Tuning on a 1992 Loyale

I recently purchased a used Sube Loyale with 70K miles for a song (speak, 800$). I'm currently doing all I can to get the engine up to speed (literally). I've already done the basics, plugs, wire, filters, etc. (fuel filter seemed to be original from 92!) and the engine is already sounding better, but there are some minor annoyances I don't know how to deal with:

  1. AC compressor is making an annoying swish-swish noise the minute the engine turns on. After an unrelated engine compartment wash the noise actually stopped for several minutes before coming back. Could this be a dry or misaligned belt?

  1. Check engine light is on and from what I can gather, the solenoid valve is at fault. (assuming a repeating 3 long blinks and 4 quick blinks means a code 34) Can I somehow clean and reinstall this or is there even a way I can disable the whole EGR circuit all together AND have it not affect the diagnostics readout?

  2. Are there any mufflers that I can use on my car that will allow better performance but NOT sound like my car has indigestion? Or can I just grab a Dynaflow (or whatever the name was) from Autozone?

  1. Any other tips for improving the overall performance of the car, save getting a larger engine? :-)

Reply to
Phaedras
Loading thread data ...

Could be dry. Try a bar of soap--rub it against both sides of the belt as the engine idles (be VERY careful not to catch anything, like hands, clothing or hair!) If the noise goes away, it's probably just a dry belt. Sometimes tightening helps, but it's hit or miss.

That's both a trouble prone AND expensive part. Sometimes it helps to open the connection between the solenoid and the main wiring harness and shoot some contact cleaner, or WD-40 inside on the contacts, then reconnect and disconnect a coupla times to get any corrosion knocked loose. If that works, then open the connection one more time and put some dielectric grease (auto parts store--tiny tube lasts a long time) in there. Once upon a time I saw a Subaru TSB that suggested this on all the electrical connections in the engine compartment (EXCEPT O2 sensor!!!) Might help. If you have to replace the solenoid, try a junk yard first. A lot of times you can find one for just a few dollars instead of the $100 to $135 the dealer's quoted me.

On higher performance? Well... you might find something, but other than adding a turbo, trying to up the output of an EA-82 engine's probably a little like putting a $100 saddle on a $10 horse and thinking the horse will run faster.

Best of luck,

Rick

Reply to
Rick Courtright

Get a spray bottle and squirt water on the belt, if the noise instantly goes away then it is belt/pulley related.

I have a friend who has been a mechanic for eons and his solution to shut up noisy belts is to put brake fluid on the belts. Don't know, I have never tried it. He won't use belt dressing though as it gums things up.

Reply to
Ed Fortmiller

Indeed. I was waiting for someone else to say it, so that I could simply agree rather than state it myself and then have some Loyale tuner come out of the woodwork and flame me. ;) Seriously though, in 4 years of Subaru ownership and over 6 years in interest, I've never come across a "high performance" tuned Loyale. Yes, there were turbo models, but no offense to turbo Loyale owners, but as I understand it the turbo was there more to make up for a lack of power, than to add to an abundance of it.

I'm sure if you called around you could find some company out there that made a cold air intake and performance exhaust that would fit your car. But I'm kind of skeptical about those products and the numbers they claim to generate. In my (admittedly) limited experience, everything starts INSIDE the engine, not outside. In regards to that, I've never heard of internal performance parts for Subarus of that era, so at this point you'd be looking at an engine swap, something along the lines of an EJ25 turbo. I have seen pictures of a BRAT or GL with an EJ22, but that had a driveline swap as well as an engine swap. Lots of work I'll bet.

-Matt

Reply to
Hallraker

Which year is it?

1) Does the AC work? Try removing the AC belt. then you know where the source is.

2) There are is a green connector near the wiper motor on my 92 that enables the dealer diagnostics. Disconnect this connector. Mine also has a white connector disconnected in this same area but I don't know what that one is for. When I tried it the CHECK ENGINE light came on solid. When I tried my green connector, the diagnostic just blinked on and off. Does this mean anything or is it normal? There was no pattern or code, just on and off blinking.

3) better performance = more noise, not much you can do about it. 4) air filter, exhaust, remove unnecessary weight (passengers, seats, skid plates), alloy wheels

Reply to
David Hooey

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.