Indrid cold

Congrats! $50... isn't much for the risk factor.... if you loose it... not out that much but yea... you need the title before you touch the car cause the dude may want it back... or report it stolen or don't care etc... but here it is again... track him down, get the title... It took me 3 months on one of my roo's for the owner to finaly come up for air and I got ahold of him, I explained what had happened and he didn't care about getting car back and signed it over to me at State title office and sealed the deal with a receipt "sold for $1." and handed him a crisp $1 bill to legal things up. When I first went and got the car I had the guy who's property the car sat on sign a permission form too tow and store (made form on my computer) so I could tow, and store the car since he wanted it off his property till we tracked down the owner... at least I had a paper trail if law pounded on my door in the middle of the night...probably wasn't totally legal but it worked for me in the end. Ohh... yea.. it was an '82 wagon also... less engine.

"Roaring noise", ???? sounds like it could be bearings... no biggie to replace those if that's what it is. Possibly loose axel nut? "The banging noise?" ??? no idea right off. Take your foot and push on the top of the tire, get the car to wiggle and see if you can notice any excess movement, also do this with it in the air, jack up front and grab the tire and move up/down left/right and check for any excessive movement. With car on proper supports, lay under neath and look for missing bolts, wiggle the joint, tie rods and check the Ball joints by prying on them... (I think that needs to be done with car on the ground.) Assure the 3 bolts on top of the strut mounts (found under hood) are tight, also wiggle any rubber bushings etc... and I'm spent....... My .02 cents worth.

Stopped in Auto parts store last week... new product for store on display.. Seafoam.. hmmmm.. I thought.. see if it's true.... Put down Carb. in 1990 olds with 257,000 miles... ran so good after wards I decided to keep her a bit longer as I was thinking this was it for the old girl, so new rotors, radiator, hoses and going for the 300,000 mark, I do 110 miles a day with her and never ran better. Sunday, driving my 88 wagon, out of the blue a stuck lifter 2 weeks after oil change, ... tick, tick, tick,... that is new I thought.... 3 days later... still ticking... hmmmm... put in crank case... 1/2 hour later... no more tick... I will see if it is a permanent fix over the next few weeks... but I think it be gone and running better just from earlier tonight. so yea... I'm sold.

Be visible, slow down in congested areas, drive defensively! I hate too say it, but yah... not good safety standing... my brother is one of those that drives Ford F-350, his mind set is anything less then a Semi-truck he wins!... my mind set is, I keep an eye out for my brother!.. you have to be a defensive driver in these cars.... second guess the other guys and always try too keep a way out and be visible... no guarentee.... but the good side.. they are such fun little rigs to drive around:headbang: .. from city street to dirt roads.. just got too love the things! I did come across an accident on the way too work 2 years ago on a two lane Highway (Called the Hanford 500) that leads out to the desert to goverment facilities, a car passing and thought it was clear.... I was going to post a picture but since a death was involved... not probably proper but enough time has past that I guess I can talk about it, one employee on the way home from work driving Subaru Wagon.... I think like a 93, the other in a Toyota Pickup.. the new ones... probably a 2002... both head on at about 70 mph each... Toyata and driver lost, subaru totalled, jaws of life to get out driver and long recovery.. but lived and back too work... to many variables to say why one lived and the other didn't.. you just have to be on guard at all times... *knock on wood...

THANKS, THATS THEM! Rad, ordered and be here in 2 days, so nice...

I know this is a repost but I did a search and couldn't find.. What is the name of that Radiator supplier/shipper in Portland? .... they have been mentioned on here several times and my radiator in my 1990 Olds is bad so figure I would try them out and have one shipped in...

sorry to do this but I am not familiar with how much: 4 door sedan, 1991 (power windows etc.. ) Multi-port fuel injection 200,000 miles , good runner from what I heard, new alt. and clean eng.. eng is EJ2.2? or something like that.. (I know EA-82 etc...) that is what I don't know if they are any good.. guy says it flys down the highway, he bought it from friend for Granddaughter and her mom had bought her another car so she doesn't want the Subaru...... suppose to be nice inside, ski rack, any way he bought it for $700, put $200 into it and would take $1,000... then, well, I want it gone so he said bring me $800. Yes, ski rack on top. What do you think? Update: O.k, got pics, Tell me about this one: Here is the car: power windows etc... says 4x4.. but I forgot to see if that was even in there so is he talking about constant all-wheel drive in this thing or did I miss the button etc.. to activate.. Pic: EJ2.2 MOTOR:

No matter how you look at it cars are money traps for the average person and too find a car that is dependable and your able to work on puts money back into your pocket. Some drive the older rigs for that reason that they can work on them, no payments and kind of fun, others buy a new Sazukie or Kia and change oil till the first maintenance at 100,000 miles. Your answer depends on what you can afford to buy, afford to operate, afford to maintaine and keep operating and afford too insure. When you say buy your mom's car, , I am assuming cash in full.. none of this... mom I will pay you next month.. not a good thing... Cars are poor investments (for the average person) and everyperson has different needs and expectations. Since you don't have a car right now and warmer weather is just months away... save during the summer (yes the bike thing but it's cheap transportation) and possibly buy a nicer car with less miles etc. at the end of summer if you truely need the car. My thoughts.

could be something simple like cracked dist. cap, or loosed up, or rotor is slipping (loose screw) ... or plug wired burned through and grounding... *I have same year so interested in what you find.

Finished up on drivers (left) side of changing strut and started putting the other side back in when I noted yellow dots painted on the springs and looked at my left side and noted the dots are on the back side? So basicly starting at top and running down where the spring ends (off set in lower support) , it now ends on the back side of the strut... origanaly I think they ended on the front side which would put the paint marks toward the front of the Brat, even the Chiltons show the springs ending in the front side and not sure if there is a reason for this but now I believe I got the left spring spun 180 deg. out. So, do I get too take the left side apart again and spin that spring 180 deg.? or is there no difference... (I didn't notice the dots till I got cleaning under side and wiped the spring down, doh.... better ask the board.) Update: sometimes... ($#%^&@ ... I got too work and realized this was a bad question but was in a rush to post before I left... thanks Calebz for your input though. The original strut that I removed, it's base is pined so all I had to do was look at that to know the original orientation. The new base is designed differently and the spring baseplate can be eaisly lifted and rotated and that's how I got it 180 out, inattention to details, ... so when I got off work I looked at both original struts and the spring ends on the front side of the strut... so the paint marks on the springs should be facing towards the front of the Brat. I am with Calebz as I can't imagine it makes a diff. but that is how it was installed from the factory so I will change the left side too match. I have been working shift work and it turns my grey matter mushy, plus the learning curve and all and been making simple mistakes so I appreciate that no one has jumped on me by posting such dumb questions.... although I should deserve a good

I guess you adjusted the cluth cable all the way out? then yea,clutch time. Life of clutch depends on how hard it is driven and possibly quality also. Time too go bond with your Subee in the garage. Remember, what happens in the garage... stays in the garage!

....... 2nd that, "ARC" then SMOKE, about that quick, work in fuse's of some kind... $1. to protect hundreds... cheap insurance.

I don't have my book with me right now... but your fuel pressure depends of if your SPFI (Single point Fuel injected) or Carberator, and you can remove fuel hose and jumper in a pressure gauge. A simple way to determin if fuel shoot a bit of starter fluid into the carb, put air cleaner back on and crank, if it fires then dies shortly after, yea, possibly no fuel flow. You have one fuel filter I think..... drivers side, by fire wall.. but not certain.. When you turn the key on you should hear your fuel pump come on..., on your earlier post you said new fuel pump so that would leave basicly filter or main fuse is out. with a new fuel pump, I would think spark is an issue on your rig... just guessing. Other things like plugged fuel return line, bad pressure regulator etc.. are rare but they do have problems, so figure out if spark or fuel first and go from there.

Make sure your timing belts are still tight and turning the overhead cams or possibly they have jumped a couple of teeth. Sounds like a "no spark situation." since you have a new fuel pump that crossed that off the list. If you take the cover off your distributor then crank the engine and your rotor turns, very good chance that belt is good, the other belt (right side) has a little removable plug on the front cover and kind of feel the belt in there... usually the belt that turns the left cam/distributor wears out first... lots of info on this in the search area... If you have a belt that jumped teeth you will have spark.. just at the wrong time. Also, Welcome too the board. I have an 88 wagon that looked like yours under the hood, takes time to learn it all and too clean it up, but looks like a fine rig under the hood:-p

Hey bglombowski... Welcome and yes they are fun and tough little rigs... I bought one and had no idea (first Subaru) what I was doing and lucked into one that is a runner but needed to have tlc so I got it for about $700. (now have brat and 2 wagons) As for working on them, basic knowledge of mechanics will take you a long way's with these... nothing too scary, just first tiime is always the slowest and many ways lots easier then other cars. Parts, ebay, Subaru Dealer, this board.. parts are out there and with this site tons of inputs, mostly good unless you do a noobie thing and then they rib yea.. (I am still in the noobie zone...but learning fast.) There is a book called, "how to keep your subaru alive." or something to that effect, you will need a copy of that, better then the chiltons, haynes etc.. and #12 & #14 metric socket... Things too look for, rust in the Wheel wells, is a weak spot, the water gets up and around and rusts out into the bed. You kind of get what you pay for and how much you want to do and do with it. I bought my Brat for my son, loved it so much I looked for another and couldn't find one so bought a Wagon for half as much and just as much fun... Also standard tranny, Hi-Low on the 4x4. Turbo... no idea.. some day.... some day.. :cool: It's also great if your not dependant on the rig till you shake the bugs out, you know if it gets sick you not rushed into overnight surgery trying to figure things out, this has helped me alot having my Wagon as a back up.

ahh, copy that on the control arm bushings and torquing other stuf. Thanks for the info, ... been fun experience, first time with all this.. not so scary now that I am past the half way point and things seem easier now.

When totally redoing a front end (struts, bushings, ball joint etc) is there any nuts and bolts that SHOULD be replaced once they are removed? You know, one time use and best to just throw away and get new... the chiltons specs out replacing the locking nuts that connect the Transverse link to the Leading rod (I think, 17 mm self-Locking nut) but is that what the shops do? (Just about ready to set my Brat on its front wheels and start torquing... so I thought I better ask.) Thanks guys, just wanted some input on this. Most nuts/lock washers look good, cleaned the treads etc, new castle nuts with tie-rods and ball joints. The self locking seems to still have alot of bite so I will re-use them.

I put it into 2nd gear before trying 1st gear, ... at start up or when slowing down etc.. with clutch too the floor and or just release a bit to help the trany roll just a bit while in 2nd, for some reason just going into 2nd gear and back out seems to align things in the tranny? then try 1st.... just a habit I got into years ago, it seems to just help it get ready for first? and maybe just in my head but my cars like it when I do it to her like that.. as for the different oils... oh yea... my baby may like some of that in her too... I might have to save this post for another night when were bondage errr.. bonding in the garage, right now I just use what the book says... but I like your suggestions as every grind is that much life ground away from the tranny..

Alot of alarms are going off in my head on this one...:-\ I saw someone do that in the back of their truck.. you know, pile the kids in the back with a fiberglass shell and run hose from engine to back too keep the kids warm while driving down the road during winter. red heater hose sticking up in the back, heater core and fan flopping around..... my thought is ... what happens in an accident and causes a hose to fail and shoots coolant... you know.. instant steam kind of thing....scalding temp. and all. I have had one heater core fail completely, instant fog/steam cloud in car, coolant gushing too the floor out duct and not in the face.... but on the positive note... could you... yea... use ,metal braded hose through penetration too connection etc... In my past life I did alot of Hydronics, boilers, steam, radiant, infloor heat... so yea.. you can put heat anywhere using water as a thermal mass, radiator and fan to disperse heat...

If not... then not good, if it cranks over but no start pull the cap off the distributor.. if the rotor inside doesn't turn it is your drivers side belt which seems to fail first. Front little inspection plug on the passengers side of the timing belt cover can be removed and stick a finger in there and see if the other belt is tight.. it could have also jumped a tooth or two...

possibly a bent strut? disconnect the tie rod, drop the Transverse link and slide off the Housing (knuckle) and inspect your lower strut to see if it is bent near the end. A bent strut could create this problem.

.......................... I hate to see a post go unanswered: since I am a new too alot of this: not exactly sure on any of those.. doh, tools are basic... thats why I love these cars.. It might help to down load the book, "How too keep your Subaru alive." it is buried in the posts here somewhere and can help answer those questions (4xx pages long, but full of good info.) on the older style Subaru. Also do a "search" as these same questions get repeated alot, so pull a post up and also check the references at the bottom listed as "similar threads" of the one your reading, as they lead to other same type topics.

I looked... your right... on the original strut mount, next too the bolt covered in grease (must be removed from car to read)... Chiltons/Haynes are WRONG, "How too.... Subaru".. is RIGHT. Thanks Gen. Dis.... you saved the day again.:cool: However; the replacement parts do not have these same position markings... so the next person who removes these won't have that too go by... Now... off my rump roast and back under the car.... I LOVE IT!

Additon: (mons72) is right, "how to keep your Subaru alive." shows a different orientation... now I'm lost... I am leaning more to that book then the Chiltens & Haynes... but would like input... Post#2: Gen. Dis. answered, original strut is marked on the top of strut mount (removed from car and remove crud covering stamp)... Haynes and Chiltons WRONG, "How too keep your subaru alive." RIGHT 1984 BRAT, 4x4, Non-Turbo, no-power steering. Could someone please look under your hood or if you know the proper orientation for the Strut mount... existing strut vrs Haynes/Chiltons shows existing struts installed 180 Deg.wrong... i.e. books show 4WD vehicles strut should be forward of center Unless Brats are unique to this position? Here are some pics... pic 1 pic 2 Chilton & Haynes show this: HOLY CONFUSION.... THIS IS DIFFERENT THEN THE CHILTONS, HAYNES ETC..