el_freddo

A fellow Aussie... Easiest way is to look out for a cheap Liberty that’s manual - one with a blown HG or that’s been hit along the side. Avoid anything where the engine or rear diff have moved as these will always result in potential gearbox damage internally. Having a donor vehicle ensures you have EVERYTHING you need. No multiple trips to the wreckers. Jollys and pick a part are good self serve wreckers in Melbs, so are Imalach’s (formally centre rd wreckers). Buying from a wrecker will probably cost more than your car is worth! Engineering won’t be required as it came from factory as an option for that model vehicle. You will need to ensure your rego at Vicroads says it’s a manual and that you ensure you get your manual licence for your P’s. Cops love P platers! But they’re nothing to stress about if you have a neat vehicle, drive sensibly and if pulled over always be polite no matter how pissed off you might be. This conversion will already be well documented, do some searching. Also join up at Ausubaru if you haven’t already, I’ll keep an eye out for you there too. Again, there will be swaps discussed there too Cheers Bennie

And still a good read from start to finish! Now waiting for the edit of the thread revival post to be edited with a dodgy link in the next week or so (also happy to be proven wrong)! Cheers Bennie

If you have the double slide joint CVS they’ll be the same boot at either end. The L series rear inner boot should be the same, front inner boot *might* work too but it’s a gamble. I’ve heard good things about those silicone units from a mate that services Brumbys for a living. Cheers Bennie

Welcome to the forum! Interesting you went with dual alternators, why not run a dual battery system that isolates the auxiliary battery and uses one alternator? And are they rubber straps holding the batteries in place? I’d be changing those ASAP as they’ll allow the batteries to move around if you hit some rough stuff. Got any more details on your camper trailer? Looks lightweight. Cheers Bennie

That’s awesome mate. Glad they had your back with their stuff up - and that they were big enough to admit it and rectify the issue too! Hopefully the two employees that caused this issue weren’t fired over the matter - and that they learn from the experience so something like this doesn’t happen again! Well done on keeping your cool Cheers Bennie

Also look into a shot wheel bearing. Cheers Bennie

It’s Monday here in Oz. Can’t wait for it to be Monday over there and the update shared. Hopefully something simple/cheap! Cheers Bennie

I’m guessing it’s an auto. Could be a loose exhaust hanger bolt, broken engine or gearbox mount or a heat shroud that’s rubbing on something it shouldn’t be. Keep an ear out for it developing further and see if you can get a general location that it seems to be coming from Cheers Bennie

That’s insane! But I can see how it swings people towards electric vehicles. Once majority are there watch the tax follow on to electric vehicles too - probably a distance travelled tax with the technology of trackable GPS. All the best with it. Cheers Bennie

The seals should have the rubber extension/flap piece mounted so this is external. In that third pic, it’s backwards. Cheers Bennie

Ah yeah that makes sense. I thought the autos were all the same and the manual flywheels are all the same - but different between auto and manuals. Cheers Bennie

Flywheel diametre different between EJ models? First I’ve heard about this! Different weights, but you probably wouldn’t notice this too much as the driver. EJ22 with bolt up to and run the EJ25 gear no worries. Likewise an EJ22 flywheel and clutch will work fine with that gearbox. You just need to ensure you have the NON turbo (push) style clutch kit and it’ll work no worries. For example, I have a Gen1 EJ22e with its matching flywheel and clutch working just fine with the phase 2 eight bolt gearbox in my L series. It’s seriously Lego! Cheers Bennie

G’day SiriusB, I can’t help with the ECU tune but @GeneralDisorder will be able to help out there. That gearbox click immediately had me thinking of a chipped tooth on the second gear’s gear set. It’ll eventually let go completely if not rebuilt. A replacement gearbox would be easier though. You could drain the gearbox oil and see what else comes out and if there are any teeth bits sitting around the drain hole. It sucks that you’re in this situation, I bet you paid the Covid tax on this WRX too. They’ve all gone UP in price over here since covid hit, not just WRX’s either - just about all vehicles! Cheers Bennie

Or just the chassis and a cage Cheers Bennie

It’ll be the centre diff unless you happen to have a VLSD up front and it happened to fail. Replace centre diff, go from there I reckon. Cheers Bennie

Split transmission to remove the circlip that holds the diff stub axle in place. No other way to do it other than brute force - and lose the circlip in the box. Not what you wanted to hear I bet. What’s the issue with that stub axle? They’re pretty tough things! Cheers Bennie

Easiest way todo a H6 “conversion” is buy a H6 model and convert it to manual. Much easier than an engine conversion! Forester rear struts won’t work on the Gen 3 platform, later model units from the SH onwards *might*. Many do a 2 inch strut lift without any issues. As GD said, replace your current springs for a standard height King spring (HD if you want a firmer ride) and you’ll be set. If going for raised springs you’ll have to add in subframe drop blocks as well (also known as a lift) to keep the CV angles happy. This build aims for best approach, departure and ramp over angles on a Subaru. SLO does a “monster lift” kit and others too that have the subframe drop from memory, they also do strut lift blocks if you’re just wanting some easy height over stock. Cheers Bennie

Don’t think so. They’ll be like any other cam type caliper. I did mine on the L series in a car park before a 4wd trip. Took an hour or two all up from memory: Basically pull them apart, clean up any rust or dirt build up, grease the new square edge O rings (with brake fluid from memory), refit pistons and dust covers. You can try filling the caliper with brake fluid to reduce the amount of time and effort required to bleed the brakes once it’s all fitted back as it should be. The important bit is that your pistons and cylinder walls aren’t pitted. From memory the piston sides are chromed and you want to avoid pitting on them, but you can get away with some or minor pitting. The cylinder wall can’t have any pitting otherwise the seal will be damaged. This is the reason why you should replace your dust boots if they’re ever torn! I hope that helps. Cheers Bennie

It could also be a gearbox input shaft seal that’s leaking. Not common over here but I’ve heard of it happening on the single range gearboxes via this forum. I replace the rear main seal when I have the engine out - genuine only. Lube it up with a rubber grease (moving parts only) and it’ll be just like the old one. Oil separator plate will surely be the plastic unit, that era of subaru seemed to be the guinea pig for this change. EJ clutches are basically all the same except the pull style clutch found on turbo models - they’re very different in operation and will not work in a push style clutch (push is what you’ll have). Cheers Bennie

Meh, all good mate. The excitement of a new vehicle and forum to explore, I get it! Cheers Bennie

G’day Warren, Your brat is the first Gen. You’ll be best to post in the 70’s subforum above this one in the main home page. Cheers Bennie

As others have mentioned, there are many options and it depends on how you want to go about it. There was one in South Oz that was done on a classic Range Rover body. Actually, thinking about it now it was a L series wagon but the principle is the same. Cheers Bennie

Brumby loving. Been a while since I’ve had her running well enough to have a drive on the open road let alone loaded and towing! Cheers Bennie

It could be plastic moulded/welded to the underside of the trim - you know the trick, plastic tab through a metal bracket, heat and pressure applied to the plastic tab to melt it and make it hold the metal bracket in place. Someone may have forced it in the past for whatever reason and busted the plastic melted tab pieces. Pull it out and have a look would be the easiest way to find out - I understand the want for information before you dive into it. Cheers Bennie

Are you running an AWD box Steptoe? It’s the only way I can see you experiencing the rear diff noises you describe. I cheaped out on the fix by shoving strips of old rubber conveyer belt in the gaps of the bush. It did the trick. But this bush would be so much neater and all round better, it’ll be something I look into. Cheers Bennie