Subasaurus Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Alright, so this is the first time ive posted on here before, ive been on here for 2 years now but never had a reason to post, well i recently bought a blue 1990 loyale that had been sitting for 10+ years, i need help deciding whether to pull the plug on this vehicle for parts for my other wagon or rescue it. Pros: not a single spot of rust interior is beautiful body is straight as an arrow A/C somehow still works power windows and locks work 130,xxx drove 180 miles from where i bought it. 4wd Cons: Automatic transmission oil seal leaks smokes ALOT when it runs rear passenger wheel bearing is bad electric fan does not work head gaskets look pretty soaked in oil so it probably needs new headgaskets my question is what is all the smoking out the exhaust? how do i fix it? is it head gaskets? and how much life can i expect out of an automatic EA82? is it even worth fixing, because my other wagon is ready for a new rear bumper and powersteering and seats and more stuff. keep in mind that i live in south Texas where these EA82 cars are rare and have yet to see another in the last 3 years of driving my GL sadly... i am the cars only mechanic, and finding parts down here is a joke. everyone refuses to work on it, even the dealership. any help is greatly appreciated thanks!! -Omar 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR_Loyale Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 The smoke could be coming from the automatic transmission. I recall in one of Miles Fox's videos he said something like that on the auto EA82. Rear passenger wheel bearings and fan motor are extremely easy to replace. Napa usually have them if not order via O'Reilly or Autozone online. I have never seen an EA82 that smoked out the tailpipe due to the engine. Not saying it can't happen, but I have never seen it. Is it blue smoke or white smoke? What does it smell like? The question is what do you want out of the car? A cheap easy to fix ride or something that doesn't require any work at all. If you are the type that is willing to get dirty and learn to do things yourself even if you mess up, you can bring this one to a good condition. But you stated "no one will work on it" which indicates to me you probably do not wish to have a project or do your own wrenching. Once brought up to standard and a regular schedule of maintenance, these cars will go to 200K+ easily. I still drive mine after 21 years buying it new in 1994. I personally have no inclination to demonstrate my "status" by my car choices and my little Loyale suits me fine. None of the things you have mentioned seemed fatal to me. Of course I am not sure what would constitute a "fatal" issue other than a totally mangling of the unibody in an accident. With time, patience and hard word it could be restored to a nice reliable vehicle. None of the listed issues is insurmountable. The answer to the question has more to do with you. Do you want to put in the effort? So here are the pros and cons of fixiing your car yourself: Pros - Gain a basic knowledge of the workings of the system (brake, ignition etc) and specifically the Subaru version. - Save $$$ over shop fees. - Meet kindred spirits in the same spot from all over the world right here on USMB - Pride of knowing DIY. - Registration and insurance for older cars is cheaper than newer ones. Cons - You do need some basic tools. Probably about $100 worth to get you started for basics. These will last you forever though. - You need a space to work on the car. If you rent an apt and the landlord forbids it, you need other alternatives. - You are trading your time for $$$. Perhaps you are rich and cannot be bothered. - It is an old car. Even if easy to fix, 20 yr old things break. If you cannot be hassled, sell the car. - Even if you are an oil baron, no one is there to hire. But if you are really really rich though, you could fly someone to your location. In summary the answer depends more on you than anything else. The car is fixable. People here love to help others. On the other hand, being honest that you don't have the time or inclination to do the work required is also a valid choice. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subasaurus Posted March 22, 2015 Author Share Posted March 22, 2015 The smoke could be coming from the automatic transmission. I recall in one of Miles Fox's videos he said something like that on the auto EA82. Rear passenger wheel bearings and fan motor are extremely easy to replace. Napa usually have them if not order via O'Reilly or Autozone online. I have never seen an EA82 that smoked out the tailpipe due to the engine. Not saying it can't happen, but I have never seen it. Is it blue smoke or white smoke? What does it smell like? The question is what do you want out of the car? A cheap easy to fix ride or something that doesn't require any work at all. If you are the type that is willing to get dirty and learn to do things yourself even if you mess up, you can bring this one to a good condition. But you stated "no one will work on it" which indicates to me you probably do not wish to have a project or do your own wrenching. Once brought up to standard and a regular schedule of maintenance, these cars will go to 200K+ easily. I still drive mine after 21 years buying it new in 1994. I personally have no inclination to demonstrate my "status" by my car choices and my little Loyale suits me fine. None of the things you have mentioned seemed fatal to me. Of course I am not sure what would constitute a "fatal" issue other than a totally mangling of the unibody in an accident. With time, patience and hard word it could be restored to a nice reliable vehicle. None of the listed issues is insurmountable. The answer to the question has more to do with you. Do you want to put in the effort? So here are the pros and cons of fixiing your car yourself: Pros - Gain a basic knowledge of the workings of the system (brake, ignition etc) and specifically the Subaru version. - Save $$$ over shop fees. - Meet kindred spirits in the same spot from all over the world right here on USMB - Pride of knowing DIY. - Registration and insurance for older cars is cheaper than newer ones. Cons - You do need some basic tools. Probably about $100 worth to get you started for basics. These will last you forever though. - You need a space to work on the car. If you rent an apt and the landlord forbids it, you need other alternatives. - You are trading your time for $$$. Perhaps you are rich and cannot be bothered. - It is an old car. Even if easy to fix, 20 yr old things break. If you cannot be hassled, sell the car. - Even if you are an oil baron, no one is there to hire. But if you are really really rich though, you could fly someone to your location. In summary the answer depends more on you than anything else. The car is fixable. People here love to help others. On the other hand, being honest that you don't have the time or inclination to do the work required is also a valid choice. Hope this helps. Maybe i should of described it alittle better, yes i do my own work, but only up to the head gaskets, i have replaced lifters, oil pump, waterpump, cv axles and wheel bearings, unfortunately i live in an apt complex where doing a clutch or an engine swap or anything big is just too much, plus i dont own an engine lift. my gl is still in need of replacing the clutch but its still tolerable. anyways its white smoke, and it smells like oil but the car didnt loose any oil on its drive, dip stick is still in the same spot as it was, me personally i hate automatics but this one seems to shift perfectly. if i was going to fix it, i need to know if the automatics on ea82's are any good, and ofcourse how to fix the ridiculous smoke going down the road like i just put seafoam in the engine. swapping the auto to a manual is just not possible down here, i would have to travel to dallas tx or further up north for one, im just surprised i found a loyale in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihscout54 Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 If it has sat for ten years its gunna smoke. Ive let a few sit and they all smoke, sometimes it goes away... Sometimes it doesnt. Since uve put 180 plus miles on it and its still smoking, thats not a good sign. Other fluids can find a way to the combustion chambers. Brake fluid if the master is leaking into the booster. Atf if the modulator has failed could just be an intake gasket. You get the idea. Its prolly a 3AT automatic. They arent incredible but i certainly wouldnt scrap a car over one. Ive gad better luck with them than the ea81 4 speeds. Find out whats making the smoke and then you can easily decide its fate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subasaurus Posted March 22, 2015 Author Share Posted March 22, 2015 If it has sat for ten years its gunna smoke. Ive let a few sit and they all smoke, sometimes it goes away... Sometimes it doesnt. Since uve put 180 plus miles on it and its still smoking, thats not a good sign. Other fluids can find a way to the combustion chambers. Brake fluid if the master is leaking into the booster. Atf if the modulator has failed could just be an intake gasket. You get the idea. Its prolly a 3AT automatic. They arent incredible but i certainly wouldnt scrap a car over one. Ive gad better luck with them than the ea81 4 speeds. Find out whats making the smoke and then you can easily decide its fate. well i know its not the brake booster, the owner said the car overheated on him and thats why he parked the car, how much i dont know, but the piston heads can crack right? wonder if a drop of oil makes a bunch of smoke, probably why its not noticeable on the dipstick, could oil seep through the walls of the piston ring into the combustion chamber? i do have the check engine light on but i think thats just because of the Mass Airflow Sensor. had that on the other wagon and fixed the check engine light issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verdurous Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 That's a really clean ride! Save it if you can Seafoam did me wonders on a few old EA81 motors in the past, ones that were sitting for a long time. Every try this website for parts? I even saw a few motors/ on there for cheap just use your zipcode. www.car-part.com another good one is rockauto.com for new stuff. The appartment complex thing does put a damper on things. When I lived in florida I remember swaping half shafts by night in the parking lot sneaky sneaky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subasaurus Posted March 22, 2015 Author Share Posted March 22, 2015 That's a really clean ride! Save it if you can Seafoam did me wonders on a few old EA81 motors in the past, ones that were sitting for a long time. Every try this website for parts? I even saw a few motors/ on there for cheap just use your zipcode. www.car-part.com another good one is rockauto.com for new stuff. The appartment complex thing does put a damper on things. When I lived in florida I remember swaping half shafts by night in the parking lot sneaky sneaky. you know, ive never worked on my car at night and as long as you dont piss off your neighbors, thats not a bad idea, also they're in great condition since theres no salt on roads down here, but then again why would anyone buy a subaru down here where it doesn't snow? you get the point why theres none, but yeah thanks for the idea of working on it at night, i love it lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRhere Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Nice Wagon! I would take it off your hands if I could figure a way to get it up here to Michigan. White smoke/vapor from the exhaust could be a few things. If it dissipates soon after leaving the tailpipe, it's vapor. That could just be condensation, some vehicles do it more than others, regardless of make/model. If you're not loosing coolant, I would say it's condensation Oil smoke has a Blue tinge to it, as does ATF smoke. ATF smoke will irritate your eyes if you should be down wind of it. Are you loosing any ATF? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subasaurus Posted March 22, 2015 Author Share Posted March 22, 2015 Nice Wagon! I would take it off your hands if I could figure a way to get it up here to Michigan. White smoke/vapor from the exhaust could be a few things. If it dissipates soon after leaving the tailpipe, it's vapor. That could just be condensation, some vehicles do it more than others, regardless of make/model. If you're not loosing coolant, I would say it's condensation Oil smoke has a Blue tinge to it, as does ATF smoke. ATF smoke will irritate your eyes if you should be down wind of it. Are you loosing any ATF? thats one thing i did not check when i bought it and im slapping myself about it. i can't take it to the roads if it doesnt have inspection up to date (02/03) and if im going to part it out, i dont need to pay the $80 of taxes to register it, plus insurance, yes i drove it compleately illegaly but hoped for the best, anyways it does not burn my eyes, infact it was all over me and i was breathing just fine but ofcourse i moved out of the way from it because it can't be good for my lungs, im thinking its coolant, since its above full but before i left it was topped off. but im not sure how much coolant expands or contracts, i know it does but how much. ill try to post a picture of the smoke coming from the tail pipe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subasaurus Posted March 22, 2015 Author Share Posted March 22, 2015 heres the picture of it smoking, this is idle, which since the engine was cold it was around 1600rpm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveT Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 My first guesses for the smoke source are the vacuum modulator or the throttle body gasket or intake manifold gaskets. If I had a place to store it, I'd buy it. There are companies that routinely ship cars. About 1000.00 for a coast to coast haul. No rust bodies are rare. I'm luck I have 2 right now. I resealed the engine on both recently, and now am swapping the transmission on the second. next up, repairing a couple of 3ATs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dee2 Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 (edited) Automatic EA82 trannys can go well over 200k miles. That's not tranny smoke. Looks like white smoke to me indicating an engine problem of some sorts. Search this forum for 'white smoke'. You'll find lots of discussion. Edited March 22, 2015 by Dee2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subasaurus Posted March 22, 2015 Author Share Posted March 22, 2015 Automatic EA82 trannys can go well over 200k miles. That's not tranny smoke. Looks like white smoke to me indicating an engine problem of some sorts. Search this forum for 'white smoke'. You'll find lots of discussion. yeah there is quite alot thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subasaurus Posted March 22, 2015 Author Share Posted March 22, 2015 My first guesses for the smoke source are the vacuum modulator or the throttle body gasket or intake manifold gaskets. If I had a place to store it, I'd buy it. There are companies that routinely ship cars. About 1000.00 for a coast to coast haul. No rust bodies are rare. I'm luck I have 2 right now. I resealed the engine on both recently, and now am swapping the transmission on the second. next up, repairing a couple of 3ATs. yes very rare even down here some of the 90's subies already have rust and thats in texas, my 79 DL Wagon has alittle rust on the passenger wheel well and its been in texas its whole life, pretty sad since their interesting looking cars, but ill check on the throttle body gaskets since theres so many of them right there, and thats why it hurts me to part out this blue car since its compleately rust free like my tanish looking wagon, but thanks for the info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loyale 2.7 Turbo Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 I would save that Car. I had repaired that Smoke issue on EA82's by Changing the Worn Valves' Seals; the original ones came from factory with Rubber only, but the newer ones, available at the Subaru Dealer, had an inner metal core, covered by Rubber. When those Valve's Seals go wrong, they allows motor oil to get onto the Combustion Chamber, smoking like That. But also bad Headgaskets could cause that... Kind Regards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subasaurus Posted March 22, 2015 Author Share Posted March 22, 2015 I would save that Car. ive seen you so many times on other posts and you really know your subarus, you've helped me out with other projects so many times so i thank you for that, ofcourse i was a guest, but your saying it could be the valve stem seals? and ofcourse headgaskets since the original ones were junk, i just want to be completely sure since if i start investing time and money into it and find out it has something else and decide to part it out then, well what a waste of time and money then, but i appreciate your input i will look into the valve stems I had repaired that Smoke issue on EA82's by Changing the Worn Valves' Seals; the original ones came from factory with Rubber only, but the newer ones, available at the Subaru Dealer, had an inner metal core, covered by Rubber. When those Valve's Seals go wrong, they allows motor oil to get onto the Combustion Chamber, smoking like That. But also bad Headgaskets could cause that... Kind Regards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loyale 2.7 Turbo Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 ive seen you so many times on other posts and you really know your subarus, you've helped me out with other projects so many times so i thank you for that, of course i was a guest, but your saying it could be the valve stem seals? and ofcourse headgaskets since the original ones were junk, i just want to be completely sure since if i start investing time and money into it and find out it has something else and decide to part it out then, well what a waste of time and money then, but i appreciate your input i will look into the valve stems Thank you for your kind words, which I really appreciate. The only real way to know what is Happening to the Engine, is to take it off the car, remove the intake, the Heads and See the truth directly with your Eyes. In the Worst scenario, the Heads might be cracked between the Valves, and under certain circumstances, that could stay like that, even Subaru considered such cracks as "Normal" on these engines; in that case you can send the Heads for Repair, or obtain another ones here in USMB or try e-Bay. But those Subaru engines are pretty Strong, so I bet that maybe after a complete engine Reseal, it could run great again. Kind Regards. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l75eya Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Don't worry about the trans. They're not great for the highway, but they're pretty solid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subasaurus Posted March 22, 2015 Author Share Posted March 22, 2015 Don't worry about the trans. They're not great for the highway, but they're pretty solid. okay thank you, i wount be freaking out as much then, because everyone that i know that owns an automatic breaks around 120,xxx-160,xxx but then again those are the new cars anyways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR_Loyale Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 Of course the thought occurred to me that maybe someone has already put some seafoam in and it hasn't finished running out yet. That is the only time I have ever seen and EA82 smoke like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l75eya Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 Of course the thought occurred to me that maybe someone has already put some seafoam in and it hasn't finished running out yet. That is the only time I have ever seen and EA82 smoke like that. Nah, not applicable here I don't think. He said he drove 180 miles and it sat for a decade lol. That is lots of smoke. Valve seals dried up over time while sitting? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subasaurus Posted March 24, 2015 Author Share Posted March 24, 2015 Nah, not applicable here I don't think. He said he drove 180 miles and it sat for a decade lol. That is lots of smoke. Valve seals dried up over time while sitting? yeah thats what i was thinking too, valve seals, or valve stems or watever you want to call them, i am parting the car out for my gl, due to the fact that emissions just became really strict here in texas starting in march of 2015, i already swapped the back and front bumper around, seats, and today im swapping all 4shocks since the loyale looks alittle sharper being 2-3inches higher than my gl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loyale 2.7 Turbo Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 (edited) ... Valve seals dried up over time while sitting? yeah thats what i was thinking too, valve seals, or valve stems or watever you want to call them... ... Worn Valves' Seals ... That's what I said ... i am parting the car out for my gl, due to the fact that emissions just became really strict here in texas ... So, the Fate has been Decided... Kind Regards. Edited March 24, 2015 by Loyale 2.7 Turbo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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