The Dude Abides Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 (edited) Ok, so since my brother isnt mechanically inclined and i am. I get the job of putting this back in propper running condition. Few things ive noted. 1997 Subaru Legacy GT 139000 miles. From what i have seen it was well taken car of for its first 60k miles. I have every dealer:) service record. After that its a mystery until about 110000 miles. From there its had timeing belts, ball joints, and a couple other misc things. It is filthy, kinda scary filthy. I mean dirt is caked on this thing, i almost told him not to buy it because of that. It looks like its sat for a while. Motor, interior, exterior are just like its been neglected. And its beat up, small damage to the front bumper, rear bumper, mirror and all door guards. No rust problems though. Engine ran fine and tracked down the road good. Drove it for 45 minutes never overheaded though we could smell alittle coolant. I checked the ground for leaks, none. I checked the exhaust for smells, none. I checked the resevour, had small bits of junk in it. Only time will tell about the HG which seems to of not been replaced yet. I told my brother all of this before he bought it but weve determined that if there is a problem he has that type of money to just fix it. Has 4 tires the same size but different treads. The headlights and foglights are hazed over terribly, any recomenditions on how to fix this or what others have done in the past. Maybe headlight replacements because they seem terribly old and yellow so are proballu due. So heres what ive come to know. We had some slushy ice yesterday and this thing liked to get sideways. Is that due to the low profile type tires the GT version has. During certain accelerations it felt doggy. Kinda like it was chugging but at highway speeds it was fine. Im sure it might need plugs and wires but is there anything else i should check out or clean. Im baffeled this didnt come with a full size spare since dont they say you cant alter the size at all. Needs some brake work probally brother says they felt uneven. Ill be spending some time with this car to give it a good shakedown. I could some reccomendations from you. Good allseason tires Spark plugs and wires and anything else you need to do for a refreshing for this car. The heater control lights dont seem to work, is this a easy repair just a burnt out bulb. Im used to ea82s so this is something new for me. Heres a pic. Edited December 21, 2009 by The Dude Abides Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 (edited) first up is the MUST do, get 4 matched tires on this ASAP.....if its not too late. 16" tires are not cheap. too bad it didnt come with decent tires, that alone can run about 600 bucks for those tires new. the coolant smell, not gonna make any guesses....hopefully its not the HG already, but without records of that, yeah its overdue and you are on borrowed time until they go. dash ventilation lights, they like to do that, its either a poor connection (fist bang near the surround of the lights can bump them back on) or else burned out bulbs are easy to replace once you pull all the screws that hold it in. As long as its solid i think you will enjoy this. headlights fogged and yellowed, dulled: Mequiars Scratch X found at Oreillys....do 2 applications,follow instructions, use newspaper to mask off the bumper and open hood to avoid paint contact.. Someone said toothpaste may work. Then wax after you have got them to clear enough. Every 4 months, reapply the scratch X stuff the chugging, could be about 4 things: first, clean the MAF with MAF Cleaner be careful dont use anything else second, could be coolant temp sensor bad third, could be knock sensor fourth, could be headgasket (compression check will tell that one) Also, make sure you replace plugs with NGK Vpower and use subaru OEM plug wires. if the car has anything else besides oem, you MUST replace these ASAP. It could be 1 on this list, a combination of the list, or ALL on the list. Edited December 21, 2009 by bheinen74 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 Ok, so since my brother isnt mechanically inclined and i am. I get the job of putting this back in propper running condition. Few things ive noted.1997 Subaru Legacy GT 139000 miles. From what i have seen it was well taken car of for its first 60k miles. I have every dealer:) service record. After that its a mystery until about 110000 miles. From there its had timeing belts, ball joints, and a couple other misc things. It is filthy, kinda scary filthy. I mean dirt is caked on this thing, i almost told him not to buy it because of that. It looks like its sat for a while. Motor, interior, exterior are just like its been neglected. A good thorough cleaning can do wonders - for nasty grimy buildup on the interior (plastic surfaces) i like the armour all cleaner - just be careful around painted on labels (like on the wiper & turn signal stalks - it WILL take the paint off!!) And its beat up, small damage to the front bumper, rear bumper, mirror and all door guards. No rust problems though. Engine ran fine and tracked down the road good. Drove it for 45 minutes never overheaded though we could smell alittle coolant. I checked the ground for leaks, none. I checked the exhaust for smells, none. I checked the resevour, had small bits of junk in it. Only time will tell about the HG which seems to of not been replaced yet. I told my brother all of this before he bought it but weve determined that if there is a problem he has that type of money to just fix it. Hopefully you dont have the headgasket issue, but like you said, only time will tell - tell him to keep a very close eye on the temp guage & coolant levels... Has 4 tires the same size but different treads. +2 on getting matched tires asap - if it isnt already done, throw a 10 amp fuse in the FWD fuse holder (this is how you run the donut spare btw - if a front tire goes, you swap a rear out for the bad one, put the donut spare on the back & put it in FWD mode) The headlights and foglights are hazed over terribly, any recomenditions on how to fix this or what others have done in the past. Maybe headlight replacements because they seem terribly old and yellow so are proballu due. You do NOT need to replace them - trust me on this one. Try the scratch-X stuff first - if that doesnt clear them up enough 4 you, get your hands on some very fine grit wet/dry sandpaper and wet sand - for really bad ones i use 600 - 800 - 1000- 1500- 2000 progressively, then some polishing compound, then the scrtach-x for a final finish. the scratch-x will need to be re-applied every few months to keep them looking good (4-6mo intervals) I have used the wet sand method on three sets of headlights now & it works beautifully - a little time consuming (can take 1 to 2 hrs, depending on how bad & how anal one gets), but it can really make a HUGE difference & save a whole bunch of money!!! So heres what ive come to know. We had some slushy ice yesterday and this thing liked to get sideways. Is that due to the low profile type tires the GT version has. During certain accelerations it felt doggy. Kinda like it was chugging but at highway speeds it was fine. Im sure it might need plugs and wires but is there anything else i should check out or clean. Im baffeled this didnt come with a full size spare since dont they say you cant alter the size at all. Needs some brake work probally brother says they felt uneven. Ill be spending some time with this car to give it a good shakedown. I could some reccomendations from you. Good allseason tires - ASAP!!! Spark plugs and wires and anything else you need to do for a refreshing for this car. Air & fuel filters, etc The heater control lights dont seem to work, is this a easy repair just a burnt out bulb. not sure on the later models like this, but the early ones had an issue with this - the circuit boards needed to be resoldered - hopefully others will have the info you need on this. Im used to ea82s so this is something new for me. Heres a pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted December 22, 2009 Author Share Posted December 22, 2009 Well good news and bad news. Good news is the car got sent to the shop asap today for new tires all around, we have an upcoming snow storm. The bad news is that he told me the car shut off on him today on the highway on the way to the tireshop. Just driveing along and it shut off. He tried to turn it over for 5 minutes with it just turning over and over again. After that it started fine and ran normal. No check engine light. Thanks for the advice guys and keep it coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 On the shutting down issue - very likely to be an ignition component by the sounds of it. If it happens again show him how to check for spark and equip him with a paper clip or even an actual spark checker. Some of them can be installed inline with a plug and left in place for the short term and then a quick look under the hood while cranking will tell you if you have ignition or not. Figure on just doing the head gaskets and a reseal premtively. It's a matter of time with that engine at the mileage it's got and you might as well know the when the downtime will occur as opposed to being surprised by it. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted December 22, 2009 Author Share Posted December 22, 2009 Im going to look over the ignition carefully but i think im going to suggest he replace the plugs, wires, and ignition coil just to be safe. As far as the headgaskets go your nuts if you think im takeing this apart. My subaru ea82 is beyond what i want to touch. I look at this ej25 and i weep in fear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted December 22, 2009 Author Share Posted December 22, 2009 Oh 1 more thing. When the car ignition is on but the car isnt running i hear the motor clicking, then 1 electric fan turns on, then the other turns on a few seconds latter. Then they both shut off and it repeats this over and over and over again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgambino Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 just to be sure....turn the key on (engine not running) and make sure the check engine lite is functioning . it would seem that it should have thrown a code with these symtoms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdjdc Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 If you can work on an ea82 you can work on the ej25. you just have to be methodical about it. Go ahead and pull the engine and do the HG's, you will be glad you did. While the engine is out you can do a reseal and the plugs and wires. Swap in a new timing belt and water pump and you are in great shape. If you feel uncomfortable about the job, you can call me and I will give you the lowdown on the job. I can source the parts for you too. Once you have torn into the engine, you will feel comfortabel doing any repair job this baby needs. By the way, it looks pretty good cleaned up My number is 804-393-0516 Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allpar Mod Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 A lot of people are hesitant to use the sanding technique for hazed lights, and one should be able to understand why. I've used Flitz polish very successfully to undo hazing. Using a rotary ball attached to a drill works that much better. Flitz makes their own that is excellent and reusable and washable, unlike the Mothers which is foam and falls apart too fast for too much money. Not a lot of retailers sell Flitz, but you can get both the polish and ball at http://www.flitz.com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 EJ's are easier to work on than EA82's. Everything is simple by comparison - no coolant flowing through the manifold, single timing belt, etc. Don't be afraid of it - they are simple. Much better than the EA82's. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 A lot of people are hesitant to use the sanding technique for hazed lights, and one should be able to understand why. I've used Flitz polish very successfully to undo hazing. Using a rotary ball attached to a drill works that much better. Flitz makes their own that is excellent and reusable and washable, unlike the Mothers which is foam and falls apart too fast for too much money. Not a lot of retailers sell Flitz, but you can get both the polish and ball at www.flitz.com. I admit I was hesitant to do it too, thinking "what if I screw it up?" the first ones I tried were on the work truck - they were extremely bad (the lens was as yellow as our little yellow smilies!!) & the boss was talking about getting new ones for it (he thought the yellowing was on the inside) - I asked him to let me try 'polishing' first. the scariest moment was after the first few swipes with the sand paper and seeing the scratches - OMG - but I forged ahead, working progressively finer & finer - the big thing is to keep it WET! and work each grit until you can no longer see the scratches from the previous grit (tip: working in opposite directions w/each grit really helps - up/down w/one, side/side w/next, then up/down w/next again - final grit i worked in circles) rinse thoroughly after final grit - Yes, it will still be very scratched looking - you're thinking "crap, i really screwed up now" - guess again - good old fashioned polishing compound (i used the ol standby "Turtle Wax" brand - buck fifty to two fifty a can depending on your location) damp (not soaking wet) cloth, generous amount of compound and start rubbing in a circular motion (wax on, wax off! hehe), work until it feels nice & smooth - then work a little more - buff off residue with a clean dry cloth. I did follow the polishing compound with some plastic polish - either maguires scratch x or plast-x work very well - just like using wax on the body of the car - it helps to seal the lens and keep it looking good longer. the results are simply amazing! and a fraction of the cost of replacing, or even the flitz stuff (sorry, not to knock the product, but it isnt exactly cheap for those on really tight budgets - $50 for a Flitz headlight kit -vs- maybe $12 for a few shts of wet/dry paper, the polishing compound & the plastic polish) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 this stuff, i meant to say this stuff in my post.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainman19154 Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 for fogged headlights, I use turtlewax rubbing compound. has worked very well on the last cars I've had this problem with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 this stuff, i meant to say this stuff in my post.... yeah - thats the stuff! works very well on motorcycle windshields too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted December 24, 2009 Author Share Posted December 24, 2009 Ok so it stalled out on him again today. I drove out to meet him and after 10 minutes it started up and drove fine. While the car was running i removed the plug wires from the ignition coil and it seems like two of the ports arent putting out as much spark as the other 2. The spark plugs themselves seemed to be working ok but they were dirty. It doesnt explain how one minute it could be running fine then the next it just shutts off. No stumble, no stalling just bam nothing for 5 minutes. Buy the way, i drove the hell out of this thing trying to get it to immitate the problem. With the new tires on it its a friggin go kart man. Might need to look into one of these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 perhaps coil pack going bad? did you check grounds over good? - not real familiar with the 97 version... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted December 25, 2009 Share Posted December 25, 2009 so, back to the stalling out. Does the car have an aftermarket alarm system installed possibly? that has been known to cause random stall outs when they fail. What kind of tires did he get on it? let me know how they do in the snow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted December 25, 2009 Author Share Posted December 25, 2009 http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Potenza+G+019+Grid these are the tires brent. Drove them around today and got decent traction. I think with a tire this size though you are still better off with a dedicated snow tire. Where is the coil pack and how do i check the grounds. And it does ahve a keyless entry system but he got no keyfobs when he bought the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted December 26, 2009 Author Share Posted December 26, 2009 Ok, stalled out again on him. Problem is that it just stalls out with no warning then 5 to 10 minutes latter it starts back up. I checked the coil it seems fine. Its starts up again so everything seems normal. There was an alternator recall that said it shut off after a while, could it be that. Im kinda lost on ideas here guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 (edited) Also, under the back seat, check the wire connector under the seat for fuel pump. It could be corroded at connector, or melted. You may want to join the bbs.legacycentral.org and post there, i am sure someone might have a clue there. IN the engine compartment, there will be numerous ground to chassis spade connectors under bolts, shock towers, front radiator support, near the battery etc. undo each and every one, and use sandpaper to scratch to shiny metal, then attach bolts again. This sounds like classic bad ground, then kill the engine. you mentioned the car was filthy right? Was the car flooded in the spring /summer floods we just had, most of Iowa City and C.R. was under water then? Edited December 26, 2009 by bheinen74 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted December 26, 2009 Author Share Posted December 26, 2009 ooohhhhhhhhhhhh a very good and ugly point. I forgot about that. Ill check the engine compartment over and go from there. Where can i check for water damage and i guess what does it look like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 oh, and the bbs.legacycentral.org is mainly era 90-94...BUT many on that site also have newer Leggt's. the knowledge of the people on that site is very valuable, its the second best place for info from people besides from members right here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted December 27, 2009 Author Share Posted December 27, 2009 Bump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted December 27, 2009 Share Posted December 27, 2009 I'm getting lost in the various discussions here. You're interested in the no start issue? I'd just swap in another coil - it's right on top the motor, costs little for a used one and takes a few seconds. Crank/cam sensors are suspect too for a no start. Have the check engine codes read, maybe there's a stored one even if the CEL isn't on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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