MR_Loyale

Please don't drive sleep deprived. Leave extra time in case of unexpected events

Ok so for everyone in the Seattle Bremerton Tacoma Olympia area and the folks coming from the East, we will be meeting up at the Tacoma Mall parking lot if no one objects. Timing is still being figured out to allow those coming from the East to join up.

So you must be around Olympia?

Les Schwab??? Shaking my head.

Coming to WCSS? I'd love to have someone else that isn't half my age so to speak.

You will be coming from PA? The Crosstrek?

If you and Frankin want to meet up with our group heading south down I-5 you'd have to take I-90 over. I heard you indicate earlier you preferred south to 84 in OR via Tri cities I presume. I checked on google it is about the same distance and time. So if you come on I-90 going to the show you can join up with us. You can head back via 84 if you wish.

Well unless there is a coup and since I suggested this caravan I suppose, unless others object, I will be "leading". I use that term loosely because when you get a group of people together like this there is no guarantee, beyond a gentlemen's agreement, that people will behave or even show up on time. Something like this, if we are having lots of folks from all over join, requires lots of coordination. Just because others are speeding doesn't mean everyone has to, I certainly won't be speeding. I will have the day off and intend to enjoy the drive and relax. I could get there in the afternoon or later and that is fine as long as we all get there safely. In fact, a few stops along the way are planned at rest stops and such so folks can check their cars periodically, stretch their legs, walk their poverbial dog that every Subaru owner is supposed to own (according to the latest Subaru ads they even sell cars directly to the dogs). I have a cat. Go figure. She will be staying home. And I know how it can be working min wage. Did that years ago myself. Bosses could care less about your personal life or even if you broke a leg, only will you be in for work. The offer to borrow a radio is still open. All I ask is that you don't call me up Thursday night right before the trip asking for one. I am willing and can afford to purchase a set or two but I do need advance notice. I also work with a guy who lives in Samammish, so I could send it home with him to be picked up. Sounds like you are well versed in repairing EA82's and would be helpful if anyone else broke down. I didn't mean insult by implying a shop, just so you know. Not all of us are McGyvers when it comes to car repair, least of all myself though I am learning. After some shop horror stories I can tell, I may become like that too. Besides the knowledge to repair these older cars is going away from your average shop. Allstate will tow you from Longview to Samammish free?? WOW. I only had to be towed once in 20 years of owning the car and that was because I didn't tighten the crank shaft bolt enough when I did the timing belts in 2008 and it came loose after a trip from Spokane to Bremerton. I didn't have any tools with me at the time. But it was never because the car failed me That is why I love these cars. Always start and generally very reliable. But as it gets older it just makes sense to have decent towing for any car. Anyway I hope you can make it down there. If not with us, then just stop by and say hello.

Meh. I'll get the same effect when my exhaust finishes rusting out.

Nice car. I have that same car but in white and I can see the aluminum on my engine instead of black grease lol. I can see you are lovingly restoring it. I missed the odometer reading in one of the pics. Was that 276,000 ?

You can also have folks ride along with you too. Not everyone needs to be a single occupant driver. It helps spread the fuel cost out, makes for relief drivers and an extra hand if roadside repairs become necessary.

If you have read my previous writeup on installing a trunk popper, I had alluded to a remote keyless entry system. If you have no idea what I am talking about, you can review the thread here: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/137299-adding-a-trunk-popper/ Since then I have also added a driver side door lock actuator which I will be soon posting a writeup about. This allows the driver door to be electrically operated so in turn all the door locks can be electrically operated specifically in a build up to my keyless entry and remote start system. I KNOW you all recall the video about the resistive rest at ground ciruit lol. Last night I finished wiring the first phase of my remote entry/start system. I purchased the Arctic Start 1WAM4R kit. Basicly it is a controller/computer (I think it is a 68HC11 processor) that does the remote keyless, remote start and some alarm functions. Yes - on a manual transmission YOU CAN have a remote start kit. There are lots of safety interlocks and protocols to ensure no one gets run over by an errant runaway car, but it is possible. Remote start will be the last feature I connect as it is more involved than just door lock unlock and trunk popping. But for now my key fobs are programmed to the controller and the lock, unlock and trunk pop all work. I finished up about 12:30 last night and had the lock unlock working but the trunk wouldn't pop. I thought for sure the unit was bad so I went in for the night and got online. I then got the idea that maybe I needed to hold the button down longer for the trunk. I tried that this moring and the trunk popped open! At night this will be particularly dramatic because of the LED lighting that comes on. My old eyes will have no trouble at all finding anything in that trunk. My horn doesn't honk when unlocking like all the newer cars do because I didn't hook up the horn. I haven't found the complete circuit diagram anywhere and the only wire I found on the steering column appeared to be the power circuit for the horn rather than the relay control circuit. My controller only provides 250mA of current negative output so i didn't want to risk it until I was sure or I used a relay to control it. I kind of like it without the horn though to be honest. I will have this car at WCSS15 and hopefully by that time the remote start will be functional as well. If you are interested in seeing it, stop by and I will be happy to answer questions. I will also be doing a writeup for the manual afterwards. This car also has a backup cam, video head unit and backup sonar.

What day are you planning to arrive? Just because folks are coming from the south as well doesn't mean we can't all rendezvous some place. I kinda hoped the Old Gen folks would be camping in the same general area.

Speeding? I think you have us confused with the WRX ricer caravan lol. I'd be very surprised to hear of any Loyale with an automatic ever accused of speeding. I have been in caravans of boat owners going down I -5 then along the Oregon 84 with everything from a 16 foot boat up to a 32 foot crusier (yes on a trailer). Didn't have any of those issues you mention. Not sure what types of caravans you have been participating in. I obey all traffic laws and if anyone has any ideas of weaving in and out of traffic on the interstate pretending to be Lightning McQueen, I'd rather they not participate. As for the radios, they aren't CB radios. They are called FRS radios and are about a step up from Radio Shack walkie talkies kids play with. Nothing too complicated, no installation or license required. Usually you can get a pair for about 35 bucks. I have some extra ones I wouldn't mind loaning to anyone who cannot afford them. Almost everyone has a cell phone these days, we contact them at the rendezvous point by cell, then when they arrive they can borrow an frs radio. Most folks who choose not to participate won't hop on the thread and attribute things like speeding and breaking traffics laws to others they don't even know. They would simply decline to post a message. If you are shy kid or whatever that is fine. Did you ever consider it might be nice to have others around in case of breakdown? Folks that actually might have a clue about Subaru EA82 engines other than the local yokel shop who's answer to everything is a bigger hammer? An adult with a AAA gold membership with an 80 mile towing range? Anyways, you are a kid so I am sure you meant no disrespect as your life experience is so little. I hope you make it down there safely and enjoy the show.

This is the first I had heard that the head crack issue was related mostly to MPFI. This fall I will be doing my SPFI (93 EA82) head gaskets. I hope you are right, it would be welcome news. I had also heard that you can just reuse the heads in most case the issue isn't critical. Is this true?

Absolutely. That would be extra cool. You'd obviously have to leave a day or two earlier depending on how aggressively you want to drive. Do you have an idea of others that might want to join your midwest caravan?

I believe that is the EGR.

Is anyone interested in caravanning to WCSS? I kind of had this vision of a big long line of Old Gens pulling into the grounds kind of like this commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Ls0grW7LmiU We have folks coming from Eastern Wa, ID and MT and could gradually meet up along I-90 then down I-5 the rest could meet up as we head south. I did this once with a boating group and it is quite a sight especially when you pull into the rest stops. We all had FRS radios along the way. What do you all think?

Do you have a friend nearby with a Loyale or Gl with the same engine? Ask them to come over and open their hood so you can compare the wires. You have learned from experience why you change the dirstributor cap one wire at a time lining it up with the existing one so the wires go in the correct order. "Experience is a fine school ..." - Ben Franklin

Here is bumblebeastie:

I was excited at first to hear of the Big Northwest Subaru meet last weekend, especially since it was right near where I live. And while I had a good time being a member of the way over thirty club (all 7 of us) in a sea of twenty and unders, I found the over representation of newer gen ricerizations well a little overbearing shall I say politely. Yes, I counted a few older cars there, but they were greatly outnumbered by the "performance" cars and such. Clearly it was an event geared towards selling the latest stuff rather than an exhibit of Subaru. That's OK in and of itself. I mean it was only a 15 min drive for me anyways. I have never been to WCSS before but was thinking if it is the same type of thing, I might want to pass on it. I guess I envision something more of an exchange of knowledge of our Old Gen cars rather than a bragfest about which ricer has the prettiest purple turbo pipes and shiny turbochargers on their two year old vehicle. I really am into the older stuff. Heck I drive a twenty year old car as my daily driver, so if that's not proof I don't know what is. I would actually prefer to meet folks working on their older Subaru's, keeping them going and hear their triumphs and tragedies. That is mainly why I come here myself. I personally feel a three hour drive for a latest generation ricerfest would be a waste of my time. Now if someone wants to meet up there and get help fixing their AC, changing a CV axle, setting the timing I am all there. I feel more akin to folks just wanting to keep their older daily drivers running strong than new gen folks with lots of money to ricerize. Keeping my Loyale running is more of a hobby and sentimental thing (it is my frst car bought brand new) for than a necessity for transportation. I have other vehicles but sometimes the journey is much more interesting than the destination, if you get my meaning. Has anyone in the Old Gen crowd been to one of these before? Is it a sales convention for the latest Subaru stuff or is there a gathering where one can gain real practical knowledge that will help them repair their older gen car?

Personally I like the auto seatbelts. They are novel. I can understand folks wanted to give up on them though if they don't like the hassle. In twenty years of use, this is the first time they acted up. Not bad in my book.

Oh and on the EA82 there are two timing belts that are hidden behind plastic covers. So if you are looking down and seeing a belt on your engine, it most likely is not a timing belt. On my EA82 there are two drive belts that drive the power steering, water pump, AC and alternator but the timing belts are under a black plastic cover behind the crank shaft pulley. Here is a pic of one removed from the car. Note the black plastic covers:

According to WIKI, your engine is an EA82. You can tell for sure if you walk up to the engine from directly in the front look down at the top of the block, in it will be molded EA82. This is the same engine as my 93 Loyale basically. There were pushrod variations and carbed variations though. In general, the timing is adjusted by loostening the bolt on the distributor and retarding or advancing the timing while a strobe light is connected to number one cylinder and flashes each time that piston fires while an access cover to the flywheel is off and the green firewall connectors are connected. The strobe "freezes" the scale molded on the flywheel so it appears that a number on the scale -20 to +20 is under the "pointer" molded into the bell housing. You do this while the distributor shaft bolt is loosened just enough so you can turn the entire distributor assembly while wathcing the "scale" move relative to the pointer until the desired timing number it reached. What is the desired timing number? It should be on a Vehicle Emissions Control Information (VECI) label underneath your hood. There is more to it than just loosening the disty and turning it though. Do yourself a favor and run down to your local auto store and ask for either Haynes or chilton manual on your car. It will be the best $26 bucks you will EVER spend. All is revealed for twenty six dollars (pictures too)! Seriously, I could write it up on how to do it, but I don't know all the variations for model years etc. For example, I suspect you have a carb, mine uses an injector. This is the exact Haynes book I have and it appear it covers your model too: If you are super duper broke, most public libraries have them for checkout for FREE.

How is it you know the timing is off? If you tested it with a timing light, then adjust it. Not sure about your engine, but the EA82 you simply adjust the distributor.