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Another option- if you really want a real in dash stereo you can take the stock stereo, remove the faceplate carefully, and glue all of the buttons in place so that it looks complete. You can then mount the nice stereo recessed about 1/2 inch in the DIN slot, and then snap the factory faceplate in place in front of it. You can then remove it when you're driving, and replace it when you park. I doubt that a theif would even realize that you had a nice stereo, even if they had broken into your car already. You never know what people might steal though. I heard of a stock AM only stereo from a 70s VW getting stolen, and my dad had a $12 (new price) analog FM radio stolen from his Ford Ranger a few years ago. You couldn't sell that for enough to buy a can of Mountain Dew!

That's my point- if you want good sound quality ditch the stock stereo, but don't buy a better one either! An MP3 player with a direct line into a well hidden real amplifier you can have quasi-audiophile quality sound for less money than an aftermarket stereo, and with nothing to get stolen. You can even retain the use of the stock stereo if you hook it up properly. I have tried several brands of FM transmitters, and they basically eliminate many of the subtle sounds in music like Pink Floyd and Beethoven.

I wouldn't use the FM transmitter if you are "serious" about listening to music. They cause a very significant reduction in audio quality, and it's difficult to find a frequency to use without any interference. A small audio amplifier is very easy to wire up, and you can get a panel mount audio input jack for it at radio shack. They also sell cheap 1/2 DIN equalizers on ebay that have an audio input jack on the front. They look cheap enough that nobody will steal them, and they are sometimes available with a built in amplifier that is about as powerful as a stock stereo. I prefer to use them with a separate amplifier. Here is an example: http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-PYRAMID-714EX-7-BAND-GRAPHIC-EQUALIZER-W-SUBWOOFER_W0QQitemZ250075340446QQihZ015QQcategoryZ79841QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

In all of my cars I leave the stock tape deck installed but disconnected, and get a separate audio amplifier that is wired to the speakers. The amplifier can be a cheap one, and installed in a hidden location such as up under the dash, or under the drivers seat. Then install a 3mm headphone jack that inputs to the amplifier, and a toggle switch to turn it on and off in the center console. Now you can plug a portable radio, mp3 player, or cd player and have it play through the cars speakers, and bring it with you each time you leave the car. You'll have better quality audio for less money, and you'll never have to replace the window or cd player again.

My XT Turbo in the snow:

I think that the friction of the wheel against the hub is what does most of the supporting, as most modern cars with alloy wheels do not have a open center that the hub rides on, but do not have any problems. Neither friction or the center can provide any support against cornering forces, that would be entirely on the lugnuts. It's unlikely that the cornering force would approach the force of holding the car up with stock tires in normal driving conditions. Do the chevy rims have the same offset as the factory subaru wheels? How about the pugs? If the offset is wrong, the wheel bearings will constantly go out from the additional stress, the wheels can rub in the wheel wells, and the suspension geometry will be wrong.

According to the Yokohama site, 165mm wide tires can be safely mounted on wheels as narrow as 4in: http://www.yokohamatire.com/utrimwidth.asp This site will let you calculate what sidewall height you need to keep the factory tire diameter: http://www.1010tires.com/TireSizeCalculator.asp I may give this a try, I like the idea....

Agreed. Turbos actually add tons of torque, even at low rpms if the turbo is small, and the TD04 on the WRX engine is tiny. I have a TD04 on my Volvo Turbo, and it produces 10psi of boost at 2000rpm. I can't even go full throttle on my stock EA82 at 2000rpm without lugging the motor!

Calm down... I've seen the one I own, and it has no oil cooler. It appears that some do, and some don't, but I assumed they all didn't.

Any car can fall off a cliff! Now if it could drive back up, I'd be impressed.

Countersunk - To cause (the head of a screw, bolt, etc.) to sink into a prepared depression so as to be flush with or below the surface. I would also use brass, or some other soft metal for the bolts that can break/rip away from your chassis without causing damage to the car itself.

If it doesn't have an oilcooler, add one. The ea81/82 turbos are the only turbocharged cars I've ever seen come stock without an oilcooler. The turbo adds an enormous heat load to the oil system under boost, even if it is watercooled.

Bummer, perhaps they will show up as JDM engines...

Later this year subaru is going to announce their high-tech H4 boxer diesel engine. I love diesels, and have always wanted an old wagon with 4WD and a diesel engine that got over 50mpg, but no such thing has ever been made, to the best of my knowledge. My question is this: Do you think it will be possible to install one of these in a EA82 series car using the EA to EJ adapter plate that Allied Armament sells? I expect that in a few years wrecked H4 diesels will show up in junkyards, and I could get a motor for about the price of a VW TDI diesel ($2000). Perhaps I could just make a custom adapter plate and install the TDI itself? 50mpg+4WD+150 hp turbo diesel= the ultimate adventure touring car

Do you know what those cost?

These cars do have tiny radiators. A Volvo 240 has a radiator with almost 3 times the surface area for the same power output as a EA82T, and they are almost impossible to overheat. Does anyone make 3 core or 4 core radiators for the EA82 cars?

I properly applied hammerite to the trunk bed of my old 1980 Volvo 242, and after one year the rust had returned. I removed all of the hammerite and replaced it with POR-15, and despite being constantly damp there was zero rust after 5 years. Perhaps the hammerite I had was somehow defective, or contaminated but that is the experience I had. Rust appears to spread under hammerite and flake it off while it does not with POR-15. Tyler

I'll second (or third) the POR-15. It will absolutely stop all rust forever if applied properly. I have tried many different paints, coatings, etc. and none seem to come close to POR-15.

It sounds like all of the problems you guys have with the EA82T are simply due to overheating, which is 100% preventable. I am building my 1986 XT Turbo to go out in remote desert areas 200 miles or more from the nearest town, where the reliability of the vehicle can be a life or death matter. These are the (very cheap) modifications I am doing to my cooling system: -Coolant level float sensor in coolant resevoir connected to a very loud audible alarm inside the cabin -Overheat sensor connected to the same audible alarm -Low oil pressure sensor, again on the same alarm -all new rubber hoses in the cooling system -properly flushed or rodded all metal radiator (doesn't need to be NEW) -new water pump -Zerex Z-05 antifreeze mixed with deionized water -Mobil 1 Synthetic oil In the trunk: A complete spare set of coolant hoses (the used ones off the engine), a roll of emergency coolant hose patch tape, and 2 gallons of premixed coolant. There is no way I will allow the engine to get hot enough to blow a gasket without shutting it down first. These same setups are used on boats and airplanes where engine failure can also be a life or death siutation. They often also use a simple coolant flowmeter to detect water pump failure or blockage before an overheat occurs. Very simple, and cheaper than the cost of new head gaskets! -Tyler