johncv

Thank you, we did have the junkyard heads fully checked and machined before putting them on the motor. How hard is it to swap from non turbo to turbo? What sensors do I need to add and how do I wire up the distributor? I guess they didn't make the MPFI non turbo engine in Japan, so in order to get a Japanese Import motor I have to get a turbo motor (bummer:clap: ). I just don't know how hard it is to swap. Any information on turbo swap would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, John

I bought a 1986 XT about 2 years ago and the clutch went out on it, no big deal, but when we had it apart we wanted to find out what was making a ticking sound, kind of like a stuck lifter. We replcaed all the lifters put the clutch in and it still made the ticking sound, a week later the timing belts went because we didn't tighten up a bolt. About a month or so after we fixed that, a hose burst and the whole motor overheated, and cracked an exhaust port. After searching the junk yards we finally pulled a motor to use the head. We had the heads fully checked out and repaired the valve guides. The car has been running okay for about a month, there has been a slight idle problem, last week after work the car started billowing steam out of the tail pipe again, and according to the temp gauge (stock), the car had always run under half way on the gauge, assuming it didn't get hot, until after it started billowing steam. The only thing we can figure out if the block warped the first time the motor over heated. We have given up on trying to repair this motor and were looking at a complete rebuild, but that is kind of pricey? Anyway down to the questions, has anyone ever purchase a Japanese Import motor that are only suppose to have 30,000 - 40,00 miles on them? Are they worth looking into? After calling several shops I found out that in Japan they do not make my engine, 1.8L dual port Non-Turbo, they are all turbo charged. I found one with a 6 month warrenty and no shippig for $495, is this worth it? If I have to get a turbo motor what will I have to replcace, beside the ECU? Does anyone have a ECU for a turbo motor? Thanks for reading, I really love driving my XT, and would like to save it from the junkyard. The interior is not in the greatest shape and the exterior is okay so it is hard to keep putting money in to it. If it didn't get 27+ MPG, I would even think about fixing it. John

I have a 1987 Subaru XT, non turbo, stock engine. I recently had to down the car for several moths after my brother overheated the engine and cracked a head, a small water hose burst. After getting a set of heads from a junk yard and getting them check out at a local machine shop, the car is back together and running pretty smooth. I only have a few glitches, first the idle seems super low, and if I raise the idle by opening the butterfly valve a little bit it returns to idle very slow and flutters sometime. My other brother, not the one that cracked the head, told me that the idle is controled by a sensor and valve on the thermostat. He was wondering if there is anyway to adjust that valve. The idle seems to be about 400-500 RPM after it has warmed up, once I give it a little gas the idle comes right back up. The only concern we have is that the oil pressure is pretty low at this RPM and water isn't really being moved to cool the engine very well and if it idles for too long the engine temp creaps up a little, still less then halfway on the gauge (I need a numbered gauge, that is the next purchase before summer hits). Any ideas on how to up the idle without making it flutter or return to idle very slow. Also the car clutches chatters and the car shutters when taking off from a full stop. This only happens every now and again and only when I am driving, my brother doesn't seem to have a problem. It seems to do it more after warming up and after coming off the freeway. Agian it doesn't do it all the time. The clutch is almost brand new, before teh cracked head the clutch had maybe 2000 miles on it. The only thing I can think is when it was sitting the clutch or flywheel may have gotten a little rust on it, but that should be cleaned off after using the clutch for a while. Sorry for the long post and I really appreciate any information. I also posted in the marketplace, I am looking for some interior parts. Thanks for reading, John