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"commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads)" (warsstar)
01/06/2015 at 23:41 • Filed to: Subaru

Anyhoo, I have a new Subaru. This is the third one I've owned, and the fourth one to call our driveway home.

1st Subaru - green 1997 Legacy Outback, bought for $1400, discovered that the PO had hidden the head gasket issues by removing the thermostat. I drove it for a year before buying my second Subaru. I sold it earlier this year for $750. I regret selling it.

2nd Subaru - silver 1999 Legacy Outback, bought for $2950 with fresh head gaskets. Drove for 2 years (approx 20k miles) before they let go. Currently limping along as the snow vehicle.

3rd Subaru - 2001 Legacy GT. I bought this on New Year's Day for $500. It's missing the transmission, bumper, passenger side fender and head light, and it needs a hood. It was the victim of a deer, though it appears to have been a top hit instead of a front. The engine was gone over by Subaru about 30k miles ago. The interior looks to be in good shape, though it does need a good cleaning. This generation of engine does have head gasket issues, however they are less likely to occur in the SOHC compared to the DOHC. So I have a project!

Side note: car dollies are a pain in the ass. Next time I have to tow a car home, I'm getting a trailer.

DISCUSSION (21)

CB > commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads)
01/06/2015 at 23:43

Nice Subie! And good to see you again, Commander.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads)
01/06/2015 at 23:52

Aren't all AWD Subies supposed to be flat towed? Anyways, nice Legacy, I really like the color, and am looking forward to seeing the end result of your project.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads)
01/07/2015 at 00:00

How does one hide a Head gasket issue by removing the thermostat?

scoob > commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads)
01/07/2015 at 00:00

I guess the lack of transmission means it can be towed like this?

commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads) > m-b-w loves his SUBAROO
01/07/2015 at 00:08

There no transmission to be damaged, so this is fine. And thanks! The color will change as I'm not sure if I'll be able to find the parts I need in that color. Also there's some rust spots that will need repaired, after which I will probably bedline the entire thing in the closest match to WRB.

commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads) > scoob
01/07/2015 at 00:09

Yup.

commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads) > CB
01/07/2015 at 00:09

Thanks! It's good to be back.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads)
01/07/2015 at 00:11

So, are you planning on installing another auto, or are you going to swap in a manual?

Big Bubba Ray > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
01/07/2015 at 00:13

Without the thermostat, you can't tell if its overheating due to the blown head gaskets.

Boxer_4 > m-b-w loves his SUBAROO
01/07/2015 at 00:14

Towing on dollies is fine as long as the driveshaft is disconnected from the rear differential. With the automatic transmission, the transmission isn't getting lubrication without the car on. This is what causes damage when towing with dollies. With the driveshaft disconnected, the rear wheels are no longer tied to the front wheels. I wouldn't recommend doing it for long distances, but it shouldn't be an issue. In most cases, the average person isn't going to want to disconnect the driveshaft, so Subaru calls for flat bed towing.

This doesn't effect manual transmission Subarus, since all of the gears are sitting in gear oil all the time. The rear differentials for both transmissions are sitting in gear oil all the time, too.

In this case, the transmission is completely missing from the car (and the driveshaft is sitting in the cargo area), so there would be nothing to damage anyway.

I believe the color is Winestone, and it is very lovely.

commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads) > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
01/07/2015 at 00:15

The DOHC engines have an internal leach which allows oil and exhaust gases into the coolant stream. The exhaust creates air bubbles, which can get caught at the thermostat and create an air lock. Removing the thermostat allows unrestricted flow through the pipes, allowing the coolant and air to continue circulating, keeping the engine from overheating. Unless you know what to look for, such as a dirty overflow tank, bubbling in the overflow tank after the car has been running, or exhaust smelling coolant, everything seems to be functioning properly.

Textured Soy Protein > commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads)
01/07/2015 at 00:16

Theres this weird old Subaru boneyard near me. The only information I could find online about it is that it's called Cindy's Classic Used Auto Parts .

Maybe you should buy this from them.

Kinja'd!!!

commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads) > m-b-w loves his SUBAROO
01/07/2015 at 00:18

Auto. I'm getting a junkyard trans, and I can't remember ever seeing a manual Subaru there.

Also my dad is complaining about the effort involved in installing an auto, I really don't want to give him anything else to complain about.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > Boxer_4
01/07/2015 at 00:19

I understand now. Thanks for the detailed explanation.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads)
01/07/2015 at 00:20

Sounds like a good plan then. Good luck finding all of the parts required for the subie.

Boxer_4 > commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads)
01/07/2015 at 00:22

Kinja'd!!!

These do look nice in WRB

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads)
01/07/2015 at 00:26

Oh that makes sense why my engine was leaking from a place I didn't know existed. Because I've never owned a car with a OHV engine before.

sellphones2493 > commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads)
01/07/2015 at 08:06

Nice purchase. I love seeing progress on cars that are getting a second chance. Was it from Copart or just someone on CL?

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads)
01/07/2015 at 08:37

I was gonna ask if Subarus (being AWD and all) were required to be trailered as opposed to towed since it would probably mess with the transmission or something. But then I realized when you said "missing the transmission", that this wouldn't matter very much haha.

commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads) > sellphones2493
01/07/2015 at 08:48

Craigslist.

Dusty Ventures > commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads)
01/08/2015 at 01:08

I'm glad you clarified this, because when I looked at the photo my brain started screaming.