njvaldes

Wow - you're not kidding - an identical to my most recent one. I love it - going to reach out now. Thanks for the tip - didn't realize the listed ads forum existed. Regarding engine, I really like to original body of the first gen and the interior as well. I've got a week off in mid-September and am planning on flying out and driving back a vehicle if I can find the right fit. That ad above is close enough I could do it without taking time away. The east coast ones seem to go for cheaper as well.

Interesting - I didn't know the '95 still had the EJ22. Good tip!

If anyone has suggestions of spots other than craigslist to search, the awd wagons of this generation are becoming harder and harder to find. I'm willing to travel to any of the 48 states to pick a gem up!

That's a good point for sure. I probably got lucky with my last one being in such good shape given the previous owner stated never having used it because they didn't know what it did. Sentimentality aside, I'm particularly attracted to the first gens because 1) I love the interior and exterior of the vehicles along w/ so many other early 90's Japanese vans, hatches, and wagons and 2) for someone like me who is mechanically inclined but not a car guy/tinkerer, they are a breeze to work on. For my life style a vehicle is a tool to get me out and about faster but I get my thrills on the bike. I've come to love the early 90's Legacy wagons and early 90's Toyota Previas because of the AWD/4WD option respectively and their capacity to carry my bikes and others and both allow enough room for sleeping inside w/ the pup during inclement weather. Outside of those reasons, the price on both vehicles is nearly always appealing and I've never been one to take out auto loans - the best vehicle is the one that's fully paid for (and AWD).

Thanks Mike - according to that that option (height adjustable air suspension) was only available in '91 with an auto trans. I know it was available in '90 as well. This is still helpful though. It appears that all the options I'd like are only available on the auto versions. Does anyone have other resources that dive deep into the first generation wagon models?

Hello all - I've owned two previous first gen legacies. Most recently I had a 1990 L package that I put a lot of miles on in a short period of time. I purchased it for $900 and got way more out of it than I paid. Unfortunately the previous owner's lapse on maintenance eventually caught up and multiple issues cropped up all at once that made it not worth pouring money into. It's been about 18 months and I find myself longing for that wagon back. In short I'm okay with a wrench and love working on these first gens but I'm looking for another in very good shape. I'm not looking for a project but rather something that's been cared for nicely. I'm curious if someone can point me to any resources that indicate options/packages available on the first gen. My wagon was an auto but had the full sun/moon roof and a nifty 'height' feature that allowed the vehicle to be raised a bit for more clearance - this feature came in handy quite often while living in a small mtn town in Western CO. I'd love to find that same package again but would love to snag one with a manual if possible. Any resources that indicate what packages were available would be appreciated. Additionally if anyone knows good resources for finding a gem, I'd love to get some advice. Thanks ahead of time. N

When you say fix is that just replacement of the duty c solenoid? This car is to me a tool for work and getting around town. I'd like to keep it running and in good shape but minimal investment if that makes sense. That being said, the car is in good shape in a lot of ways so if small investments will (hopefully) yield big payoff in terms of longevity of the vehicle, I'm certainly down. Being that the primary use is longer highway miles for work projects I'd prefer to keep it reliable and mitigate the chances of being left stranded. Thoughts? Nick

No noticeable 'bind' at the moment. Is there a reason it needs to be replaced now or can I continue to drive as is? Second, is my interpretation of the code accurate? Two long flashes and four short flashes is code '24'?

When I follow the above directions I get nothing but a fast blinking light when I follow the 'existing problem' protocol. I presume that is the 'blinking every 1/4 second is normal'? When I follow the protocol for previous problems I get two long blinks followed by 4 short blinks. I presume this is equivalent to code '24'? If that is the case, then that would indicate a Duty C Solenoid. I haven't notice any problems driving. Most of the miles are highway miles. Anyone care to advise? Nick

Being a '90 it should be a 4EAT but I'll have to check the service records to see what transmission was put in upon replacement. I only put in 1/2 quart and it seems to be at the full line. I'll check again after a proper warm up and drive around next time I use it and report back. Weird issue is the blinking power light comes and goes. It does not happen every time I fire the engine up. I followed the procedure listed here but I'm not sure what it means by code displayed. I assumed it meant to count the number of power light blinks but doing that the number does not match the code table. It says blinking every 1/4 second is normal and that is what it is doing for about 6-8 seconds on occasional startups. It should be noted that driving it shifts as smoothly as any auto tranny I've driven of this era and doesn't have any noticeable problems. Nick

Hello all. I recently purchased a 1990 Legacy LS Wagon from a couple who used it only to drive back and forth from their condo in Salt Lake City to Alta Ski Resort and back. At the time of purchase it had only 113k miles and they were the original owners. The car is in great shape and I hope to make it last for miles to come. I don't drive often but do plan to use it for highway trips and occasional times when AWD is required. I'm fairly mechanically inclined and feel very comfortable working on older Japanese vehicles such as this one. This is my second 1st gen Legacy. A couple questions regarding the Auto tranny: Even though they took good care of the vehicle and serviced it regularly I don't know that they knew much about the vehicle. I have most of the maintenance records. The previous owners stated they had the transmission replaced about 20k ago. I have the work receipt and I don't notice any problems. The power light did a flashing routine and after some searching found the diagnostic routine that someone here or on another Subaru forum posted. It also prompted me to check the atf fluid levels according to the manual. A couple questions regarding the Auto tranny: 1. The atf fluid is a bit harder to check than other fluids (I presume because of the angle of the dip stick and lower viscosity fluid?). I followed the routine for a hot fluid check. The dipstick had a solid line of fluid well below the 'low' mark on the hot side of the stick. There was a thin barely noticeable line a good way up the stick though. I don't think this 'counts' as being at a full level though. Thoughts? 2. I went to our local Napa (I live in a small rural town with only one auto store) and given that Dextron II has been gone awhile he recommended Max Life (full syn) multi-vehicle ATF for dex/merc, Mercon LV. I bought it and followed the procedure to top the fluid level off. Rechecked the dipstick using the recommended procedure and it seems to be a full 'line' on the dipstick that after drive a mile or so is a solid line of fluid the width of the stick and after half quart is up to the full line with only a small barely noticeable thin line extending past 'full'. I presume this is normal? 3. Is the fluid I used an okay substitute for Dextron II? All results I can find on various forums indicate yes but I know auto transmissions can be a finicky bunch. 4. As I mentioned I do most of my driving on the highway at cruising speed and make a couple 8 mile round trip runs to town for groceries or to take the dog hiking. It does not get heavy use. Exceptions are I occasionally take it off road for photo shoots where clearance allows. I'm keen to keep the underside washed afterwards but for this reason I feel I should probably change the atf fluid a bit more often than every 30k as those 50-100 mile stints do put a heavier strain on the transmission. Apologies for the long first post. I just want to make this ole girl last as long as possible. Interior is nearly perfect and the car really does drive nice. Emissions passed with flying colors, well below the CO & CA state limits. I live in CO for three seasons and CA in the winter months so the car does not see true winter temps. Any other advice or recommendations are appreciated. ~Nick