el_freddo

Can you use a couple of Forester grilles to make a faraday cage? Cheers Bennie

Here’s that image I was referring to. Courtesy of Subarino Auto Electrics (Australia). Cheers Bennie

No worries. I know the 4wd light is activated from the 4wd lever, so no need to change that! Cheers Bennie

This might help: http://ausubaru.wikidot.com/wiki:gearbox-conversions I'll see what I can dig up. Subarino says he’s got the original image he created... somewhere. Cheers Bennie

Google search or check out ausubaru.com.au - Subarino did a photo and short write up on this. Hopefully it’s still floating around the webs somewhere. Cheers Bennie

I had this idea years ago but certainly didn’t have the skills to pull it off! Plus I doubt an engineer over here would pass it without wanting that modified arm x-rayed within an inch of its life. Cheers Bennie

Consumerism and the built in disposability of products at its “best” I too like the older vehicles, but unlike Yu guys in the US with your large market, most of our locally produced vehicles are all but gone due to the (typically) Japanese vehicle makers doing a real push for their models of vehicles in the ‘80s. That effort paid off and now older cars from that era are hard to find in the parts yards or the second hand trade sites. Forget about a locally produced 80s vehicle being in the yard, and no one other than nostalgic cashes up baby boomers can afford the asking price of a decent locally produced ‘80s vehicle. Even then they don’t drive it regularly. Consider yourself lucky in that department GD. The Subaru seems to have lots of parts still available, moreso the ‘90s EJ platform over the ‘80s stuff. No reproduction parts yet or any of that “voodoo” app stuff but you never know... There are plenty of brumbys still available and they’re holding their value, if not already climbing, plus they’re one of the longest running models over here (82-92 I believe). About ten years ago you’d be lucky to find five nation wide for sale on trading post or gumtree, now it’s basically take your pick! Cheers Bennie

“S”trange if it’s awd, get those tyres replaced for the same make and tyre model - all four need to be the same including how worn they are. If not you can kill the centre diff. Sounds like you had a good adventure trying to find that fuel station! Cheers Bennie

You can’t have a MPFI in a SPFI vehicle unless you do a major wiring change. You might have a block that was originally MPFI but is now fitted with carb/SPFI heads. If one lifter is ticking, I’d leave it as annoying as it can be you could spend ages chasing it and end up wanting to burn the car at some point. Or EJ’ing it. Here’s my lifter tick. It was odd. Came on suddenly, did this for two weeks then went quiet again. Maybe because it was when I decided to do the EJ conversion, then it went quiet when it realised I was serious I haven’t looked back since, other than at this video. I’d like to do a repeat video with the EJ engine but that space is now covered in wrecks... Cheers Bennie

Yeah they do That’s one of the reasons why I knew they could be found. The painful part is that the MT diff was listed AFTER the Auto Trans. That took me a moment or two to work out... Cheers Bennie

When the vehicle was near new it wasn’t so crazy. They do come up on gumtree and eBay second hand from time to time at a much better price. Plus they’re the best looking bar you can get The other thing to do is modify another vehicle’s bullbar. A few over here have used a Toyota Hilux arb bar on their Imprezas and libertys (legacy) with good results. I believe they cut the bar to pull each “side wings” back to match the shape of the frontnof the vehicle. That’s probably your best option as it would be cheap and get the job done in the event you hit another deer. Cheers Bennie

If GD recommends swapping the pistons out, then I guess you could say you made (an unknown) mistake... I didn’t know of this swap either, but it kind of makes sense. Cheers Bennie

http://www.subaxtreme.com/product-category/forester/ This would be the bar to have. Expensive even over here - and getting ANYTHING out of Oz is an arm and a leg price exercise. But I’ve heard of at least one other in the US doing it. I doubt you’d have much left from $5G once fitted - but you’d be the envy of all your mates and other Forester drivers too. And they’re fully airbag compliant. Cheers Bennie

806730031 - OILSEAL-30X50X9 RH 806730032 - OILSEAL-30X50X9 LH these seals are RH and LH specific. You’ll also want one of these for each side: 806975010 - O RING,74.5X2 I hope this helps out. Cheers Bennie

There’s a few old members that have dropped off the forum. Glad you’re back, even if it is with a new account. Gotta ask, what does the “Fer” bit mean? Cheers Bennie

All I can say is that it should work fine. Doubt you’ll get a power increase but you might get more topend power. The head will definitely bolt on no problems. Cheers Bennie

You need to find a factory service manual. You should easily find one online. Once you have this, find the ECU pinout schematics and trace that red wire. It’ll explain what it is, and if it’s a power wire, which I reckon it is, you’ll know what you need. Alternatively, use a multimeter to check continuality with the wires at the power relay and see if there’s any link there. The other wire/place to check is the permenant power wire - any red wire at the back of the fuse box and see if there’s a link. Wires don’t just burn out either. There must be a reason such as a stez permenent power wire being removed and the exposed wiring grounding out to earth. Really, you *should* be able to just reconnect that wire and go from there without issue - so long as all the proper fuses are used in the fuse box under the dash and the bonnet. All the best with it. Cheers Bennie

I’m with DaveT on all those points except the EA comments. EJ the EA chassis and enjoy! Soooo much better than the EA82 ever was and I’ve not ever leaked as much oil since! The only lifter tick I get now is when I’m near due for an oil change and the oil level is near the bottom of the low mark. Love the L with the sort of power it should’ve had from the factory! Cheers Bennie

Geez mate rough trot!! I hope all is on the mend! Cheers Bennie

Hey Al, it’s not that it’s difficult to do the electric windows mod (not that it’d know, I haven’t done it yet), it’s just that there are other, more important things that cropped up Youll be right! Cheers Bennie

Pics didn’t work for me mate (but I’m on my phone so that’s not much of a surprise). I hope they work for others! Glad the electric windows worked out for you. Did you use the front or the rear regulators and did you have to reposition the “crescent” cog to make the windows go all the way down properly? I remember that bit being a bastard of a job to do - and I’ll be doing it again on my brumby at some stage too... With the electric mirrors, you should’ve got the wiring too, even if it meant pulling the body loom for it. Once stripped down it’d be a piss easy piece of wiring to deal with! And I’ve got the same plans as you for this... started back in 2008 I think from memory! I can’t wait to actually see the pics! Cheers Bennie

Look up the king spring website for availability. I’m sure you can still order them new at a decent price. If you want lift, go for the HD springs. Your rear springs will be pretty toasty by now. Cheers Bennie

Hmmm... on this advice I better go tell my old man to give up on his ‘29 chev and ‘42 Willy’s jeep. Seriously though, if you can get an L for off-roading, why would you want a Forester, first gen especially?? If you know what you’re doing around and under a vehicle you’ll be sweet. I’ve only killed one shaft off-road - front shaft - where I managed to shatter the outer joint’s ball cage. Funnily enough, it was the first time I was out bush with my new lift and tyres. Dunno what’s changed, other than that shaft, but I’ve not had any issues since. One trick I do know of is to set your lift up so you’re not increasing the angle on the CVs by much. Too many people drop the hubs WAY lower than the gearbox/rear diff and that’s asking for shaft issues! Cheers Bennie

The apocalyptic talk from GD might just have this part of the forum shut down... You guys must wheel wrong if you’re breaking axles every time you’re out bush! Its called mechanical sympathy over ego... simple as that. Cheers Bennie

Nice mate, got any pics?