New Subaru Owner Questions

[toadleyb]

Hey all. I just purchased a 1987 Subaru Wagon. For the year of the car it is in excellent shape. There is one little spot of rust on the rear quarter panel, the owner has receipts from all the work he has done to the car including, ball joints, CV Joints, exhaust, timing belt. It has two sets of tires with it a set of Nokians and a set of summer tires. I bought it for 400 dollars. I think I got a darn good deal.

 

I have been doing some reading here on this website and did some searching but had a couple of questions.

 

The previous owner told me that the engine had been replaced with an engine from a 92 Loyale. What engine would this be so I know when I am buying parts?

 

I have been searching and reading about clutch adjustment and stiff clutches. Here is the issue with mine. The previous owner said he had the clutch cable break on him. He brought the car to a local garage and had them replace it. Now the clutch pedal is sitting only maybe two inches off the floor. You can pull the pedal up with your foot but as soon as you depress it it stays down again. The clutch does work and it is driveable. Does this sound like it could be just and adjustment in the cable or could it be something more serious? Also can someone explain exactly what the hill hold cable does?

 

There is also several indicator lights that stay on all the time like the rear hatch indicator and a couple of others (I don't remember now what they were, I haven't picked up the car yet) Any ideas what might cause this?

 

Thanks for the help, I am greatly looking forward to this new toy!

 

Todd

[Jerry DeMoss]

Welcome.Your rear hatch indicator is most likely worn out and will need to be replaced.Is your car carbed or efi?What other lights are on? Again welcome.

[toadleyb]

It is EFI according to the previous owner. I did not look myself yet. I can't remember now what other lights were on. I just went and checked out the car last night and took it for a ride. The previous owner told me the indicator lights were something new. They were under the instrument cluster rectangular lights just behind the steering wheel.

 

Thanks for the welcome.

 

Todd

[toadleyb]

Just noticed an error in my original post, the engine was replaced with an engine from a 92 loyale, not an 82. That is what you get for posting at 6:00 am!

[nipper]

CLutch pedal check under the hood and look at the adjustment. If it is adjuste and shifts fine, go get another cable (you can always return it) and see if it is the proper cable.

 

The cable should be replaced when the clutch is replaced.

 

nipper

[cmiller]

Your engine is a SPFI EA82, Single Point Fuel Injection thats what came stock in my car (see description at bottom).

 

Sounds like an adjustment with your clutch or the return spring. Check the hillholder cable, sometimes if its too tight the clutch pedal will be out of adjustment or feel like a turd. Thats where I would start. Congrats on the Subaru and welcome!

[zyewdall]

If the engine's out of a '92 Loyale, it actually exactly the same engine as came in the '87. That is, if it was a fuel injected '87. I just put a '91 loyale engine in my '87 GL. If it was a cabureated engine in the '87, they probably swapped the intake manifold, in which case when getting parts, you should still retend that it's still the original '87 engine. If you see a blue air cleaner right on top of the center of the engine, then it's carbed. Otherwise you'll see a black hose going off to the air cleaner case on the passenger side of the engine compartment, and I think it says SPFI right on top of the engine.

 

Your clutch pedal sounds like adjustment issues, or mybe needs a new cable (except you said it just had one?). The hill holder keeps the brakes on as long as you foot is on the clutch, even after you take your foot off the brake pedal -- for easier starting going on hills. For the hill holder adjustment, if it's really badly out of wack, it will never release the brakes even when you let up on the clutch (I had my '82 lock up so bad once it wouldn't move even in first low, and it had no trouble driving with the parking brake on in first low...). If it's adjusted too far the other way, it won't work as a hill holder -- just like most cars which don't have it -- but no other problems.

 

Ignore the door indicator lights. You might try finding the little door pushbutton switches that tell it if a door is open, and see if they're full of dirt, or the rubber boot is gone, but it isn't a big deal.

 

Overall, sounds like you got a great deal, especially for a northeast car.

 

Edit: actually, it sounds like it might be the engine lights that are on, if they are the little rectangular red ones? Which ones? If just the CEL is on, you can pull the code and figure out what the problem is. If all of them are on, it's probably a grounding or electrical system issue.

 

Zeke

[fj401968]

Welcome.Your rear hatch indicator is most likely worn out and will need to be replaced.Is your car carbed or efi?What other lights are on? Again welcome.

 

Go back and push the the button in and out to make sure of that... mine was doing the same thing and I just needed to adjust the U-shaped latch bracket so the door would close tighter. It made it rattle less too. I also did this on the driver's door.

 

Tracy

[toadleyb]

I am picking the car up right after work tonight. I will look again and see which indicator lights are on and post it. I sure am hoping the clutch thing is just adjustment. The garage where it was fixed is not real reputable. I once saw two guys standing underneath a car on the lift trying to find the oil filter so they could change it.

[Subarian]

Check to make sure the clutch return spring is in place. It should be between the end of the fork rod and a tab on the bell housing.