Numbchux

they certainly are, don't even need to remove the cover. they're just threaded in. you'll probably need to get your hands on a stud extracter, although the jam nut trick might work.

unknown history on both. but, being DOHC, replacing them isn't a small job....so I wanted to be sure. And, my EJ22e had some pretty nasty plugs and wires on it, and I noticed exactly zero difference when switching from fouled autolites to NGKs....

'96 Legacy Outback Wagon, 4EAT, DOHC EJ25D, 126k miles. mysterious rough-running, stumbling, etc. only while under load (not necessarily driving, but never does it in park or neutral). noticeably aggravated by the A/C compressor (symptoms come and go as the compressor cycles on and off), although sometimes the symptoms appear independent of the A/C. occasionally the CEL will flash for a minute (indicating misfire....), plug in the code reader, and it's always cyl. 2. quick visual inspection of the engine bay doesn't reveal any noticeable problems. Thoughts?!

oh man.....I have to take all that interior trim out of the back?

I've got a few rust spots peeking out from under the trim under the rear side windows on my loyale (it used to be a Florida car.....rusting from the top down...). I want to get behind there to take care of it (hoping it's not found it's way behind the window molding!), but I'm not sure how this trim comes off.......I really don't want to just start yanking on it

yep, the huckster...... add an external tranny cooler to that trans, and it'll hold up muuuuuuch longer.

I'm not sure I follow your description exactly, but, my carrier mount is just bolted to the tranny tunnel. I bent a little bracket, drilled a hole in the tunnel on each side (had to remove the seats...), and used a bolt and nylock nut to bolt the bracket to the tunnel, and then the bracket to the carrier. there really isn't any force on it, just weight. the tranny tunnel has held up just fine for almost 2 years and almost 30k miles. BUT, the passenger side hole was drilled a bit too far forward, which put just a little bit of torque on the bearing. in those 30k miles, that bearing is in pretty rough shape. I will probably have a one-piece driveshaft made in the next month or so.

know anyone who uses all 6 cylinders and has had it last more than a year? I know one guy, but he drives like an old woman...... I'd be worried, but it'll help a ton that your '6 weighs what, 700lbs less than the outback?

yea, the EZ's aren't exactly torque monsters, but they peak lower and sooner than 4-cyls. I don't know anyone who's done a 5MT swap into an EZ30D car, but I wouldn't do it....

and then realize why subaru never offered a 6-cyl + 5MT combination......they can't handle the torque. 6MT or auto.

IIRC the DOHC ones don't have the place for it....but the SOHC ones might.

I've never heard anything about subaru trannies sharing parts with nissans or mazdas, but I suppose it's possible. but, all subaru 4EATs (that's 4-speed Electronic Auto Trans) are almost identical in design. only differences are gear ratios, and there are a few different designs for the torque converter (just means the converter and flex plate have to match the trans). so any subaru 4EAT will work, provided you have the flex plate, TQ, and rear diff (might not need those things....but it might be cheaper to get your hands on a whole car). also, while you're in there, add on an external trans oil cooler, this will greatly increase the longevity of the new trans.

it's different for imp v. leg. all I know for sure is all 1st gen leggies had stubs.

I put the same years in for all EA82s. so obviously the RX years aren't quite right, but you get the idea. now I just have to add in lengths also, 2.5" ID springs available from Ground-Control fit perfectly in the rear. I've got some 12" long 250lb/in ones in the back of my car. awesome handling, and higher-than-stock ride height (maybe an inch of lift...).

...

AFAIK, the SVX should be a VLSD r160. (definitely an r160 though...if you've got both, put 'em up next to each other, the 180 is substantially bigger). front and rear diffs are very different. you can put a front LSD designed for an EJ-series 5MT into an EA-series 5MT. but you can't put a rear diff in the front.

quoted for truth! if you've still got 4-lug, your options are quite limited. the universal sleeves are usually very stiff, and low quality springs. Also, I've driven a couple cars with Tien, BC and Megan Racing full coilover systems, and I really didn't like the quality on either (from a comfort standpoint....but if all you're after is an insanely stiff suspension, just get the cheap coilover sleeves.....and from the guys I know running them, none of them really hold up very well over time). That said, a set of Ground Control sleeves (genuine Eibach springs, any spring rate, IMHO 185/250 F/R works well for an EA82) will cost less than any full coilover option, and be higher quality than anything you can get for less than $3k, and still very adjustable.

o rly?! I didn't know that.......

just stick with legacy parts. many other brake options (IMHO RS stuff will be plenty, but you can always upgrade to WRX, STi Brembo, or bigger aftermarket...), and if those joints aren't strong enough....you're going to be breaking other stuff first. I just hopped on RockAuto.com. SVXs have a 25 female splines. and since I know that other EJ series 4EATs are a direct drop-in into SVXs....I would assume the axles will work just as easily as EJ stuff.

yea, the hole where the control arm bolt is larger on most XT6 arms (seems that FWD ones are the exception...). but that only takes a few minutes to hit the holes with a drill bit. don't even need to take it out. I'd leave it as-is.

headers will be fine. and in that much water, the intake will be aswell (it's behind the passenger side headlight...). and yea, like Phiz said, I wouldn't make a habit of it if you care about the car. it can get in bearings, brake calipers, axles, ball joints, rear diff, u-joints, etc. etc.

I'm assuming engine crossmember? why is your turbo crossmember modified? and even if it is, don't need to swap it out to go 5-lug. the XT6 engine crossmember will fit. but the XT6s use a very different power steering system, and, as a result, I don't think the EA82 steering rack will bolt up the crossmember, and converting to the XT6 system would be a definite downgrade.

the SVX is to the legacy as the XT6 is to the EA82. similar.....but quite different. biggest difference, is they have a different lug pattern, 5x114.3 instead of the XT6/legacy 5x100. so if you use SVX knuckles etc. in the front, and XT6 stuff in the back, your lug pattern won't match also, the front brakes are comparable in size to WRX stuff, but the rotor has a different offset than any other subaru, making it entirely not swappable. the SVX does, however have an r160 rear diff. I'm not sure how the axle stubs work, but it could probably be used in an EA car. I don't remember them having rear LSDs though....

I had that problem on one of my lifted wagons. after a week or so I managed to get it so it could be moved by hand, but it still wouldn't release on it's own, everytime I used the ebrake, I'd have to get out, reach around the tire, and manually release it. I spent a couple months like that, trying to clean and lubricate it, and it never got any better. IMHO, time for a new caliper.

didn't you already have this problem? or am I thinking of someone else. check those vacuum lines, the one from the engine over to the solenoids on the driver side strut tower, and the 2 from there down to the trans. otherwise, there's a lever on the passenger side of the trans that controls it. good luck moving it by hand though :-\ also, try jacking up one end of the car, that will definitely release any binding you've got.