Snowman

Definitely use Subaru stuff for the bearings and gasket kit. Aftermarket gaskets and seals are crap. Best deal around for SOA parts is here: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=65829 I've always used run of the mill aftermarket clutches and never had a problem.

Both of those statements are correct, but they're dealing with slightly different situations. Setright is talking about when the TO bearing is just starting to get worn. It'll make noise as it begins to brush against the clutch fingers, since it's not turning yet due to its resistance, and the rubbing causes a noise. With the clutch depressed farther and more load on the bearing, it spins and the noise will sometimes go away. If the clutch is properly adjusted to keep the TO bearing away from the fingers, this condition will not make any noise except when the pedal is depressed just to the end of its free travel. I was referring to when it's really starting to get bad, where the TO bearing growls as it rotates with a load on it.

That's on an EA81 engine. On the EA82, it's the "mickey mouse gasket" o-ring. Very different setup. Call Mike Scarff Subaru in Auburn, WA and ask for Jason in parts. 866 528 5282 He knows all about these engines and can hook you up with anything you need. Their prices are also good, and they ship stuff quickly. I've bought over $5000 in parts from them and have never had a bad experience.

I'd get a darn good straightedge and a flashlight, hold the straightedge against each surface with the flashlight behind it, and check for surface irregularities. If you were careful and lucky, it's very likely still flat and okay. If the heads were damaged, those can be milled easily enough. If the block was damaged, it's probably more cost effective to get another running engine.

I've run Mobil 1 75w-90 in my tranny and rear diff in a couple different cars and have been very pleased. I've spent this winter in anchorage and it's always shifted well. Did fine driving through Tok at -45 a month ago too. Theoretically the 75w-140 is going to flow just as well at low temps, but I doubt it does because it's stretched over such a huge range. In a subaru, you'd never see any benefit from running that over the 75w-90 anyway, especially up here.

Yup. Don't get anywhere near the mating surfaces with a wire wheel. Use a yellow roloc bristle disk, as they are made for cleaning aluminum without damaging it. (There are different grades, differentiated by color, intended for use on different metals). Takes a while, but the results are fantastic. They look like this:

I don't see how a timing belt job could cause a 420 code. It's probably a coincidence that it happened at the same time. I know the 2000 and up cars had trouble with the cat actually failing, but most of the 420 codes I've heard about on the older cars were caused by the oxygen sensors getting old and slow. It's probably time to replace both of yours. On the OBDII cars, you need a scanner to clear the code.

I'm pretty sure the '90 Legacy had common issues with the input shaft bearing (and possibly other tranny bearings), which they dealt with by '91. If the noise stops when you are pressing on the clutch, it is definitely not a throwout bearing. That will make noise as you press on the clutch. Does the noise change depending on which gear you are in, or does it follow the engine RPM as long as there is an acceleration or deceleration load on the drivetrain?

I think the "brightest" thing there is the dice though!

Hella 500s are a popular choice that fits well. Lightforce 170s also fit.

That's what I needed to know. Oh well, I guess I'll keep looking. Thanks for the help!

Here's another vote for doing a complet EJ20G swap. Any time you can run an existing, proven, reliable setup, you're better off. A stock EJ20G will make your impreza absolutely fly compared to what it can do now, and it will do so without any headaches or reliability concerns. A turboed EJ18, even if done exceptionally well (major $$$ and time), will get you about the same power but will be under more stress to do it and will not have the reliability or longevity. This is exactly the same reason that most people have stopped messing with the EA82T in the loyales and have started doing EJ22 swaps instead.

I've been looking around at rear overload springs to put in the 1997 Outback struts that are on my 1992 Legacy, and they are available at a pretty reasonable price from Rallitek for 2000 and up Outbacks but not for older ones. 1stsubaruparts.com lists the pre-2000 and post-2000 cars as having different springs, but does anybody here (perhaps those of you who work at dealers or otherwise have access) know what the differences are and if I can put the overload springs for the post-2000 outback in my pre-2000 struts? Thanks for your help!

So are you guys replacing the camshaft oil seals on the DOHC engines in the car as well? That sounds intimidating because of the major torque value on the cam pulley bolts. I've done it out of the car, when you can remove the rocker covers and hold the cams with a wrench, but it doesn't look like you could do that with the engine installed.

Zap really likes using the hoods of parts cars as articulation ramps, doesn't he?

BTW, low MPG numbers are pretty common up here, mostly in the winter. It's mostly caused by the conditions, but I know in Anchorage they use a differently formulated fuel during the winter that is more volatile for easier starting but has less BTUs in it....kind of like winter diesel fuel. My fuel economy always goes to crap when it gets below zero...I calculated 12 mpg one time in my EJ22 Legacy going over some steep passes when it was -45 degrees out, while the same car gets 25 mpg in ideal conditions. Most people I talk to average 18-20 mpg in mixed city and highway driving with their newer subarus, so for a lead foot driver like Torxxx to get 15 isn't all that out of line.

Not to rain on your parade, but I ran a Weber 32/36 DGEV on my EA82 for a while, and it HATED the cold in Anchorage, which is nothing compared to the cold in Fairbanks. It was a new carb from Redline, set up for an EA82, so there wasn't anything wrong with it. I was later told that running a hot air pipe up from the exhaust, like on the stock hitachi setup, would help with the running (I think it was trying to ice up under some conditions), but that would have nothing to do with the fact that it took FOREVER to start if it wasn't plugged in below 25 degrees or so. For cold weather, you're better off with a properly running Hitachi or an SPFI setup, as both of those will start right up and run well at virtually any temperature. My experience with the SPFI systems is that they're quite reliable, and most of the issues that do come up will not leave you stranded without warning. I've only seen two common problems with them. The MAF sensor gets dirty causing lean conditions under load and requires cleaning, which is no big deal, or the coolant temp sensor starts giving false readings, causing hard starting at times, but that's easy to diagnose so again it's no big deal. Compared to the rest of the issues with an EA82 car, such as timing belt failure, CV axles, and cooling system problems, the SPFI system is pretty reliable.

Just be glad we're not dealing with timing chains. I know they normally last way longer, but they freaking suck to change. I got to do one on a 460 Ford in a box van recently and that sucked. The aluminum timing cover with cast iron block and water pump and steel bolts caused the bolts to seize in the timing cover so badly that I had to break the cover to get it off. Luckily, old v8s like that have the simplest timing chain arrangement around (just a chain and two sprockets). Some of the newer stuff with 2 and 3 chains with all kinds of sliders and tensioners is downright scary.

Are you sure the rad hasn't slipped from its lower mounts, or that the mounts haven't deteriorated enough to allow movement? I've seen this happen twice on different cars. One time, it did exactly what you describe and rubbed a hole in the oil filter. The other time, the rad came back into the belt-driven fan, which chewed up the rad.

Here's Sophia with her Lightforce 240s sporting blue filters, which increase contrast so you can tell the difference between the snow on the road and the snow in the air. And the cheap floodlights on the back bumper, wired to either come on manually or with the stock reverse lights. And here's Roxanne (RIP), with the Lightforce 170s, as well as rack-mounted floods and spots.

They also used the old style horizontal tensioner on the DOHC EJ25 for a couple of years...ran into that when I was doing some work on my parents' 97 outback. They must have switched in mid-97 or maybe started using the newer style setup on specifically optioned cars because the dealer couldn't tell me which type it would be from looking at the year, engine, trans, etc.

My legacy will occasionally squeel the belt at startup. Seems to help if I minimize the electrical load (if I have the headlights on and the heater on full blast it tends to squeel a lot more often). Definitely check condition and tension of the belt though.

My friend's 97 OBS does exactly the same thing, so at least you're not alone! Hopefully someone here has solved this problem.

I've never ordered online from them....didn't like the website much. I've just called the parts department at Mike Scarff Subaru and talked to Jason. Great service every time. Sorry to hear you got burned on that one.

It should be the same basic EJ22 used in the legacy for many years. The only difference I know of is that the impreza may have single port exhaust instead of dual port like your EJ25 has, so grab the Y-pipe from the impreza as well.