85Sub4WD

I think the specs are the same in the FSM, but I would have to check to be sure. - I'll get back to you. Gut instinct tells me yes.

Can you actually clean the electronic vacuum control valve? I did not realize that was possible I guess it will save me in the future ...

Yes and no, cheap (Quaker State) oil has had a tendency to build up wax in bad places and spin bearings, and also gell in a bad way. This was mainly due to refining issues - I still don't use Quaker State because I have seen it do some VERY weird stuff if it sits too long in the bottle - even sealed and unopened. Moderately priced (Castrol/Mobil - not 1) at regular intervals is best. I generally consier anything over $2.50 a quart to be excessive - I usually run Castrol Synthetic Blend b/c I have found it to work really well, and it is reasonably priced. Regular oil changes are always cheaper than an ocasional engine rebuild.

not necessarily as the oil itself is what does the trapping - the "stuff" added is just added to change its viscosity range, hence why I don't like 10w-40 - too much stuff added. Realize that the more "stuff" trapped in the oil means the less protection the oil is really giving your engine as it is carring all of that "stuff" over, through, and around the bearings and everything else it's just bad karma

As I stated earlier - brats (yes, even gen 1's) are replaceable - people are not, we are all overjoyed to hear you are alright. Take it easy tomorrow you will feel like crap from the physical shock of the accident if you haven't already - been there. I'm sorry, I know this has been a MAJOR disappointment - I can't imagine that happening to any of the cars I have really restored - and I hope it doesn't :-\ I guess I put myself at risk for that kind of disappointment because I drive the same soob my family has owned for 20 years - long story but I am actually the reason they got it - and I wasn't born when they got it either - so I am very attached to my soob!

When did you last change your fuel filter? the braking system on these subarus is dual-diagonal (left front/right rear on same circuit) - hence the X pattern for bleeding fwd/rwd/awd/4wd has nothing to do with the brakes - I have seen rwd cars with the same style dual-diagonal brake systems - I have also seen fwd cars with the front/rear split - everything is possible!!! I think the dual-diagonal setup on soobs is mainly for the benifit of the hill-holder systems ALWAYS CHECK THE TYPE OF BRAKE SYSTEM BEFORE BLEEDING!!!!!

Keep the soobs away - far away - the Midgets may be contagious However, I think you may already have an epidemic :-p

British cars are novalties - NEVER expect to be able to use one as a daily driver - they are simply not that reliable - and that is putting it VERY nicely - went through 1 month with a 1979 MG Midget in which it blew it's catalytic converter up, blew the brake master cylinder, both rear brake cylinders, and lost an axle - don't get me started on Lucas and it was being BABIED the whole time!!! I like british cars for their looks, and I don't know what else ...

yes Mine wouldn't bolt in place b/c the bolt spacing was different - hence the problem I had. I would still run extra ground wires because the chassis on these cars is grounded, but not well. http://www.finleyweb.net/default.asp?id=142 this link goes to a site with a complete FSM section on SPFI FI and troubleshooting - sorry I did not think of it earlier good luck!!

Glad to hear she is OK The fact it was a Dodge POS Dakota that did it doesn't give me much solice - I hate to see accidents like that - especially when they destroy a classic - T-boners are the worst (I know that better than I would like to). She can find another first gen soob, I am extremely glad to hear that she made it out alive. I hope she does get physical therapy or something, because there can be massive internal damage done to muscles and joints in an accident like that, which will take weeks or months to appear. My mom was in a similar accident, and it took her YEARS to recover. A first gen Subaru would not be my first choice for the car to be in if I were in one - they are VERY rugged and sturdy overall, but the side-impact accident stability on pre-Legacy soobs is not very good. though they will tear through anything in a front or rear impact accident (mine has been the destruction of 3 other cars - not the Soob driver's fault either). This is the first time I have heard of a soob rolling in an accident, must have been high-speed.

yes no filter can get everything - most of the most harmful contaminates can pass through ALL available filters because they are physically similar to oil, just chemically different - mainly blowby gasses and acids that come from reactions between the oil and blowby gasses I do mine every 3000 myself - it's a subaru, it's easy AND cheap

Make sure you ground your ECU's body or else it will fry, giving you no ignition pulse and an error code for your crank angle sensor. I did that twice. or you have a bad crank angle sensor Check juice on the power transistor, and make sure it is good.

yes, justy's were made in the 90's carb systems on subarus are not good, whatever you do, stick with MPFI that said, you would be in emissions trouble if you reverted to carb. ECVT bad - 5 speed good ideal combination - 5 speed with MPFI you should be able to do the switch, you will just need the FSM (factory service manual) for the year car of your FI system

Older Soobs are known to have tempermental, but reliable transmissions. Unless you see metal shards in the oil, don't sweat. Changing to synthetic oil helps.

Non-turbo GL-10 is basically the same as a GL, but with a digital dash (which was optional on GL's) If it is an 1985 GL-10 it is definately 2WD with N/A MPFI engine (I have a list of models available). Later models - it depends. Really, the only difference is in trim. Oh, and all (or almost all) GL-10's came with an automatic transmission.

I replaced my front struts with ones off a low-milage vehicle about 10,000 miles ago - no problems - OEM Subaru stuff is great.

I did not properly ground the ECU housing when I converted to SPFI and had MAJOR issues (as in I needed a new computer) - I now have grounding wires EVERYWHERE!! Additional grounding is a GREAT idea in all cases/applications.

Depends. I have known damage to vary from replacing valve/valve guide to piston and cylinder bore damage from flakes of metal coming off of the valve during/after collision (if that is what happened). The instances I know of vary from a honda (valve/valve guide) to a VW that "dropped" a valve (cylinder bore damage), but I don't know of this happening on a Subaru. You will have to pull the head to really be able to tell. This is certainly bizzare!

This site has PART of the FSM for a hot-wire type MAF turbo system. Might come in useful - http://www.finleyweb.net/default.asp?id=142

I think you forgot your chemistry. Oil will decay on the molecular level, depositing nasty stuff in your engine. Synthetic decays slower than dino, so it will last longer, but not indefinately. Some engines are designed to keep the oil cool enough that decay is VERY slow (Rolls-Royce). Subaru engines are not one of those. You HAVE to change your oil regularly or else you WILL sludge up your engine. Also keep in mind that the tighter your filtration, the more strain on your oil pump, which means less delivery.

Really the ricey crowd is sooooo sad, stupid, etc. ..... That it isn't worth messing with them. My way to get them is to rev to 5,500 before I shift b/c Hondas/Toyotas don't like to go past 4,000 and really sound bad if you hit 5,000. I drive fast anyway, and the fact that I have outmanuevered many other cars (including ricey ones) in a totally stock 20 yr. old car says something. That has silenced many mouths, and the fact I know more about how their car works than they do - like the response - "Oh, so you actually change you own oil? I've never done that before." Much of it is that "my mom/dad bought it so it is the fastest thing on four wheels" attitude. All one has to do is shrug it off and start pointing out the crappy handling on their car (most newer ones do have crappy handling), and all the money that they have wasted on something that looks like crap. If they belittle your car, feel free to do the same to theirs. Realize that the EA82 cars came with a front spoiler that is 2x the size of the ricey aftermarket ones on newer cars, and ours is steel and bolted into the frame, so it actually does something. I love the feeling of going 65+ because you can feel it suck you down onto the road. Point that out. Point out how much is stock and how much you haven't done, and that you can still beat them. And if they don't acknowledge that, call them desperate or vain and leave it at that. Ricey rides are not worth getting upset over. If nothing else, know that the person behind the wheel probably has the mechanical prowess of a walnut. That should give you ample satisfaction. Oops, I think I just insulted walnuts Anyway, you will always end up on top in rain, snow, sleet, ice, etc. etc. etc. Try running a Honda/Toyota through those conditions I personally enjoy passing SUV's which spun out the most, and asking them if they need help - funny nobody takes me up on the offer! About 5 years ago we got a 20+ inch snow in Raleigh overnight (we usually get 4 in max a year) which paralyzed everything. We ended up ferrying our neighbors to and from the grocery store!! Boy were they suprised!

Almost all of my driving is "extreme" ie city stop - and - go, and the recommended oil change interval in my owner's manual for "extreme" conditions is 3,000 miles. I also look at the dipstick and feel the oil - if it feels different than it does new out of the bottle, oil change time. Funny how it gets to that point every 3,000 miles that's my main concern about prolonged use of oil, because the broken-down oil can leave deposits - and yes ALL oil breaks down, including synthetics - they just take longer

Are you sure you bypassed the AT inhibitor switch??

Head gasket - BTW Antifreeze is REALLY bad for the bearings in your engine - don't drive it until it is fixed if at all possible, or else you will have to rebuild your entire engine

See if you can pull some codes from the computer. They will best tell you what the problem is at this point.