantage to turbo cars - however it is an easy swap, so I think the FI D/R 4WD is still your best bet for reliability and gearing - note - all 1985 Subaru Turbo Wagons came with an automatic transmission - that is not the best for towing or heavy loads

I also vote transplant - a neighbor and I restored an MG Midget - came in boxes - rusted about that badly - bent frame and all - it was my first restoration (7th grade) but I have no desire to relive it - a good body and a transplant is the way to go; that is what we should have done- transfer the VINs over too - makes bookkeeping easy

No, the Legacy EJ22, EJ18 (in some early Imprezas) and the ER27 (XT6 engine) are all non-interference engines (the SVX engine may also be non-interference, but I do not know for sure) - basically everything up to the EJ25 - it is non-interference because the valves and pistons do not, at any point in the combustion cycle, overlap - meaning if the piston was broght to its highest position, and either valve opened fully, they would not touch - so if you snap a timing belt, you do not damage anything that is pretty hard to do - may I ask why are you trying to find out? - the cap and rotor are the only items that require regular replacement - a distribuitor does not normally wear out - reguardless of age, it should look clean on the inside I know it is OK to mix synthetic and non synthetic engine oils (you could not do that with early synthetics in the '70s, but newer oils are OK - in fact there is a Castrol SyntheticBlend Oil available that is natural/synthetic blend). I do not know if gear oil is any different

91Loyale is right about rust - it is something we have all had to combat at one time or another, particularly owing to the age of our cars, and if salt is used in the area (big factor) washing the car off (including undercarriage) after it has been on salted roads helps a LOT fix it as he described, the sooner the better the automatic transmissions from the 80's do have problems - the must be serviced very regularly at (or before) the specified interval - I would also recommend you avoid the autobahn (I think that is how it is spelled) because the car is not geared for high speed driving (save your BMW or Mercedes-Benz for that) - an additonal transmission fluid cooler may also be a good idea, as it prevents the transmission from overheating

Anybody who has owned a Dodge (particularly newer ones) knows that their automatic transmissions are really crappy - especially in trucks I recently had to wait in a Dodge dealership while my dad's van was getting repaired (something that has to be done rather frequently) - I saw and heard stuff that was pretty pitiful whoever he/she is, they better have a manual, or else they will be getting a new transmission in a few hours. I would put brakes on the trailer (and probably put discs on the rear too - if possible) - 2100lbs is far too much to expect a soob to stop neat pic all the same tho!

good point, I agree - with an oil cooler, running a lower viscosity should not be a problem - I am actually looking at putting one on mine, if I can find one cheap, or can spare the money erik litchy - looking at your engine, it looks as though it was running VERY rich, or had bad rings (which I think you mentioned) or both - however, it does look repairable so far - I would have the heads cleaned by a professional shop though - you will really know when you pull the pistons whether or not you can save it - I think the engine was badly overheated, because I have not found any seals in my engine in the condition you describe, save the oil pump - and that is under higher pressure (I resealed the front several years ago at 128k) GOOD LUCK - I hope the water pump does not hold out much longer!!

The 1985 MY owner's manual says specifically on page 90 (in bold): CAUTION: SAE 5W-30 is not recommended for turbo vehicles or sustained high-speed driving on all vehicles On turbo vehicles, you can use SAE 5W-30 when engine starting is difficult in severe cold areas where temperatures are below -25C (-13F) or below. However, for warm weather operation, it is necessary to change SAE 5W-30 oil to a new oil listed in the above chart as soon as possible. I have had trouble with lash adjuster noise in warm weather with 10w-30, so I think 5w-30 would really be thin, but if it works for you, keep doing it - you have pulled a lot more miles out of that turbo engine than most do, and with freash oil pump seals, it may be OK

here's the correct link - http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?threadid=6489 sounds to me like the coolant temp sensor or the idle air control valve as it will not high-idle - you will have to check the codes to tell which one I just read the linked thread - I appear be redundant - Skip explained it better anyway

I have somehow worn the outer edge of my passenger side tire (right side from driver's perspective) and the inner edge of my driver's side tire (left from driver's perspective) within the last 6,000 miles. The tires aren't evenly worn either, with patches almost down to the end of the tread, and others with a little more wear left. I am an enthusiastic driver, but I got well over 10k with my previous front tires, and they were rotated onto the back end, with still ample wear left. I also do not spin tires doing fast take-offs and silly stuff like that, though I have had my brakes lock up a few times during emergency braking (apparently my car is sometimes invisible to people pulling out into traffic - and I run my headlights all the time!). I have pumped them afterward, and have not allowed my wheels to remain locked for any length of time. I have also had a weird vibration in the front end that comes and goes, and my steering is squirrelly. I replaced my front shocks and had it aligned 6,000 miles ago (tires rotated then), and I did my front brakes about eight months ago. I ended up using a puller to get the hubs off because they were rusted so badly, I could not get them off otherwise - is it possible I bent them? if so, why does my vibration come and go? - could I have a tow-in problem? I am not getting any noise from the front wheel bearings, and the front suspension seems rigid - save the worn sway-bar end bushings (waiting to put bigger swaybar on), and front-end geometry seems correct (ie ride height, camber, and caster) Any thoughts would be appreciated!! - this is an annoying problem!

In my case, I knew it was fried because neither one would send the ignition pulse signal to the coil, and both were giving me a bad CAS error, but I was using what were known to be good CAS sensors. I swapped the third computer in and it ran fine, started right up and all. The later model computers seem to have wider operating parameters, and better adaptability. I had an earlier model one (from an 88 or so) in my car for a while and was running rich - went through the whole TB/injector clean, new O2 sensor, and problem persisted. Swapped in one off a '92, problem solved. - I think they improved the later model computers.

I prefer the FSM (factory service manual) because it has MUCH more information and design specifications than any aftermarket manual. Three books (section 1&2 plus suppliment) about 2 1/4'' thick, they are about your car and are specific to your model year, vs. one book that covers a range of years, that is probably less than an inch thick. I still ocasionally use my Haynes/Chilton's manual, but pretty rarely now - they are sometimes useful for interchangeability information and some more elementary level troubleshooting (like funky tire wear), but realize they are based on the FSM anyway, so you don't really gain much. The FSM also has many more diagrams if you are a visual person. That said, the Haynes manual (1980-1994 NOT 1980-1989) is decent for simpler repairs, like the timing belt, but the FSM is a very good book to have if you want to do anything more extensive (like modifications or overhauls). The FSM's troubleshooting information alone is excellent. - I think mine has served me at least 4x as well as the Haynes manual, and I picked that up for $16. But I have modded my car, and have really needed the extra information. - The best way to decide if you want the FSM is to look at the one I have given you a link to, and decide if you want the whole thing in paperback. If your car is fuel injected, the 1989 FSM should be fairly accurate, but if it is carbed, you will need the FSM for your car for it to be useful to you. I would also consiter an SPFI conversion - I did it myself, and have never looked back - it is a very intense and demanding process though, and is not for the faint of heart, however there is a manual on how to do it here: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/article.php?a=61 on how to do it - I have not used it as I did mine before it was written I have (and despise) the Chilton's manual for the car. I found it very unhelpful - the best chance is the one that covers 1985-1992, the newer one which streaches through '96 is far too inaccurate to be useful. They are (I think) still available from Subaru - I do not know the price, and you have to contact them directly to get a special sort of order in - I can't remember when the cutoff is, but they don't make manuals available via their online store if the car was made before a given year. Your best non-ebay chance would be to post a wanted thread in the marketplace section of this website - there are a fair number of people who have manuals for older soobs, and I am sure they would give you a fair price.

the turbo was available from 1985-1990, the cars from 85-86 use a flapper MAF, and one type of fuel injection system, and the ones from 87-90 use a different system (hot wire MAF)

sorry I was vague, I used fragments of the 1989 Factory Service manual, which can be found here (look under EA82) http://www.finleyweb.net/default.asp?id=142 it goes through how to troubleshoot the computer in the second set - sorry I did not think to post the link sooner - realize that your car will probably be slightly different, but it should still be very close the "IG-pulse" is the 0-5v (I think that is right - it may be 0-12v) signal that goes to the ignition amplifier transistor thingy I can't remember the proper name of mounted below the ignition coil - that bracket must be grounded well the CAS stands for Crank Angle Sensor which is the distributor - however on SPFI cars, it optically senses the engine speed and position, rather than time to fire (that is determined by the computer - gives MUCH better advance curve than normal disty) - my computer was bad, and it kept throwing a false code that my CAS was bad, when it wasn't - got three and tried them before I found the REAL problem (the computer) whatever you do, whenever you mess with the computer (pulling it or sensors), make sure the battery is disconnected so that you do not fry it, and make sure the retaining bolts for the computer are TIGHT before reconnecting the battery (if you have removed the computer) or else you will fry the computer - I fried two that way before I figured that out - that said, make sure your computer case, engine, and related components are WELL grounded - this is critical to proper operation Good Luck, Subarus are great cars, and I hope you find the gremlin so you can enjoy yours!

I have a similar problem too!! - though I am still in the process of ruling out the tires - and no popping mine is more of a vibration that comes and goes (at any speed), but the pull is constant - I am thinking wheel bearing at this point, but I do not know for sure!

Glad to hear you found out the problem!! In all honesty, as this took place a year ago, and you do not have the recipt, I would at the very least find the recipt before confronting him, and/or fix the car and drive it over to the shop (you can do a timing belt - I did one my sophmore year in high school - nearly put it on 180 degrees (or Pi radians ) off too!!). - That way when you walk in the door, you have something behind you to make your statements stick. Beyond that, I do not know what to suggest, there is probably some sort of statue of limitations from the legal side of the matter, and beyond that I do not know. Much of it depends on how he handles your complaint. I have had to confront mechanics before about their mistakes, but usually they were very reasonable, so I did not have to go any further - just stay calm. I would you suggest you get a copy of the Factory Service Manual for your car if you intend to start doing service yourself - they can be had off ebay at a reasonable cost (I got mine for $40 off ebay - yours may be more or less) just keep checking it! - It is BEST reference for your car, and it is a WONDERFUL tool - it is what the dealerships use, and it is written pretty clearly (as in most anybody can use/understand it if they know the basic facts about their car) here is a site that has PART of the FSM for a 1989 car - it is under EA82 http://www.finleyweb.net/default.asp?id=142 Good Luck!!!

I'm sorry to have to contradict you, but the 1985 FSM says specifically to have the "O"s AT LEAST 120-degrees apart when installing the clutch as they indicate "directions of residual unbalence" - this refers to the 5-speed D/R tranny - I have not had to do a Soob clutch yet, but in the MG I did, I had to do the same sort of seperation between "O"s - never had any vibration problems in that (though we did lose the rear axle in it once, but that is a different story ) It also says to note the position of the front/rear side of clutch disc, and that it must be installed with proper orientation, and to tighten (and torque) clutch cover bolts in a crisscross fassion

If they are both the same fuel system (SPFI) the computers should be swappable, and if the issue is the computer itself, you could swap the good one between cars to pass emissions or unplug your CEL I think in your case, there is probably a problem with the computer (that is how it flows in the T-shooting chart in the FSM) - maybe start looking for a cheap JY replacement I had a T-code for the CAS and no IG-pulse after I did my conversion, turned out to be a bad computer!

This may be a stupid question (probably is) but what kind of shape is your tranny oil in? I knew a guy who had the same sort of problem (but non-soob) - and found his tranny had almost no oil in it (he did a clutch job, and did not check oil level afterward) - just a thought, especially as the popping noise afterwards sounds like heat stress - hope it gets fixed!!

If you want to haul that much, you will probably need to go with a turbo if you stay with old gen, or a legacy. (That is assuming you aren't planning on doing any mods.) I have put an equivalent amount of weight in mine (around 1500lbs - including people), and while it can pull it, it is not a fast ride. If you are thinking about driving over 100km/h and dealing with any hills with that kind of load, forget it!! The 80's soobs were designed to be economical and rugged, but not powerful. It could pull that load at about 45mph indefinately. The width of the boat is the main concern as to how well it will fit on the roof racks - I have not towed with my car. Otherwise, the dual-range 5-speed is a very nice setup, I have used both ranges on mine, and the torque in low range is amazing. You just can't take the 4WD on dry pavement.

I agree that it is a good idea to clean it - and it is easy to do - remove the passenger side kickpanel, and right above it is the blower motor - not that hard to remove either - thought my blower had gone bad, but it was really leaves and other crap

sounds like a bad carb - had similar problems on mine several times I would try running Seafoam (what many others have done with sucess), Techron additive, and/or Marvel Mystery oil (in specified amount) through the fuel system to see if that cleans it up also double-check the 1000 vacuum hoses for leaks - carb issues and vacuum leaks are what precipitated my change to SPFI