el_freddo

You can’t see the friction surfaces without disassembling the shafts and gearsets. Not an easy task I reckon (I’ve not done this). With synchros you’re looking for some roughage on the friction surfaces. They stop working when they’re smooth and don’t create friction to slow or speed up the gear that the driver is trying to select. That’s when the crunch happens same as when changing gear without the clutch and you don’t rev match properly. You could pull the synchros and have them lightly bead blasted - I’ve heard this is a good method to bring them back to life. But the effort (or f’-it) to get the synchros out usually isn’t worth it. Cheers Bennie

Agreed. I wouldn’t be caught without one over here. Minimum fine is $10,000. If you’re really pressed and just need a cat converter to say you have one you can put a unit from a larger displacement engine on the little Subaru engine. Flow through should be better and generally the cost lower due to the higher volume of these units sold when from a popular vehicle. Cheers Bennie

Yes that is a reverse lockout device so you can’t slip into reverse when shifting down from 5th. To properly look at synchros you need to pull them out as the real action happens on the friction cones. What you’re looking at is just the tabs that align for the gear selector ring to slip over and lock the gear in for use. Cheers Bennie

You’ll need to give it a power source to do that. You seem to enjoy odd things going by this... Cheers Bennie

Less plastics and metal material used to produce the car compared to those of today’s vehicles. Even if the factories were more polluting you’re using less resources to make the car in the first place. They’re also much easier to recycle at end of life than a modern vehicle (don’t even look at EVs for the recycling aspect yet!). My EA81 brumby pulls great fuel mileage for a vehicle of its age. I put a bit of this down to good roads that can maintain cruise speeds for longer with generally less gradients to climb. My 2c on that anyway. Cheers Bennie

SPFI or carby fed EA82? Carby has a little vacuum diaphragm that pulls on the throttle to increase revs. I’m not familiar enough with SPFI to tell you what does the idle up. MPFI uses a little solenoid on the side of the throttle body, but I think this only applies for the turbo EA82 and NA XT4 models in the USDM. We got the NA MPFI as an option in our touring wagons. Cheers Bennie

I’d be more worried about the rod knock... Seems this vehicle needs a fair bit of work on top of what you’ve already dropped into it. Are Subarus money pits? No, not usually for “normal use”. If you’re into modifying and going faster they certainly can be. This one will obviously need a new engine at some point in time, so factor in that cost. If you want to keep this vehicle it could be a good time to learn how to DIY the work needed to be done. Cheers Bennie

Yep, they go on those two bolts that hold the fuel rails on the intake. Cheers Bennie

Could just be the age of the fuel pump not being up to the job. If you can, I’d be looking into getting a new pump. Cheers Bennie

I hope things keep looking up for your sweet ride mate! Cheers Bennie

So no issue with the low oil level? Winning! Love the targa tops! I’m hoping mine will look as good as yours one day! Cheers Bennie

Are these still available? Cheers Bennie

Or is it: ?? Fixed either way! You’re welcome

Yeah mate, I’m at 530,000km from memory. Y pipe rusted out so dad shoved a Gen3 equal length unit on and she sounds like spoob so I’m failing at building a set of UELs for her. Exhaust shops make it look easy! And I have a leak in the front somewhere, dunno if it’s doors or Subi gods forbid, from the windscreen ;( Long live the L’s! Cheers Bennie

Good move mate! Move always wanted a car in a “burnt orange” colour. Originally it was my LC torana but that never eventuated. I’m wanting to keep my brumby relatively original enough, so it’ll stay red (I’m thinking the new XV red would look sweet!). Get into that rust and go from there! Cheers Bennie

Really? Don’t let GD get you down, just stick with your plan and go for it. Everything you’re doing is reversible so if there are some unforeseen issues you can review and return to stock if needed. I love the L’s, has mine for 15 years now. Unfortunately I haven’t driven her all of last year due to work needed to be done and no shed to work in. Needless to say, she’s highly modified - EJ22, custom gearbox, lift, and other mods for off-roading and living out of the vehicle. Deep down if you’re keen on the vehicle you’ll find your motivation Cheers Bennie

Ditto!

That second solenoid piece you ask about is to do with the purge control I thing. It vents to atmosphere - the little mesh “air cleaner” (for the want of a better name) is broken off. Very common with these but I don’t think it interferes with its operation. Cheers Bennie

I’m not familiar with that part on the EA81 or EA82... Best of luck with it. Go with GD’s suggestion Cheers Bennie

Scratch what I said then - only applicable for the early stuff in the RS turbo and early WRX (V1/2). Must be V3/4 onwards that are wasted spark. Cheers Bennie

and does it end with ? Cheers Bennie

@GeneralDisorder - same for an old phase 1 turbo engine, or is a little more finesse required with those? Asking for a friend Cheers Bennie

Run forester diameter tyres, speedo will be correct (unless fuji did something in the cluster between models). Cheers Bennie

No ignitor on the DOHC turbos @Rampage - they’re coil on plug. Ensure you have the coils plugged in/placed correctly. Cheers Bennie

Make sure you have ignition power to the ECU, rather than just power when in the start position. Quick test: put ignition into ON position, check that the ECU has power/is on (CEL should be lit up too). My initial thought as I read your issue. Other one that caught me out is the IACV hose under the intake - make sure it’s connected. If not it will run for several seconds then stall. Cheers Bennie