Post by sf46sf on Nov 26, 2014 4:48:23 GMT -4
Hi, I'm new to this forum and new to car repair. I know this is a lot of information, but I would really appreciate it if anyone is willing to sit down, grab a beer (or lemonade), read this post, and help me out.
Project 1991 carbureted Justy:
I bought a used 1991 carbureted Subaru Justy DL for $600. I’m fairly new to car repair, so I thought it might be a good learning project for me. I am trying to fix it up into a fairly fuel-efficient, semi-reliable daily driver so I have something to burn miles into (and practice working on) before/during moving forward to modifying my WRX. For now, I’m focusing on repairs/maintenance/upgrades that:
· Need to be done.
· May or may not need to be done, but provide good learning experiences.
· Will need to be done eventually (with little harm done by doing earlier than absolutely necessary).
· Are not really necessary but provide nice benefit(s) for marginal extra cost and effort.
I’m trying to focus on reliability and driveability. Better power, mpg, handling, and comfort would be nice bonuses (although I understand that upgrading different categories will usually compromise others).
I have some “fantasy plans” for way down the road (such as 4WD conversion, switching to fuel injection, adding a turbo, or converting to an electric motor) but these would be done understanding that they are basically a waste of money and just for fun.
How it came to me:
Approximately 70,000 miles. (Although I wonder if it could possibly be 170,000.)
Exterior: minor dents, faded paint in areas (especially roof), a tiny bit of rust; busted headlight assembly; tail-light assemblies and rear bumper area full of dried-up mud; gas-cap cover fell off two days after I got it. Overall, not bad actually. It would cost way too much to make it look great, but I kind of don’t mind its “character”. I don’t think it will take much to get it totally satisfactory.
Interior: dirty, but not filthy; minor rips in seats and door panels; dash in very good condition (but dirty and missing trim from ashtray down); carpet and supporting cardboard in trunk area pretty awful; dome light, switch, and cover missing (but wiring still good). Heating/ventilation system controls not working right (mostly due to flaps/pulleys/cables/switches being all dirty and stuck); blower motor making awful noise; tons of dirt and broken glass in heating/ventilation tubing.
Electrical: reverse lights not working, e-brake light on dash working only intermittently; aftermarket button installed that didn’t seem to do anything other than turn on a blue LED in the button; another aftermarket switch that operated the headlights (or brights, I forget…); the headlights/brights controls were all wonky and in a strange configuration and operated in a very non-intuitive manner because of the aftermarket switch, because someone had cut one of the wires near the steering column and jury-rigged some weirdness, and because the combination switch was all messed up (missing a ball bearing and therefore all floppy, and because the metal flaps in the 3-way switch were bent).
Stereo: cheap headunit (with half the buttons stuck) connected to a pair of mismatched tiny speakers shoved up under the dashboard and just kind of balancing there; a large home stereo speaker lying in the trunk was also connected (yes, I said home stereo speaker – I’m using it as a center-channel speaker in my living room, where it looks pretty good, and I like to tell people that I paid $600 dollars for it so that when they look at me like I’m an idiot I can say “but that price included a free car”).
Engine/transmission/mechanical: doesn't go in to second gear easily – thinking it’s a synchro issue; clutch pedal floppy – thinking clutch cable needs adjustment; e-brake needs tightening really bad; rough idle; kept dying even when warm; also felt like misfire or not running on all 3 cylinders when driving; not sure if some items under the hood are missing (see “Questions section”). Brakes feel good.
Exhaust: muffler full of holes; possibly an exhaust leak elsewhere.
Extra: I might have missed a few things here, but hopefully most of what I missed is included below.
So far, I’ve done…
· Quick clean inside and out
· Oil change
· New battery
· New valve cover gasket
· Got engine running normally:
o New spark plugs
o New distributor cap/rotor/wiring
· Replaced headlight assembly
· Removed taillight assemblies and cleaned inside and out
· Fixed reverse lights by replacing broken switch that inserts into transmission
· Removed entire dash and deep cleaned dash and area under dash
· Undid all ventilation tubes and cleaned out dirt and broken glass
· Fixed blower motor
· Fixed cigarette lighter wiring
· Fixed all the heat/vent controls.
· Fixed headlights/brights wiring: rewired cut wire, fixed combination switch, removed aftermarket switch and returned all controls to stock configurations.
· Painted panel that holds stereo and vent controls
· Removed all stereo components
· Reassembled dash
· Bought a lot of tools along the way
Currently working on…
· Checking for parasitic draw and testing alternator (although I’m planning on replacing it anyway).
· Asking for help from the kind people on this forum
To do:
· Buff/wax paint and other exterior cosmetics
· Interior cosmetics
· Install stereo system
· Reattach gas cap cover
· Adjust clutch cable
· Tighten e-brake cable
· Figure out why e-brake indicator light on dash only works sometimes
· Decide if I want to restore dome light to perfect condition, or just put in a bulb, forget about the cover, and maybe use a metal clip or two for the switch
· Exhaust/muffler: I know I need a new muffler. I’m leaning toward replacing everything behind the catalytic converter. Not sure if I should consider removing or replacing the cat.
· Engine decarb
· Install stereo system
· Timing belt/alternator/oil pump/etc (see “Questions” section).
· Anything I missed here that’s described in “Questions” section.
Questions:
1. Please look over the above and let me know if you have any feedback.
2. Does the odometer click over to zero after 99,999? If so, is there any way to know how many miles are actually on it?
3. Any suggestions about my dome light situation?
4. Any suggestions about the e-brake indicator on dash? At first it was working intermittently, now it seems to be permanently off. I suppose it could be the bulb, but that would surprise me. I talked to someone who said it will stay on if brake fluid is low and that there is a sensor or solenoid or something that can cause problems (which he described as being under the steering column). Of course, there’s also the button that gets pushed by the e-brake (unless that’s the sensor/solenoid/whatever). What should be my plan of attack? Also, if there is a component under the steering column, where is it and what does it look like?
5. Any suggestions about the gas cap cover? Should I just try to weld it on like it came out of the factory (which looks difficult and flimsy)?
6. Where can I get the interior trim I’m missing (ashtray, whatever holds the ashtray, and down)?
7. Any advice about fluids? Which can be topped off and which should be flushed? Which are fine to let ride and which should I think about changing?
8. What exactly is a valve adjustment and when should you do it?
9. Are there any particularly rust-prone parts on a Justy?
10. Is there any rust-prevention maintenance I should do?
11. Would a new cat help with exhaust flow, or would it just be an emissions thing?
12. What should I know about exhaust flow on a Justy? Does opening up the exhaust help with power or mpg? What should I look for in a muffler? What width of exhaust piping (from cat to muffler) is best? Would this change with turbocharging?
13. How do you perform an idle adjustment?
14. The gasket that goes below the air cleaner: does the flat side go up and the slightly ridged side down, or is it the other way?
15. Is there supposed to be a heat shield between the cat and the radiator (or elsewhere)?
16. There are two ways for air to get into the carb: there is a tiny intake that goes to the front-driver corner of the engine bay and there is also valve (vacuum operated?) upstream on this line that allows air to enter from near the carb {please see pictures, because I’m wondering if there are parts missing, such as a hose that connects to the intake right by the carb}. I’m very curious about this because I’ve seen pictures of engine bays with a hose going from the intake near the carb to the radiator area, but I’ve also seen pictures with no such hose.
17. Where is the fuel pump and how do you know when it needs to be replaced?
18. Where is the fuel filter and how do you know when it needs to be replaced?
19. Where is the oil filter and how do you know when it needs to be replaced?
20. Are there supposed to be clear hoses just hanging down from the tranny and radiator? They are open at the ends and any fluid coming out would just dribble down onto the ground. Is it a hose that got cut or is it supposed to be like that?
21. How difficult would it be to add a rear window defogger?
22. I’m thinking about cutting the springs about 10% for better handling: is this a good or bad idea and are there any better alternatives?
23. Balance chain and guide: when should it be serviced? How do you know if they’re not working well?
24. Is anyone super familiar with Justy wiring? My Justy came to me with a button/switch where the rear wiper button would be (I think). In any case, there are three holes between where the key inserts and the stereo/heat/vent panel (see pictures). Normally, for my Justy DL, all three would be blank (I think). In my Justy, the bottom one has a switch that previously was wired to the headlights, the top (horizontal) one is blank, and the middle one has what I am pretty sure is an aftermarket switch/button. Pressing it makes a blue LED in the switch/button light up, but doesn’t seem to do anything else. I can’t imagine what its purpose is/was – it’s plugged into a 3-prong factory connector and there is no sign of aftermarket wiring as far as I can trace the wires. The wires on the button/switch are green/black, green/white, and blue/red. The wires on the factory connector are green/white, blue/white, and white. I’ve looked at wiring diagrams, but none of this is on the diagrams. So, any thoughts?
25. If I were to fuel-inject and turbo, would I be able to use my WRX turbo or intercooler (assuming I have already removed them for WRX upgrades)? Yeah, yeah, I know – if I don’t even know how to do an idle adjustment, how am I expected to do major engine mods… Hey, I’m learning!
26. Does anyone have any better and/or more realistic “fantasy plans” I should consider?
27. THIS IS THE QUESTION I’M MOST INTERESTED IN HAVING ANSWERED: I’m going to replace the timing belt and alternator: while I’m in there, what do you think about replacing/servicing the oil pump, water pump, and/or case cover (and/or anything else)? {please see notes in next section}
Notes: (info directly quoted from dustysjustys.com)
Addressment: Front Cover. Yeah, the infamous front cover problem. The front cover of the EF12 that holds the oil pump is notorious for leaking oil, causing low oil pressure, a tapping sound at idle, and finally cracking leading to engine failure. This problem is enhanced by a rattling balance chain caused by a stretched chain or worn guide. If you suspect your front cover is to blame, it probably is. Two out of three that we receive used are junk. If you are rebuilding your engine, you need to have the front cover magnafluxed or checked for cracks. Even the smallest of micro-fractures will lead to catastrophic engine failure, and you're wasting your time trying to find good, used one. :-( The good news is that we sell OEM Subaru front covers! :-)
Addressment: Water Pump. The last thing that plagues the Justy is its water pump... it is hard to replace and fails often. The only solution to your water pump woes is a water pump rebuild kit. It comes with a new impeller, seal, and plate. So long as your housing is not cracked, this kit will solve 80% of all water pump problems. Another good thing to do is to MIG weld a thin bead along the flange on the inside, this way if your seal starts to leak it will have to make it across the weld too, which is unlikely.
Addressment: Oil Pump. There is nothing really wrong with the EF12 oil pump setup. Most causes of oil pump failure are related to the front cover or chain drive. New OEM seal, gear, shaft, sprocket, chain, and guide are all available for purchase on our website starting at $45. So if your oil pressure is low, check the front cover for cracks, check that your balance shaft chain is tight, measure the guide thickness, then and only then suspect the oil pump.
Thanks so much for any help you may be able to give me.
I know that some of what I'm asking may go against the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" philosophy, but I guess I'm kind of OCD about stuff like this...
Project 1991 carbureted Justy:
I bought a used 1991 carbureted Subaru Justy DL for $600. I’m fairly new to car repair, so I thought it might be a good learning project for me. I am trying to fix it up into a fairly fuel-efficient, semi-reliable daily driver so I have something to burn miles into (and practice working on) before/during moving forward to modifying my WRX. For now, I’m focusing on repairs/maintenance/upgrades that:
· Need to be done.
· May or may not need to be done, but provide good learning experiences.
· Will need to be done eventually (with little harm done by doing earlier than absolutely necessary).
· Are not really necessary but provide nice benefit(s) for marginal extra cost and effort.
I’m trying to focus on reliability and driveability. Better power, mpg, handling, and comfort would be nice bonuses (although I understand that upgrading different categories will usually compromise others).
I have some “fantasy plans” for way down the road (such as 4WD conversion, switching to fuel injection, adding a turbo, or converting to an electric motor) but these would be done understanding that they are basically a waste of money and just for fun.
How it came to me:
Approximately 70,000 miles. (Although I wonder if it could possibly be 170,000.)
Exterior: minor dents, faded paint in areas (especially roof), a tiny bit of rust; busted headlight assembly; tail-light assemblies and rear bumper area full of dried-up mud; gas-cap cover fell off two days after I got it. Overall, not bad actually. It would cost way too much to make it look great, but I kind of don’t mind its “character”. I don’t think it will take much to get it totally satisfactory.
Interior: dirty, but not filthy; minor rips in seats and door panels; dash in very good condition (but dirty and missing trim from ashtray down); carpet and supporting cardboard in trunk area pretty awful; dome light, switch, and cover missing (but wiring still good). Heating/ventilation system controls not working right (mostly due to flaps/pulleys/cables/switches being all dirty and stuck); blower motor making awful noise; tons of dirt and broken glass in heating/ventilation tubing.
Electrical: reverse lights not working, e-brake light on dash working only intermittently; aftermarket button installed that didn’t seem to do anything other than turn on a blue LED in the button; another aftermarket switch that operated the headlights (or brights, I forget…); the headlights/brights controls were all wonky and in a strange configuration and operated in a very non-intuitive manner because of the aftermarket switch, because someone had cut one of the wires near the steering column and jury-rigged some weirdness, and because the combination switch was all messed up (missing a ball bearing and therefore all floppy, and because the metal flaps in the 3-way switch were bent).
Stereo: cheap headunit (with half the buttons stuck) connected to a pair of mismatched tiny speakers shoved up under the dashboard and just kind of balancing there; a large home stereo speaker lying in the trunk was also connected (yes, I said home stereo speaker – I’m using it as a center-channel speaker in my living room, where it looks pretty good, and I like to tell people that I paid $600 dollars for it so that when they look at me like I’m an idiot I can say “but that price included a free car”).
Engine/transmission/mechanical: doesn't go in to second gear easily – thinking it’s a synchro issue; clutch pedal floppy – thinking clutch cable needs adjustment; e-brake needs tightening really bad; rough idle; kept dying even when warm; also felt like misfire or not running on all 3 cylinders when driving; not sure if some items under the hood are missing (see “Questions section”). Brakes feel good.
Exhaust: muffler full of holes; possibly an exhaust leak elsewhere.
Extra: I might have missed a few things here, but hopefully most of what I missed is included below.
So far, I’ve done…
· Quick clean inside and out
· Oil change
· New battery
· New valve cover gasket
· Got engine running normally:
o New spark plugs
o New distributor cap/rotor/wiring
· Replaced headlight assembly
· Removed taillight assemblies and cleaned inside and out
· Fixed reverse lights by replacing broken switch that inserts into transmission
· Removed entire dash and deep cleaned dash and area under dash
· Undid all ventilation tubes and cleaned out dirt and broken glass
· Fixed blower motor
· Fixed cigarette lighter wiring
· Fixed all the heat/vent controls.
· Fixed headlights/brights wiring: rewired cut wire, fixed combination switch, removed aftermarket switch and returned all controls to stock configurations.
· Painted panel that holds stereo and vent controls
· Removed all stereo components
· Reassembled dash
· Bought a lot of tools along the way
Currently working on…
· Checking for parasitic draw and testing alternator (although I’m planning on replacing it anyway).
· Asking for help from the kind people on this forum
To do:
· Buff/wax paint and other exterior cosmetics
· Interior cosmetics
· Install stereo system
· Reattach gas cap cover
· Adjust clutch cable
· Tighten e-brake cable
· Figure out why e-brake indicator light on dash only works sometimes
· Decide if I want to restore dome light to perfect condition, or just put in a bulb, forget about the cover, and maybe use a metal clip or two for the switch
· Exhaust/muffler: I know I need a new muffler. I’m leaning toward replacing everything behind the catalytic converter. Not sure if I should consider removing or replacing the cat.
· Engine decarb
· Install stereo system
· Timing belt/alternator/oil pump/etc (see “Questions” section).
· Anything I missed here that’s described in “Questions” section.
Questions:
1. Please look over the above and let me know if you have any feedback.
2. Does the odometer click over to zero after 99,999? If so, is there any way to know how many miles are actually on it?
3. Any suggestions about my dome light situation?
4. Any suggestions about the e-brake indicator on dash? At first it was working intermittently, now it seems to be permanently off. I suppose it could be the bulb, but that would surprise me. I talked to someone who said it will stay on if brake fluid is low and that there is a sensor or solenoid or something that can cause problems (which he described as being under the steering column). Of course, there’s also the button that gets pushed by the e-brake (unless that’s the sensor/solenoid/whatever). What should be my plan of attack? Also, if there is a component under the steering column, where is it and what does it look like?
5. Any suggestions about the gas cap cover? Should I just try to weld it on like it came out of the factory (which looks difficult and flimsy)?
6. Where can I get the interior trim I’m missing (ashtray, whatever holds the ashtray, and down)?
7. Any advice about fluids? Which can be topped off and which should be flushed? Which are fine to let ride and which should I think about changing?
8. What exactly is a valve adjustment and when should you do it?
9. Are there any particularly rust-prone parts on a Justy?
10. Is there any rust-prevention maintenance I should do?
11. Would a new cat help with exhaust flow, or would it just be an emissions thing?
12. What should I know about exhaust flow on a Justy? Does opening up the exhaust help with power or mpg? What should I look for in a muffler? What width of exhaust piping (from cat to muffler) is best? Would this change with turbocharging?
13. How do you perform an idle adjustment?
14. The gasket that goes below the air cleaner: does the flat side go up and the slightly ridged side down, or is it the other way?
15. Is there supposed to be a heat shield between the cat and the radiator (or elsewhere)?
16. There are two ways for air to get into the carb: there is a tiny intake that goes to the front-driver corner of the engine bay and there is also valve (vacuum operated?) upstream on this line that allows air to enter from near the carb {please see pictures, because I’m wondering if there are parts missing, such as a hose that connects to the intake right by the carb}. I’m very curious about this because I’ve seen pictures of engine bays with a hose going from the intake near the carb to the radiator area, but I’ve also seen pictures with no such hose.
17. Where is the fuel pump and how do you know when it needs to be replaced?
18. Where is the fuel filter and how do you know when it needs to be replaced?
19. Where is the oil filter and how do you know when it needs to be replaced?
20. Are there supposed to be clear hoses just hanging down from the tranny and radiator? They are open at the ends and any fluid coming out would just dribble down onto the ground. Is it a hose that got cut or is it supposed to be like that?
21. How difficult would it be to add a rear window defogger?
22. I’m thinking about cutting the springs about 10% for better handling: is this a good or bad idea and are there any better alternatives?
23. Balance chain and guide: when should it be serviced? How do you know if they’re not working well?
24. Is anyone super familiar with Justy wiring? My Justy came to me with a button/switch where the rear wiper button would be (I think). In any case, there are three holes between where the key inserts and the stereo/heat/vent panel (see pictures). Normally, for my Justy DL, all three would be blank (I think). In my Justy, the bottom one has a switch that previously was wired to the headlights, the top (horizontal) one is blank, and the middle one has what I am pretty sure is an aftermarket switch/button. Pressing it makes a blue LED in the switch/button light up, but doesn’t seem to do anything else. I can’t imagine what its purpose is/was – it’s plugged into a 3-prong factory connector and there is no sign of aftermarket wiring as far as I can trace the wires. The wires on the button/switch are green/black, green/white, and blue/red. The wires on the factory connector are green/white, blue/white, and white. I’ve looked at wiring diagrams, but none of this is on the diagrams. So, any thoughts?
25. If I were to fuel-inject and turbo, would I be able to use my WRX turbo or intercooler (assuming I have already removed them for WRX upgrades)? Yeah, yeah, I know – if I don’t even know how to do an idle adjustment, how am I expected to do major engine mods… Hey, I’m learning!
26. Does anyone have any better and/or more realistic “fantasy plans” I should consider?
27. THIS IS THE QUESTION I’M MOST INTERESTED IN HAVING ANSWERED: I’m going to replace the timing belt and alternator: while I’m in there, what do you think about replacing/servicing the oil pump, water pump, and/or case cover (and/or anything else)? {please see notes in next section}
Notes: (info directly quoted from dustysjustys.com)
Addressment: Front Cover. Yeah, the infamous front cover problem. The front cover of the EF12 that holds the oil pump is notorious for leaking oil, causing low oil pressure, a tapping sound at idle, and finally cracking leading to engine failure. This problem is enhanced by a rattling balance chain caused by a stretched chain or worn guide. If you suspect your front cover is to blame, it probably is. Two out of three that we receive used are junk. If you are rebuilding your engine, you need to have the front cover magnafluxed or checked for cracks. Even the smallest of micro-fractures will lead to catastrophic engine failure, and you're wasting your time trying to find good, used one. :-( The good news is that we sell OEM Subaru front covers! :-)
Addressment: Water Pump. The last thing that plagues the Justy is its water pump... it is hard to replace and fails often. The only solution to your water pump woes is a water pump rebuild kit. It comes with a new impeller, seal, and plate. So long as your housing is not cracked, this kit will solve 80% of all water pump problems. Another good thing to do is to MIG weld a thin bead along the flange on the inside, this way if your seal starts to leak it will have to make it across the weld too, which is unlikely.
Addressment: Oil Pump. There is nothing really wrong with the EF12 oil pump setup. Most causes of oil pump failure are related to the front cover or chain drive. New OEM seal, gear, shaft, sprocket, chain, and guide are all available for purchase on our website starting at $45. So if your oil pressure is low, check the front cover for cracks, check that your balance shaft chain is tight, measure the guide thickness, then and only then suspect the oil pump.
Thanks so much for any help you may be able to give me.
I know that some of what I'm asking may go against the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" philosophy, but I guess I'm kind of OCD about stuff like this...
Attachments:
