Nug

Cam lope=lopey idle=a lot of cam overlap, causing gas reversion at low engine speeds. Both valves are open a longer than stock amount of time. You've got exhaust gasses mixing with fresh fuel charge, maybe some exhaust making it up into the intake, and some unburned fuel going out the exhaust. This equals a lumpy idle. "Why do this?" you ask. Well, it can equal a lot of horsepower at higher engine speeds. You know all the noise a big horsepower v-8 makes at idle? That lumpy nasty sound? Followed by a defiant roar when the throttle is mashed? Same thing, little motor.

Crosshatch looks good too.

A pressure test from a machine shop will determine if they are leaking or not. If they don't leak, then valve seats coming loose should be the only possible failure point. I guess these can be staked in if it makes you feel better.

You need to put the case back together, without the crank or bearings or anything in there. Torque all the bolts to spec. leave the heads off. Take it to a machine shop and have them measue all of the main bearing bores in three places each. If this measurement is off, the case will need to be line-bored. In the case of subaru, porsche, and VW, you need to check the availibility of oversize "line-bore bearings", due to the engine's construction, the only way to be able to align-bore the block is to supply special bearings that are oversized in their outer diameter. Find these before any machine work takes place. It looks to me like hot spots from main bearing movement, or loss of bearing crush. You NEED to have it measured before you spend any money on it.

Many domestic car heater cores come with a flow restrictor to stop the gurgling sound of coolant going through the heater core.

For anyone who is interested, i actually called MSD and the guy on the tech line recommended the new DIS-2 digital ignition system p/n 62112, and the required tach/fuel injection adapter p/n 8912. Works on any car with DIS and two coils, has new-style potentiometers on the back to set the rev-control and timing retard (nitrous oxide, baby!). I'm getting that power-to weight ratio better all the time.

Did you figure it out yet?

Yes, I looked on your site. Do you know if a MSD 6A would work? I have one on my Jaguar. I like it, but the three-inch sparks flying out of it when i pull a plug wire scare the s--- out of me. I'd be more comfortable paying $150 for a 6A than $300 for a DIS-2. But if that's what I need, then I'll get it.

On my Vw it turned out to be degraded flexible hoses. Replaced them, and pedal went nice and rock hard.

It sounds like shift fork detent wear, or shift selector thingy wear. There is a mechanism in there to make sure that the gears are only engaged one at a time. Wear in these areas can cause 'phantom gears' and also the dreaded 'in 2 gears at once'. That one is fun. You are stopping RIGHT NOW! The family farm has a tractor that does that. You let out the clutch, and it stalls instantly. The only real fix is to take it all apart, find what is worn, and replace it. The parts are probably not real expensive, but it could affect more than one piece. Changing your gear oil to something lighter, perhaps, may reduce the chances of this happening while cold.

Once again, I doubt this is the problem. However, occasionally, the circuitboard in the ecu cracks. I don't know why. Anyway, when the car has been off for a while, everything is cool, and all of the connections on the cracked part are touching, so everything is fine. But when it warms up, thermal expansion warps the circuit board and things stop making connection. This approaches the exceedingly rare category, but it does happen (like on my girlfriend's BMW). Don't suspect this because you haven't exhausted other possibilities yet, and it doesn't really fit the profile of your problems. I would be very suspicious of your primary power supply stuff (battery cables, bigger power relays, ignition switch, GROUNDS, etc.). Scroll down this thread, and you'll see the car behind the name. Ooooh... http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/usmb/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9872&highlight=poorly+posted+pics

This could also be the fabled "crack in ecu circuitboard", but I doubt it.

I have a new automotive systems textbook, and it still amazes me how much emphasis they still put on the "wiggle test". Definately seems relevant in this case.

Easy way to test for spark is to pull a plug wire and put a plug in it, and lay it on the intake. Crank, and it should spark. All it needs to spark is a signal from the crankshaft position sensor, to the ecu, a signal from the ecu to the ignitor, and signal from ignitor to coil pack. Get a multimeter. Check for a voltage pulsation from the crankshaft position sensor. Check the specifications for resistance on the coil pack. I guess if both of these are good, replace the ignitor. Oh, before you do anything, check the ecu fuses.

Yes, Congratulations!

But that's what ebay is all about...Sniping at the very last second. I know there are some people that are pissed at me. Tdangelo- be wary that there are some very specific things you need to do to make Cu h/g's seal correctly. Personally, I like a well-engineered weak link. I would rather smoke a head gasket than have piston residue clog my exhaust. Helpful to have a known weak link while setting it up, before you are comfortable with it, to save your engine if the fecal matter hits the ventilator.

I'm leaning toward the basic power supply elements. battery cables, ground connections, possibly getting into the ignition switch/power relay stuff, but I don't think the problem is any further upstream.

I think the 2.5 is cheaper to manufacture, for one. The 2.2 is made with some special casting method.

I am thinking of running a little nitrous oxide on the subaru bug, but I don't want the engine to blow chunks. I know MSD has ignition retard controllers for such activities, but does anyone know if any of their base ignition systems will support the ignitor/coilpack deal that's going on stock? You know, because of the way the coil is set up, 2 plugs firing at once? Or am I waaaaay off on that assumption?

Which car are you referring to?

A knock sensor detects detonation (a type of destructive abnormal combustion). It signals the ecu, and the ecu's response is to retard ignition timing until detonation disappears. I hope that makes sense.

Welcome! I would float on over to the marketplace and post your desire over there, I guarantee someone will answer you.

Turbo. That'll equal more air.

Um, engine/transmission mount breakage can aggravate the tendency for a transmission to come out of gear. Doesn't sound good, though. Does it slip out while coasting, or pop out under power?

I tried to post last night, to no avail. You need to do Something with the heads. At least determine that they are perfectly flat. You can also do a ghetto valve job by yourself, by lapping the valves. You can take care of a lot of issues at one by just taking the heads to a machine shop and asking for a valve job. They will clean the heads up, determine if they are flat, check/recondition/replace the valve guides and check/recondition/replace the valves. A three-angle valve job improves airflow and corrects anny valve leakage, necessary for making power, and having a nice, smooth idle. The shop can also check your spring tension and shim the springs up if they are tired. Money ($250ish) very well spent if you ask me.