Gloyale

Under passenger side kick panel, find the Black, 20 pin connector with the TCU wires running through it (it has 2 sheilded wires in the bunch to help I.D.) On the middle row, edge of the connector, is a Green w/ Red stripe wire. That is the on you want. Cut it, and splice a switch inline. If you like, you can use a Double Pole, Double Throw(no center off) wire the C solenoid wire through one set of poles, and run 12v to an LED that comes on when you throw the switch.

LEgacy Pinouts are totally different. Don't guess here. If you have the an 88, 89, or 90 electrical FSM(sec 6) you DO have the diagrahms for the 4eat. If not, I can tell you which wires. And actually it is better to splice in to the wires at the connectors behind the passenger side kickpanel. Let's you run shorter wires and no splicing under the hood. I see problems with your math though. a 50% duty cycle will not yeild a very strong transfer to the rear wheels. You need to BARELY drive the solenoid to let it build pressure (or not drive it at all, via simple *cut* switch) to achieve 4WD. Operating the solenoid 50% of the time drains alot of pressure off, yeilding slip. When the TCU drives maximum 4wd, it runs the solenoid at 5%......barely draining off any pressure. If you want to build a fancy controller to lock 4wd, but still relieve pressure, it will need to be a PWM cicruit. Simply dropping the voltage will not work, espescially when you are talking about trying to run it at the low end. Example: you need to run it at about 5% CYCLE. 5% of 12v is not even 1 full volt. it would just do nothing to the solenoid....no operation. you need to feed it short pulses of 12v, not just grossly lowered volts. TCM codes mean absolutely nothing....hardly a loose end. There is a pilot pressure valve that limits maximum pressure mechanically........... Simple switch is all you need.

Green connectors are for running a "self test" so to speak. It won't output codes tripped in the past. Use the 2 white (or balck) connectors for reading past codes. plug in both sets to clear memory. Remember, you need to idle the engine above 2000 rpm for about 40 seconds, and drive over 1 MPH to fully cycle the ECU through the code process. Or else you will get false codes for VSS and possibly Idle switch and others.

You already went to 3.7 gears. When you drive in FWD you are using the 3.7 final drive of the front diff. Swapping the rear diff won't make any difference. It will just allow the rear ro be engaged without fighting the front. Strange thing to me, is that most of the carbed cars got 3.9 dual ranges. The tranny you got must be from an 86 non turbo GL-10 .Only the GL-10s got the single range in 85-87. An 85 GL-10 would be MPFI, an 87 GL-10s where only Turbo(which would have had 3.7, but with 25 spline stubs) IDK.......but yeah if it is a highway on;y car just swap the diff.....easy.....I got a 3.7 diff I could sell ya for $20......pm me.

The tophats used on the rear are taller in the Forrester. So that is why the rear end gets pushed up so much when you swap the whole assembly, springs, tophats and all. The strut itself is actually about the same length as the OB strut. However, the spring perch on the Forrester strut is actually a bit lower. I used a set on on a recent lift and the spring perch was too low. the guy couldn't fit the 235/75/15 tires on it. We swapped out to 99 Outback struts and all was well.

Even still, you have more height without the blocks than with. No matter what size tires you run.

that is the EGR solenoid, not the EGR temp sensor. EGR temp sensor should be threaded into the base of the EGR valve if you have one. Should only be on Cali model cars. You may be able to Ground/unGround a pin of the ECU to make it a *federal* model ECU, then it won't car about the EGR temp. Heck, you may have the wrong ECU in there, doubt it, but who knows.

You are running with or without a turbo?

drilled rotors will eat pads quicker and yield more brake dust. These aren't performance cars, so there are very few performance options. Best bet is a quality set of OE style brakes.

I was comparing heads of the EJ20 to an EJ22 to see if they would in theory work on a 2.2 The EJ20 heads are roller rocker, WITH dual port exhaust. Sweet. All the USDM 2.2 that had roller rockers where single port. Also, comparing the blocks. The EJ20 has WAY thicker barrels around the cylinders. Also, there are no nothces cut out of the barrel edges for bolt access, like there are on 2.2 and 2.5 engines. Too bad that # 1 cylinder looks like the surface of the moon. damn. Anyone got a line on .020 over NA EJ20 pistons?

yup. But that is a VLSD. (even though the poster in that thread thinks it isn't) I don't think the open diffs have that cutout

The buzzing is the Transfer solenoid. It does that when ever the car is in gear. They just tend to get noisier after they get old. there are several other solenoids in the trans. If the car is shifting through all gears probably they are all fine. you're delay problem is in sticking acumulator pistons (the things that buffer the fluid transfer for smooth shifting) Change the fluid, and use a can of Trans-x in it and you will see an improvement.

Clean all ground connections 1 at the block near starter. 1 where battery cable meets body, near battery 2 on front inner frame rail, 1 each side 1 or 2 at each strut tower I will bet this eliminates the issue.

All well meaning. I think 99.9% of the posts on this board are (refreshing) And if you where to go any higher spring lift, like king springs, you probably would want to grab at least the A-Arm pivots, the steering shaft and the front blocks from an OB. Just not needed with regular OB struts and springs.

Forrester struts are not compatible with 2000+ model outbacks. Additionally, we used Forrester struts for the rear of a recent lift, and when we where done, his car could not clear the 235/75/15 tires like the cars we lifted with OB struts. The tire rubbed hard on the spring perch of the strut. So it seems the forrester strut is longer, but the distance from knuckle to spring perch is less.

Funny thing. So yesterday a buddy of mine comes by with a Legacy he just bought from the Junkyard (hadn't been fully *processesed* yet). It had a good tranny and a bad motor (motor in pieces in trunk). So I hooked him up with a used EJ22, dropped it in and got ready to send him on his way. Well we began to unload his old motor for me to keep as a core. well guess what? It is an EJ20. Very shallow dish to the pistons. Headgaskets stamped EJ20 too, so I belive this is a JDM motor that got shipped over and dropped into this car at some point in the past. So now I have an NA EJ20 sitting on the floor of my shop. Perhaps my next EJ swap into a wheeler will be a 20.

Also you'd need the longer OB steering shaft coupler to use the blocks. And a longer upper radiator hose. And a longer pitchstopper (dogbone)

Just use the struts, not the body pieces. On the 2000 plus models they are signifigantly harder to remove. The blocks are larger and are bolted to the body well before the crosssmembers are installed. Also, you would need the control arm pivots from an Outback as well to match the drop. You lose clearance underneath by dropping the crossmembers as well. Also a longer OB steering coupler would be needed. Trust me, just go with the struts.

I was just in that area with a my 89 GL. 4EAT automatic. it did OK. but I have 205/70/15 tires. With 175/70/13 you will need to stay light, and stay out of the deeper sand. But you should have the power if she's running well.

Sorry to nay say.....BUT NAY You really don't want to do this. 3 reasons 1. You don't need to. The CVs will be just fine at that slightly increased angle. Axles break when they are under load. When you are wheeling, any tire with enough traction to snap an axle will likely be under load and pressed up inside the body. Having the starting stance be slightly more "up" is better because you get a more nuetral angle under compression. 2. You lose all the added ground clearance underneath by "lowering" the subframes. 3. And this is the biggy.....THERE ARE MANY MORE ELEMENTS TO THE OUTBACK LIFT THAN THE BLOCKS! The A-arm mounts, the trans crossmember(MT), and the rear diff snout craddle mustache thing too. They are all *dropped* by about 1 1/4 inches compared to Legacy. The crossmember and the diff snout probably don't matter (we did 3" AND OB struts on a Legacy and didn't drop the diff snout mount) BUT......the pivot mounts for the front A-arms are *taller* on the outback to match the crossmember block. If you put the blocks in and keep your legacy mounts they will be under a bad strain all the time, and you might get funky alignment and steering. If you really are THAT paranoid about C/V angles, you should at least install the pivots for the A-arm with the OB blocks. I know of at least 3 cars running with just the struts and bigger tires for well over a year, with no problems so far.

double post. see below

He'd have to swap heads to single port to use the SPFI. That would be fine, but he'd need to swap pistons too, or else the 7.7 comp ratio would make it gutless and in efficient. Still seems like a decent deal. But I wouldn't bother trying to convert to the EA82T. If you are going to do that much wiring, then just get an EJ.

IDK Chux, it could be a JDM take out motor. I've seen several in Legacies and imprezas junkyards. And there were TONS of non-turbo EJ20s. IIRC, Europe got them in legacies instead of 2.2s because of there emissions laws (staggered by displacement) I would say look at the pistons. If they are deeply dished they is likely a WRX motor. If they are not, or just slightly dished, it is likely a JDM or EDM motor imported.

98 2.5 = dual port exhaust. 95+ 2.2 = single port exhaust. (except Brightons? I got 2, 96 Brightons in the shop back to back, and they both had dual port 2.2s:confused:) So depending on the exact year and model of the donor engine, he may need a single port exhaust.

Use the 2.2 Intake, but swap the wiring harness from the 2.5 onto it. Don't worry about the EGR. Just grab the solenoid for it off the 2.5 intake with the harness. leave the solenoids electrical connector plugged in, but dont hook the vac lines up to anything. The solenoid being there should be enough to keep the CEL from coming on.