Whoop de do for my Subaru

[kb2crk]

Spent today pulling the engine in my 97 Outback Wagon to replace the head gaskets. Someone in the past had done the repair incorrectly. The head bolts were nowhere near tight enough and one of the cam cap bolts had a rounded head. Had to cut the head off the one bolt to get the one cam out to pull the heads. Not fun. I luckily had planned on replacing the clutch while I had the engine out as the old one was just about shot. All the coolant hoses are now ordered as dry rot had its way with them. Found a bad ball joint and torn boots on the steering rack. They are also ordered along with new cam cap bolts. The heads are at a Machine shop for a surfacing. When all of this is done it is time to put the new brake pads and rotors I have sitting in the garage and then off to a tire shop for 4 new tires and an alignment. Depending on when the parts get here and the machine shop finishes the heads I may be able to get it done before starting the new job. 28 mpg with the Subaru is a bit better than the 18 I get out of my old truck.

[WØTKX]

Subarus are worth the resurrection efforts. :agree:

[KG4CGC]

They have held their value well here in the southeast.

[kb2crk]

I did the same job on my daughters 97 last year just to find out its Automatic trans was bad. Two bad transmissions from a scrap yard and a 6 months search found a rolled over parts car that donated its trans to her car along with a fuel pump and an IAC motor. Spare engine is sitting in front of the garage for when hers gives out (she ran it hot when the head gaskets failed and the bottom end knocks on a cold start). I have owned several Subarus over the years and I used this one for about 6 months until the head gasket got to the point that I had to add coolant every time I stopped somewhere. Since then it sat until I finally found the time to do the work. When all is said and done I will have about $1200 invested in a good running little wagon. That includes what I paid for it.

[kb2crk]

I forgot, I also have to put the leather bucket seats in that came out of the parts car.

[WØTKX]

They are known for head gasket issues, but if you fix 'em right, they will go a long time.
Had an old '83 DL that was pretty impressive in the snow and off road. Slow otherwise.

Want a newer one, but in CO, they hold a cult like premium price.
I keep looking in Omaha, NE, 'cause my sis lives there.

[K4PIH]

Soob's are awesome. Thinking about trading my Honda in on one.

[kb2crk]

A couple Pics
http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n404/kb2crk/IMG_20161004_1912230_rewind_zpsmkjerfke.jpg (http://s338.photobucket.com/user/kb2crk/media/IMG_20161004_1912230_rewind_zpsmkjerfke.jpg.html)
http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n404/kb2crk/IMG_20161004_1911137_rewind_zpscyy505bl.jpg (http://s338.photobucket.com/user/kb2crk/media/IMG_20161004_1911137_rewind_zpscyy505bl.jpg.html)
http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n404/kb2crk/IMG_20161004_1910541_rewind_zpshqxqcgkk.jpg (http://s338.photobucket.com/user/kb2crk/media/IMG_20161004_1910541_rewind_zpshqxqcgkk.jpg.html)

[kb2crk]

They are known for head gasket issues, but if you fix 'em right, they will go a long time.
Had an old '83 DL that was pretty impressive in the snow and off road. Slow otherwise.

Want a newer one, but in CO, they hold a cult like premium price.
I keep looking in Omaha, NE, 'cause my sis lives there.
97 was one of those years. Replacing the original head gaskets with the MLS Turbo head gaskets does the trick for a couple hundred thousand miles.

[kb2crk]

A picture from when My daughters Roo was going through the process.
http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n404/kb2crk/a1c18dc7-6ac6-47e9-ba5d-475c156d6c02_zpsziv1jsel.jpg (http://s338.photobucket.com/user/kb2crk/media/a1c18dc7-6ac6-47e9-ba5d-475c156d6c02_zpsziv1jsel.jpg.html)

[WØTKX]

Being a 'Roo mechanic here in Colorado is a golden ticket. Just sayin'. ;)

[kb2crk]

Believe it or not the roos are easy to work on. The engine sits longitudinally and is easy to pull out. Trans can be a pain with three drive shafts coming out of it and the heat shields and skid plates are in the way but still not very difficult.

[KG4NEL]

Friend of mine had a 5-speed Fozzie XT he took to CO, before selling it for a Rubicon.

As cool as a hatchback with four exhaust tips is, there's something about a Justy with a WRX motor:

http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/3/2654/2121/31633560004_large.jpg

[kb2crk]

A WRX motor in a Justy??? I wish I had my old brat for an engine swap like that.

[NQ6U]

A WRX motor in a Justy??? I wish I had my old brat for an engine swap like that.

That's what we used to call a sleeper. Like my friend's Triumph Spitfire with a Buick V6 under the hood.

[kb2crk]

That's what we used to call a sleeper. Like my friend's Triumph Spitfire with a Buick V6 under the hood.
A 1980 Brat would have been just as much of a sleeper. Much cooler looking too.......lol

[KG4NEL]

That's what we used to call a sleeper. Like my friend's Triumph Spitfire with a Buick V6 under the hood.

Like a DIY Sunbeam Tiger :yum:

[kb2crk]

Machine shop called and the heads are ready. Have to go pick them up and bring them home. No time to put them on as I have to work tomorrow night and over the weekend and a anniversary trip with the wife sun through wed so no going back together until the following weekend. Time to dig the torque wrenches out....

[KG4NEL]

I need to buy one of them tork things. When I put new coils and control arm brackets on the Heep, it's probably not a good idea to have them "good enough" tight. :-p

[NQ6U]

Like a DIY Sunbeam Tiger :yum:

Yep! Fast, and not bad on a curvy road either. It had a Corvette rear suspension.

[WØTKX]

https://www.flyinmiata.com/


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTPHytxPngk

[kb2crk]

https://www.flyinmiata.com/


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTPHytxPngk

I have seen a few of those with the Ferd 302.