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Subaru electrical gremlin

1K views 11 replies 4 participants last post by  matt167 
#1 ·
I just bought a pretty decent 1999 Subaru Legacy SUS ( Outback sedan basically ) from a friend. It has blown head gaskets and the speedo/ odo do not register... I got it cheap enough that if I had to part it out, I could easily make my $$ back, and I did buy it on the spot because of that.

I planned on just doing a '95 dual port 2.2L swap ( bolt in ). Located several motors for less than $500 out of '95 Legacy's so that's no big deal. BUT, I have a new issue. Starter now turns with the key off and out of the ignition. I have no clue if it stops turning when it's running, but I had to shut it off and then disconnect the negative terminal. It starts turning if I hook it back up.. Any idea there?
 
#4 ·
Subaru is actually Japanese, and their parent company is Fuji Heavy Industries..
The new Crosstrek can come as an EV Hybrid, but I'll stick to the tried and true Boxer 4's.

I have always wanted a Gremlin actually, but it would need to be a Gremlin X 304/4spd, and it would need a 401 transplant to keep me happy
 
#5 ·
Yes, I know where they are made. I know that Malcolm Bricklin got one of his many,many starts in the auto industry by importing the teeny little rounded 2-stroke Subaru 360s to the US and then finding that no-one would buy them.

I also know about the boxer engine with the spare tire carried on top of the engine.

I also know that having Crocodile Dundee do all the ads for the Outback for years was just pure advertising schtick.

A couple of my friends drive Subarus and swear by them

And I always tell my friends that the name is spelled wrong - they are actually a Super-Roo, named for a mythical Giant Kangaroo in the car's native Australian Outback that they are named for
 
#8 ·
Stuck solenoid.
I don't like jap cars either.
Put an SBC in it.

vicrod
If it would fit, I would, but the little boxer 4 is probably less than 12" deep.

I normally prefer domestics but Subaru is the 1 brand I will venture into Jap cars for. The AWD system is like no other in the compact/ sub compact market and I could really use AWD for my winter driving as gas for my truck is expensive.
 
#7 ·
It confused a lot of people tho. Even I thought they were an Australian car for a long time.. I remember the spare over the engine also, and the Croc Dundee commercials. Did not know that Super- Roo was the actual pronunciation or what that meant. I knew that the emblem is part of the Taurus constellation..

Does look like a very easy car to work on tho. 3 connectors for the electrical on the engine, 8 bolts to the bellhousing and everything to pull the motor is out in the open. Almost like a modern Beetle
 
#9 ·
Yea, I'm just kidding around.
Back in the day we had 1960 VW bug. You could keep them running without to must effort. It got us thru the lean years.
So I guess it's --- pick your least offensive artifact of WW2, hold your nose and go to work and school etc. and somehow build a future.

vicrod
 
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