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Hi, I have a 1987 GL wagon 2wd 3AT and a few somewhat off questions about it. I did search the forums to see if my questions were already answered, many have been but some remain. So, my apologies to the Subargurus and Subargods if I err, I shall make a sacrifice later in penance. However, links to any such threads I've missed discussing these matters more in depth are greatly appreciated (I've noticed they often don't show up in searches). Anyway, I'm gearing up to have a big go-through on the wagon and I'm just trying to arm myself with information before I tear into the work, so please, answer what you like if you are willing. The preview: new C/V axles, new front wheel bearings and hub seals, at least the left front axle stub seal on the diff (the one that's leaking), front and rear shocks, probably ball joints and tie rod ends too, stab-bar bushings, valve cover gaskets/grommets, timing belts/pulleys/idler, front cam seals/o-rings, front crank seal, and hey while I'm in there reseal the oil pump. Phew! I'm sure I forgot something. I did, the A/C recharge... The questions/topics: 1- Simplest first, did I get the correct front hub seals? Anyone ever dealt with seals that are bare metal on the outer circumference as the inner seal shown here is? If so, are they worth a hogs wad 'o' snot? Looks like they'll fit.... but... I guess I was expecting a fully rubber-clad seal like the outer seal shown. Otherwise I'll have to arrange a return before too long, and get the correct ones. 2- Anyone know if there is a tool to remove the bearing/axle stub seal retainer on the differential? Or what methods they've used to do so? I've seen some large sockets with teeth on the end that might work if they are deep enough to go over the axle stub. I understand that this operation is potentially very touchy because of the torque/lash on the bearing itself, and I know to mark the retainer where it is before pulling it out and count how many turns it comes out and thus goes back in. But, since I'm going to replace the C/V axles it really is my best chance to replace the diff seal(s), and as a bonus I'll get rid of the smell of hypoid oil when I run my heater. Yay! Also, aside from counting the number of turns on the retainer, anyone have any idea about what the torque should be (provided I can get a socket/tool and torque wrench on it)? Or do I just try to reinstall it back to the mark and hope for the best? 3-Anyone ever grease their suspension/stabilizer bar bushings? And I mean just a light coating of grease where the rubber wraps around and touches the bar/bolt/bracket metal etc and the same for the control arm bushings. My first car was a 1979 Brat that my dad took apart, restored the parts then lost interest, and finally I put back together (except for the engine and tranny, I literally reassembled that entire car), and he told me to grease the bushings as such for both longevity and a quieter ride. Just curious. Still seems like a good idea to me, if a bit pick-knitty. I think most, if not all, of what I think are suspension squonks and squeaks will be corrected when I replace the shocks all around. 176K miles on factory shocks is probably far enough. But again, If I'm going to get in there and do the work, what's going a few bolts further, eh? 4- Anyone ever do their own alignment, or at least minor adjustments? More curiosity, but anyone have an idea what toe-in spec is for these cars, if there is a set standard point? Just looking for some kind of benchmark here, I'll need to at least check the toe after new ball joints but especially if I do the tie rod ends too. The car does pull to the right a bit now, however, I did read somewhere else on here that it could be a C/V issue where the car will pull to the side of the stronger axle. And since I only have about a boot and a half on the driver's side axle, could be...? No clicking yet though, still seems pretty solid, if grease deprived. Hopefully after removal, I can clean it up, repack and reboot it for a back-up. 5- Anyone possibly know how to test the A/C pulse coil (on top of the compressor), or what a resistence/impedence value (tested at the plug?) of a properly functioning one might be? When I bought the car last August, the coil and bracket were, in fact, laying back next to the distributor and only attached via the plug harness (previous knucklehead owner's work I believe), and the pulse coil itself is a bit chewed up, so I'm guessing it needs to be replaced (if I can find one). Without recharging the A/C (believe me, it's as empty as my ex's heart), I don't know how else to test the pulse coil. I've jumpered the compressor and I know it works decent enough, even bubbles in the vapor canister sight-glass, but I've read that those pulse coils can go bad and cause problems similar to either a low system charge, or a bad pressure switch. As for the recharge, anyone ever use the stuff (I've seen it on ebay) called Maxi-Frig? Says it's a hydrocarbon based type that is compatible with either old or new refrigerant including the older system oil, with no evacuating/purging or retrofitting required, just charge and go presumably. 6- Tick-tick-tick... drip-drip-drip... yeah, yeah, I have typical ea82 valve tick. When it's started cold, it ticks and tacks and clicks and clacks, then kind of one by one the taps go away as the motor warms up, and the taps stay away until the next cold start and it just purrs as quiet as a rusty exhaust will allow. Oil pressure behaves as I've read it should, if a bit sluggish/delayed on the gauge response. Honestly, the thing still runs really well, just logged 24.333 miles per gallon on my last tank for mostly city type driving. Not to shabby for a 31 year-old three speed auto. Well, this is something I think I'm still early enough to easily correct with new seals in the oil pump. If, as I've read, the ticking is because of the oil being aerated due to bad seals, then my thinking is it's not just the valvetrain that isn't being properly lubricated (most especially on cold starts), but the whole engine (piston rings, rod bearings, crank journals etc), and it becomes a preventative maintenance/longevity operation much more than just being briefly annoyed with noisy little engine gnomes every time I don't drive the car for more than a couple of hours. So here's the toss up. I'm going to do the valve cover gaskets, timing belts and associated hardware along with the front crank and cam seals, and well, I don't really want to pull the cam towers too just for those small little o-rings on the relief(?) or return valves. Is there a spring in them that controls a valve that can get stuck/be cleaned, or is that just in the oil pump that I'll clean anyway? Doesn't look like it according to the exploded view diagram on Subaru parts website. What do they "relieve"? Crankcase pressure? It seems to me that they are NOT on the high pressure side of the oil feed, but the part of the collection and return of oil to the pan, or am I wrong on this? If they do relieve case pressure, could this be why... 7- the PCV hoses at the valve covers are getting more oily by the mile as well as the oil fill cap seeming to spray a fine mist of oil on the right side of my engine? Or, is this a bad PCV or something? I pulled that out a couple months ago, it rattled, I hosed it out with brake cleaner anyway, it still rattled, I reinstalled it.... and no difference from before except now the increasing presence of oil outside of the engine. Or is my car just getting old and needing some new PCV hoses and an oil cap? 8- Now, if all of that doesn't fix the funny but faint intermittent vibration I feel almost entirely in my left foot when cruising above 50 MPH, well then I might have a more serious problem (or just a totally inane and simple one that I'm overlooking), and I'll have to consult the oracle once more. Oh so many sacrifices, and yet so few offerings remain... My first guess is either the C/V that's lost half a boot, or the wheel bearings on that side, or a combo of the two. Next guess, is that the previous knucklehead who said he did the timing belts, either didn't or forgot to tighten a bolt somewhere or something. I have an outside suspicion that one of the timing pulleys has a wobbly bearing, but I'm still betting on the wheel bearing scenario. Thank you if you've plodded all this way through my long-winded query! Any and all info or advice is greatly appreciated, and again, my apologies if I didn't search long enough for answers, sometimes it's just faster to ask. Cheers! Tim