el_freddo

Head gasket for sure. Also look for rust in the bottom corners of the windscreen as they can typically rust here. Another place to check is behind the spare wheel. They're good little runners when you look after them - even then they don't need much attention in the long run Cheers Bennie

Welcome to the forum from a fellow Aussie mate Search some more and you'll find more subarus forums too. There are a couple of Aussie based ones (but we're all just as knowledgeable and friendly). Cheers Bennie

What was the condition of the hatch in the yard like? It's got me wondering if they'd help out an Aussie hatch owner that needs a rear cut (mate of mine). Sounds like you got a good score on the radiator! Cheers Bennie

Tried some silicone on the rubber? Cheers Bennie

Nice mate. I bet you turn some heads with those stickers! Do you offroad/rally or just daily it? Cheers Bennie

With a heated garage (we ALL know you have them! ) it'd be a good time to strip the engine down and do a thorough rebuild before the next spring comes around ;) A hone, rings, pistons should do the job. At worst you could need a rebore, which would still need rings and pistons (oversized!). While you're there a new set of bearings would be the go. Then the last bit would be dropping a mild cam in there Cheers Bennie

So what did you end up finding? Sorted now?? Cheers Bennie

Sounds good mate! I love our brumbys. Got any pics to share? Cheers Bennie

What's with the wheels sticking out of the guards? I'd get done like a dinner over here with the cops if I had my wheels even half an inch out of the guard if they were looking. Your setups above would be asking for trouble over here! Keep the build thread alive! Cheers Bennie

Nice one mate! Your US Gen1 wagons "look weird" with the flat roof. We ONLY got the raised (or what I've heard called "postal wagon") roof in Oz. Any other mods planned? Have you played around with the other globes to try and get rid of the hot spots the LEDs have created? I'm about to replace my globes in the cluster Cheers Bennie

Bummer. I've just stumbled across a pic of the piston we pulled from the engine I was talking about (sheer coincidence!). No unusual noises, no loss of performance (then again, it was an EA82 so...): I seriously hope it's not this. But it'd be a good time to drop in a mild cam while you've got the block split Cheers Bennie

Inlet manifold gaskets? That'd be what I'd check first. If nothing is obvious there then start thinking HG. Cheers Bennie

Compression test will tell you if the compression rings are good. If you oil rings or landings are shot it could allow oil to be sucked unit the compression chamber when you coast or decelerate, when you go back onto the throttle it starts to burn the oil build up with the fuel mixture. The longer you coast or decelerate for, the more smoke once accelerating again. Engine will use oil but run fine otherwise. I had this occur on an engine in the L series, we only just pulled it down a few years ago to find at least one cylinder with broken oil rings. My other thoughts would be valve stem seals but since you've done all of them they can be ruled out... Cheers Bennie

Checkout www.offroadingsubarus.com/forum --> members ride --> new brumby Bernadette. In this thread are details of the swap including pics of adapting the dual range EA82 lever rod to the EA81 interior hi/lo lever for a stock looking interior. Push button 4wd only engages the rear wheels via a cable actuated by a vacuum canister that's operated by a set of electric solenoids. If you get an MPFI or MPFI turbo box it'll have the larger 25 spline diff output stubs. The a vortex XT model came with an AWD gearbox that bolts straight into the EA82 L series - much nicer to drive on the open road while still keeping the true 4wd function. Cheers Bennie

Performance wise EJ18? Nah I don't think there's much you can do unless you're going a small capacity turbo setup. If NA the old adage "there's no replacement for displacement" rings true. I've also heard the ej18 can use more fuel as you "ring it's neck" to get better performance. It will be more reliable than an EA82 hands down and certainly won't leak oil like the Eaa82 sieve! Otherwise all the work and money you're putting in to make this reliable would be exactly the same as an EJ20 or EJ22... Cheers Bennie

Having to correct diff output stubs avoids needing to build custom shafts. But I guess if you're going for the EJ brakes you be making them anyway... And having 25 spline stubs would help as you'll get one on the liberty shaft, all you'll need then is an MY shaft that matches the spline count on the ball bearing's race/cage. Cheers Bennie

I've got an OBX front LSD in my L series - it is in an EJ casing to match the engine but you can fit L series internals into the EJ phase one cases - they're basically the same. So the OBX will fit - but if you have a dual range you will need to shave the bolt heads to clear the low range gears. After I had mine installed I was told about a kit you can buy to replace the washers and other bits in the LSD to make it better. Apparently from factory they have issues with bolts not torqued the same, or even finger tight bolts, washers internally that are cracked or of different thicknesses when they should all be the same. Some people get the dremel in there to clean up case casting marks or machining ridges to make them nicer. Mine works well, definitely got me out of stuff/helped when a front wheel breaks traction. As for refreshing the Internals I've not gone there before (I've only swapped out 5th gear and the bearings in the rear housing), but you will need a decent press and a pot load of patience! Cheers Bennie

Cable ties ("zip ties" over your way) are my choice of instrument to put the out cam covers back on - not just for the EA82s If you've stripped teeth and some are melted onto the crank or cam wheels, ensure you remove this before putting the belts on! Cheers Bennie

Lewis, sorry to be the bearer of bad news - the diff output stubs on the MPFI gearbox is 25 spline like the EJ. You need a carb box with the smaller 23 spline diff output stubs. The larger ones will not fit the standard MY drive shafts. They can be swapped though - you need to split the box. If I did an EJ conversion on a brumby I'd go with the AWD box and swap the output stubs for this exact reason. Manual/quit mounts it doesn't matter. You'll need to work out what will work with where you want the engine to sit. You can use EJ engine mounts which will dictate where the engine will be, or go EA mounts on the EJ plate and have two options (two mounting holes). This will then determine what happens at the rear of the box which will probably need to be custom anyway! Cheers Bennie

Welcome to the forum mate! It's amazing to hear how many people know subarus from their family's ownership... I'm not one of those But we did spend a lot of time flogging a fugly ("gen1") brumby in my neighbours paddocks when we were teenagers! And I recently found out my wife's dad once owned an early my wagon - saw it in a family pic, just enough of a photo bomb for me to recognise what it is. What's the grand plan? Maintain/lift and offroad/lower and turbo conversion? So many ways to play with these vehicles it's not funny! Cheers Bennie

Nice Brumby/BRAT - and a targa too! Love them! I've been driving my mother inlaw's for the last week and it's made me really miss mine Look after it, they're a piece of motoring history, even if it's not obvious to everyone!! Cheers Bennie

Nice hatch! A mate "over here" has one that he's repairing back to an acceptable state. I'd love so source a rear half cut for him but that'll be literally impossible! As for engine mods, go the EJ with a factory wiring loom cut down. I did mine in my L series and it's the duck's guts! (Good thing!). Add a super charger into the mix and you'll be glad you went with the ej22. My mate with the hatch actually did this build with his and offroaded it pretty hard! Now he's trying to save it from the dreaded rust cancer Look after it! They're certainly a unique Subaru! Cheers Bennie

I'd be looking at the O2 for sure. Interesting how all that testing stuff works over there. We don't have it here but if you remove any/all of the anti pollution gear and are busted, the EPA comes down pretty hard on you and will throw the book at you! All the best with it! Cheers Bennie

The centre diff will be the cooked one. Easiest way to do it is when you've got the centre diff out, rotate the pinion shaft and count how many times this is rotated to a whole rotation of the diff. Once you get to 3 pay attention to the partial rotation for 3.7 or 3.9. Being a forester I'd suspect it's a 4.111:1 or 4.44:1. The most accurate way is to count pinion and ring gear teeth, divide the ring by the pinion count and you'll get your ratio. From memory 4.111 is 37/9 ring to pinion tooth count. You'd be best to count in this fashion by splitting the box or using an inspection camera. All the best with it. Cheers Bennie

I don't think he is. And if he is I've not really seen him on here - I'm not that active on this forum atm either. The trend I've seen recently is to go with the de-seamed look. It's odd and could do with a profiled plate to finish it off in my opinion. I'll grab a pic next time I see one of these again. It's weird! Cheers Bennie