What year wagon?

[TweedleDee]

I'm a complete noob when it comes to Subarus, so bear with me. I am interested in getting an old Subaru wagon as the family car to go on vacations/camping with my wife and 2 kids. I would like to hear opinions on the best year and model to get. I'm mainly interested in "easy to work on", cheap to buy, available parts/hop-ups, and light off-road abilities. I like the look of the 1982-1984 models and my understanding is that these are true 4x4 as opposed to all wheel drive. Are these 5 speed as well? Any opinions?

 

Alan

[TheSubaruJunkie]

For the family and trips, you might want to look into a EA82. Something in the Years of 85-87 would be good as they mostly came with 5spd and Dual Range 4WD. Thats FWD, 4WDHI & 4WD LOW. 80-84 models came with 4speed Dual ranges, but they dont have as much room. Plus there are alot more comforts available to the EA82 like power steering that will make for easy drives.

 

The EA82 is alittle more high maitenance than the EA81, as it has timing belts. But regular oil changes and maitenance will keep the car on the road for hundreds of thousands of miles. Or offroad for that matter.

 

-Brian

[Qman]

Welcome!

 

'80-84 4WD wagons are 1600 and 1800 ohv engines.

'80-84 come as 4 speed single and dual range as well as a 3sp auto with push button 4wd. 5 sp dual range transmissions can be added but requires some fab work. Upgrades for these include Weber carbs, improved exhaust, cams and larger wheels/tires(Peugoet wheels or by redrilling 6 lug truck wheels)

In stock form these have about 73hp

 

 

'85-94 4wd/AWDwagons are ohc engines.

These come with 5sp push botton single range, 5sp dual range, 3sp auto with push button. Dual range 4WD tansmissions ended in 1988 I believe. Any '85-94 can be changed over to the dual range tranny. Upgrades for these include Weber, cams, bigger exhaust, larger wheels.

In stock form the carbed model had about 83hp.

 

The cargo area of the '85-94's is much larger. The parts are easier to find used and through most parts stores. But... these have issues that have to be considered. Timing belts which give zero advance warning when they break. Heads that are prone to cracking when the motor is overheated. It comes down to which one you like the look of the most. All were available with A/C PS. Although most of the '85+ models came standard with the PS and the older ones were an option.

[TweedleDee]

Thank you for the good information! It's encouraging to see that you guys are noob friendly. So, based on what I hear I'm going to look for a 80-88 wagon, D/R 4x4, 4 or 5 speed with emphasis on the 80-84 models. What is the difference between the GL and DL models?

 

Thanks again!

Alan

 

 

P.S. How hard is it to work on these things? (i.e. changing the starter?)

[samo]

These cars are all VERY easy to work on. Compared to the transverse inline engine in my old Sentra, there's all kinds of room in a Subaru engine bay if you ever have to fix something, which is pretty rare. You'll love it.

 

EDIT - Just noticed you're from McMinnville. I grew up across the river in a little town called Canby, a bit south of Oregon City.

[TweedleDee]

Cool! I've been through Canby several times. Used to live in Wilsonville too.

 

One more quick question...

I see an '86 Turbo Wagon in the paper for $1000 right now. Are the Turbo's more unreliable or harder/more expensive to repair than standards?

[Scoobywagon]

WElcome to the board!

 

I, too, am going to reccommend an 85+ wagon for you. Reason is there is MUCH more space available in them than the 80-85 model. You'll frequently see us refer to the 85+ wagons as EA82 cars and the 80-85 as EA-81, FYI. I drive an 83 GL. The problem is that even though I'm not particularly tall (5'10") and like to sit sort close to the wheel, nobody taller than 4 feet is going to be able to sit in the seat behind me. That's ok for me because its just my wife and dogs (no kids) and we usually end up taking her Ranger cuz she doesn't like my Soob. So if you're looking for a family hauler...the EA82 wagons are going to be the better bet.

 

The difference between GL and Dl is trim, just like the difference between XL and XLT in Ford trucks. GL is the "higher" model, but I'm not sure I could tell by looking at the interior which is which. 81-82 GL wagons had a single large sqaure headlight with chromed bezels and, I think as an option, something called a passing light. DL wagons of the same years just got 2 small rectangular headlights. In 83, the switched it up and the GL's got 2 rectangular headlights, not sure what they did with the DLs. After 85, GLs got compound halogen headlights, while DL's kept the 2 small squares. You'd have to ask someone else about more of the particulars. I think GL's are more common anyway.

 

The reliability of the Turbo cars is not really any worse than those of the normally aspirated cars outside of the fact that they are, of course, more complex. Turbo's were available in GL wagons beginning in 83. Until 86, getting a turbo also meant getting an automatic. In 83-4, they used two different turbo units. The older of the two was oil cooled and was more prone to failure because of that. Sometime in 84 they switched to a turbo unit with water jackets. As far as I know, ALL EA82 turbo cars had the "upgraded" turbo unit. THings to be aware of: Head gaskets. Run a turbo car on boost a lot and you'll eventually blow out the factory head gaskets. EA82 cars have two timing belts that you have to watch.

 

Another option for you might be to find an older Legacy wagon. You said you aren't looking for a hard core off roader. The Legacy doesn't have the off road support that the older cars do, because it is an AWD system rather than 4WD. However, upgrade the tires and maybe lift it a bit and it should be able to get you where you want to go. You'll also get even more room than the EA82 wagons.

 

Just some thought...I'll quit rambling now....

[samo]

Yeah, for a family hauler, the EA82 would be best, it's a whole lot bigger than an EA81. Plus, more of them were fuel-injected, so you won't have to fool around with a carb. Some GLs were FI, some were carbed. All Loyales are injected, although then you're back into a S/R transmission.

 

Sounds like the ideal car for you would be a 5-speed, fuel-injected, naturally-aspirated EA82 GL. You'll get the D/R tranny and the nicer interior with all the power goodies.

[Snowman]

My vote is for an EA82 (85-94) wagon. I wouldn't go with the turbo car for three reasons. First, they are more complex. This makes trailside repairs more difficult at times. Second, although turbo cars are generally as reliable if they are maintained properly, some problems may arise. Any car that you buy for $1000 is likely to have not recieved the care it should have. Non-turbo cars can generally stand up to more of this abuse than the turbo cars. Third, the powerband of a naturally aspirated engine is generally better suited to offroading.

 

To narrow my recommendation further, I would make a couple of suggestions. As has been said already, the EA82 is larger and in my opinion more comfortable. I would highly recommend getting a fuel-injected car. Carb die-hards might flame me for this, but having been one myself, I can say that SPFI subarus are generally less problematic than carbureted ones, and have improved drivability and fuel economy. If you take only one part of my advice, listen to this when I say to get a car with a dual-range transmission. This will make you and your car much happier in the long run (your clutch will thank you as well). Qman already went through which cars had the D/R tranny available. However, it WAS offered through 1989 (I have owned one of them), although it appears to have been quite rare in that year.

 

So, I would look for an 88-89 wagon with SPFI and a D/R tranny.

[TweedleDee]

Wow, thank you all for the great replies. Sounds like the larger body may be what I want then. I'm going to keep my eye on the local paper and see what I can find.

 

Thanks again.

Alan

[subaru_styles]

just to add, they made the D/R's till 89 not 88.

 

as far as EA82 wagons go, they slightly changed the exterior and dash controls in 87. i personally dont like the older ones.87-89 i thnk are the best years. once 1990 came along the ea82's got striped down

[WoodsWagon]

Don't rule out the legacy's for mild off-roading. The extra power makes up for the low range in some ways. I took my legacy on some fairly gnarly trails and took it mudding, and I was suprised at how well it held up. fair bit of body damage, but that may have been driver error. The legacy's have less ground clearance I think, so rough trails will lead to more of that.

[Snowman]

There are companies that make springs for the legacy that lift it a couple of inches and allow fitting of larger tires. In my opinion, the two biggest hangups the new gen cars have are a lack of ground clearance and no low-range. With more ground clearance, they would probably do quite well. You could always import a D/R transmission from Australia or Japan as well.

[Qman]

Contact John(Mudrat) in Eugene. He always has one or two for sale.

 

 

His cell number is 541-729-8490, tell him Ken told you about him.

[kingbobdole]

I just got a 87 carbbed D/R wagon... for fun. One thing that I will add is that if you go to junkyards for parts and you get an 87 + wagon you can use parts off of the 87-94 cars, thats easy to find stuff. They have (in my opinion) a simpler front end with combo lights, and a much larger interior. I'm 6'4" and I wanted a brat, but I really dont fit that well in them, this wagons pretty comfy. Like others say you also with the "newer" cars get more creature comforts like P/S and A/C and cruise for the long trips which my car has. I too, if I had had the choice would go Efi for the reliability/power. Btw, I've had mine off road pretty much right after I got it. This thing is kinda sluggish on the street, but in 4wd Lo driving through BIG dirt hills, this thing just went Zooooommm. I love it.:cool:

[MorganM]

1987 to 1989 GL Wagon 4WD Dual Range with EA82 SPFI engine would be my opinion to fit your needs. Plenty of room for a family. I'm 6'2" and have no problems with room. Cheap to buy one. Easy to work on (once you get some junk out of the way!). Parts arent that cheap for an old vehicle but compared to a new one they are cheaper. 4WD Dual Range 5MT tranny will get you anywhere you dare take it. Tough to find one that isnt ran into the ground or on its way out however.

 

Another good choice would be a first gen Legacy wagon. You could get it whit a AWD 5MT tranny; while not as good offroad it will certainly get you where you need to go.... camping or more. The EJ22 MPFI engine in there is rock solid and again easy to work on. Parts are more expensive but I bet youll need less parts =P Again plenty of room (even more than the old GLs) Not QUITE as many bells and whistles as the old GLs (even the Legacy L models) but the L models do have 'power everything'.

 

I've been very happy with both platforms and taken both camping, offroading, and driven daily for years. I stuck with the old GL because I wanted to make it my ORV and that just was not happening with the Legacy at the time.

 

Good luck !_!

[TweedleDee]

Just to follow up, I got me a 1986 GL Wagon 4x4 5 speed with D/R. Thanks,

 

Tweedle Dee

[Turbone]

Congrats. If you have any more questions, you know where to come!

[Syonyk]

Congrats! I have an 87 GL (D/R 5 speed) that I commute in and generally haul around the midwest... 4000 miles last month on a junkyard salvage Subaru.

 

Now that you have it... fix it. There are a few things I'd suggest doing right off the bat. If it's something that should have been done at X mileage, assume it hasn't been done in 2X miles and is due to fail at any point.

 

You can do all of these things yourself easily enough - all you should need is a decent metric socket set & maybe a few deep well sockets.

 

If you haven't learned to work on a car before, now is the time. Get your wife/kids to help too - small hands are useful for somethings. Plus, they're probably a bit more likely to trust a 19 year old car if they know things have been fixed up recently.

 

1: Change all the fluids. Oil, coolant, and transmission/differential fluid. If you have the money, putting in some synthetic RedlineMT or Royal Purple might help get a bit more power to the wheels (less driveline loss).

 

2: Change the timing belts. They're not difficult to change. The EA82 engines are non-interference, so a broken timing belt won't damage anything, but it's still a pain. They're good for 60k miles or so and about $40 for a set. Also, while you're in there, many people on the board suggest removing most of the timing belt covers. They're supposed to keep stuff off the belts, but they usually end up keeping any oil/coolant ON the belts. Plus, changing the timing belts without the covers is pretty trivial. It's a lot easier to change the timing belts with the radiator out, and if you're doing a bunch of this stuff at once it would be well worth the 5 minutes it takes to remove it.

 

3: Ignition system. It's shot. Plugs, wires, distributor cap/rotor. Should be $50 or so, but if you can take the cap & rotor off in the parking lot of the parts store you'll be happier. Match parts up, because there are a wide variety of parts that claim to fit, and only one or two actually do. If you want, you can get another ignition coil (Blaster or Accel) and gap the plugs a bit wider (0.050" or so). Plus, then you have a spare ignition coil.

 

4: Coolant system. Replace the thermostat, just as a preemptive measure. After a while, they start to stick and not open fully... it might be fine for normal driving, but it won't open up fully when you're running WOT for 15 minutes straight going up a mountain (or through mud). Also, check the hoses & radiator. If the radiator is pretty bad looking (fins falling off), a new one is $90ish. The hoses should be replaced if they're soft or tearing.

 

5: Fuel filter & oxygen sensor. The fuel filter is probably half clogged. It's easy to get at, right in the driver's corner of the engine bay. The oxygen sensor is also shot, but they have to get REALLY bad before throwing a check engine code... I went from 23mpg to 27mpg just by replacing mine. You'll have to drop the exhaust off the engine to do this, and you may as well replace the exhaust gaskets (heads to Y-pipe) while you're at it. $20 for a generic O2 sensor, $6 for the gasket set.

 

6: Accessory drive belts. $8-$10 for a set. It's not worth *not* replacing them - there are two, but they're probably the same age. The alternator & water pump are important. Throw the old ones (or just one) in back as a spare.

 

7: Oil leaks. Subarus mark their territory. This is a given - if a Subaru isn't leaking oil, it's probably out. However, it shouldn't be dumping massive amounts of oil. If it is, it's probably the fault of the cam cover oil seal - a little o-ring that seals a high pressure passage between the heads & the cam cover. This is a bit of a pain to do with the engine in the car, but perfectly doable. There are writeups on it, just search for "cam cover seal."

 

8: Spare tire. Look at that tiny little spare tire under the hood. You can't use 4WD mode with that on any wheel. Consult with your local junkyard & get a full size spare tire - it fits under the hood just fine. Make sure the tire is the same size as your current ones, or you'll make the transmission very unhappy in 4WD mode.

 

9: On the topic of 4WD mode, it's for use only on wet pavement/gravel/snow/ice/etc. It doesn't have a center differential, so don't use it on dry pavement. If you do have trouble getting it back into FWD mode, back up in a straight line for 2 car lengths or so and it'll release tension.

 

10: Headlights. The bulbs get dim before burning out. Change them... you might like it. Also, if you're not familiar with Subarus, the headlights are wired to the ignition. Leave the light switch on, and the lights come on when you turn the car on and go off when you turn it off. The little rocker on top of the steering column lets you turn the parking lights on with the key off. More likely, you'll want to poke that when you can't figure out why the parking lights refuse to go off when you turn the car off.

 

11: Brakes. Check 'em out. You'll need a nice 36mm socket & breaker bar (or impact wrench) to get the rear brakes off. The rear brake cylinders like to leak on these cars (or at least on both of mine), and aren't very expensive to replace. $30-$35 for a set (both sides).

 

12: Things to keep in back. There are a number of things that you should keep in the back of your car to make life easier for you (and possibly others). A good 4-way tire iron is very useful, as is a decent jack. Changing a tire with any car's built in stuff sucks, but is a quick and easy job with the right tools. You'll also want to keep a quart or two of oil (5W-30) around, probably some windshield wiper fluid (you go through a lot when you're racing through mud, and it can be used as coolant in an emergency), some brake fluid, your metric socket set, and maybe a spare set of timing belts. You might also want to keep a voltmeter, prybar, and flashlight in the back. I keep my 75W work lamp back there as well, and power it off my inverter if needed (wonderful for helping other people on the side of the road at night).

 

Once you replace everything that most likely hasn't been replaced, they're quite reliable. They're also, as mentioned multiple times, very easy to work on - the engine being mounted the "right way" really helps.

 

Other than that... enjoy!

 

-=Russ=-