crazy_squirrels

No. Not between tightening the belts and setting the timing. But I doubt the belts were off enough to change the timing 18 degrees. They only had about 15k on them. But the idle switch was not closing before i messed with the TPS. And last time i checked the timing, it was the same with or without the green plug connected.

Problem Solved! Chased a few more things, checked cam timing, everything looked great. Retensioned the timing belts, and went to check the timing, again, just to be sure...It was about 2 degrees! Reset it, and it runs great. I think what happened was last night i pulled the TPS off and tested it, and reset it. I dont think it was getting the idle switch signal, and i rememeber reading somewhere the computer needs to see that along with the green plugs conected to set the timing.

I know it can, but would it still make full boost with the exhaust plugged? And i get lots of exhaust pressure out the back, and bottom and side, of the muffler..lol

New cap, rotor, wires, and a used coil I knew to be good, reset the timing to 20, only a marginal improvement. Checked injector plugs...one was corroded a bit. cleaned it and tightened the connection. No improvement. Rigged up a gauge I had to check boost. 7psi with the gauge leaking a bit. The car starts great. Idles great. Runs smooth. And decent on flat ground. As soon as I hit a hill on the freeway its down to 3rd gear, 50-55mph. Falls completly off at about 5000rpm, wont pull past even on flat ground. Almost feels like cam timing is off. Or not advancing. Have a dirt bike that ran just like it. Ran great. pulled ok, just no power on the top end. Found my cam timing a tooth off. Not sure how a subi would run with cam timing off a tooth? So many possibilities.

So I may have found it. I should know better, but ive been working in the dark till today, literally. I started checking the wires at the cap...one of them was completely corroded....going to number one, the bank that was rich when i pulled the exhaust. Then i pulled the coil wire at the coil, its bleeding oil good. The hole boot was full. So I'll try new wires, cap, rotor, and I think i have a coil to try. And report back.

Just replaced the PCV hoses, and have checked every vacuum line. It idles great and runs smooth all the way up, except under load. I'm gonna do some more checks of ignition.

Brand new plugs, Wires, cap, rotor have about 18k on them. Cap and rotor looked great. I replaced everything before I had sold it. Brand new fuel filter. Full tank of fresh gas. Good fuel pressure, not checked under load though, IE, 30-40psi from idle to 5500 rpm in neutral. Oh, and fuel burn is very uneven from side to side. I drove it to work the first day, pulled the header off to weld it up at lunch, left bank exhaust was black, rich, right bank was white. The plugs that i pulled looked great. So i assume it is something that has come with sitting. And one code for idle swicth.

I recently reacquired my old 1989 GL10. Had the car 07-08, replaced the turbo, all the seals, swapped in a dual range 5 speed, and had it running pretty good. Sold it to a friend, she drove it about 15k miles till it spun a CV shaft in a hub. I bought it back cheap. It has been sitting about a year. Got it running, got it home, fixed the hub, drove it to work. It has no power under load/boost situations. Like 55mph in 3rd on the hills. If i crack the throttle it will accel, slowly, but more throttle it falls off. Lower speeds it stutters while trying to accelerate. So far i have welded up the cracked header pipe, thought maybe the exhaust leak was bad enough to be loosing boost. That made it worse. But a new filter on it, and some injector cleaner. Checked the turbo. Spins nice, turbo light comes on. Visually checked the MAF. Set the timing to 20 with the green plug connected. Checked fuel pressure. 30-40psi depending on vacuum, engine side of filter, 65psi with the return line pinched. Test drove it again. No change. Its making boost, popped the intake off the TB. When it did it, the turbo was so hot it was bright orange. Now, i work on diesel trucks, and have seen my share of glowing turbos, but this was looking like you could push a screwdriver though it. Im guessing with that sort of EGT its going lean. SO now im looking for advice from the guys that know subarus as where to look next.

Oil was changed about 1000 miles ago, when i put the D/R in it. And its done it since. Same with the linkage. all tight, and been doing it since the day i installed it...but then, i guess, there are reasons those cars end up at the wrecking yard, too!

Its not popping out. The Shifter just slides into place smothly, doesent even feel like its doing anything. And it only seems to happen then the tranny is cold. I would guess internal, as well, since it seems to shift all the other gears ok, and the bushings i can see seem ok. If i was keeping the car, i would just drive it. But i was planning on selling it to a girl i know, who needs a cheap car.

Found this thread, http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=15460&highlight=reverse, exact same problem i have, but no answer there. Anyone find a reason for this? Or is it get a new tranny?

I swaped a junk yard 5 speed, with about 140k miles on it into my 89 GL10. Since doing so, about 1 out of 5-10 times, reverse is hard to find. It will shift into the reverse postion, but nothing is there, engine just reves up. If i play with it, shift it around, i can feel where it finally goes in. Other times, i can drive it all day, and never have a problem. Linkage/bushings, or internal issue? Anyone had a similar problem?

True....but not so fond of cutting up company tools. Its great being able to take them home and use them...but cutting them up wouldetn go over so well. But making something like the pic above is doable.

Cant do...Permantly crimped together. I got intake gaskets today. Think its internal, for the amount of coolant its losing, but not seeing any on or under the engine. But i havent had time to get it up in the air and really check it out.

1989 EA82t, My coolant is going somewhere...I can smell it. But i cant see it. First thought was, of course, head gaskets. Compression is 115 on 3, 120 on the other. Block Checker didnt find combustion gasses in the radiator. While im sure it could still be the head gaskets, anything else it could be? My pressure tester wont do the small cap radiators.

20 years old might be an issue...but, way back in 86, my dad said the US ski team gave my work a couple new turbo subarus....which both blew up under warrenty....blame it on first generation, factory defects, or just a flawed motor...i dont know...That said, i may still try and get a little more power out of mine, blow it up, then swap it! In the mean time, nothing like adding a quart of oil and 1/2 gallon of coolant every 800 miles....

As someone new here, somewhat new to subarus, and someone who just posted a thread about building an EA82t, my opionion is, after hours of research here, telling people to do the EJ swap is the best advice you can give someone who wants more power. For those that want a little more power, there is some good advice out there, but i know, and many people dont, but need to know, reliability tends to suffer when you start making lots of power, And not just on EA. But that said, some, like me, can affort to play with an EA, see what i can do, blow it up, then swap. But my i dont need my car to get to work. So, IMHO, It needs to be taken into account what people do, and want to do with there car. If they want a reliable DD, they put 50k a year on, leave it stock, or EJ it. If like me, you just want to mess with a old car when you have 2 others to drive, go ahead and experiment, but know odds are good, you will blow up an engine or two...

I know that potential is there, as well. Mild boost on a EJ22, however, i still have cali smog to deal with. The engine swap wouldent be to big a deal, keep it all stock from whatever i pull it from, get it refereed. But not so sure the turbo bits on a non turbo engine would fly. At this point in time, im just researching my options, and whos done what, before i make a final decision.

So, for the sake of covering all the bases, i have looked into the EJ swap as well. The voice of reason tells me for what im really going to do with the car, a N/A EJ22 would be best. But leave me wanting more power. I Figure it this way. My motor:Felpro head set, $140, Intercooler, $20ish from the wrecking yard, IC piping $ 10-50for a guess, depending on how creative i get. Exhaust, Est. $100, give or take, since i can fab myself. Throw a few more small things in there, Turn the boost up, get what, 130-140chp? Stock EJ22, Half price at picknpull, $100-150 with everything. Therse 4-6 of them to pick from in reno right now. Have a lathe, milling, cutting, and welding tools. So can make the adapter, or even buying a pre-made on, will still keep me in the same price range, and 130chp? i believe, and more reliable, better milage, and regular gas. 90% of this cars usage is getting in and out in the snow, and playing on dirt roads when i dont need or want to take my 13mpg scout on 35" tires. But boost is soo much fun! guess its decision time! Thanks for all the good imput!

Sure, i could go EJ swap, But thats not my style. I have a cheap beater car, I have a spare motor, And i would like to run 15 flat in the 1/4, to pick a round number. Guess i like to do things the hard, or unusual way...i have a 74 suburban with a turbo 6.2 diesel...lots of people tell me its junk...but with a 5 speed in a 6000# truck, i get 18mpg with a heavy foot pulling the grades in northern california, and 20's on the flats. And will pull overdrive up the steepest grade out here. I have a 75 international scout, definitly not common, with a 67 buick 340 V8, Chevy trans and ford axles...I ride a husaberg dirt bike, another one alot of poeple will say is junk...So yeah, EJ swap would be great, and faster....But id rather try and fail, if need be, just because i want the challenge.

In august, i picked up a 89 GL10 sedan with 132k miles on it for $200. Its ugly, but i figured if it would drive itself onto the trailer, it would make a fun little play car. Always liked that generation Subaru. I fixed a few minor issures, and one not so minor, someone at some point took the impelers out of the turbo for some reason. I swapped the 4eat for a Dual range 5 speed, and have been driving it pretty reliably for 6000 miles. So, a bit of history, last summer i traded off my TBI 350 firebird. By no means fast, but good for a best of 14.85 and average of 14.9-15.1, depending on temp and traction. I miss running it at the track, and would like to get my subaru to run similar numbers. Ive been doing tons of reading here, And have in idea of how to go. But looking for more input. My plans are: Pull the engine, and re-seal, new head gaskets, ect. Turbo back exhaust, with high flow cat, thinking 2.5"? Have to keep it emissions legal, in calfornia. Possibly build a header/up pipe. Intercooler, I have a audi one from another project, but there's really no good was to mount it. So a bit more wrecking yard searching for a better one. More boost, hopefully stock turbo, But WRX ones seem pretty cheap here on craigslist. 5th injector? Im unsure on this one, ive read its a bandaid, but may be a inexpensive way to get me where i want. And need to do some more research in possible ways to deal with fuel cut, when i reach that point. Curious about head studs or inserts for the block. Necessary, or only when your into really high boost levels? Any other ideas or input would be appreciated. Therse so much good info here to try and absorb!

Thats interesting, because i know for a fact that the one i have came on the atarco EA82T. Maybe if it got changed while still in japan? Or if they just did stuff differently? But, heck, even if it doesent make a bit of difference, Its cool ending up with 1/4" bigger up pipe than i had....

Its not an inner/outer pipe thing. Interesting you bring up the JDM engine thing, Because as far as i know, my engine was orginal, but i know for a fact my spare was an atarco motor, so given that, then my spare pipe should have been smaller. Not that any of ot really matters. Im just curious as to where the difference comes from. All i can say is, i didnt realize how slow my car had gotten with the broken pipe and no boost!

Sorry. Should have grabbed some pics before i installed it. But was more worried about getting my car back together. Just for reference, The one i pulled off my car was 1 3/8" ID at the turbo flange. The one i replaced it with is 1 5/8" (approximate measurements, couldent find the good calipers.) And i know the stock manifolds not efficient. A better one is in the plans for the summer, when i dont need 4wd, and my broken wrist is healed.

Due to a broken manifold on my 89 GL10, tonight i swapped it out for the one off my parts engine. And found something, thats, at least to me, interesting. The up-pipe to the turbo on my stock manifold was about 1/4" smaller diameter tubing than on my spare. I know the spare is off a slightly older GL10, and it has the O2 sensor before the turbo, instead of after like my car. They both apear to be stock. Anyone else run into this? Did they change something at some point? And if so, why go to a smaller tubing? The tubing from head to head is the same size. Just curious.