FerGloyale

That is a good piece of basic testing. But, in this case, hmmm....Well, the torque bind is intermittent. Most only long drives. If the transitor on the TCU board that drives the "C" is just a little flaky when hot, the FWD fuse would still work for full FWD, but yet not properly regulate flow for slow moving slip vs. grab during parking. IDK, I've got some test driving to do. And I gotta try to dig up a 3.9 TCU in my stash for testing.

Ah.....Thanks for the link to that chart Dash.... I had forgot the reverse procedure for outputting PAST codes. Just went and did it and still getting Duty C code. Thinking this TCU is dead. Wiring Ohms out, Solenoid is new......so that leaves the TCU or the Dropping resitor? Guess that's the next test.

Yes, I did get 16 flashes on startup. Car is also exhibiting torque bind while parking. Duty C just replaced with brand new OE From subaru. Clutch drum grooves ground out and polished. Clutch plate clearance checks OK. Car has 270k miles. I may have turned the key on and off one too many times before getting code output......it only tells you code from last drive. So maybe that's why Im getting no codes just blink?

Hey all. A little discussion about early Legacy (oBD I) Automatic Trasn computers and codes. There is a lot of conflicting info from different years. But for Early ones this is my familiarity. "AT temp" light flashes 16 times at startup to indicate a detected fault during last drive cycle. This is not code 16, it is just the indicator that there IS a code to be pulled. So, use secret handshake........ Key off, shifter to D, with power button pressed. Then key on, depress power button shift to 3rd, press power button shift to 2nd, depress power button Shift to 1st, press power button Tap throttle past 1/2 way. Now this should output codes with short/long blinking like enigne codes............3 short, 4 long would be code 34....... Now, what I'm getting is a Steady, constant blink......nothing to give it any code. Can't find info on this condition. Does anyone know? Does this mean teh TCU is boogered and can't self-diagnos?

Had this happen to 3 cars now. 1 98 forester, and 2, 03 Outbacks. all 3 were fixed by replacing the charcoal canister. Not sure if it was the canister, the valve, or what but simply replacing the unit solved it.

There is a hose from the heater pipe to the carb base. This is the one for carb warmup and anti icing in cold. This hose can be eliminated. simply cap the nipple at the heater pipe. Other end needs no cap. This hose gets ditched all the time in Weber swaps. Then, there is a hose from the thermostat housing to the top of the block, under intake in center. This hose is needed to prevent air bubbles from forming in the top of the block where the coolant passage for crossover is. This hose is actually kinda important, although it can be capped of for a quick fix. If this is the one you mean, it more about the air bubble than anything. Tapping in a brass fitting should wokr fine, just make sure it will clear the manifold. There should not be a hose from the thermostat area to the Carb. If that is the case, someone has rerouted your coolant lines.

Shaking the diff stub is not a test at all of diff condition. The stub has play inside the spider gears, and the cup has play on the stub, and wiggle is normal. they all have some play. Did you check the backlash engagement of the teeth with a dial indicator? Have you drained the front diff to look for chinks and large shavings? Seen to many junked subaru's for "bad diffs" I guess to trust anything but a conclusive diagnosis. Does the car still drive?

Dang, too early for me. My 16 YO has school until 1:30 or 3. Not sure yet. If you get stalled and are on teh road later, check this post for more info maybe we can merge up on i-5

I would definitely examine the CV axle and the stub first. It may be just the broken CV axle and then the stub pulled out and drained the fluid.

Front diff is part of the trans. If you need a new diff you need a trans. Let me ask though, how was it determined it needs a new front diff. That is extremely rare. Other causes like broken CV axle or bad wheel bearing can make bad sounds, and mimic front diff trouble.

yup that's the issue.

You mean short gears. Your up against the RPMs sooner, so shorter gears are what you have now. Tall would be 2000 rpms at 80. Doubtful he's got a Forester trans in there. If it was a regular forester trans it would be the same 4.11 as what it came with. The 4.44 manual trans only came in Turbo Foresters, and not as early as 98. Also, that 4.44 turbo trans has VERY TALL 5th gear set (desirable to swap into older trans) Here, the GT probably has 4.11 gears, like the Outbacks of same years. but Becasue of the smaller tires, the gears feel shorter. Remedy would be a 3.9 trans from a 2.2 engined Legacy or Impreza (not OB sport).......OR buy the tall 5th gear set from subaru and swap into your trans.......then only 5th would be taller. FWIW there is nothing wrong with cruising at 4300 RPMS........except for the speeding

Look at the plastic liner in the fender well. It may be cracked and blowing backward into the tire, on;y at higher speeds (over 40)

I was Born at Truckee hospital. Taken home to house on Dolly Varden street on the north Cali side of lake (Kings Beach). Olympic valley is also WAAY not close to Truckee. Closer to the lake at Tahoe City than to Truckee. Did you learn geography at the same place as grammar? That's also my point. It's an area, not just one specific place, and to get from one part to another can be a challenge in winter. People that live in the area frequently need to drive somwhere else than just the damn Lake. The entire area is surrounded by 8000+ ft mountains. Lake Tahoe residents have to deal with 15-25 or more feet of snow falling through the winter. Sometimes 10ft in one storm. Sometimes you have to leave for work before the plow goes through. And stopping to change a timing belt in the snow would probably make you late for your job. So be a cavalier macho "i don't need no stinking timing belt covers" kinda guy if you want. Try to gaslight the whole internet by telling us that "Lake Tahoe doesn't get much snow cause it's a 6000 ft." lol. That's like saying "Hawaii doesn't get THAT much sun because it isn't on the Equator" Seems like spending 15 more minutes putting timing covers on to protect the rollers from corrosion and keep the belt from being tossed by snow or mud would be the smarter options. Of course using punctuation is also the smart way to write, so, to the OP, make your own conclusion about who's advice is more sound. Running coverless is for summer weather street cars.

Yeah, that's why they held the winter Firggin Olympics there. It aint a pissing contest man. You aren't the expert on everything. But whatever, Bragadociously give patently bad advice, and exclaim you are the elder high muckity muck of subaru knowledge. To the OP. Get some good belts and put yer covers on. Don't listen to "Ferp" his cars are mostly broke down raggedy bags of garbage from his posts. If he really knew what the F he was doing, he wouldn't be so quick to talk smack at folks giving good advice. Can't figure out were a period goes.........so you guess how good his advice is.

That's just a heated baffle. If you look at the exhaust, that "port" is only in the shroud. Tube from that "port" up to the air filter box was meant to supply warm air to engine for warm up operation, but it's basically useless. All of the actual exhaust exits at the back. You could disregard it and make an entire new y-pipe and it won't make a damn nit difference.

my old 86 IMG_0273 by Dans Subaru, on Flickr

Yeah, and I've wheeled with a few of them and had to stop and change belts in deep snow and mud. Actually that's happened at least 5 times I can think of off the top of my head. My EA82s with covers never broke or tossed a belt in snow. I was born it Tahoe. Brought home from hospital in a then brand new 78 EA71 4wd GL wagon. I know what the snow is like.

There is no point in replacing the seals if you aren't replacing the bearings.

Ugh... Bad idea still. Salt, road grime, etc.... Get good belts, and new tensioners and put the covers on. Ignore it for 5 more years at least. Or put belts on every 6-9 months with no covers on.

he's in Lake Tahoe. Feet of snow all winter. It would not be a good idea to run without timing belt covers in a place that will DEFINATELY see lots of big snow drfits. Get OE or Misuboshi belt,and koyo tensioners/rollers.

Middle.

Those look like they are the deeper dish, curved spokes from early 80's GL (EA81 cars) I don't think they will clear the front brake rotors on your loyale. There is an EA82 version of this wheel that will fit. Chrome rings are just trim. rare to find a full set with them.

they can look fine but still be broken. Visual inspection isn't enough. Open the hood, and look at the inner CV cups while an assistant puts the car into gear (holding brakes) If a CV is broken you will see the axle cup spinning but wheel not turning. Torque bind feels like dragging brakes while turning sharp, but doesn't make grinding noise and would not ahve any effect on Parking pawl. I'm 90% that you have a broken front CV axle.

Hey who's going to WCSS from central/southern OR? And which days do ya'll plan to travel? Any chance of meeting up for a Caravan? tentative plan for me is to leave Friday afternoon from Corvallis area? Anyone passing through the area around then from the south? Anyone in Salem or Portland leaving later Friday wanna arrange meet up for I-5 caravan?