Date:         Wed, 25 Mar 1998 14:35:53 -0400
Reply-To:     Tim Smith <smitht@UNB.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Tim Smith <smitht@UNB.CA>
Subject:      Re: Subaru engines in the long run
Comments: To: vanagon@vanagon.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Hi,

thanks for the post, just a note that the older Loyale? engines 1.8l are not
KEPs first choice. I was told same regarding oil leaks and head cracks,
until I talked to dealer and realized which engine did what. The '90-on 2.2l
Legacy engine is what KEP supports.

 I picked up  a '90 with almost 200K kms on it.  It was the driest/cleanest
engine I've seen for a 10 year old well used unit. Main 'leak' was from oil
filler tube are. I noticed the oil pan was gooped on real well though!  I'll
know about compression shortly.

One warning about the engines is that 1990 models may/do develop piston
slap/scuffing. Mine is a '90, all that was avail. here.  If this homebrew
conversion I'm attempting goes well, I'll go for a low mileage mid 90's
engine for the Syncro, from as local a source as possible.  For $4500 I can
have a complete late '90's engine with 3000Kms on it, yes 'three thousand'
klics. That's about $4000 more than I can afford :(.

The pointer about neglected Japanese used engines is a good one. Thanks! I
was pleased to see an official Subaru oil filter on mine, and the dealer
said they had maintained it regularly (despite me buying it from a nearby
independent garage)

You pays your money and takes your chances, so try to get as much info from
PO as possible before laying down the cash.  Here's hoping I did, gulp!
Buying an entire rusted out vehicle is the only way I'll go next time. You
folks in snow country may have the advantage there, like me. Try to buy
privately, not junkyarded, locate whoever the local Subaru dealer sends his
bodywork to and leave your name. Best source for low dollar rust buckets I
know of. Tow/drive it to a friendly? junkyard and strip it, they get the
carcass/drivetrain for free.

bye, Tim

'87 Syncro Westy (on the donor list)
'85 CrewCab (prepped and ready, scalpel!)