1987 Subaru GL 4WD 1.8L

[fiver49]

Can someone point me in the right direction for a decent website or
two for information on this car? I am looking for interior parts/
accessories, and engine parts of all sorts. What I really want for the
interior is a cover for the cargo area. When I look in the cargo area,
I can see that at one point there was a roll up cargo cover for the
back. Anyone know where I can find one?
AND... maybe someone can help me out. When it is cold, it starts
pretty hard. Then it idles at about 800 RPM, and until i drive a few
blocks it wants to die(sputter, cough cough). When I accelerate (5-
speed manual) it also wants to die. But then it drives fine.
Seems that everything else is pretty much OK. I checked plugs, wires,
air filter, pcv, egr, etc. I am going to replace fuel filter next and
see if that makes a difference. If that is it, then great. If anyone
else has any ideas that is great too.

 

[S]

Hi Fiver!

Can someone point me in the right direction for a decent website or
two for information on this car? I am looking for interior parts/
accessories, and engine parts of all sorts. What I really want for the
interior is a cover for the cargo area. When I look in the cargo area,
I can see that at one point there was a roll up cargo cover for the
back. Anyone know where I can find one?
AND... maybe someone can help me out. When it is cold, it starts
pretty hard. Then it idles at about 800 RPM, and until i drive a few
blocks it wants to die(sputter, cough cough). When I accelerate (5-
speed manual) it also wants to die. But then it drives fine.
Seems that everything else is pretty much OK. I checked plugs, wires,
air filter, pcv, egr, etc. I am going to replace fuel filter next and
see if that makes a difference. If that is it, then great. If anyone
else has any ideas that is great too.

Interior parts are gonna be tough; unlikely you'll find much at a
salvage yard. Some stuff the dealership may have, and you might try
the on-line parts places, but don't get your hopes up.
Probably your best bet overall will be the good folks over at USMB
(Hmmmm, USC, now I guess) <www.ultimatesubaru.org>.

I have a cargo cover, blue IIRC, that fits an '84 GL wagon, can't say
if it'll work on yours or not. One of the neighborhood kids has an '87
or '88 wagon. If you're really interested, I guess I could see if
it'll work in his car.

Your '87 is one of the early EFI models I think . . . in which case
there's a good chance your cold drivability issues are being caused by
a bad coolant temperature sensor. I don't know where is on the EA82,
but look for a brass, probably single-wire sensor screwed into the
coolant passages, _probably_ somewhere on the intake manifold. There
may be two, one of which will run the gauge on the instrument panel.
Shouldn't be more'n $10 or $15, and will probably be available at a
Checkers or the like.

If you find something that looks like it might be the part, you can
check with an ohmmeter; resistance should be high when cold, and low
when warm (or vice-versa ?). In any event, the resistance should
change significantly; a few hundred ohms to perhaps 10Kohms or so.

I've also seen drivability issues in general (especially on older
cars) resolved by replacing the plug wires, distributor cap, and
rotor. Unless these components on your car are obviously fairly new,
it's probably worth the trouble.

Hope this is helpful, good luck with the GL; cool old cars when
they're working right.

ByeBye! S.
Steve Jernigan KG0MB
Laboratory Manager
Microelectronics Research
University of Colorado
(719) 262-3101

 

[johninKY]

I have a blue cargo cover from my old 85 GL wagon. $45 plus shipping fro
KY if interested

 

[fiver49]

Hi Fiver!



Interior parts are gonna be tough; unlikely you'll find much at a
salvage yard. Some stuff the dealership may have, and you might try
the on-line parts places, but don't get your hopes up.
Probably your best bet overall will be the good folks over at USMB
(Hmmmm, USC, now I guess) <www.ultimatesubaru.org>.

I have a cargo cover, blue IIRC, that fits an '84 GL wagon, can't say
if it'll work on yours or not. One of the neighborhood kids has an '87
or '88 wagon. If you're really interested, I guess I could see if
it'll work in his car.

Your '87 is one of the early EFI models I think . . . in which case
there's a good chance your cold drivability issues are being caused by
a bad coolant temperature sensor. I don't know where is on the EA82,
but look for a brass, probably single-wire sensor screwed into the
coolant passages, _probably_ somewhere on the intake manifold. There
may be two, one of which will run the gauge on the instrument panel.
Shouldn't be more'n $10 or $15, and will probably be available at a
Checkers or the like.

If you find something that looks like it might be the part, you can
check with an ohmmeter; resistance should be high when cold, and low
when warm (or vice-versa ?). In any event, the resistance should
change significantly; a few hundred ohms to perhaps 10Kohms or so.

I've also seen drivability issues in general (especially on older
cars) resolved by replacing the plug wires, distributor cap, and
rotor. Unless these components on your car are obviously fairly new,
it's probably worth the trouble.

Hope this is helpful, good luck with the GL; cool old cars when
they're working right.

ByeBye! S.
Steve Jernigan KG0MB
Laboratory Manager
Microelectronics Research
University of Colorado
(719) 262-3101

Steve-

Thanks for the information. If there is any way you can check into the
cargo cover, that would be great. I certainly do appreciate it.
As for the engine... it is not and EFI model. It is carbureted. I
checked the plugs and they *look* fine. I will just go ahead and
replace them, the wires, the cap and rotor (relatively inexpensive
anyway). I was thinking about the fuel filter. Does that have a
potential to cause the issues I have?

Would the carb model have the coolant temperature sensor too?

thanks again!!!

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Steve-

Thanks for the information. If there is any way you can check into the
cargo cover, that would be great. I certainly do appreciate it.
As for the engine... it is not and EFI model. It is carbureted. I
checked the plugs and they *look* fine. I will just go ahead and
replace them, the wires, the cap and rotor (relatively inexpensive
anyway). I was thinking about the fuel filter. Does that have a
potential to cause the issues I have?

Would the carb model have the coolant temperature sensor too?

thanks again!!!

I found a cargo tray and net for my WRX sportwagon AND a replacement
cargo cover for an Outback on Ebay.

fyi

Carl

 

[bg]

I run the 87gl carbed as well. complete tune up, with a verified clean
carb, timing right on....similar weakness

I guess it's the fuel pump by subaru. Rockauto has a 31dollar replacement,
and it is a circle where a Subaru square was....
this is my second go with the carbed sube (a humble genius) and I truly
have found some really odd subaru oem problems, the fuel pump for the carbs
is lucky to see 1psi, in perfect working order!
A new fuel pump will verify the like relay and other wiring near the carb
actually works when the pump needs to be shut off. It also helps in the rain
for they tend to sputter quite awhile with low idle there.. the pump fixed
much of this. At the given sale price, I would grab one, I went a better
part of this past year searching and searching, and rockauto finally has
one...and it is round, meant for a carbed sube!

after that, there is some tuning by the distributor, but that is another
conversation in itself...

gotta love the 87scoob..carb style

 

[S]

Hi Again, Fiver!

Steve-

Thanks for the information. If there is any way you can check into the
cargo cover, that would be great. I certainly do appreciate it.
As for the engine... it is not and EFI model. It is carbureted. I
checked the plugs and they *look* fine. I will just go ahead and
replace them, the wires, the cap and rotor (relatively inexpensive
anyway). I was thinking about the fuel filter. Does that have a
potential to cause the issues I have?

Would the carb model have the coolant temperature sensor too?

thanks again!!!

I'll check for fit the next opportunity and let you know.

Fuel delivery problems, either clogged filter, or weak pump, typically
result in hesitation or missing during acceleration and/or high speed
operation, as on the highway.

The carb'd version has an electric choke that controls both enrichment
and idle-up during cold start and cold operation. It is a heating coil
and a bi-metallic element that gradually opens the choke as the heater
warms the bi-metal element. It is powered whenever the ignition is on.
You might check this for proper operation, or even try adjusting it a
bit. There is also a temperature dependant thing in the air cleaner
that pulls warm air from the exhaust manifold when cold. The only
problems I recall with this were carb icing during very cold weather
if it wasn't working. (this on an EA-81, I _think_ the carb'd EA-82 is
similar. Do you even have an EA-82? Plastic covers over the timing
belt on the front of the engine? Engine model cast into the cases
front top center, usually buried in grease/dirt.)

The carb _also_ has something called a "duty solenoid" (maybe two of
'em) that attempts to control A/F ratio during portions of the engine
operation, in response to signal from an Oxygen sensor. I don't think
this will have much effect during cold starts, but I certainly
wouldn't swear to it. Good luck with that carburetor thing

If you find that you have a Hitachi carb, I may have a top section
that will fit it (fits Hitachi's up to '84, anyway). This is one of
those "impossible-to-find" parts, and has the accelerator pump, float
valve, the electronic choke, and, I think, the duty solenoid(s). If
you get this far, (you poor bastard), take a couple fotos, and send
them to me, and I'll try and determine if what I have will work for
you.

Honestly, if it seems to be OK once warmed up, and passes any required
emissions testing, I'd be real hesitant about messing with the carb
beyond perhaps checking/adjusting the choke; they truly are a PITA.

Best of luck!

ByeBye! S.

Steve Jernigan KG0MB
Laboratory Manager
Microelectronics Research
University of Colorado
(719) 262-3101