1992 Subaru Loyale yay? Or nay?

[Winterpie0220]

I know this is probably an old thread. But I think I may be in a similar situation as @GlenSz . I have a 1992 Subaru Loyale and I really like my little wagon (at times). At the moment it’s having a wiring problem fuse 10 keeps blowing. But other than that, it’s been a relatively decent vehicle. It still drives and is yet to leave me stranded. But let me just list off what I have done personally and what it needs next. 

 

What I’ve done:

full tune up: plugs, wires, cap and rotor, air filter, ignition coil (probably not necessary, I incorrectly thought that it was an ignition problem, was a fuel issue). Fuel filter and lines. (lol I accidentally reversed the fuel lines which has now been corrected). 

Fuel injector (single fuel injected engine is amazing by the way!)

battery, cables, and terminals

new front end (both CV axles, tie rods inner and outer, sway bar and control arm bushings (had to finagle some performance bushings to get them to fit, ground down to fit in the h, the passenger control arm as the sway bar was no longer attached to the control arm, front wheel bearings and seals). 

new brake system (calipers, pads, rotors, and bled brakes) (obviously).

also new fluids (oil change, transmission and rear diff fluid change) 

repaired rear washer reservoir (which is weirdly cool I must admit.) small leak, in tank welded it back together. 

Replaced the O2 sensor and cleaned up the pipe shields. 

Im also in the process of doing the muffler as well. 

So after all that most sane people would say, ok I’m done. But I feel like I’ve already gone this far. I may as well keep going. 

Here’s where I need to go next: 

I made a mistake when replacing the valve cover gaskets (broke the thread housing on the cylinder head when putting the valve cover bolt back on) so.. 

i need a new cylinder head

gaskets all around (top end and lower end gaskets) I figure I should do both if I’m pulling the engine out.

as well as T belt and water pump

and clutch

radiator hoses and thermostat

obviously a coolant flush as well

when looking at the muffler, noticed rear axles were leaking grease, so probably need to replace both rear axles and seals

needs new suspension all around

power steering pump and lines

and there has been a very very frustrating wiring problem that continued to blow fuse 10. I unplugged my seat belt motors on the upright position to see if that solved the problem (it didn’t). The only circuits left that I can think of is either for the power window motor, or the combination switch in the dash. So there’s that. A relatively cheap fix but requires a lot of time and frustration. If I do it myself. 

And a new windshield which I can’t replace myself unfortunately. 

So I don’t think I’ve forgotten anything, but that’s about the jist of my issues. My coworkers think I should sell my suby, and at times I sometimes agree with them, but then I think, if I solve all these issues, i won’t have to worry about them anymore for a long long while. And I’ve already come so far, and if I try and sell or trade for something else, I may buy another with the same or new problems. 

What do you think? Should I sell? Or should I keep going? 

 

[DaveT]

I have a 93 and an 87.   I intend to  run them indefinitely.   Plan on stocking up on NLA parts.  Getting creative with adapting generic parts when needed.   Plan on doing all your repairs,  unless you are lucky enough to live near another one of us crazys who run these EA82s.   Plan on continuing to have ridiculously low tax bills.  No emmisions testing hassles.   If it runs and drives you might get 1000 for it from a just anyone kind of buyer - who will be screwed the first time anything real breaks...  If it's near mint and no rust you could get more, but there are not a lot of us around...  my 2 are very low rust, so I'm not looking for another one.

 

The only trouble I consider "fatal" is when the rust gets out of control.

[Dee2]

Usually when a fuse keeps blowing it's because of a frayed wire that's grounding out.  Can be hard to find but some careful tracing can be the answer.

 

As for selling it ... only you can make that call.  Too many variables in the equation for anyone else.

[Winterpie0220]

NMy next plan for the wiring situation is the power window motor wiring, I think to eliminate any headache of actually trying to find the break, I’ll just replace the wire itself. I just can’t to believe it could be frayed in multiple places. Because I figure if I don’t use the windows it won’t ground out, but even if I don’t use the windows it still blows the fuse. And I’ve looked at the wiring diagrams over and over and the window motor doesn’t use the combination switch (turn signals and reverse lights) (there’s like five components going to fuse 10 (power windows, combination switch for turn signals, reverse lights and hazards, the auto seat belt motor (which is now unplugged), and 4wd actuator). It blows the fuse when I use the windows and when I don’t, so I’m thinking it’s probably both power windows and the combination switch wiring that’s grounding out. Thoughts? 

Edited August 22, 2018 by Winterpie0220

[Dee2]

47 minutes ago, Winterpie0220 said:

It blows the fuse when I use the windows and when I don’t

That's just more reason to think it's a frayed wire somewhere.  One time when I had a problem like this on a vehicle, I couldn't spot the exposure so I wrapped all suspect wires in split corrugated tubing.  Problem solved.  No guarantees it will solve your problem but something to think about.

[MR_Loyale]

3 hours ago, Winterpie0220 said:

NMy next plan for the wiring situation is the power window motor wiring, I think to eliminate any headache of actually trying to find the break, I’ll just replace the wire itself. I just can’t to believe it could be frayed in multiple places. Because I figure if I don’t use the windows it won’t ground out, but even if I don’t use the windows it still blows the fuse. And I’ve looked at the wiring diagrams over and over and the window motor doesn’t use the combination switch (turn signals and reverse lights) (there’s like five components going to fuse 10 (power windows, combination switch for turn signals, reverse lights and hazards, the auto seat belt motor (which is now unplugged), and 4wd actuator). It blows the fuse when I use the windows and when I don’t, so I’m thinking it’s probably both power windows and the combination switch wiring that’s grounding out. Thoughts? 

Factory speakers or aftermarket add on? The reason I aask is on my 92 someone put in speakers using pointy wood screws that pierced the harness and blew fuses.

 

 

Edited August 23, 2018 by MR_Loyale

[Winterpie0220]

I’m gonna tear into that pretty soon, but another issue that I have is I broke the thread housing on my cylinder head when attaching my valve cover. Everyone at my work says I need to replace the whole head. But performance wise it’s running great. Is there a way to repair the thread to eliminate the headache of basically doing a whole new top end job? 

[DaveT]

Is the thread just stripped,  or part of the casting broken off?

[Winterpie0220]

Casting is broken off. (Sigh)

[DaveT]

Got any pictures of it?  The broken part of the head.

[GeneralDisorder]

You need to replace the camshaft carrier, not the head.

GD

[DaveT]

D'oh!  yes, of course.

[DaveT]

If you don't have pictures, which side, and which bolt tab is broken off?

[Winterpie0220]

I had tried to jb weld it back together. It didn’t work. It’s the lower left valve cover bolt. 

 

[idosubaru]

i'd entertain thoughts of addressing this without pulling the cam carrier... 

a small tack of tig welding?

A bead of sealant...The Right Stuff?... along that bottom edge?

google it - someone has gotten creative with broken ears and tabs before even if it's not an EA engine...?

[GeneralDisorder]

Welding that dirty cast aluminium with JB contamination isn't an option without removing it from the engine bay. Might as well replace it. The EA82 doesn't have enough valve cover bolts to not leak without one of them. Even a dual cam EJ will leak without one of the corner bolts.

Shouldn't be too hard to find a cam carrier from a core motor. 

Perfect reason to do an EJ swap - or just buy a car with an EJ that you can actually get parts for. The EA82 is a dead platform for anyone but those with many parts and parts cars.

GD

[DaveT]

1st choice, replace. 
MAybe a piece of aluminum could be fabricated that would attach under the bolt to the left, and have a threaded hole.  But that's a big maybe.  Problem is, it's probably as much work to do that as replacing the carrier.  What's left of the casting would have to be cut out so a decent piece of metal could be put there.  I wouldn't want to try that with the engine in the car.

No "glue" is going to stick to oiled metal.  And endure the heat cycles.
Welding cast anything is a complex process involving controlled heating of the entire piece, and controlled cooling.

[GeneralDisorder]

Any good cylinder head shop could fix that easily. Probably for less than $100 Not worth it though.

It's about knowing the right people. I could have that fixed for a few beers. But I wouldn't bother my highly skilled friends with such nonsense. And the only reason I could do that is I pay for their services often and typically pay them more than they ask. So when I need a favor.....which is rare. 

Honestly I would just spend the time and effort on something newer and/or more deserving of the effort. EA82's are worth so little that if you don't pay someone to haul them away you are a damn criminal. 

GD

 

 

Edited August 29, 2018 by GeneralDisorder

[carfreak85]

8 hours ago, GeneralDisorder said:

Any good cylinder head shop could fix that easily. Probably for less than $100 Not worth it though.

It's about knowing the right people. I could have that fixed for a few beers. But I wouldn't bother my highly skilled friends with such nonsense. And the only reason I could do that is I pay for their services often and typically pay them more than they ask. So when I need a favor.....which is rare. 

Honestly I would just spend the time and effort on something newer and/or more deserving of the effort. EA82's are worth so little that if you don't pay someone to haul them away you are a damn criminal. 

GD

 

 

I get that you're trying to keep people from "wasting their time and money" but dang, who is going to keep the EA flame burning if you keep telling everyone they're trash!?  (At least let them start a project that we can swoop in later and buy for cheap!)

[idosubaru]

the car doesn't need a head or headgaskets - so that means the engine doesn't have to come out - which means you don't "need" to replace the clutch if that was only preventative due to the perceived head removal/job that you thought you needed, but don't. 

so if the car is reasonable enough that you just need the cam carrier, timing belts, and struts - that's all nominal maintenance stuff really that any used car will need so it could be worth fixing. 

if you need much more than that then an EJ swap or selling it and getting into an early legacy which is super reliable and easy to work on/get parts for looks financially attractive over the long haul. 

alternately - pull the valve cover and slather The Right Stuff on there really good and bolt it together.  that should get you by for a year or two and you can save and plan your next attack and set yourself up for a good 5+ year plan that saves you money and keeps your reliable.  good decisions now, pay off later. 

[el_freddo]

15 hours ago, idosubaru said:

  good decisions now, pay off later. 

Like an EJ conversion. Done right and looked after it's a very good swap that comes with reliability.

I'm still running on my same EJ conversion done ten years ago

it also makes the L series a much more enjoyable car to drive. 

So patch that issue and plan for an EJ conversion I say!

Cheers

Bennie

[Winterpie0220]

That’s my plan eventually. I’m a poor college student at the moment, so an ej swap although tantalizing is kind of out of the question for me financially. 

My plan is to keep the ea82 until I graduate (or later) lol. I’m in the process of pulling the motor cause it needs seals and gaskets anyways. I’m gonna have to pull the heads anyways to get them machined, and a shop in town said they could probably fix the head thread anyways. So that’ll knock out two birds with one stone (hopefully). And hopefully by doing that it’ll buy me time to save up for the motor swap and other issues. (There’s quite a few of them). Lol. 

So if and when I do the 2jz swap, will that make the 4wd useless? Or will it just be awd? 

[el_freddo]

I did my EJ conversion while at uni.  I searched for parts on my holidays, did my research of wiring etc between assignments then put it all together in my final year over the mid year holidays

If you retain the factory gearbox you'll need an adaptor plate and get used to spinning the front wheels off the line if you're not careful!  Or swap in the EJ AWD box, but lose the dual range in your case due to USDM AWD EJ boxes only being single range.

Really though, getting the wiring cut down and working correctly is the biggest hurdle in this conversion in my opinion.

Cheers

Bennie

[GeneralDisorder]

On 8/29/2018 at 6:53 AM, carfreak85 said:

I get that you're trying to keep people from "wasting their time and money" but dang, who is going to keep the EA flame burning if you keep telling everyone they're trash!?  (At least let them start a project that we can swoop in later and buy for cheap!)

Yeah. But it's so sad to see people limit themselves to these as a means of transportation. The way people drive anymore you're like as not to be ran over in one. And first gen/second gen Legacy's are like free now. They are crazy plentiful and totally worthless. I just traded a guy like $800 work for a 2005 Legacy with a bad timing belt tensioner. And people are still trying to fix EA82's for purposes of neccessary transportation?!? I mean.... might as well get yourself some stone knives and bear skins while you're at it and be completely period correct. Oh don't forget - don't use soap and only bath at the local river. Have your friends dump some raw sewage upstream for the proper stone age ambiance. LoL. 

The EA's were fun, but not being able to find any maintenance parts isn't much fun going forward. I like my 80's gear as much as any of us, but the inability to get basic parts forced me to move on to 80's vehicles I can get parts for now and in the future.

GD

Edited September 1, 2018 by GeneralDisorder

[GeneralDisorder]

Who said anything about a 2JZ swap? That's way outside the bounds of feasibility or rationality. 

Even an EJ swap.... really just drive the Legacy. Much more reasonable use of time and resources. They are like $FREE.99 now. Seriously I got a 2001 Outback Limited (heated leather, dual sunroofs, one owner) for $300 with bent valves like 2 years ago. Put a 40k JDM phase-II dual-cam in it, and that's the family wagon. The engine cost $900 and I used it complete with just a new timing setup.....This stuff is so cheap it's not even worth the time or effort to mess with an EA chassis.

I won't even take first and second gen Legacy's for free anymore. It's not worth my time to fix them or even scrap them. No demand for parts and even fixed you are hard pressed to get more than $1500 for anything older than 2000. 

Edited September 1, 2018 by GeneralDisorder