Going to look at a 96 Legacy wagon

[Bushwick]

I only paid $750 for my '95 Lego L Wagon IIRC. It DID need the rear cradle replaced (cost $15 for near-new part used; no labor charge) and had some then-minor rust. 172k miles but had electric windows/locks, man. seats, 4EAT, ej22, front/rear disc, AC (still) works, and paint scratches as the owner was in her 80's and getting worse at driving. Has around 196k miles now, and nearly 5 years later, rust has been the only enemy.

 

If $2800 is cheap in your area, and the car seems solid, and it feels like a good deal, go for it. The mileage being lower IS a selling point in your favor, as you can probably recoup a big chunk in several years when time comes to sell.

[Ravenwoods]

We asked him about the notes from the auction and he says he hasn’t done anything mechanical to repair the car. It seems the auction notes were inaccurate because it also said it was an automatic transmission but one of pictures showed it is a manual. All the vin plates on the car are accurate.

 

I think in Anchorage (360 miles away) one can get Subarus cheaper. We’ve been watching Craigslist a lot at the local Subarus and this seems like a good price for a low mileage car with no rust.

 

My daughter has decided to get it.

[idosubaru]

96 2.2 is an awesome engine. Easy and cheap 10 years and 100,000 reliable miles. Extremely reliable and inexpensive if you plan accordingly, never overheat it or run it low on oil.

 

If it’s a manual try to see how good the clutch is. Nothing like buying yourself a clutch job, a frequent time to donate or trade one in.

 

Install a New Aisin timing belt kit, plugs and wires and maintain fluids and drive it 100k.

 

Replacing electronics like alternators and starters preventatively is crazy unless you’re installing OEM. Aftermarket electronic parts are junk, I see as many or more of them failing than old original OEM parts.

 

Subaru sells alterntoatrs for that car for $80. Buy one. Starter - replace the contacts.

 

Fuel pumps leave it or buy a Subaru unit or follow GDs lead.

 

Extra used OEM parts in the spare tire area works for some people/situations

[Ravenwoods]

She bought it. Clutch seems fine. It is cable clutch rather than hydraulic. Our Forester’s clutch went out at about 150,000. So maybe this one will too.

 

Thanks everyone for the advice and help.

[Bushwick]

Clutches really depend on the driver and how experienced they were/are with operating it.

 

GL with it though! Sounds like it should be a decent runner for her. Tell her if it ever fails to go in a straight line in the snow with good tires at 35-40mph, the end links for the front sway bar might have snapped (these use plastic dog bone ends). I ran into that the first winter with mine and thought it was just the car.

[Ravenwoods]

Our snow is light, fluffy and dry. Cars push through it easily. So not likely to break those links.

[idosubaru]

Clutch life varies wildly they dont really fail at “XYZ” mileage’s. Depends on use and driver habits.

[Bushwick]

Our snow is light, fluffy and dry. Cars push through it easily. So not likely to break those links.

 

Oh, no no. Not what I meant. The links can snap (plastic + old age = breakage) from normal dry pavement driving. You might not notice it until on the snow, which it'll manifest as hard to keep straight.

 

Ohio gets decent snow, but local city is too on top of it with endless salt, so roads rarely have accumulation. Even so, a dusting of snow here can be slick. And if the end lick snaps/splits etc. you'll be fighting the steering wheel. Just a heads up. Ignore it if you like.

[Ravenwoods]

Okay, we’ll keep an eye on it. Thanks!

[Subaru Scott]

 You should replace the fuel filter. It's probably clogged beyond belief, and the pump is probably working overtime trying to keep fuel going to the engine. Every time you fill up, dust particles can enter the tank, not to mention whatever is in the gas, and all the rust/corrosion IN the tank already. Keeping a dirty fuel filter in place isn't something to brag about And yes, gas can cool the pump if level is high enough.

 

Fuel pump "works" the same no matter what is going on.

 

#1. It's not a positive displacement pump. It's an impeller type just like a water pump. If you completely block the output, it still spins the same rpm.

 

#2. The system always runs the same pressure, which is dictated by the regulator on the fuel rail, and the excess is continually flowing back to the tank. Should the system fail to develop regulator pressure, for whatever reason, there would be immediate starvation symptoms, which I never have.

 

#3. All late model Subarus now have the filter installed in the tank. Not meant to be serviceable, except at a pump change. 

 

#4. If I was overworking my pump, I seriously doubt it would have made it over 500k on the cheapest gas I can find. But I am getting a little nervous... where did I put that spare?

 

The way I see it, a GOOD filter will only filter better, the more particles it accumulates, as long as flow doesn't become an issue. The FACTORY filters are the finest quality, stainless mesh, which do not deteriorate.

 

When you buy a new filter from the dealer, you get an SOA filter, which is a re-branded whatever... just like the oil filters.

[Subaru Scott]

I think you made a great buy Ravenwoods. A car like that with no rust is exactly what I would want my daughter driving! It will give her many, many, years of safe, super-dependable service.

[Bushwick]

Fuel pump "works" the same no matter what is going on.

 

#1. It's not a positive displacement pump. It's an impeller type just like a water pump. If you completely block the output, it still spins the same rpm.

 

#2. The system always runs the same pressure, which is dictated by the regulator on the fuel rail, and the excess is continually flowing back to the tank. Should the system fail to develop regulator pressure, for whatever reason, there would be immediate starvation symptoms, which I never have.

 

#3. All late model Subarus now have the filter installed in the tank. Not meant to be serviceable, except at a pump change. 

 

#4. If I was overworking my pump, I seriously doubt it would have made it over 500k on the cheapest gas I can find. But I am getting a little nervous... where did I put that spare?

 

The way I see it, a GOOD filter will only filter better, the more particles it accumulates, as long as flow doesn't become an issue. The FACTORY filters are the finest quality, stainless mesh, which do not deteriorate.

 

When you buy a new filter from the dealer, you get an SOA filter, which is a re-branded whatever... just like the oil filters.

I should have worded that better. You should replace the filter. stop. Your old pump is probably straining. stop.

 

https://www.autorepairboulder.com/clogged-fuel-filter-how-to-know-its-time-for-a-new-filter/

https://www.doityourself.com/stry/symptoms-that-your-truck-may-have-a-dirty-fuel-filter

https://wheelzine.com/signs-of-clogged-fuel-filter

https://www.fixmyoldride.com/clogged-fuel-filter-symptoms.html

 

Just because it stainless mesh, doesn't mean garbage won't cling to it or that it's working 100%. If you were saying your engine had 500k miles and you never changed the air filter, I'd rib you over that too People might come on and read that, then think "he went 500k miles w/o changing or replacing, so can I" then end up with a dead component at a 1/4 of the mileage because of variances.

[Subaru Scott]

I should have worded that better. You should replace the filter. stop. Your old pump is probably straining. stop.

 

https://www.autorepairboulder.com/clogged-fuel-filter-how-to-know-its-time-for-a-new-filter/

https://www.doityourself.com/stry/symptoms-that-your-truck-may-have-a-dirty-fuel-filter

https://wheelzine.com/signs-of-clogged-fuel-filter

https://www.fixmyoldride.com/clogged-fuel-filter-symptoms.html

 

Just because it stainless mesh, doesn't mean garbage won't cling to it or that it's working 100%. If you were saying your engine had 500k miles and you never changed the air filter, I'd rib you over that too People might come on and read that, then think "he went 500k miles w/o changing or replacing, so can I" then end up with a dead component at a 1/4 of the mileage because of variances.

 

Not sure why re-wording is making any difference to you.

 

The pump can NEVER BE straining. It sees the same load under all conditions. Stop.

 

Of course garbage is clinging to my filter, I'm counting on it! The more garbage, the finer particles it filters.

 

Maybe I should have capped this before: AS LONG AS FLOW IS NOT AN ISSUE. 

 

Of course, an air filter is completely different, because flow IS an issue, just like an oil filter.

 

We are not dealing with top fuel dragsters. A momentary drop in fuel pressure will cause no damage whatsoever, and will alert you that you have a problem. 

 

I do know the symptoms of fuel starvation. I had them once on my EJ22 swapped houseboat after I got a load of gunk from a marina gas pump. And it showed up while at idle, didn't make a difference if I was operating there, or at full throttle. The system runs in it's little circle at regulator pressure, that's all it cares about. And when it plugged up, the engine stopped, the fuel pump stopped, the pressure reversion knocked enough gunk off the filter to let me start it back up immediately, until the gunk plugged it shut again after a few minutes. When I got to a safe anchorage, I simply back-flushed the filter, and it's still on there to this day.

[Bushwick]

My "rewording" was sarcasm. First link states:

 

Potential Fuel Pump Damage

"There is risk for the fuel pump to become damaged if a fuel pump becomes too clogged.

AGCO Automotive explains that vehicles with a clogged fuel filter will generally lose
power as they are driving up a hill. This happens because the engine
needs more fuel to power the vehicle up an incline. The increased amount
of fuel is not received by the engine because of the blockage, so the
fuel pump works even harder to get the needed fuel to the engine. This
extra work is what will damage the fuel pump."

 

I literally pulled the first 4 links that appeared on a quick search. That same link lists 100k miles being typical for in-tank style filters, which you've exceeded by 400k miles. My other post in another thread, mentioned how my mom's first new car (84' Ford Escort) went 55k miles in 4 years (with 1984 factory oil no less) w/o EVER getting an oil change due to my step dad's ignorance on oil changes, and the engine was shot and needed replaced.

 

So yes, you can "get away" with extremes. Glad you got your money's worth out of the car, but people shouldn't be foregoing routine maintenance or planning long trips with questionable fuel pumps, neglected maintenance, etc. w/o understanding the risks, the unexpected dead car in the middle of nowhere and higher costs to tow and fix, etc.

 

@Ravenwoods, sorry for the thread jack.

[Subaru Scott]

Your link, and pasted text, (pardon me for not even looking at any of your links, but I don't need to read any blah, blah.) is either from someone describing a POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT pump system, or, from someone who has no idea what he's talking about. I'll vote for the latter, since that seems to be the most common. Also the additional comment about using more fuel going up hills, because on a return system, as I described before, it makes almost no difference. I don't believe any manufacturer has used positive displacement pumps for decades. So, the advice given in that link is gibberish as applied to a Subaru. 

 

There can be NO ill effects to a Subaru pump by ultra-filtering the fuel. I have proven that with real-world conditions over 17 years and 500k miles.

 

Comparing this to oil is not even in the same realm of discussion. Of course, I would agree with you 100 percent that oil and filters need to be changed regularly...

 

If I could buy a FACTORY Subaru fuel filter, would I change it? Probably not. I saw one cut open in my dealership training back in the 80s and it was quite substantial. I will trust it for as long as I own it, which will be a long time. If it ever gives me any problems, I will back-flush it. But then I will be giving up that extra filtration. I'm not sure what an aftermarket filter looks like inside. Don't really care.

 

I would also like to apologize for the thread jack (don't get me started). I should start my own on Subaru fuel filters I guess. Along with in-line transmission filters (also recommended as a no-maintenance interval by Subaru for the same reasons)

[Ravenwoods]

 

I think you made a great buy Ravenwoods. A car like that with no rust is exactly what I would want my daughter driving! It will give her many, many, years of safe, super-dependable service.

[Ravenwoods]

 

 

 

I think you made a great buy Ravenwoods. A car like that with no rust is exactly what I would want my daughter driving! It will give her many, many, years of safe, super-dependable service.

Thanks! My daughter paid for it with her own money. She’s got a healthy bank balance through hard work and savings—and is a university student too.

[Subaru Scott]

Wow, good for her! She sounds like a keeper 

 

I just went through a 97 last year that I helped find for a friends son. Started seeing things that were needing attention from the age and not the mileage (this one only had 56k!). 

 

Rubber parts, seals, hoses, axle boots, and the boots on the ball joints and tie rod ends, even though they had virtually no wear.

 

Of course, this was a Florida car, so, there's that.

[Ravenwoods]

Wow, good for her! She sounds like a keeper 

 

I just went through a 97 last year that I helped find for a friends son. Started seeing things that were needing attention from the age and not the mileage (this one only had 56k!). 

 

Rubber parts, seals, hoses, axle boots, and the boots on the ball joints and tie rod ends, even though they had virtually no wear.

 

Of course, this was a Florida car, so, there's that.

Here up North the UV from the sun isn't so strong so things don't break down much. I'm also guessing this car was kept in a heated garage too.

[Ravenwoods]

Higher cost than the lower 48 but... a one owner car , extra rims & tires , and you will never have to worry if the timing belt breaks! Don't wait somebody else that knows Subaru's will snap it up.

A local aircraft mechanic once told me that here in Interior Alaska, a Subaru that can move on its own is already worth $1000.

[Mike104]

Here up North the UV from the sun isn't so strong so things don't break down much. I'm also guessing this car was kept in a heated garage too.

 

Is Fairbanks far enough north to have periods of no daylight?  Or is it just really short (or really long) daylight!  I remember being in Anchorage in the summer and the sun was still out at like 1130pm

[Ravenwoods]

Is Fairbanks far enough north to have periods of no daylight? Or is it just really short (or really long) daylight! I remember being in Anchorage in the summer and the sun was still out at like 1130pm

We are a few hundred miles south of the Arctic circle so on December 21 the sun rises about 11am and sets about 2:40pm. But the sun rises and sets slowly so it starts getting light at least 90 minutes before actual sunrise and stays light for the same amount after sunset. So it isn’t as dark as you imagine.

 

Never gets dark in the summer.

 

During equinoxes we can gain or loose 7 minutes of daylight daily. So it changes really fast.

[el_freddo]

Shame it's a 2wd as previously mentioned. AWD in the snow = awesome.

 

Still, sounds like a good deal in your area!

 

It's like the ea81 - keep the oil and coolant up and she'll be sweet. One exception is that you keep a good quality cam belt kit on it at the appropriate intervals

 

Any pics of the beast?

 

Cheers

 

Bennie

[Ravenwoods]

Shame it's a 2wd as previously mentioned. AWD in the snow = awesome.

 

Still, sounds like a good deal in your area!

 

It's like the ea81 - keep the oil and coolant up and she'll be sweet. One exception is that you keep a good quality cam belt kit on it at the appropriate intervals

 

Any pics of the beast?

 

Cheers

 

Bennie

It is an AWD. Not sure where you saw 2wd.

[el_freddo]

It is an AWD. Not sure where you saw 2wd.

Yeah after re-reading your posts I'm not sure where I pulled that from either :/

 

Glad it's AWD, only way to go in the snow IMO - and yes, Australia gets snow (yet some still don't know this fact!) in a very small area - and I've had the pleasure of driving on it in my L (locked in 4wd), it was awesome. No salt on our roads due to the fragile alpine environment.

 

I hope it serves your daughter well for many years to come

 

Cheers

 

Bennie