Subaru and small engine diesel

vtdog · **Joined:** Fri Sep 30, 2005 11:27 am **Posts:** 640

See the article

http://www.gizmag.com/go/6235/

Jeger · **Posted:** Sun Jun 24, 2007 2:16 pm

How did I miss this! That would be one sweet little engine! The perfect diesel sportscar engine.

chadhargis · **Posted:** Sun Jun 24, 2007 7:26 pm

Subaru makes great cars. I bought my wife an Outback a couple of years back. Her only complaint was about the lack of power it had. She's not a lead foot by any means, but she said it was, "dangerously slow" pulling into traffic. Hopefully the diesel will have more pep. That 4cyl engine just wasn't enough to pull that big 4 wheel drive wagon.

techTim · **Posted:** Tue Jun 26, 2007 5:14 pm

Over in the aviation world there is a company building an experimental opposed 6 (I think) that runs jet-A, more or less kerosene / diesel.
compression ignition though, is the point.
gimme a diesel tribeca sooby, I might be offing the libby.........maybe. :wink:

can't think of another company out there that might do it better, 'cept toyota, who do diesel all over the world in their small pickups (hilux) and landcruisers.
mmmmmmmmm......turbo diesel landcruiser.........

techTim · **Posted:** Tue Jun 26, 2007 5:46 pm

the australian version of the legacy is called the liberty? :shock:

Threeweight · **Joined:** Mon May 14, 2007 5:57 pm **Posts:** 679

Did someone say diesel Landcruiser?

http://portland.craigslist.org/nco/car/358773260.html

If I wasn't shopping for a boat, I'd buy it.

RedStapler · **Joined:** Fri May 11, 2007 10:04 am **Posts:** 77

techTim wrote:

the australian version of the legacy is called the liberty? :shock:

Yes, apparently everywhere outside the US (& perhaps Canada) Subaru has the rights to the Liberty name. Thats why the KJ is the Cherokee everywhere else.

You have to give Subaru credit for the brilliant bit of marketing behind the "Outback" trim line. Take a good AWD station wagon, add slightly bigger tires and faux plastic brush gards, mix in some goofy ads with Crocodile Dundee and Volia! Subarus are now SUVs in the mind of the car buying public.

With the addition of $200 worth of plastic and tires you have transformed your $20K wagon into a $25K SUV.

Before the WRX the Outback was what really goosed sales for Subaru.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Wed Jun 27, 2007 4:04 am

Threeweight wrote:

Did someone say diesel Landcruiser?

http://portland.craigslist.org/nco/car/358773260.html

If I wasn't shopping for a boat, I'd buy it.

Ya, but for $7500 bucks I would rather buy a Liberty CRD.

retmil46 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 27, 2007 11:26 am

The old '87 wagon I had lasted 20 years and was ultra reliable, still got 25 mpg with a 2 barrel carb when I sold it earlier this year. Reason I didn't go with another Subaru was that they seemed to have become just like the Big Seven - over priced and not that great on gas mileage. But if they come out with a diesel as tough as that little flat four in the '87 with decent fuel mileage, I just might end up going back over to them.

Jeger · **Posted:** Wed Jun 27, 2007 11:35 am

retmil46 wrote:

The old '87 wagon I had lasted 20 years and was ultra reliable, still got 25 mpg with a 2 barrel carb when I sold it earlier this year. Reason I didn't go with another Subaru was that they seemed to have become just like the Big Seven - over priced and not that great on gas mileage. But if they come out with a diesel as tough as that little flat four in the '87 with decent fuel mileage, I just might end up going back over to them.

I am actually looking at an 87 4WD wagon myself, 76,000 miles, auto, air, the works. Looks to need new CV shafts, but is dry underneath and fairly clean. Asking $1500. I will be riding the bike most of the time until it gets snowy/ice on the roads I figure this would be the perfect winter vehicle.

RedStapler · **Joined:** Fri May 11, 2007 10:04 am **Posts:** 77

Jeger wrote:

I am actually looking at an 87 4WD wagon myself, 76,000 miles, auto, air, the works. Looks to need new CV shafts, but is dry underneath and fairly clean. Asking $1500. I will be riding the bike most of the time until it gets snowy/ice on the roads I figure this would be the perfect winter vehicle.

My 90 Legacy liked to eat CV joints, it ate a good half-dozen in the 7 years I had it.

Thats very low mileage for a 20 yr old car. The old Loyales were ok cars for their day; a bit gutless in the mountains. I have childhood memories of climbing up some of the grades doing 35 in the slow lane with the hazards on.

RedStapler · **Joined:** Fri May 11, 2007 10:04 am **Posts:** 77

retmil46 wrote:

The old '87 wagon I had lasted 20 years and was ultra reliable, still got 25 mpg with a 2 barrel carb when I sold it earlier this year. Reason I didn't go with another Subaru was that they seemed to have become just like the Big Seven - over priced and not that great on gas mileage. But if they come out with a diesel as tough as that little flat four in the '87 with decent fuel mileage, I just might end up going back over to them.

Yes they have allowed their products to creep up in size & weight like most everyone else. Sitting in traffic the other day there was a 1st Gen (90-94) Legacy next to a late model Impreza; they are about the same width!

techTim · **Posted:** Wed Jun 27, 2007 5:47 pm

threeweight, that looks like the ticket, if/when I get out of this liberty (not likely) that is what I'll go for, more room, easy lift, D.U.R.A.B.L.E. with a Big D :wink:

I have had three landcruisers, none diesel, but that was the goal when I found the libby......ah well, next time around I get the car choice, the libby is mostly for the wife.

Threeweight · **Joined:** Mon May 14, 2007 5:57 pm **Posts:** 679

Sir Sam wrote:

Ya, but for $7500 bucks I would rather buy a Liberty CRD.

I love my CRD, but an old-school FJ with a lift is a beast of a different magnitude. More comparable to a Land Rover Defender 110 four door than an IFS front axle Jeep.

Now if I could get a Wrangler Unlimited with a diesel, that'd be another story...

On the subject of Soobies, a co-worker of mine has an older model (late 90's) Impreza Outback (the little one). She said she gets 19-20 mpg in the city, and 22-23 on the highway. I have heard similar stories from other Subaru owners. Great in the snow, but the mileage sucks for such a small car. A diesel would help, but our Liberty's might still get better mileage.

offroadsubaru · **Posted:** Wed Jun 27, 2007 9:49 pm

chadhargis wrote:

Subaru makes great cars. I bought my wife an Outback a couple of years back. Her only complaint was about the lack of power it had. She's not a lead foot by any means, but she said it was, "dangerously slow" pulling into traffic. Hopefully the diesel will have more pep. That 4cyl engine just wasn't enough to pull that big 4 wheel drive wagon.

Was your wife's car a 2000-2004 automatic? Those things run about a 10.5 second 0-60. Only 600 lbs less than the CRD and with just over half the torque (166 lb-ft).

My car weighs a little over 3,000 pounds (older body style) and the manual transmission makes the car very responsive. 0-60 between the Outback & the CRD with a good launch, the CRD's mine. However, the CRD smokes the Outback at anything less than full throttle & shifting at redline.

RedStapler · **Joined:** Fri May 11, 2007 10:04 am **Posts:** 77

I would get low 20s city, 26-28 freeway with my automatic trans 90. Nothing to write home about, but not bad for its day. You had to really flog the engine on grades in the mountains though if you wanted to go faster than 60.

Its when then went to using just the 2.5L engine that their mileage really tanked. I can recall when the 2.2 was the base offering and the 2.5 was the big engine; now its the base and a 3.0L or 2.5 Turbo is the up level.

As long as you are at your desired speed the CRD can hold 75+ on long upgrades just fine. Just don't try to speed up.

G-funk · **Posted:** Thu Jun 28, 2007 2:29 am

vtdog wrote:

See the article

http://www.gizmag.com/go/6235/

a diesel Impreza would be sweet. With all the success guys are having racing VW diesels in rally and some auto cross this would be the next step up. What's better than a diesel race car? An all wheel drive diesel race car.

chadhargis · **Posted:** Thu Jun 28, 2007 10:55 am

Quote:

Was your wife's car a 2000-2004 automatic?

Yes, her's was an automatic. It was a slow pig for sure. Very heavy and slow. Seemed to be geared really high. It would run at 90-100mph all day long without breaking a sweat, just slow to get off the line. The AWD didn't help I'm sure.

She has a Honda Odyssey minivan now, and that thing will fly! 3.5L V-6. Heck, it will even tow 3500lbs!

retmil46 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 28, 2007 11:19 am

Only time I ever had to do any major work on the 1.8 L in the '87 was 3 years ago when I screwed up and ran a spark plug tap in too far and bent a valve. 156K miles and that was the first time that engine had needed to be disassembled for any reason.

Gent that worked on it had spent 25 years as a Subaru tech before starting his own shop. The only thing he had to replace was the one bent valve, and on his recommendation, the original clutch which was finally getting worn down. Nothing else- no rings, no bearings, nada. He said the engine was in excellent shape and good for another 100K miles at least.

One recommendation he did have for the 1.8 L engine was that once over 50K miles, to switch over to 20W50 oil vice the factory 10W40.

He asked me if I knew why Subaru quit using the 1.8 L engine. I guessed correctly - he said if treated properly the bloody things never died, and Subaru wasn't expanding fast enough selling cars that lasted upwards of 20 years. Small wonder, the 1.8 L was basically nothing more than a modified VW Beetle engine with water cooling added on.

Never had much problem with power, other than in the mountains and loaded down. Even with the 1.8 L engine, the curb weight of the '87 wagon was only 2000 lbs and with a 5 speed it was easy enough to gear it down. Built solid as a tank, and after 20 years still didn't have any rust on it. At $12K new, that car was the best deal I'll probably ever get on a vehicle, and I don't think I'll ever find another to match it, even among the newer Subaru's.

ericanand · **Posted:** Thu Jun 28, 2007 6:32 pm

Sir Sam wrote:

Threeweight wrote:

Did someone say diesel Landcruiser?

http://portland.craigslist.org/nco/car/358773260.html

If I wasn't shopping for a boat, I'd buy it.

Ya, but for $7500 bucks I would rather buy a Liberty CRD.

That's what I did, except try closer to 20k for my 2006 CRD sport.

In the meantime, I'm trying to sell my '83 BJ60 Landcruiser, though I wish I didn't have to. That thing is beast! Pretty much unstopable. 3B motor with <180k miles, 5 speed, 31x10.5 tires, kaymar steel bumper in back with swing out tire carrier and jerry can carrier, aluminum bullbar, Warn 8000, and ARB lockers front and rear. And it gets around 21mpg highway. Pretty good for brick.

The only problems are parts availability (had to get a new transfer case shipped from Japan!), no AC, no ABS, loud as hell compared to the Liberty, underpowered for hills and interstates, and a lovely coating of rust courtesy of British Columbia. Even so, I'd keep it if I had the space and the funds to insure and register two vehicles.

Subaru and small engine diesel

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