Oh no, going number 2!

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So, it looks like I may be inviting another new (old) Subaru into my driveway.  This one is a 97 Legacy wagon, with the 2.2l, 5mt, and it's fair share of character. 

 

According to the ad, it needs a windshield, valve cover gasket, and brakes.  Since the guy is asking $350.00 for it, and it doesn't look like the Jolly Green Giant used it as a shoe, this seems like a pretty good deal.

 

It looks a bit saggy in the back end, so suspension work looks to be in it's future.  The owner says he's been driving it, so it has tags and a good title (thank god).

 

Since the Outback is STILL sitting with no tags, and no title (yet), this may end up being my new daily...after fixing it's issues.

 

Fingers crossed!!

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Made an offer of $200.00, and he accepted, so we'll be trailering it home tomorrow. 

 

Had full timing belt service done about 20k miles ago, new radiator (old one had a hole in the end tank), new axles due to broken CV boots a couple of years ago.  This guy had all his receipts, so no questions that the work was done.

 

Of course, it needs the shifter fixed (groan), needs brakes (shakes), and definitely suspension.

 

On the bad side, there is a suspicious looking sheen to the coolant in the overflow res.  It doesn't look like a chocolate milkshake, just a little shiny.  Not sure what that is, so we'll be looking into that a bit further, but for $200.00, I'm not complaining. 

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Head gaskets are fine, no issues there.  What the po  took to be a valve cover gasket leak is actually the power steering pump leaking.  It's dripping onto the exhaust and smells like burning cat pee (gross). 

 

Parts ordered include the seal kit for the power steering pump, new brakes (rotors/pads/pin sleeves), and eventually new struts.

 

So, now for a DFQ....will Outback springs fit/work on a Legacy?  I'm not looking to lift this car, just upgrade the springs a bit.  If they will work, my plan is to replace the Outback's springs with new, then swap the old springs from the Outback onto this Legacy.

[Ballenxj]

Good deal!

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First repair...replacing the thermostat.  On my way home from work yesterday, I noticed the temp creeping up.  While driving, the temp crawled up and up, but sitting at a red light, it went back down.  Luckily this happened right around the corner from home, so I managed to get it home with no overheating.

 

I continue to be amazed at how cheap parts for this car are...a thermostat for my old Audi would have cost me about 5 times as much, if it had even been available.  I'm also diggin how easy they are to work on.  It kinda reminds me a little of the Suzuki Samurais we used to play with.

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I decided to name this one Killer....it's either invisible to squirrels, or has a built in squirrel magnet, not really sure which but in the past week, I've hit half a dozen of those dumb little boogers with this car.

 

Killer figured that 1 week was long enough to go without a dopey problem.  Today's adventure included a dump run, and on the way home Killer started running really hot.  I thought maybe a torn hose, or something similar...surely couldn't be the radiator or water pump, since the PO had installed both about a year ago when he had the timing belt service done.  Turned out to be none of the above.  It was the radiator cap.  Thanks to all the info on this forum, I decided to try that first, and voila!  Problem solved.

 

 

Wonder what next week will bring.

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Well, I spoke too soon.  Killer does, in fact, seem to have a case of terminal head gasket-itis.  She is currently sitting in my back yard, waiting for my garage to get cleared of old VW crap, so I can get to the engine hoist and do an engine-ectomy. 

 

I think that we are going to pull the engine and take it to a local shop belonging to a friend.  One of his employees used to work at the local Subaru dealership.  This shop is geared toward Audi/VW, but they will work on pretty much anything, and they do excellent work, so I feel pretty confident having them do the head gaskets.  With no experience doing this kind of job, and no good place to do it, I think I'm much better off paying someone who knows what they are doing, rather than trying to cheap out on it.  Since we only paid a couple hundred for this thing, I guess I can throw a little cash her way.

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It looks like the plan for Killer is to get killed.  We're going to part it out.  Even though George has twice as many miles as Killer, George is actually in better working condition, so we will be pulling the engine and replacing the head gaskets (as well as checking everything, and probably refreshing what needs it), then storing it as a spare for George if we ever need it.

 

We'll be stashing all the body parts that are in decent or better shape than George's. and removing whatever interior bits are needed to give old George an interior facelift.  I'll also be taking the brakes, since I just replaced those, lol.

 

This part out is probably going to be taking place when the weather cools off, mainly because I still have way too many projects currently going on (parting the hubby's wrecked TDI is first on the list).  Once I've picked out what I need, I will probably start a for sale/free to a good home post to get rid of anything else, and the scrap whatever is left.