nocarsgo Posted August 17, 2007 Share Posted August 17, 2007 so I just bought an 85 turbo sedan, 5 speed, dual range 4wd, height adjustment, power windows/locks, digidash, checkered seats/seatbelts, no sunroof and at first I was thinking it was an rx because of the chekered seats but then I searched into this more and found out that gl-10s can have them too + the digidash is a gl-10 thing. So now I think its a gl-10 sedan. I looked through the general specifications on this site and at the vin exaples for the different trims and mine doesn't match with any... there is a pesky N that doesn't match with what i have. So I happen to stumble upon the vin decoder http://subaru.sonik.us/cgi-bin/vin.cgi and it says i have a wagon without the air suspension. could this just be a problem with the decoder (I know there's a link to contact about that) or do cars ever get tagged with incorrect coding? The title for the model just says, "G4D" Anyway here's what the decoder says: FHI, Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle Fuji Subaru Loyale and XT Line Station Wagon 1800 (1.8L) 4WD (W/O Air Susp.) Turbo '86 or GL-10 Turbo '87-'89 or GL F4WD 3D '87 3001-4000 lbs. GVWR W/ passive restraint Check digit is a random number 1985 Automatic/4wd Trans. Station Wagon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reveeen Posted August 17, 2007 Share Posted August 17, 2007 There is only one place that can accurately decode a serial number, and that place is your local Subaru dealer, make friends with the parts man. Where are you getting this serial number you are attempting to decode? Title?, dash cover? driver's door pillar? firewall? Mistakes can be made in the title, dash covers can be changed, you can 'section repair' the driver's door pillar, I would take the numbers off of the firewall, and do my "secret decoder ring thing" with them. At the end of the day, if you do find you have a "dodgy" serial number, what are you going to do about it? (because as soon as you know it becomes illegal not to report it) Do you really want to know? (once you report it impound is possible/likely, now what?) Who is to say it is not a "put together" made from 2, or more, cars? Think long and hard before going any farther. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted August 17, 2007 Share Posted August 17, 2007 All you're decoded info matches what I find in the 85 FSM. That VIN is for a Automatic, wagon with no height adjustment. Do all the VINS on the car match? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86BRATMAN Posted August 17, 2007 Share Posted August 17, 2007 I would definately check the vin under the hood on the firewall. Something smells fishy... But like Reveeen mentioned... Do you REALLY want to know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted August 17, 2007 Share Posted August 17, 2007 If this is the same car you mention in the *white smoke, smells like coolant" thread, I think we may have something. You said in that thread that the Speedometer, tempature, and fuel gauges don't work. This is on the DigiDash? What I'm getting at is someone may have swapped dashes on you. Digi Temp gauges are always flaky. But the Fuel gauge not working could be due to not swapping senders when they swapped dashes. Also perhaps they couldn't get the Speedometer cable in. Or maybe they just butchered wiring putting it it. Does the tag on back say GL or GL-10? Does it have the trip computer in it and does it work? somewhere somethings been swapped. When you say "adjustable suspension", are you talking about the Air suspension package? Does the Air suspension work? Height button on the dash? All 85 and 86 GL's had adjustable height suspension, but the standard type was mechnical, you actually had to uses wrenches to adjust the struts. IIRC only GL-10s and RX had air suspension, which simply required pressing a button to select height. Edit: 85 FSM shows only a Sedan, 4WD TURBO model(not GL, GL-10, or RX?) as being the only one in 85 with air suspension. Tha's just what the book says, could be different though. Still I think somewhere, something has been swapped on this car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerFahrer Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 Well, right off the bat, yes, the EA82 sedan is an AC and the EA82 wagon is an AN. So something's already fishy. I'll plug the VIN in tomorrow when I get to work. Oh, and FYI, I wouldn't publicly post your VIN up on the Internet... If you want to take it down and PM me, you're more than welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nocarsgo Posted August 18, 2007 Author Share Posted August 18, 2007 ok phew nothing to worry about now. After investigating this earlier today, it turns out the guy was given the wrong title by his wife, she was just looking for the sube that had her name on it and gave it to him, neither of us(i see now stupidly) paid attention to the vin OR the plate numbers on the title. they have a handful of subarus, and thought there was only one in her name. so i'm going over tomorrow to get the right one from them. Also an update if you had read from the other thread, it starts up right, it was just when overheating obviously then it wasn't starting but when its cool, there's not even a hesitation. We found the problem, my dad caught it. each time i revved the engine my dad could see something fluid splurting out of a hose in coordination with each rev. So its maybe about a 3/4 in to an inch wide hose that coolant flows through. That explains why we'd be fine goin it would overheat again, because we lost coolant. I have no idea how we didn't catch that before, the hole was under a crowd of stuff, but still a simple of a problem as that we should have caught it. So we're gonna replace that hose, do a tune up, replace oil/filter, pcv valve, new radiator cap, air filter, use fuel injector cleaner and see where we are from there. The engines been missing so hopefully the tune up will take caer of that. oh also its clicking moderately so we'll take care of the lifters. The push button air suspension: The guy replaced the front suspension for regular struts and I'm assuming the rear still has the air bags, I haven't checked for myself. will do all this stuff tomorrow, it wasn't at my house today otherwise it'd all be done. does have the famously durable foam lip/spoiler thing though, practically all intact, so that's cool. the car doesn't say what model it is, just 4wd turbo and subaru, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 not GL, or nothin?!?? hrmmm... Well, regarding the fuel injector cleaner, I would recommend buying a bottle of Sea Foam and using the recommended amount (1/3 pint?) sucked up into a vacuum hose (directions on the bottle or the website IIRC) and then pour the rest of the bottle into the gas tank, then make sure you fill up to an appropriate level for 2/3 pints (~10 fluid ounces, roughly ten gallons or less gasoline in the tank) NGK plugs only.. other brands will work, but some of them suck, and its a japcar. it wants NGKs. period. Stay away from Fram oil filters. You *might* want to consider a coolant system flush as well.. and if I ever buy a turbo car the very first thing I am going to do is drain the coolant system (probly remove the T stat and power flush it with a garden hose, but thats not the important bit) and remove the radiator to FULLY inspect it, power blast IT, and fully degrease the coils to ensure 100% thermal transfer capacity. If you find ANY reason to doubt the radiator at all, replace it ASAP. These cars do NOT like to overheat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nocarsgo Posted August 18, 2007 Author Share Posted August 18, 2007 ok cool, seafoam i'll look for that otherwise I'll go with the trusty lucas. right before we found the leak, we were thinking it was either the thermostat or a clogged radiator. definately will flush it out. would it be a good idead to take the thermostat out for the summer and just get a new one once winter rolls along? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caboobaroo Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 I've seen a '85 GL sedan that is almost how you describe yours. It was kind of inbetween an RX and a GL-10 but on the back it said 4WD turbo and Subaru, no GL or GL-10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nocarsgo Posted August 19, 2007 Author Share Posted August 19, 2007 dang it! turns out there was a crack in the head gasket. I took it back and talked him into giving my money back. I need something that can already run as I have to move to a different area. new alternator or something I could deal with but not something like that right now. If anyone is interested in it, I had got it for 650 so now you should be able to get it lower. it's in the portland area and pm me I can give you the guy's info. oh also there was a hole in the exhaust just behind the curve where it levels out from coming down from the engine, just to finish the list of what i could tell was wrong with it. the interior still looks great. and now the search for a new car continues! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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