Subaru GL problems

Hmmm, If I were you, I'll send that car to car cemetry(junk yard)

Hi, Oil in the coolant maybe a head gasket problem. It could become a bottomless money pit.

I stopped reading after $1200 tune up.

go get an outback and pretend like "everyone" else. Or "be sporty" and get a wrx turbo edition. It is a "legend". just ask "anyone". "They" will agree....

Seriously. It seems the last real boxer needs to go to the realm of v8 builders popping wheelies to prove how dumb manufacturing got. The last Real boxer is Really there (for my neck of the woods, more than not since day one of the gl generation). Do not be offended to not know basics and pay too much. The support is better for new subes, just not a good sube to someone who isn't new to them. I hope I didn't anger anymore than the the stampede already...I am damn good at it.

Hi,

Some thoughts...

Start by finding a GOOD Subie mechanic in your neighborhood!

A $1200 "tune-up" on a GL oughta just about include a "new" JDM engine in the parts list! "JDM" is "Japanese Domestic Market" and means one of the used engines pulled from a car in Japan and imported to the US. Stories abound that these have a max of 30k miles on them, blah, blah. It's not quite THAT simple, but they're usually available in the $750-$1000 range around here (SoCal.)

The electrical problem should be easy enough to check, IF whoever's doing the work can test the battery under load. Most parts stores that sell a lot of batteries have load testers and many will check your battery on the spot for you. (Just ask.) That should tell if the battery's going south. (If it IS, see if they can check the alternator, too, so you know if the battery's just getting old and tired or if it's not being charged properly.) If it's good, then you need to go downstream toward the starter, checking relays, solenoids, etc.: whatever's in the particular system.

Chocolate milk in the sump? CLASSIC blown headgasket symptom. The fact you've had two(?) HGs replaced and STILL have this problem makes it sound like they weren't done properly, the heads were warped but weren't surfaced when they should have been, or worse, you may have cracks in the heads. Again, a GOOD "wrench" oughta be able to test and diagnose for you. Compression and cylinder leakdown tests are two common tools, as are tests for exhaust gas in the coolant.

QUARTS of transmission fluid and no apparent stains/leaks? I'm no expert on automatic transmissions, but I seen to remember some of the older ones used vacuum activated modulators. Somehow I thought most everything recent (last 15 yrs or so?) was electronically controlled. In a wild stretch of the imagination, I could see a vacuum leak sucking fluid into the intake system on an older one. No ideas for you on the newer models.

All in all, since you're not an expert, it sounds like you need to do your homework and find a "real" one you can trust. Sounds like someone's just been taking your money so far...

Good luck!

Rick

Hey, thanks for the response.

By the way, this is apparently the second engine for this car (only 50K on the engine). And for 1986, this car's in pretty good condition, believe it or not : ).

Okay, so yesterday, we replaced the modulator valve and drained the oil. It was sudsy, like something else was mixed with it (and almost totally black, even after only a few weeks). I drove it to school this morning, and it seemed to shift oddly, but then again, it's been shifting oddly for the past month or so (so maybe I'm used to crappy transfers). And while my grandpa was under the car changing the modulator valve, he noticed the antifreeze was coming from two locations. One was obviously the head gasket. The SECOND was coming from a very odd "knob" next to the head gasket. My grandpa noticed a small hole in this knob leaking the antifreeze, and said it might be a pressure release type thing(?). Anyway, we're getting the gasket kit soon and will be fixing the mess within the next few days.

And as for the electrical problem, I can't put a finger on where the error is coming from. I don't think it's my starter, simply because when I turn the key, after a few trys, it'll start to turn over, but then whirs and dies. It sounds like a dead battery, BUT, I've checked the levels and tested the water. Everything checks out. The wires

And when I said "two head gaskets", I meant I HAVE two, not had them replaced.

Also, what are the requirements and restrictions for pressure-washing an engine. When we remove the whole thing to replace the head gasket, I would like to take the opportunity to clean up the grime.

Thanks SO much for all your help Rick.

Rick Courtright wrote:

The reason the starter sometimes does not engage is because there is too much resistance in the circuit that feeds the starter solenoid. Current flows from the battery, through the ignition switch, and then to the starter solenoid. The poor solenoid is not getting enough amps to energize. The simple solution is to install a relay under the hood. Original wire that went to the solenoid used to close the new relay. HD wire from battery, through relay, and then to the starter solenoid will fix this problem.

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Hi,

If you want to go that route, it's hard to beat the old standard Ford starter solenoid switch!

Haven't bought one in a while, but for many years it seemed they were always around $10. In order to preserve that price point, a lot of vendors went to China for production. Personally, I'd pay more if I could find a non-Chinese unit.

A lot of cars have suffered similar problems: why the engineers try to run so much amperage thru the ignition switches baffles me, because every time they do, the same trouble arises! Heat = increased resistance = decreased voltage = increased current = a loop back to more heat. Lather, rinse, repeat? It doesn't matter how good an engineer you think you are, in the end, you can't violate the laws of physics w/o paying! By taking a lot of the load off the ignition switch, it should last longer, too. Another "dungeoneering" favorite is to run all the headlight current thru the switch. Again, a relay to relieve the switch of actual current carrying duties is a good idea!

Rick