Snowman

Don't take the thermostat out. I'm not positive if this is the case with Subarus, but on most engines, if you remove the stat, the water flows through the radiator and engine too fast to effectively transfer heat, so the engine overheats. Pressure test the rad cap just to make sure. Or just replace it since they're cheap. Same goes for the thermostat. I've had brand new stats be faulty before.

I would echo the opinions expressed already. Most of the people on here are cheap (no offense, it can be a good thing). If you do start making stuff and it turns out really well, you may get a few customers here - enough to do it as a hobby but not actually make any real money. (I for one would probably buy stuff like that if shipping wasn't such a huge issue.)

I usually put a nice bead of RTV outside of the O-ring (one of VERY few places I use RTV) as a backup. I'd almost wonder if your radiator cap is allowing too much pressure to build up, as that O-ring seal might be one of the first places to leak if there was a lot of pressure in the system.

The EA81 is generally better in the low end, and the EA82 is better at higher revs, but there still could be something up with that one. Most of them start to make power around 3k, and the peak torque is at 2800 rpm, so that doesn't sound too unreasonable. Has it had a tuneup recently?

I don't think the factory seal for the oil passage from the head to the cam tower is a square O-ring, but maybe an aftermarket one is. That's all I can think of.

What rad are you running in that thing? EA82T 2-row or did you go with the EJ rad?

That's awesome! There was a really nice gen 2 brat with a grinding rail on it at the state fair this year.

Lol, sorry about that. I think it's because yours works so well that there aren't as many threads about it.

Talk to WJM. He has tried just about everything out there for modifying the EA82T, and his RX is certainly one of the fastest I've heard of. Off the top of my head, others to contact would be Subarutex, JWX, BoostedBalls, Oddcomp, and Skip.

All you need is the complete struts (w/ spring and strut top) from the donor car. You'll also want to disable the air suspension compressor in case it keeps trying to fill up the nonexistant air struts.

Dang speeders!

Friggin' awesome Noah! Aren't the looks on peoples' faces at the dealer priceless? Looks like it's time for a roadtrip up here, huh?

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/article.php?a=5

Yeah, Jiffy lube type places suck. I will never, ever take my car there. I would change my oil lying in a 6" deep mud puddle in the pouring rain with huge swarms of mosquitos attacking me before I would take my car there. That F.I. piece has no purpose, BTW.

Lookin' good Mick. What is your eventual goal for this project?

Yeah, of course there's a limit to the "throttle position trumps RPM" theory. I never like to cruise on flat ground above 3500 rpm unless I'm in the top gear. A lot of it is trial and error as well, and depends on your individual setup. Most of the time though, you'd probably be better off running in 4th on the highway.

My 27's result in a 15% increase in speed/distance. I can't remember what the stock diameter is. About the 5th gear thing....with larger tires, using 5th lowers the revs below where the EA82 likes to run, so it's always struggling...hence the decrease in fuel economy. Hypothetically, if you're using 80% throttle to maintain 60 mph in 5th gear, you will burn more gas than if you are using 40% throttle to maintain 60 in 4th gear, even if your revs are much higher. With small motors, fuel economy is all about throttle position, not RPMs.

I run Mobil1 Synthetic 10w-30 in my cars. If it's got a lot of miles on it and hasn't been running Synthetic, I'm scared to switch over for fear of big leaks (especially if it already drips), so I run the best Dino oil I know of, Castrol GTX 10w-30 or 10w-40.

When I had my EA82 engine, I almost never used 5th gear. The engine would always lug in that gear unless I was going downhill at like 70mph. 17 is a little low. Are you sure you're calculating the tire size difference correctly? Regardless, it sounds like a full tuneup is in order, because most people I've talked to get somewhere between 20 and 25 mpg in their lifted rigs on the highway. After trying the stock hitachi carb and a Weber, I finally gave up and converted to fuel injection. At least for my primary car, I'll never go back.

Somebody was making special cam sprockets that made the cam timing adjustable. I don't know if they're available anymore. You might try doing a search for that. I've also gotten belts off a tooth, and the car is barely drivable.

Not so...my 96 Legacy 5MT has a cable clutch. I think the switch may have happened in 97 (which was when a lot of other things got changed as well).

Definitely pull the engine. It's a lot less work than dropping the tranny, and you don't have to lie on your back for nearly as long. You use a loader to pull your engines? Now I don't feel like the only massive redneck on here:D .

Some differences... Bolt pattern is the same. You can change back and fourth (like to put a d/r 5 speed in an EA81 car). Timing marks are in different places, and the EA81 flywheel is beveled on the front (in relation to the car) side, while the EA82 one is not. I don't know how they compare as far as clutch/PP compatibility.

WOWZA! That's more than half as much as my snowmachine!

I agree. Less complexity=less breakage.