Just bought Legacy wagon #4... '92 L for $250 from Craigs

[tahiti350]

I went to look at an Ice Blue '92 Legacy L wagon to be a front clip donor for the wife's wagon (which I thought was Ice blue, but today I found out it's Bermuda blue). Anyway the '92 is almost dead straight (small gouge in drivers rear quarter) with a suspect 4EAT. It's a FWD, and the brake rotors and calipers have been stripped, and the IAC, TPS and MAP sensor removed, but I have all the parts needed to put it back together. My only concern is the trans.

P.O. used it to tow a small fiberglass boat, maybe 500 lbs. Car has 137K on it, and was really nice old persons car when he got it. He said the trans "main bearing" was "growling". Is there anything else it could be OTHER than the trans? Maybe a wheel hub or something?

If the trans is actually bad I will probably do the AWD swap with a 4EAT that we have at the wrecking yard, but I'm hoping I might get lucky.

[douglas vincent]

It better be less than $500!

I have bought all mine for $600 or less.

[tahiti350]

double post...

[tahiti350]

I suppose I should have posted the purchase price, Is $250 out of line?

I haven't paid more than $350 for any of mine yet, and that includes the 2 parts cars already stripped and gone, So actually I'm on Legacy #6, but only 4 on the yard right now.

[tahiti350]

I spent about 4 hours today putting the new '92 back together. Installed all the following used parts:

IAC assy
TPS
MAP sensor? (the one that mounts on the tab on the firewall)
Brake rotors and calipers all around
front half shafts
Am/Fm/Tape deck
ashtray
stereo trim panel
Glove box
front speakers
wiper blades
battery


Got it all togehter, bled the brakes (Non-ABS), and cranked it up. Fired after cranking for about 5-10 seconds, and settled down to a 1200 RPM cold idle. Lots of exhaust noise underhood, got to looking around, and found the P.O. had also pulled the O2 sensor. That would explain the CEL. Once it started warming up it dropped right to 700 rpm, no smoke, and just a light lifter tap. Shut it off adn restarted and all is good.

Best news so far is that the trans seems to be good, BUT the front hubs are both toast. Driver side has play, but still feels like it has bearings in it, Passenger side feels like the bearings are completely gone, it's bad to the point that when I tightened the axle nut (yes I went ahead and put it together anyway) the hub wouldn't turn at all. Backed it off a little and just snugged it up so I could do a little check out of things (like the trans) before I start looking for more parts. I'm thinking that was probably the growling the P.O. tried to explain.

I'll probably head over to the yard tomorrow (if the boss will let me get parts on Sunday) and pull the hubs off the sedan we have there. I don't believe that using ABS hubs on a non-ABS car will hurt anythine? I'll just pull the Wheel speed sensors out.

I did drive it up to the end of our road and back, 1/2 mile round trip, at 15-20 mph, and it seems to run up okay, 1-2 shift feels good, and brakes work good.

So far I'm into this one for $250 (purchase price), plus 4 hours work to pay for the brakes and calipers. I'm thinking I did okay for a 137K mile wagon, even if it is just FWD.

[tahiti350]

Update, I got a set of good hubs Tuesday afternoon, and had them installed Tuesday night, noticed the drivers tierod end boot is torn, and the outer boots on the driveshafts are cracking down in the grooves. Looks like I have a little more work to do there.

On Thursday I pulled the O2 sensor out of my white wagon, installed it in the '92, and headed for the Emissions station. Once I got it out on the blacktop and up above 25 mph I notoced a whine/grind. light accel it's really loud, hard accel it's not as bad, on decel it all but goes away. Sounds like a bad ring and pinion.

Other than that noise it runs and drives great, shifts out crisply, and the A/C even works. Went ahead and took it to the emissions station, passed with flying colors, and headed home. Stopped at PIA in Parkland, and had them take a test drive. Their diagnosis is bad pinion shaft bearing... $1300 to fix. I'm thinking used trans. Have a line on one with a 30 day warranty, will probably head out early tomorrow to pick it up.

I just hate to spend 5 times what I have in the car now to fix the trans....

[tahiti350]

Saturday I went to the local Pull a part and yanked a FWD 4EAT, wasn't too bad, except they don't allow jacks in the yard, so I had to use 2 tires to support/lower the trans. At least the one I needed wasn't sitting right over one of the mudholes... I also couldn't get the torque converter/flexplate bolts out so I left the TC behind. I'll re-use my current TC. Picked up a pan gasket and filter, new front pump seal, and new fluids. What fluid was left in the trans and diff looked pretty good, so I've got my fingers crossed that it's good.

Sunday I yanked the trans out of the car, what a PITA. Wasn't bad until time to lower it out using a single floor jack. Trying to balance it 3 different ways with one hand and a foot took everything I had not to drop it on the slab. Prepped the "New" trans, installed the front pump seal, stabbed the TC, swapped the shift cable, and exhaust hanger (cut by yard monkey). Still need to swap the filter and pan (punched to drain it, again by the yard monkey), but I'll do that once it's in the car.

After pulling the trans I re-evaluated the install and came up with a better plan. I'll slide the trans under the car, and drop a chain down behind the engine from my engine hoist. I'll use the hoist to lift the front, and my floor jack under the tail, and should be able to install it easier and safer than it came out. Will start the install Monday evening after I get up (working graveshift now).

BTW, I can use the term "Yard Monkey" because I have worked part time in the local wrecking yards for several years, so I are one too. Have to figure out processes to get the cars in and out of processing as quickly as possible, and there isn't time to remove trans pans, etc to drain them, so they get punched.

[tahiti350]

Today I installed the trans, swapped the split boot half shafts, and put every thing back togheter. Only thing left is to put in the trans fluid, but I can't find the gallon that should be out in the garage, so it's off to Walmart, then back to the garage to see if it works.

[tahiti350]

WOOHOO, the $80 junkyard trans is GOOD!!! Shifts nice adn clean, no funny noises, only complaing right now is the Torque converter lockup doesn't engage as quickly as either of the '90 wagons, but when it does finally lock in it's solid, doesn't unlock when I get off the throttle like the white wagon.

Could this be a TPS adjustment issue? I just put the TPS on and lined up the paint marks, but I know those could be off, since each car and TPS is different.

[tahiti350]

Have over 100 miles on it now since the trans change,a nd the only problem I've had is a leak at the filler tube when I parked it off camber. Tube got bent when removing/installing the trans, so I'll just swapp the tube from the original trans,and should be good to go. Still shifting great, but slow to lock the TCC.

[sebazztard]

moving along nicely. dont expect too much feedback on this forum... lol. whats nice about going through these cars is the reliability of the new parts. it will seem like forever before something else goes wrong and you'll find insignificant stuff to replace. have fun.

[tahiti350]

This is drivable Lego # 3, and counting parts cars, #6 I've had in the last 4 years. They are great cars. Just wish the Big three coupld build something like a Legacy and keep the price reasonable....