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It could be break-in related. That said - in a perfectly machined, and perfectly cleanly assembled engine - assuming it is primed correctly, etc - there *should* be NO break-in except for rings - which would be cast iron, steel, and I think the top compression ring is plasma-moly (100% molybdenum) coated..... there's really nothing in an engine that *should* wear that contains silicon. The bearings should float on a film of engine oil and continued excess silicon in my opinion is an indication of sloppy clearance, assembly, or cleanliness. It may wear to a point and plateau there for a very long time - or it may just eat itself in short order. It's really hard to say - continue to do analysis and watch the trends. GD

Based on reliability history, experience, and resale value I would pick the Toyota 4Runner or Tacoma/Tundra hands down. They are still available relatively trimmed down and simple, they are bulletproof, and they hold their value: https://caredge.com/toyota/4runner/depreciation Toyota has a host of other models also and don't seem to suffer (as much) from the foolishness that has plagued Subaru in the last decade. And overall they hold their resale value at least as well. Without adjusting for inflation you can practically drive a 4Runner for free these days - selling it after 5 years for nearly it's new asking price. Subaru is a puppet of Toyota and with the trend toward electric vehicles Subaru really has no technology to offer - leveraging Toyota for that space. Going forward they have nothing to offer other than a brand image. Once you go electric you no longer need the mechanical symetrical AWD, and the boxer engine is just an old gas burning relic. Toyota will milk the brand for it's image and toss the husk. Watch and see. GD

I'm tellin ya - sell that albatross while it still moves. RIGHT NOW you can sell it and cut your losses. When it fails? What's your prognosis financially? The ONLY course that makes sense given the reputation of this transmission is to get rid of it NOW. Gambling in Vegas probably has better odds IMO. If you look at the sum total of my experience - go back and look ay my posts from 10+ years ago - 15-20 years ago even. I was an EZ Board member of this forum when I was just a kid in my 20's with no money and a $400 Subaru. I've been AROUND ya know? You really think I got here without (once upon a time) being a fan of the Subaru design, engineering, and in general their simple construction and being friendly to repair and service? At this point I check in here from time to time - mostly to marvel at how much the tables have turned and to warn others of the writing on the wall that I see on a daily basis owning and running a Subaru performance/repair shop. You think it's good for my business to rag on the brand? Be grateful that I don't care. GD

I've never had issues myself with aftermarket T-stats but I have found have crappy water pumps where the impeller falls apart or slips on the shaft. If you are 100% certain about the integrity of all the other work you did and that the engine condition was fine before the repair, how can it be anything other than the replacement pump? With that in question, how are you actually determining that you have "good circulation"?

You guys are building a nice list of all the reasons I would absolutely never buy any new car. Never have, never will. I encourage my friends to do the same. "New" for me is 10-12 years old with 80-150K miles already on the clock. Because of this, I've never paid more than $10K for any ride and usually much less. Fortunately for me, there are lots of people buying new cars that are willing to take the major depreciation hit and work out all the warranty/recall/dealer hassles for me. There are plenty of cheap, proven rides to choose from when I go looking. The last time I had a car loan was well over 20 years ago. Registration, plates and insurance are all far cheaper too. I'll take a hard pass on these modern cars that collect data and invade my privacy.

Have been enjoying driving her lately. Have now acquired full manual swap parts with a rare FT4WD box and Link ECU from a rolled rally car. This combined with s 5 stud swap and full STI brakes and wheels are sitting in my garage... Exciting stuff.

Yea. It’s 100% benign for pre 2005 models. The ECU doesn’t use that data for fuel trim. It’s not indicative of anything but emissions. the biggest issue is you can’t tell when the code trips again. It’s routinely ignored in states that don’t check the check engine light for emissions or inspections for 100s of thousands of miles. Install an extender $10 on eBay and the code will go away. It’s just a spacer - remove rear O2 sensor, install spacer and reinstall O2 sensors into the spacer. It just makes the rear O2 sensor sit a little off the exhaust stream which is enough to trick 90% of them to not trip the code. repair usually includes replacing the converter. Aftermarkets sick and can cause the same issue in 1 month or 2 years. Subaru converters are $500+. So it’s not economical to repair if it’s not needed. it can often be caused also (conflating causes with an tires converter) due to an exhaust leak, fuel trim, vacuum leak, etc. but it’s nearly impossible to track down unless you’re a signals wizard. Most of the times the repair will be installing a new converter and making sure the engines working properly.

I get the P0420 on my 2002 EJ251 every few months, and then I delete the code. My car normally just does local runs. But once in a while, I go on the freeway at high speed; if it's a hot day, the CEL comes on and it's a P0420 code. So I delete it. Been doing this for years. The engine runs beautifully!

I haven't driven Subies nearly as much as most of you here but I'm 4th owner of a 205,000 mile 03 WRX wagon and I'm sure the kid owner before me was not nice to it. He ran some Cobb bolt-on mods and tuning maps before he put it back to stock when I bought it. When I went to test drive, it was over a quart low on oil and black as tar. Today, it still has the original engine, turbo and accessories. I've not even had to charge the A/C system. It did need a radiator at 175k and the center diff at 199K both of which I found easy to change myself. Otherwise, I have few complaints other than typical vacuum hoses and such getting old and cracking.

Alert! Alert! Another 1st Gen wagon saved. Though this is a post facelift model, she deserves some love. Older gent owned her since the late 90s, he passed on. Family friend drove the car and blew it up. Sat for a year and was given to me free of charge. Dropped an engine in it, threw new pads and rotors at it (front and rear), new radiator, replaced the ball joints, in the middle of tinting all the rear glass yet. The 4 speed auto operates in limp mode more often than not and I'm fairly certain it's a faulty TCM. The interior is a little dirty but it's pristine. With a good steam vac the interior will look new again. The body is pretty straight, ding here, little spot of rust there. The clear coat is flaking off in some spots unfortunately. But I love the storage room and it's a lot easier to cart my kid around in than the 2 door Impreza. Needed yet: Front coil spring (drivers side is broken) Resolve transmission issue shocks front and rear Fix exhaust leaks Find roof racks Tint remaining rear windows Find nice 16" alloys (looking for the later model legacy snowflake wheels)

Yes, my 87 GL wagon 4wd spfi d/r has this relay above the ecm next to the fuel pump relay.

I ran all mine right off the ignition switch just like factory EJ. IIRC the EA coil was powered the same way.

That's definitely at EOL for the transmission. A remanufactured CVT is 6500 for the unitm 8k installed if you don't do it yourself. The valve bodies are a problem, but so is the whole unit. If you're going to do the work, I would just replace the whole transmission. Good luck! For what it's worth, I had a block replaced due to oil consumption. I'm on the 4th block including the original factory block. Two failed ib less than 300 miles due to bad rod bearings. My CVT has 133k on it and is starting to show signs of doom.

Important to note here that "Silicon" is different than "Silicone" (often found in engine sealants) and also different than "Silica" (which is often found in sand and dust) - these are all different materials with different properties. Silicon is used in the BiMetal bearings Subaru uses for the connecting rod and main bearings: https://www.aclus.com/bimetal-bearings-characteristics.html Having seen the a few of these reman engines fail, and given the track record of this particular vehicle and the dealer doing the repairs - I would guess accelerated bearing wear is the reason for the high silicon. Might be minimal and clear up with more miles, or it might eventually throw a rod. We had one of those engines blow at about 13k miles. GD

I would plan on a remanufactured transmission. Is it the CVT? How many miles?

Do some research but I believe the STi pink springs from the GD platform were a popular option, as were king springs but I don’t know what’s available through them anymore. Impreza struts could help too but I’m not certain on this. Cheers Bennie

I'm very sorry to resurrect this post, but how did you find those struts? Did you buy them new or find an old one in. Junkyard? I'm mostly done fixing the suspension and brakes on my '83 Brat and ended up stripping the post on my passenger front strut. After not being able to find a tap and die set to fix them, I might have to do what you did. I just wanna make sure I have all the info I need before I try to order from an auto parts store

Sadly I bet wreckers hear these commitments all the time only to be put out by ppl that are a no-show, stuffing the way they manage their business. Cheers Bennie

Use the ignition wire that powers up the relays and ecu off the EA ignition wire via a fuse. Never missed a beat for me in my conversion and I was driving that daily for the best part of ten years until recently. Numbchux’s write up gives detail on this I believe. Cheers Bennie

I've only been wrenching for 50 yrs so this should be easy for me. Did timing belt, water pump, etc. Car was fine but for a water pump leak. All back together and I cant get the bottom hose hot. Thermostat isnt opening my guess. I've put a known good one in and another. Everything is fine with no thermostat, good circulation, etc. I've burped it to the best of my ability. Pulled a heater hose, pulled the throttle body hose. There is no air in the system. Thermostat is inserted into the block, tit out. Not head gaskets, car was perfect before I apparently borked it. What in the world am I missing??

The flat washer between the cone washer and the nut, is not flat. It is concave on one side, and convex on the other. Convex side needs to go to the cone washer, if it is backwards, the assembly will not tighten correctly, and the hub will strip. I never had an issue reusing the washers...

same as Subaru :::Stant 48457

Finally acquired a set of Peugeot 14" steelies to fit my Maxxis mud tyres to. Looks good if I may say so myself. Before anyone asks, Torqlocker is in the mail... Just waiting on Subarino to finally release their lift kit, then I can crack on with putting that in, along with an injected EJ22 and a rare part time 4wd dual range EJ box from an early Legacy. And then get it engineer certed haha 😂

Subaru ended up covering the cost of parts. Labor is on me, but I work pretty cheap these days 🤣

Take a look at the pics for this 91 Lego FI relay: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=934156&cc=1269446&pt=3300&jsn=389&jsn=389 Jideco is printed on the body. Don't go with the black plastic Intermotor relays. I've had 2 fail - one had broken contacts after less than 2 yrs. Intermotor is the foreign car line of SMP(Standard Motor Products) SMP used to include Blue Streak products.

Sounds like a good goer. These were everywhere over here and now they’re hard to spot on the road these days, even seeing a Gen 2 is hard going, sedans even rarer. Good save in my book. Bust open the original TCU and see what’s up. It’s bin good as it stands so you’ve got nothing to loose I reckon. A set of rims and some lowered springs set these off Cheers Bennie

I made some time this winter to work on the ol '78 and put her back on the road. I put her out to pasture 4 years ago with the best of intentions but y'all know how the last 4 years have gone. In the face of rapid deterioration and a narrow miss by a giant pecan tree that uprooted in a wind storm, I made the tough decision to do the best I could for her. I grabbed the grinder and the welder, some paint and the sander and figured since I might not ever get to fully restore it, I may as well do the next best thing... and drive it! Got the antique car registration and the vintage 1978 licence plate. She's back to turning heads everywhere we go! I'm not even going to contemplate the "right or wrong" of it.

Disregard my advice and experience at your own risk. 🤷‍♂️ GD

You can always put the thermostats in a pot of water and bring it up to temp and watch them open. If you have a bottom radiator hose hot, you have flow through the radiator. Proper coolant is a good thought and pretty cheap.

Check the timing belt and tensioner. Have you tried spraying starter fluid into the intake when it's stumbling and see if that smooths it out? What happens if you prop the idle open by hand or drive with partial throttle like 10 mph - does it stumble then? Or just at idle? If it's happening just at idle I'd swap in another idle control valve. Is the fuel pump aftermarket? Pressure looks good but I don't trust aftermarket subaru pumps/alternators/starters - they're routinely garbage and fail or work poorly.

Yes, agree, I am thinking the same about my injector cut issue from the main relay. Seems to be OK now after the relay got a fright on my test rig. What I don't want is an immediate need for a change of underwear halfway through an overtake ...... I have some "good second hand " ones to try first

I found a guy scrapping a 99 here in Colorado. Thanks

Plus install

100% what was said above.... these cars are very fussy about plugs and wires. NGK basic copper core plugs at the proper gap are all it needs, anything else is a waste of your money. Wires should be either OEM or NGK only... again, anything else is a waste of your money and will fail prematurely. replacing stuff randomly is bad practice.. you need to figure out what the problem actually is before throwing parts at it.

Now that I am geared up to be able monitor two power circuits (main relay output for the injectors + ignition switch and fuse No. 11 for the coil power) while driving, not only does it start, it does not miss or stumble, or carry on while revving it in the safety of my yard.. A moment to name the beast, for a reason ....

They’re solid vehicles. Prices seem to be subsiding. If you can wait a few more months, don’t buy now tax returns still in play. Economy will continue to stall and people will be spending on summer travel houses pools land scaping and cars are second fiddle.

Grip Force Clutch kit and Fly Wheel off EBay, Works great! Back on the road.

Our daughter has the power tailgate on her 2016 because it's a Touring model. I personally don't like it. On the 2023 models it's standard on the Limited and Touring models. Also on the newer models, and update firmware 11" screens, when you start the car, the screen comes up with options including to DISABLE Start/Stop mode. Then goes to the regular 3 information display sections ( Top is widgets you pick like temp, date, MPG, miles to empty etc, Center is infotainment information including Navigation if ordered, music, apple carplay etc, and bottom is HVAC including dual zone temps etc ) there are buttons for individual temps, Defrost etc. Also some respond to voice commands to keep your eyes on the road. The Crosstrek we have on order does not offer power tailgate ( I'm glad, daughters drives me NUTS ), and I plan to turn off a lot of eyesight options ( can't turn off Forward Collision ) and enable each as I MAY get used to them. Or NOT AT ALL as my wife said when she drives the car,

Same as Intermotor HVAC Relay RY56 ...... and they are available as a replacement part.

IF fuel trims and knock sensor and vacuum, and performance, etc. are all OK, you could ignore the code. Problem is, many locales would never allow the car to pass emissions/safety test, AND, the cel would be on all the time - masking any new problem detection. just eliminate every other possible cause before jumping to a new after-cat sensor or new cat. converter.

Hopefully Dad has an OBDII reader for her and has taught her how to use it. Easy to clear.

Whats up everyone? I thought I would show my Subie here so I can finally get some work going on it. I got it during 2020 but it just been sitting around and I would drive it once in a while. Some things I would like to do is lift it a little and convert the lug pattern. I'm deciding between converting to a 6 lug or getting one of those adapter to put vw dune buggy wheels on it. I do have a donor car (95 Legacy) and would like to take the EJ22 out of it and put it into the Loyale.

Neat looking Leone. Careful with that plan, it can get out of hand quickly (in a good way)!! Cheers Bennie

Reliable? Anything made before 2005. After that it just goes downhill. GD

Welcome fellow from Costa-Rica, Greetings from Honduras... ...The same thing here. Yes, you can see how I drive my Subaru "BumbleBeast" with a Redrilled 114.3 Pattern, since the 1990's Decade: ~► https://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/174295-reverting-6-lug-to-4x140-then-adapter-to-4x100/?do=findComment&comment=1441832 Kind Regards.

I once had a bad radiator and couldn't afford one for a few months so I took the A/C condenser out (A/C didn't work) and put it up where the spare wheel sits with an electric fan on the condenser then hooked it to my heater hoses. It cooled the engine very well.

I Have information & Pictures Posted in This Thread ~► Here, regarding the Development of the EA81D (Diesel) and the EJ Engines in the Washington University, Starting in my Post Nº 170, 174, then more info on post Nº 359 (Page 36) also I Posted This Link http://vri.etec.wwu.edu/ In Post Nº 341 I Posted This Picture of the First EJ Engine Prototype, seems to be like an EA81 with Overhead Cams and Timing Belt Drive... like the one Described back in this Thread: Look at the Fuel injectors' place interesting, isn't it? Now I Know, after Reading this thread, that the "Quattro San" (or "Mr. 4" in English) is Not the same Subie that Jackie Chan Drove in the 1982 Movie "Cannonball Run" but, it was there too... Could Anyone re-Upload the Missing Pictures of this Thread, Please? There are any News about the "Quattro San"? Kind Regards.

isn't their a picture of a white hatch with cut springs, thats sitting way low