Old Subaru GL Coupe AWD...
Hachiroku ハチロク
I have since changed to a Wix, and the oil pressure is up very slightly on
the gauge. But that's not what I came here to talk about today. I came to
talk about the draft.
Ooops...wrong song...
At any rate, it was running so well I decided to take it on a 70 mile
round trip up into Vermont. I was running a little behind for an
appointment, so I took the highway. Well, Saturday morning on a ski
weekend, if you dont' MOVE IT the weekend skiiers from NY and CT will run
you right off the road. So, I kept the speed to 60-62 MPH all the way up.
Thing ran GREAT until I went to get off the exit. When I took my foot off
the throttle and let it idle down going down the ramp, that HORRIBLE
clacking noise started again! It clacked and clattered all the rest of
the way (about 5 miles) and ALL the way home on the 'old' road, and then
for the next two weeks.
Last week it actually got up to 45 degrees, and I took it out for a spin,
and the clacking STOPPED. It does this...once it starts clacking, until
the temp gets above ~ 35 degrees or more it will keep clacking...
It finally stopped the day after Christmas and hasn't done it since. It's
running quite well.
Well, I usually keep the tanks in my cars full, or damn close to it, but
this time I let it run way, way down...it took 14 gallons to fill it. When
I ran the numbers I came up with 35.45 MPG!!!!
I have noticed this before...it usually gets about 27-30 MPG (overall)
until the clacking starts, then the economy goes UP!
Why?
johninky
Hachiroku ハチロク
> Beats me. Maybe Alice knows.
I'll go ask her tomorrow (my band plays "White Rabbit"...)
1 Lucky Texan
Could this be 'knocking' going on? maybe the timing is off or ???
AB
"Hachiroku ????" <Tru...@e86.GTS> wrote in message
news:pan.2009.12.30....@e86.GTS...
jim
"Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/ (B" wrote:
>
> This is the vehicle that started the long-winded Fram filter discussion.
>
> I have since changed to a Wix, ......
> When I took my foot off
> the throttle and let it idle down going down the ramp, that HORRIBLE
> clacking noise started again! It clacked and clattered all the rest of
> the way.......
>
> I have noticed this before...it usually gets about 27-30 MPG (overall)
> until the clacking starts, then the economy goes UP!
It is quite astounding how quickly the "HORRIBLE clacking noise" in your engine
turned from a bad thing to a good thing by simply changing the brand of filter.
-jim
dsi1
> This is the vehicle that started the long-winded Fram filter discussion.
>
> I have since changed to a Wix, and the oil pressure is up very slightly on
> the gauge. But that's not what I came here to talk about today. I came to
> talk about the draft.
>
> Ooops...wrong song...
>
> At any rate, it was running so well I decided to take it on a 70 mile
> round trip up into Vermont. I was running a little behind for an
> appointment, so I took the highway. Well, Saturday morning on a ski
> weekend, if you dont' MOVE IT the weekend skiiers from NY and CT will run
> you right off the road. So, I kept the speed to 60-62 MPH all the way up.
>
> Thing ran GREAT until I went to get off the exit. When I took my foot off
> the throttle and let it idle down going down the ramp, that HORRIBLE
> clacking noise started again! It clacked and clattered all the rest of
> the way (about 5 miles) and ALL the way home on the 'old' road, and then
> for the next two weeks.
>
> Last week it actually got up to 45 degrees, and I took it out for a spin,
> and the clacking STOPPED. It does this...once it starts clacking, until
> the temp gets above ~ 35 degrees or more it will keep clacking...
>
> It finally stopped the day after Christmas and hasn't done it since. It's
> running quite well.
Find out where the noise is coming from. My guess is that it's the
catalytic converter. Check for an external component that my be loose on
the engine. I once had a Dodge Colt that had a disturbing rapping noise
that turned out to be from the oil filler cap losing it's gasket. If you
have the clacking noise without any loss in performance, my guess is
that your MPG calculations are probably mistaken.
bugalugs
of wood) in the ear trick to identify exactly where it is coming from.
Hachiroku ハチロク
>> Last week it actually got up to 45 degrees, and I took it out for a
>> spin, and the clacking STOPPED. It does this...once it starts clacking,
>> until the temp gets above ~ 35 degrees or more it will keep clacking...
>>
>> It finally stopped the day after Christmas and hasn't done it since.
>> It's running quite well.
>
> Find out where the noise is coming from. My guess is that it's the
> catalytic converter.
Oh, no. This is deep in the bowels of the engine. A few here and at home,
locally have suggested it has something to do with hydraulic lash
adjusters.
I wish it were the cat. That's EASY!
Hachiroku ハチロク
Gonna start that again?
BTW, oil pressure is a little higher than it was.
Hachiroku ハチロク
> Running lean and 'pinging' ??
No, it does that as well.
This has something to do with the valvetrain...
dsi1
Sounds like you already know what the problem is. My guess is that you
don't want to spend the money to fix it. I wouldn't. I disliked the
Subaru wagon I used to have. That engine on that one was a dog. Every
time I would turn on the weak AC, the engine felt like it was losing
half it's power. Come to think of it, it probably was. Fortunately the
AC system went south soon after bringing an end to that little problem.
My gas mileage was something like 21 MPG tops. That sucks!
It broke one of the timing belts at 61K miles which was quite a
remarkable feat of engineering considering that they recommend that the
belts be changed at 60K. BTW, if your engine makes a funny scrapping
noise, my bet is that it's a frayed timing belt giving you some warning.
The later models probably have chains. Good idea.
bugalugs
To those who have never heard of it and thought I was being a smartarse.
Take one large screwdriver. (preferably wooden handled) Place the handle
end 'against' your ear. Place the blade end against the engine block
where you 'think' the problem is. Move the blade to other places on the
engine to check you've isolated the right faulty component.
Take the usual precautions...hair and fanbelts don't mix.
(works effectively in other areas. Used it to fine tune the Ajax valve
on the hot water system)
jim
Try another dose of Slick 50 it should take care of that.
Nate Nagel
> On Fri, 01 Jan 2010 23:44:51 +1100, AB wrote:
>
>> Running lean and 'pinging' ??
>
> No, it does that as well.
>
> This has something to do with the valvetrain...
Might be time to try some "snake oil" and see if it's gunk in the
lifters. Marvel Mystery Oil, ATF, or maybe try Auto-RX. The guys on
BITOG seem to think the latter is one of the few snake oil type products
that is actually worthwhile.
nate
--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel
Heron McKeister
news:hhlvv...@news1.newsguy.com...
What, Rislone is no longer on the menu?!
Nate Nagel
You can use it if you like, makes no difference to me.
nobody >
STFU, Jim.
You had your say, and you blew it.
You haven't quite made it to the level of the "George Pickett Memorial
Trophy" level, but you are definitely trying.
(For those wondering what this is all about
http://www.coloneljake.com/AUK/AAD/)
Hachiroku ハチロク
>> This noise, is it there at idle ? If so do the old screwdriver (or piece
>> of wood) in the ear trick to identify exactly where it is coming from.
>
> To those who have never heard of it and thought I was being a smartarse.
Not at all. It's a 'mechanic's stethoscope' and they actually make a piece
called that...
http://ukiahcommunityblog.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/get-smart.jpg
ooops....wrong pic!
http://ed-thelen.org/1401Project/CT-1403Stethoscope-01-.jpg
that's a little better...
The real deal isn't much more...
http://toolmonger.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/AutomotiveStethoscope-450.jpg
But, you don't need a stethoscope to hear this noise! I have a simialr
problem with a Mazda 626 I have, where the hydraulic lash adjusters
collapse after sitting a while and make a similar noise. I bought 4 HLA's
and was not looking forward to doing this job, when I changed the oil
using QS Hi-mileage oil with Slick 50...and it STOPPED.
That didn't work on the Subaru. Once it starts, the temp has to get above
35 degrees...
Hachiroku ハチロク
I was in a 'rush' to put it on the road November 31 last year (er, 2008
that is...). Everything that went wrong, could. The insurance co sent the
wrong form, so naturally RMV would't accept it. A phone call to the ins co
got the right form, with the wrong town. It was a PDF, and a biotch to
edit. When I finally got the editing done, the printer kept jamming the
paper. After about 1.5 hours editing and printing, I went back to the RMV
and got the reg transferred. Something told me not to drive the car, but
what the hell?!?!
I went down to pick up the parts for the day's jobs (I'm a field tech for
Dell), and 2 blocks from the place the car coasts to a stop. I call the
DHL office to find out...NONE of my parts came in. I sat for 45 minutes
waiting in 38 degree cloudy weather for AAA to tow the thing. Luckily the
next three days were above 50 degrees and sunny, so I did my first timing
belt change. And marked the mileage so I know 50,000 miles later (if the
car LASTS that long) to change them BEFORE getting stuck!
And I know just the niose you're talking about!
I like the car. I wish it had the 4 speed AT, because on the highway...UGH!
But the tranny is the BEST thing in the car! The engine's good when it's
not clacking, but the body is going pretty quickly. I'm debating whether
to fix it or just let it go in the spring...when my Supra goes back on the
road... :)
Hachiroku ハチロク
> Hachiroku ハチロク wrote:
>> On Fri, 01 Jan 2010 23:44:51 +1100, AB wrote:
>>
>>> Running lean and 'pinging' ??
>>
>> No, it does that as well.
>>
>> This has something to do with the valvetrain...
>
> Might be time to try some "snake oil" and see if it's gunk in the lifters.
> Marvel Mystery Oil, ATF, or maybe try Auto-RX. The guys on BITOG seem to
> think the latter is one of the few snake oil type products that is
> actually worthwhile.
>
> nate
Done all that... :( MMO was the first thing, ATF next, and then something
like Oilzum or something was the last resort. Then I flushed all that crap
out and just put oil in...and the clacking went away for a while...
The only snake oil that worked on this car was the "head gasket in the
bottle" stuff. One gasket was leaking, and it sealed it up! I was amazed...
DIDN'T work on my 97 2.2 Legacy, though... :(
Hachiroku ハチロク
THAT'S what I used!
jim
"nobody >" wrote:
> >
> >
> > It is quite astounding how quickly the "HORRIBLE clacking noise" in your engine
> > turned from a bad thing to a good thing by simply changing the brand of filter.
> >
> > -jim
>
> STFU, Jim.
>
> You had your say, and you blew it.
There is nothing like poking a little fun at people's religious beliefs to get
them spinning in circles.....
cl...@snyder.on.ca
Which engine is it - and what year?
Hachiroku ハチロク
'89 1.8...um, EA82?
cl...@snyder.on.ca
wrote:
So it IS the OHC engine. Being a GL, up here it COULD have been an
EA81 - a much simpler engine. I'd suspect you hace lash adjuster
problems, and being in the US, with Marvel Mystery Oil readily
available at just about every WallMart I'd be throwing a can in to see
what happens. The stuff can do wonders with ratty lifters. I generally
recommend putting it in and driving it a couple hundred miles, then
doing an oil change and putting about 1/4 of a quart in the new oil.
I've put Ford Friction Modifier in an engine that had intermittent
noisy valve train (after the MMO cleanout) with good results too - the
lifters MIGHT have quieted down and behaved without - but seeing as
they hadn't up until then, I'd say it's a pretty good bet the stuff
helped.
dsi1
>> Which engine is it - and what year?
>
> '89 1.8...um, EA82?
First check the oil pump. A leaking gasket to the engine could allow air
to get sucked into the lifters. If you change the gasket and still have
the problem, you might have a stuck valve in the line that lubricates
the cam that is not maintaining oil pressure to the lifters properly.
The fix involves removing and cleaning the valve and maybe attempting to
increase the tension on the spring or replace it. Here's a link that
outlines the procedure. I haven't done any of this myself but the fix to
this puzzling problem seems reasonably easy. Good luck!
Heron McKeister
news:Ic-dnSMGNJp-CqPW...@supernews.com...
> jim wrote:
I'm sure we're all just on pins and needles, at the edge of
our seats with bated breath, anxiously awaiting the answer.
--
"... but I don't mean that in a bad way." - Dom Irrera
AMuzi
> On Fri, 01 Jan 2010 11:49:05 -1000, dsi1 wrote:
>
31 November? On our planet it's:
Thirty days hath September,
April, June, and November...
--
Andrew Muzi
<www.yellowjersey.org/>
Open every day since 1 April, 1971
Hachiroku ハチロク
> On 1/1/2010 2:04 PM, Hachiroku ハチロク wrote:
>
>>> Which engine is it - and what year?
>>
>> '89 1.8...um, EA82?
>
> First check the oil pump. A leaking gasket to the engine could allow air
> to get sucked into the lifters. If you change the gasket and still have
> the problem,
Did it in August, with a genuine Subaru part.
The old one was flatter than a pancake.
Hachiroku ハチロク
Interesting. Fairly easy, but it looks like it's going to snow for the
next month here...
Hachiroku ハチロク
> Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/ wrote:
>> On Fri, 01 Jan 2010 11:49:05 -1000, dsi1 wrote:
>>
I'm a bass player. We're completely different!
Ashton Crusher
wrote:
>This is the vehicle that started the long-winded Fram filter discussion.
>
>I have since changed to a Wix, and the oil pressure is up very slightly on
>the gauge. But that's not what I came here to talk about today. I came to
>talk about the draft.
>
>Ooops...wrong song...
>
>At any rate, it was running so well I decided to take it on a 70 mile
>round trip up into Vermont. I was running a little behind for an
>appointment, so I took the highway. Well, Saturday morning on a ski
>weekend, if you dont' MOVE IT the weekend skiiers from NY and CT will run
>you right off the road. So, I kept the speed to 60-62 MPH all the way up.
>
>Thing ran GREAT until I went to get off the exit. When I took my foot off
>the throttle and let it idle down going down the ramp, that HORRIBLE
>clacking noise started again! It clacked and clattered all the rest of
>the way (about 5 miles) and ALL the way home on the 'old' road, and then
>for the next two weeks.
>
>Last week it actually got up to 45 degrees, and I took it out for a spin,
>and the clacking STOPPED. It does this...once it starts clacking, until
>the temp gets above ~ 35 degrees or more it will keep clacking...
>
>It finally stopped the day after Christmas and hasn't done it since. It's
>running quite well.
>
>Well, I usually keep the tanks in my cars full, or damn close to it, but
>this time I let it run way, way down...it took 14 gallons to fill it. When
>I ran the numbers I came up with 35.45 MPG!!!!
>
>I have noticed this before...it usually gets about 27-30 MPG (overall)
>until the clacking starts, then the economy goes UP!
>
>Why?
>
Are you sure you have the right amount of oil in the engine AND that
it's not getting trapped up in the head? Your overall problem sounds
similar, but not exactly like, a 76 blazer I used to have. It didn't
use much oil around town but if I took it on the highway it would burn
off a quart or two very quickly, like a quart+ in 100 miles. So if it
had burned some around town and was already down a quart and I took it
on a 100 mile one-way trip, then about 60 miles into the way back it
would start that clacking noise from low oil pressure to the lifters
because it would be down to less then 3 quarts of oil in it. It was
also holding some oil up top because when I ran it at 80 and the
clacking started I could slow down to 55 and that lower engine speed
let enough oil drain down that the clacking would stop and I could
make it the last 40 miles home to add oil.
Now that I've typed that, I should have just asked you what your oil
pressure gauge shows when it starts this clacking. My gauge would
show major swings in pressure.
Nate Nagel
also interesting to know and possibly helpful would be where the gauge
was tapped, e.g. in a head, right past the oil pump, other?
Hachiroku ハチロク
>> Now that I've typed that, I should have just asked you what your oil
>> pressure gauge shows when it starts this clacking. My gauge would show
>> major swings in pressure.
>
> also interesting to know and possibly helpful would be where the gauge was
> tapped, e.g. in a head, right past the oil pump, other?
>
> nate
To answer Ashton, oil pressure is a bit low. The clacking usually happens
after a longer run at higher speeds, when the oil p gets highr than around
town and then drops. If I run the car under 55 all day long it doesn't do
this.
The gauge is tapped near the oil pump. I had the pump off in August, and
it seemed in good shape, and I replaced the gasket.
Ashton Crusher
wrote:
>On Sat, 02 Jan 2010 16:10:00 -0500, Nate Nagel wrote:
It might still be getting trapped up in the head at higher speeds but
I think you said it sometimes did it at low speeds too.
N8N
Keep in mind we're talking about a Scoobaru, there's no "up" for the
heads :)
You may still be right, might be worth popping the valve covers and
running a long drill bit down the return passages, if a) that's easy
to do and b) there's such a passage on a Scooby and it doesn't rely on
pushrod tubes or similar for oil return (are they still OHV? or did
they go OHC now?)
nate
dsi1
> Keep in mind we're talking about a Scoobaru, there's no "up" for the
> heads :)
There's no "up" for anything else, either. Of course, then again, U R A
Bus. :-)
>
> You may still be right, might be worth popping the valve covers and
> running a long drill bit down the return passages, if a) that's easy
> to do and b) there's such a passage on a Scooby and it doesn't rely on
> pushrod tubes or similar for oil return (are they still OHV? or did
> they go OHC now?)
My 85 Subaru was an OHC - which I think, makes more sense on an inline
engine or in a Porsche 6. Some Subarus had DOHCs. What a waste of
cammage! :-)
>
> nate
Hachiroku ハチロク
Once it's trapped, it generally stays there until it gets warmer.
I generally don't run this car after April, because I transfer the plate
to my Supra. I made the switch earlier this year because the Supra needs
some suspension work, so I started the Soob earlier than usual. I didn't
take it on the highway until after the weather turned cold...
I think this is it's last year. I opened the passenger's door and saw near
the hinges that I was looking at the inner firewall... :(
Shame, I like this car. If I can fix it cheap, I might, but it's starting
to get REALLY rusty...
Hachiroku ハチロク
I have three Toyota DOHCs. Not a waste of cammage, since it's an easy way
to get more power out of a small engine.
> :-)
>
>
>> nate
hls
"Hachiroku ハチロク" <Tru...@e86.GTS> wrote in message
news:pan.2010.01.02....@e86.GTS...
>> Which engine is it - and what year?
>
> '89 1.8...um, EA82?
>
>
I could have researched it, I guess, but is this a boxer engine?
I have heard those things are darn near bullet proof, but I also heard that
the turbocharged versions didnt hold up. Any comment?
cl...@snyder.on.ca
wrote:
The ea82 is OHC version of the old EA81
cl...@snyder.on.ca
>
>"Hachiroku ????" <Tru...@e86.GTS> wrote in message
It's a boxer and they are pretty solid. A turbo on anything adds
stress, but the later turbos were pretty good.
bugalugs
I had a 91 GT 2L turbo wagon for about 8 years, no problems.
Currently I'm running an 02 GT 2L wagon twin turbo, still no problems
here either.
Well there is one really. The radar detector comes on often and has
saved my license (& my wallet) a few times.