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Just got a 95 LS Sedan. What to watch out for?


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Hello all, just got myself a relatively clean 1995 Legacy LS Sedan with 160k miles and automatic trans. I needed a daily driver and this popped up for a good price ($800). As far as service records go, it was kept by one lady for about 20 something years locally (San Diego,CA), and the water pump and timing belt and thermostat, A/C and serpentine belt, radiator hoses replaced with the coolant flushed, valve cover gasket and both front axle assemblies have been replaced. She was pretty meticulous with records. Do I have to worry about the head gaskets?

 

I have had it for about two weeks now and the suspension decent, not too bouncy. The ride is still very nice. It does have a few blemishes, lights on the HVAC controls and on the gear shifter are dead, no radio, and sometimes the car has problems starting, specially in these cold mornings. It has happened 2 times, I would try to start the car, but it would just sound like its turning, and then I would stop. Usually at the 2nd or 3rd attempt it works. Also for the life of me I cannot figure out how to lock the car from the outside. I can only lock the doors if I press the lock button, then close the door while holding it up. Weird.

 

So far in the 2 weeks that I have had it, I have replaced the following:

-Tires, they were pretty bald already.

- New oil and oil filter (Penzoil HM 05-30)

-Brake pads and rotors. The rotors already have a pronounced lip.

-Spark plugs, spark plug wires. Should I change the coil pack or just leave?

-PCV Valve

-Fuel Filter

 

What else should I look out for? How hard are the lights for the HVAC control and the gear shifter to fix? Im planning on having this car for a while, so I want it to last. Thank you.

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I did my HVAC lights. I didn't think it was hard at all, but I do all my own work except glass replacement and alignments, so my idea of easy might not match yours.

 

I expect the shifter lights are easier than the climate lights.

 

You've made a good first go at a major refresh.

 

I wish I could have snatched this car even at double what you paid. Nice score.

 

The starting thing could be the starter, or it could be a couple other things that we can help with around here. Replacing the starter is very easy if it comes to that.

 

You can't lock the car from the outside using the key in the drivers door and have it lock everything? That is the expected behavior. Start at the fuse box by your left knee.

 

A couple further checks to do: check the throttle body internals for cleanliness. Check the appearance and smell of the trans fluid with a mind to drain and replace and a new filter, replace the front and rear differential oil, check the rubber hoses for the brakes at each wheel, finally consider a flush and fill on the brake fluid (it should be basically clear colorless, if it is golden then meh, if it is brown it should go.)

 

That's all that jumps to my mind. I bet someone else will come along and think of something else.

 

Congratulations on the buy.

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I will try to view some tutorials on it. I am not great at anything electric related. What I did forget to do is a BRAKE BLEED. I completely forgot it. Does draining the brake reservoir and filling it with fresh brake fluid a good idea? I know it does not cycle, but I wont have access to my friend's garage for another 2 weeks to bleed it. The brake fluid is I would say midway between gold and brown.

 

For the transmission fluid, would it work if I use an oil/fluid extractor like a mityvac and drain it from the dipstick hole? Would that also work for changing oil? I used to have a VW and the oil change was done topside.

 

I have not checked the front and rear differential fluid, I will try to find the dipstick later, but surely it needs to be replaced at this point.

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Replacing the brake fluid you can see is better than nothing. I bent up a spoon and scooped it out of a different project car for a short/mid term fix, but I don't think that would work in your case. I was doing a 70s American car, so the spoon would fit...

 

Mine is the 5MT, so I don't know how to deal with the auto on fluid swap.

 

On mine the front diff and trans share gear oil. I expect yours is 80-90 gear oil for the front diff or something similar rather than Dex like in the trans, so it would have to have a separate drain and fill from the trans. Probably no dipstick for either diff. Normal is to have two thread in plugs at different heights, one for drain, and you fill until it comes back out of the top one.

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  • 3 weeks later...

So after a few weeks, time for some updates.

 

The oil extractor worked really good for the AT fluid. I managed to extract about 3.7L of AT (that was all the replacement AT I had). It was brownish liquid almost. I will be doing it again maybe a couple more times in the following months.

 

Also used the turkey baster method on the brake fluid and replaced with brand new fluid. Maybe its just my imagination but the brakes are not as spongy feeling anymore. Still needs a brake bleed.

 

I managed to check the front diff, the dipstick is on the passenger side. No smells or anything but I will change it using the extractor this weekend, will see how that goes. Also any preferred brands? Should I use the synthetic ones? 75w-90 or is 80w-90 Ok?

 

I still have not tackled the internal lights, I am planning on doing that this long weekend in case I screw something up.

 

As for the locks and the intermittent starting, it was the battery terminals. They had some corrosion. Got one of those cheap battery cleaning kits from Oreilly and cleaned it up good and put the terminals tight. No issues now, and I can lock it with the key now lol.

 

Now what really gets me is the headlight. Changed it to brighter bulbs, it is still a bit dim. Tried LEDs too from super bright LEDs but they had a weird pattern, they are BRIGHT tho. Only had em for a day. The JDM lights are very tempting but a bit pricey. I was planning on changing my struts too and maybe HR lowering springs, unless there are other springs that would fit? And what else do I need to change if I want to put KYB struts? The two front ones are leaking already.

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Good updates.

 

If the headlight lenses aren't clear like glass then they can soak up an unbelievable amount of the light from your bulbs. Maybe they can be polished. Last I knew you could still get new ones from 1aauto.com and perhaps others.

 

I use a synthetic gear oil. My FSM says to use API GL-5 gear oil for the front diff on the 4EAT, but it doesn't say 75-90 or 80-90. Do you have your glove box owners manual? It should say in there.

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I checked the website, I am actually surprised that brand new ones are available. I cleaned it up a bit, this weekend I will try the 3M or Meguires restoration kit before I plunk some money on headlights (the JDM ones look amazing).

 

On a side note, So in the following month I want to replace the struts with KYB struts and maybe add H&R lowering springs (this seems to be the only one available). Do I also need to replace the strut mount? How do I check it to see if it is still ok?

 

I found the manual for the car, hidden in the spare trunk space. Dont ask me why it is there lol. It had all the fluid information, and the alternatives weights for oils and stuff. Pretty cool.

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Nice trunk find.

 

When I rebuilt my suspension a few years ago I got stock springs so I don't know much about mods there. I just did the mounts during that build without checking because it was a quarter million mile rebuild and I didn't want to have to get back in there later.

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