My new toy, and a changing of the guard.

[Frank B]

 

I recently bought this 92 Loyale from board member Spockva, to replace my 89 Hatch that I lost interest in, but to also give myself a boost in spirit by having something new to play with. Anyway, this car has been a treat! It's the newest Subaru I've owned! As in year model. And also the first SPFI. It's 2wd with a 5-speed, cold A/C which is real nice since I haven't had a car with working A/C in years, very little rust, and so far, easy to fix. Everything has been working out great. The reason Paul was selling it was because of clutch issues, as in it wouldn't release to allow shifting. He has spent a lot of money having new timing belts and seals installed last year and didn't want spend more on a clutch, can't blame him at all.

The engine, undercarriage, and exhaust were covered in oil, it was suffering from a serious case of the TOD, and the power windows are slow, and that's about it really. I noticed on the drive home with it that it could use a tune up and a bath but there were no handling issues, brakes are great, no clicking CVs, and everything seems to work.

New plugs, wires, oil change, tranny oil change, fuel filter, air filter, valve cover gaskets, cleaned the PCV system, de-geased the engine and tranny, new wiper blades, flushed the coolant, new thermostat, cleaned the interior, washed the exterior, put the wheels and snow tires from my Hatch on it, and it's good to go, to work that is. I'll be putting it in service tomorrow to get me to work everyday!

The clutch issue was just a stretched NAPA clutch cable, I replaced it with an OEM one and so far it's working great. The TOD was cured by a quart of Rislone in the oil with the oil change, while driving my fiancee around town to yard sales today, it stopped ticking. I also put a quart in the tranny. I'm trying Bosch Super Plus spark plugs this time, and Beck Arnley Blue Thunder plug wires(Ebay bargain). The valve cover gaskets were the cause of the oil everywhere, typical hard cracked rubber from age. I cleaned up the grounds while I was tinkering too. While cruising around today, it became very apparent that the 185 snow tires were not a good choice, they were rubbing and scraping in the rear with every bump and hard turn. But I just happen to have a set of rear struts off of a 2wd Loyale wagon in my shed. I scored them for $20 at a local junkyard a few years ago. They're aftermarket but I didn't see a brand on them. I do know that they are near new, blue in color, and the springs were a larger diameter than the ones on this car. I put them on it and the rear end sits up an inch higher and it's much stiffer. I'm glad I held on to them now!

I'll get a new O2 sensor in it next week, and clean up the window tracks, and guides as well.

I want to add that Paul (Spockva) was very honest about this car, he told me, or showed me everything wrong with it, everything he had repaired on it since he had it, he even admitted to being a retired Coastie!! Just kidding Paul, that's something to be proud of of course. He even mailed me a few repair manuals he had, and a few oil fliters! Great guy all around.

 

My Hatch is for sale here,

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=89635

[Awddrift4]

I got that car in 93 form =]

i just put a new radio in mine

Your lucky you got a/c in it tho, i need to replace the whole a/c unit in my car.

oh well, its just a project car to me... that i have to drive everyday

[Frank B]

I replaced the oil pan gasket yesterday, as well as the O2 sensor and exhaust gaskets while the y-pipe was down. O2 didn't look all that old, but I did it anyway. Oil pan gasket was hard as a rock, as expected, and hopefully was the last of the oil leaks. I did find that I have one stripped exhasut stud and two torn cv boots. The boots are torn right where they clamp to the axle shaft. They look like replacement axles, not stock Subaru. I guess I know what I'll be doing on my next day off....

I drove it to work this past week and what a step up from an old Hatch! I forgot what it was like to accelerate uphill !!!! I just keep hitting my head on the way out, I may look into lowering the seat or removing some of the seat foam.

[moosens]

Good car for the times. Cam seals and O rings,front main,pumps,water tube O ring,you know the deal. I still have a place in my heart for those SPFI fivespeeds.

 

Keep the covers on! I'm pro timing cover. just use antiseize.

 

Somewhere I have new parts and timing belt kit,etc. for those cars. If they show up soon I'll give you a PM. Also have new sensors,one or two.

 

I just had those same Blue Thunder wires in my hands. for the SPFI too.

 

Good luck with it.

[Frank B]

Thanks, I appreciate all that. The previous owner had the t-belts and front seals replaced last year at the tune of $700 !!!! So I really have no desire to do that job just yet. But i hope they replaced the tensioners too. I may peak in there at some point but all seems well. If the TOD didn't go away, I was going to tear it down and replace the oil pump and take a look at the rest but Rislone took care of the tick. If I end up doing the head gaskets, I'll replace the water pump, oil pump, clutch, and rear main because I'll pull the engine out this time. I'm getting too old to bend over fenders!

[daeron]

Try keeping your eyes peeled for a GL-10. The driver seat on the GL-10 has a height adjustment that is the Bee's Knees, let me tell you. (and I am only 5'8")

 

 

The window problem is almost certainly not a mechanical one; the relay contacts underneath the passenger seat go bad over time. Loyale2.7Turbo replaced his with a bosch unit and it works great for him; I haven't gotten around to it yet. (To be honest, I tried once, but I think I was misconceived in what I was replacing; I got a "power window" control unit that sure looked like a relay, but I suspect that was just a switching relay and there is a main power relay that is the actual culprit.)

 

I run 185 series tires on my GL-10, and my rear end has been sagging forever.. never had a problem with interference, weird. It seems to me that the car is infinitely more stable on the road in a cross-wind with the 185s over the 175s.

 

Unless you are going to get MWE or GCK axles, what about trying this? Go to the junkyard, find a couple axles that look like stockers, and are good and solid, remove them. Take the boots off, clean them thoroughly in hot water and detergent, clean the joints out, re-pack them with grease. Treat the outside of the axle boots with a rubber dressing, reinstall them, and keep those axles around until yours start clicking.

 

Nice score, though! sounds like you know how to keep it on the road well enough already

[Frank B]

Now that you mention it, I do remember that seat height adjustment on the gl-10. I'll look for one. I was going to replace the relay under the passenger seat while I had the carpet out. I took the seats and carpet out to clean them with our carpet cleaner, much easier than doing it in the car. But, I couldn't find the four spade relay at any parts store in town. After I put everything back into the car, I found one in my tool box!! I'll take car of it later, when I feel like pulling the seat back up.

 

GCK axles are on Amazon for $48-$51 free shipping , I can't buy a worn out axle for that at these local yards!

[daeron]

heh, honestly, I typed all that, posted the message, then looked at your user info and realized that you probably knew ALL of that already, and felt like a superfluous schmuck :-p Good to hear you had forgotten aboot the GL-10 seat, at least I serve SOME purpose

[moosens]

Now that you mention it, I do remember that seat height adjustment on the gl-10. I'll look for one. I was going to replace the relay under the passenger seat while I had the carpet out. I took the seats and carpet out to clean them with our carpet cleaner, much easier than doing it in the car. But, I couldn't find the four spade relay at any parts store in town. After I put everything back into the car, I found one in my tool box!! I'll take car of it later, when I feel like pulling the seat back up.

 

GCK axles are on Amazon for $48-$51 free shipping , I can't buy a worn out axle for that at these local yards!

 

 

If the passenger floor ever got really wet you'll have corrosion on the wires and connectors from that realy under the passenger seat. Lift the front carpet up entirely and check the wires,trust me on this one,it was a major problem discovered only after swapping switches and relays.

[Frank B]

I had the carpet out, completely as well as the seats to clean it all up. It looked fine, no corrosion or water damage, it actually looked brand new!

[daeron]

I think JesZek discovered an issue with the qaulity of the solder joints, and their ability to hold up over time itself... I think moisture is a common issue but not the tie-in.. because the slow power windows is one of the "you know you're a soob owner if... " things and they are not the only company to locate that circuitry there. I could be mistaken, though.