el_freddo

Correct about the starter wire. It just references the starter solenoid so it knows if it should richen the fuel is if the engine is cold, similar to using a choke. And yes, get all the wiring squared away before you put the dashboard back in/together. It will make your work so much easier. AC wires - I only recall one in mine but that’s not to say the second is to trigger fans. I had one AC wire hooked into the AC wiring in the vehicle, referencing the clutch wire somehow. I can’t exactly recall which one other than I used a wire at the relays on the firewall mounted near the vacuum tank. The ECU takes care of idle up when the AC clutch is engaged, fans come on etc. Good luck with the CEL and neutral wiring. Cheers Bennie

For the temp and oil wires just use the engine wiring loom from the EA82 and plug the wires for the oil and temp sensors onto the EJ units. Job done there. Check engine light - changes to a Red/Yellow wire if I’m reading the wiring diagram correctly. There’s a Red/yellow wire in pin 6 of the black connector. I can’t see where the CEL wire goes in the diagram as that black plug should be referenced in there and point to pin 6 being the required pin. Hopefully you’ll be able to see this with the wiring diagrams in front of you as it’s hard to put them together online! Tacho wire certainly seems to be the yellow wire in pin 7 on the black plug. The VSS wire could be pin 4 on the white plug. Again you’d need to trace the wiring diagram to see if these line up to what we think we're looking at. If not we need to go back to the drawing board Cheers Bennie

Dunno what it does exactly. I’ve heard it improves fuel economy but can’t verify that (cuts injectors when coasting down hills etc), and that it helps when rolling to a stop to avoid stalling but again can’t verify it either. GD might have some insight if he takes his “get a link management system” hat off for several minutes Cheers Bennie

1) this is the vehicle speed sensor. You can leave it disconnected. This wire connects to a Reid switch in the back of the instrument cluster. I’ve heard of a GPS unit being used too. 2) These are for the rad fan relay. I only remember one wire for my Gen1 loom, yours might have a two speed fan setup that’s a little more complicated. But you might be able to run a fan off each relay with the ECU triggering them as needed. Hopefully someone else will know for certain what’s what here. Mine is an ‘88 series 2 and had the Reid switch behind the cluster in a carb model, if yours is a series 1 you might not have this, best to pull the cluster and have a look. 3) Neutral wire I believe you can leave it disconnected. I recall leaving my one disconnected and don’t have any issues. All the best with it! Ensure you finish off all the things you want finished before you start driving, otherwise they’ll always be lingering! Your very close now as you know Cheers Bennie

Use google for your search and include “site:www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum” at the end of your search words. Cheers Bennie

The next thing to look into would be replaceable cartridges that get spotted into the tube with a screw cap holding them in place. When one dies just replace the cartridge with a new one, retain your strut for reuse. Amit could cost a little bit to get this setup sorted but if you pick a common model of cartridge to use you shouldn’t have any issues for parts in this department Other option is to convert to 5 stud and EJ brakes - the front end uses an EJ strut, and there are still many of them around! That’s a lot of work to get around a strut issue though. Other benefits are the brake upgrade (plus parts available!) and almost endless choice of rims… Cheers Bennie

Is this that yellow painted engine from the kombi conversion that was the topic of discussion asking about the TBI system on the EA81? Cheers Bennie

How much oil is in the gearbox? You can check this on the gearbox dipstick. If you’ve got too much in there that could cause drag through the gearbox, but not in the way you said the engine behaves between 2500 and 3000 revs. It could be a coincidence that you did the oil changes and now you’ve detected this issue. That or your Subi is pissed it was forced into some maintenance at a Honda place Other issues it could be: a dirty MAF, needing a new air filter (unlikely to be root cause but a clean filter is always good!), dirty TPS contacts, and that’s about all I can think of atm. Laegion covered many good points to start with too. Cheers Bennie

You could look up the test procedure in the manual and conduct that. Otherwise I’m out of ideas other than using the visa or Mastercard method… Cheers Bennie

Or the mechanic messing with the system while it was live? Or that dodgy light socket you found could’ve done it too. Cheers Bennie

Or a heat related vacuum leak. Which has me thinking about a faulty purge control solenoid for the fuel tank ventilation system, it could be doing weird things. Cheers Bennie

I hope you’ve got a replacement distributor ready to go. I believe they’re also annoy so easy part to find these days. Cheers Bennie

There’s not much to identify with these engines other than differences in the heads. The valve covers determine if you have the small or larger valve heads. Black is the later heads with the larger valves, aqua type colour is smaller valves. Other than that difference gaskets and bearings etc will all be the same, maybe with exception to the carb if they changed the carb at all during the production run. I’m not 100% on that though. I do know really early EA81s came with a single throat carb, apparently these weren’t produced for long. Someone else will clarify. Cheers Bennie

Glad you found it that easily! Wiring issues can drive ppl nuts trying to find it/them, and some businesses make some good coin trying to chase the problem too. Cheers Bennie

I still reckon disco stuffed up the procedure using UEC in the EA82 for a start. Second was not enough revs. It’s a shame he put in all that effort then parted it out rather than pulling the heads and cleaning the valves up. Wasted project there in my book. Cheers Bennie

That’s the first time I reckon I’ve ever heard or read that phrase! I hope you’re all safe! Cheers Bennie

Sweet Cheers Bennie

You didn’t try the freeze spray trick first? Cheers Bennie

And I always fill until the brim because extra fuel in the tank - more time away from the servo for me, plus it’s the most accurate way to keep fuel records knowing the tank is full to the same level every time. I’ve not had an issue with this method of filling in my brumby, L series or my sister’s Gen3 Liberty. And it’s not like I’m only driving a block or two before the car is shut off and left to sit. Cheers Bennie

Don’t bother thinning out the EA loom. Just tape up any wire ends to isolate them then tuck them out of the way. A new heater core is worth the coin if you can still get one. I replaced the one in Ruby Scoo with an all copper unit and I haven’t looked back since! That was after blowing two heater core end tanks. I got sick of removing the dashboard! On that note, the dashboard doesn’t need to have anything removed from it to pull it out of the car. It goes in and out as a complete unit It’s just weight to deal with - and avoid it touching the windscreen. I lent mine on the windscreen and cracked it from the inside - right in the view of the driver! Cheers Bennie

The purge valve was a common issue in the early turbos - a mate of mine recommended that I move the purge control valve from under the intake manifold to somewhere easily accessible for replacement. So I’d agree that this could be the issue on both vehicles mentioned in this thread. Good thought @1 Lucky Texan! Cheers Bennie

I always have to use a centre pull device to get my steering wheel off. You’ll find a threaded hole one either side of the steering shaft in parallel. I used these and it worked well. I remember one time, probably the first time, putting loaded of tension on the centre pull and leaving it overnight. It popped off overnight. Hope that helps. Cheers Bennie

2005… about the time GM got their grip on the company. Coincidence? I dunno about this huge push for EVs - over here certainly none of our electricity network grid is even close to ready for mass uptake of that type of transport! Time will tell what happens, it’s a balls up atm and with the cost of living going through the roof the chance of ppl moving over to EVs is slim. I know I’m out of the running for one, not that it would meet my needs other than commuting to work and back again. And don’t believe the “zero emissions” marketing or EVs! Out of sight, out of mind. Coal fired power stations will be what’s powering the EV movement while solar, wind and tidal infrastructure play catch up. Interesting times ahead. This work should have started 20 years ago! My 5c for off topic chat! Cheers Bennie

You’re not understanding what steptoe is saying. Move the cams closer to the crank like you did will change their timing as the cams are clocked more one way or the other, unless you moved them in so far that aligning to the next tooth kept the cams at 12 and 6 o’clock when the crank was on its mark. Cheers Bennie

Get in behind the panel and Unclip the plastic clips from inside the car. You will need to remove internal panels for this to happen. Fit clips to the trim piece then push them into the holes in the body work. Cheers Bennie