Giant Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 I'm looking at purchasing a 78 Leone wagon I found on craigslist. Went for a test drive yesterday and it is in pretty good running order except for the tranny. There is a lot of side to side movement in the shifter while it is in gear (almost feels like it is still in neutral) and it will not easily shift into reverse. Takes a lot of fussing and most of the times that I tried I couldn't get it to shift. Anybody know if this could be some kind of linkage issue that could be easily adjusted or does it need a rebuild? Also the car has quite a few electrical gremlins in the dash. Most of the idiot lights didn't work and the temp gauge would steadily increase while the blinker was on. Any ideas there? Any input is much appreciated, I'm excited about the possibility of owning a vintage Subaru but need something that is somewhat reliable and not a major project while I am in school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howpow Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 Hi Giant. There is a Nylon? bush in the shift linkages and if this is worn will make the shift very sloppy. This could be the problem. It is a very simple bush and may still be available but if not would be easy to have made. regards, Howard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kostamojen Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 These older cars have much more play in the shifter than a modern car. And reverse is always hard to get into on pretty much any Subaru. That being said, its probably a bushing or spring or something thats gone awry. Its probably fixable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giant Posted August 20, 2011 Author Share Posted August 20, 2011 (edited) Took the shift linkage apart and there was surprisingly no bushing. Probably part of the problem because there was a lot of play due to the linkage wearing down the tranny input shaft. Cut a shim out of an aluminum can an viola! fixed. I have reverse! Now onto the electrical gremlins: does anyone have a diagram or can provide a picture of what the wiring should look like for the blinkers and the horn inside the steering column. I think the contacts went bad and someone jimmy rigged the blinkers with a toggle switch and cut a few of the other wires. The high/low switch for the headlights still works so I'm assuming that's the red wires. Blue maybe the horn (it doesn't work either), and i've got no clue about the extra green wire with the round terminal on the end. Edited August 21, 2011 by Giant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biffanyus Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 Please post some pics of your wagon when you can. I love the early wagons.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giant Posted August 21, 2011 Author Share Posted August 21, 2011 In case its not obvious, I went ahead and bought the car. Guy made me an offer I couldn't refuse: A 3 week test drive to see if I thought I could fix it while he is out of the country and then I can buy it from him for $500 if I want. I want. The body is is pretty good shape except for the hood which is seriously dented and the hinges are f-ed up. Everything seems to be there, but the electrical gremlins are still persisting. I figured out that the original blinker switch is missing so I taped the toggle switch next to the arm so at least the canceler cam works. I'll add a pic of that tomorrow, it's pretty hilarious, but works. Biggest problems persisting is that the tail and dash lights do not work. I checked the fuses and all the connections in the dash but haven't narrowed it down yet. I'm thinking there is a short somewhere. Also the fuel, temp and speedo gauges do not work. I read in the manual that if both the fuel and temp gauges do not work then there is a voltage regulator that controls them both and it is likely the culprit. Anyone know where this regulator is located and/or what it looks like? The speedo is a weird one because the odometer still works fine and it is my understanding that they are directly connected. Any thoughts on my remaining electrical problems would be a huge help. This is my least favorite area of working on cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 wow wow wow " ?: A 3 week test drive to see if I thought I could fix it while he is out of the country and then I can buy it from him for $500 if I want. I want"" rusted out see thru the panels and nothing left of rockeers cars here gor for 750 in that era.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giant Posted August 21, 2011 Author Share Posted August 21, 2011 yeah i was shocked at his offer, but like i said, I couldn't refuse. I feel a little odd having the car without having actually paid for it. Take care of that as soon as he gets back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kostamojen Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 The voltage regulator is a gold box, its in the engine bay. It connects to the alternator and the wiring harness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giant Posted August 21, 2011 Author Share Posted August 21, 2011 Is the main voltage regulator the same one that controls the gauges? The manual gave me the impression that it was something separate. How can I test it? I know how to jump the terminals on a Chevy and check the alternator output. Similar process here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idasho Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 Awesome find! Giant, Im right across the state line in Moscow. Give me a holler if you need some help getting her 100%. Ive got a shop and am always willing to help get an old girl back on her feet. Ive got the cleanest GL in town. You might have seen it/me around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giant Posted August 21, 2011 Author Share Posted August 21, 2011 Thanks for the offer Idasho. My aunt lives in Moscow so I'm over there quite frequently. I may need some help sorting out the speedo not working. Not terribly worried about it though because I just got a smart phone and there's an app for that Everything else seems to be coming into working order pretty nicely. BTW found a great resource for wiring diagrams: http://repair-manuals.blogspot.com/search?q=subaru+1600 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idasho Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 Good deal. Just let me know if you need help. I do a lot of side work in my shop. Im open to anything just as long as I dont have a project in there at the time. Even then, Ive got a huge driveway. And you are welcome to tools, as long as they dont leave my property! Is that the one I saw on craigs list down in Kamiah? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giant Posted August 22, 2011 Author Share Posted August 22, 2011 Yep that would be the one. Turned out the car was parked in Moscow but the seller lives in Kamia. What is the name of your shop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kostamojen Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Its a mechanical speedo, so you might want to check your speedo cable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idasho Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Yep that would be the one. Turned out the car was parked in Moscow but the seller lives in Kamia. What is the name of your shop? My "shop" is an overbuilt garage attached to my house that has piles of tools and equipment. Shhhhhh...... Dont tell anyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giant Posted August 22, 2011 Author Share Posted August 22, 2011 Its a mechanical speedo, so you might want to check your speedo cable. What should I check exactly? The odometer still works so the cable must be doing something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kostamojen Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 So the odometer goes up but the speedo doesn't move? Hmm. I think maybe there is a spring or something that turns the speedo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biffanyus Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Hey Giant... Great looking pics, nice wagon. Thanks.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giant Posted August 22, 2011 Author Share Posted August 22, 2011 My "shop" is an overbuilt garage attached to my house that has piles of tools and equipment. My kind of shop. I moved here for grad school and miss having one plus most of my tools are in storage. I had heard there was a shop in Moscow that did a lot of work on older imports, was wondering if that was you. I'm going to open the instrument cluster back up tomorrow and check the gauges more thoroughly. From what I can find about gauges on other cars there might be a separate voltage regulator somewhere on the circuit board that controls the fuel/temp gauges. Thanks for the compliment biffanyus. I got my first "What year is that... cool" comment today. Makes me miss my 68 El Camino less (also in storage with the tools.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biffanyus Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Well if your instument cluster is the problem and not your wiring. I got an extra one for you. Let me know if you will need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giant Posted August 23, 2011 Author Share Posted August 23, 2011 (edited) PM sent biffanyus i determined earlier today that the voltage regulator is internal to the fuel gauge and is working properly. I just went back out side after writing a huge post detailing what I checked and tapped the tank real hard and now have no resistance reading from the tank. grr. i guess my sending unit is bad, hence the edit. I'm thinking i need to try the instructions in this post. Also checked the speedo out and as far as i can tell there is no electrical connections that run it. I guess the magnet in mine is just fried. But like i said, I have an app for that Edited August 23, 2011 by Giant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idasho Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 As old as it is Giant, and depending how the float mechanism works, you might get lucky just by dropping the tank, removing the float and sending unit, cleaning it up, and throwing it back together. Then again, it may just be a brass float, with a pin-hole:grin: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biffanyus Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 Its funny but the gas guage on my 79 brat will go down when I turn right and go up when I turn left. I guess that if I only made left turns I will always have a full tank of gas.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giant Posted August 24, 2011 Author Share Posted August 24, 2011 Yeah I think I'm going to have to pull the sending unit. Luckily it looks like it can be done without dropping the tank just need to run it low on fuel. I've been working on the wiring some more trying to get my dash to light up and have been running to all sorts of MacGuyvered wonders, including the fuel pump being re-wired for no apparent reason. Anybody recognize this pigtail? it comes from over the heater controls and doesn't seem to connect to anything. My initial thought was some accessory that my car doesn't have but the entire thing is removable from the connector at the top of the photo, so why bother installing it if it's not needed. I have the wiring diagram but its like reading latin for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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