Twitch de la Brat Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Ok, I'm currently looking at a little 91 3cyl FWD 5sp Justy that smokes like a chimney. It goes through about a quart every 80 miles The guy I'm buying it from thinks its the rings. He's a mechanic (but not a subaru mechanic) and has experience with older ford trucks and the like. I'm going to be using it as DD (if my parents will allow another car onto the property ) and want to have as little issue with it as possible. I'm thinking a gasket, but I'm not sure. Any help or suggestions? Twitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry DeMoss Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 I would change the pcv valve first and see if that helps. Do a compression check as well on it. I just bought an '89 justy myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihscout54 Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Pull the PCV line and plug it. But it sounds like you might need to plan on engine work. Those vehicles are rare and hard to get parts for. If it is blowing smoke blue/white out the tail pipe and using that much oil then it will not be a simple gasket repair. If you are concerned about your property collecting vehicles and you are not prepared to complete the extensive service it very well may need then skip it. Otherwise it will haunt you till you can unload it. Trust me I know. I have a Scout with a bad tranny 300 miles away on my parents property. Been there 5 years, and one day I will get to it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferox Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Try to find out what the actual mileage is on the car. The odometer only has 5 numerals, so you have to add a 1 or 2 to the front of the reading. If it has over 200,000 or even 100k, it will likely need rebuild. At the very least the bottom end should be redone, so if it's rings, then you could try doing that. It's a simple small engine with only 3 cylinders, so as far as engine work is concerned it's fairly easy. A '91 with a new or rebuilt engine will get 45 mpg. The Justy has it's issues, but they are awesome little rigs if you are willing to fix them up. I highly recommend doing a lot of research on the Justy forum before you decide to buy, to see if your into it that much. If the PCV valve doesn't fix it, then it's probably more than just a gasket. http://subarujusty.proboards.com/index.cgi? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.