el_freddo

The rear return line low pressure hoses *should* be ok. Good time to swap them anyway if they’re factory units (most likely are). Cheers Bennie

Essentially you’re correct there. The EA81 of the MY/Leone model before the L series/Loyale/GL was bullet proof and I believe it was destined for the L series/Loyale/GL until Subaru’s competitors had over head cam marketing and “performance” - hence the box cam abomination of the EA82 with small rubber bands as cam belts. The L series/Loyale/GL should have come with the EA81 and a later option of the EJ series engine. The EJ22 is an awesome perk up for the L series/Loyale/GL! Here in Oz I don’t have issues getting parts I need, but I’m also not running an EA82 drivetrain in my L series. I too am not a fan of the auto off-road. All good going up hills, but descending with brakes only isn’t fun and can be plain dangerous. But with that said, we got the dual range EJ series gearbox for many years, so they’re readily available to source. @GeneralDisorder - I know what the last four of those vehicles on your list are. The first two, no clue as I’m 99% sure we didn’t get them here and they’re not a “common” personal import like the Pontiac models. I understand the love of older stuff. Mine is in the L series and MYs. Like Steptoe said, no issues getting parts for them over here, and I too can’t understand why oil pumps are swapped out so often that they’re no longer available! If demand is there, someone will make a replacement unit. @Tillaru - glad to hear you’ll move the Loyale on. The only good bits would be some trim pieces and the gearbox to the right buyer. Cheers Bennie

Subaru’s don’t have a transfer case in the traditional sense of the idea. The low range is on the input shaft located above the front diff. The actual transfer gears for rear drive are at the back of the gearbox and are dependant on the pinion shaft as to whether they’ll interchange or not. While GD has strong opinions on crushing etc, I’m the opposite and I’m sure there are others on here the same. The loyale is a great car, but underpowered and parts are generally harder to find, but not impossible. I’m glad GD wasn’t around earlier (as in 40+ years ago) with the same ideals - otherwise we wouldn’t have any classics or vintage vehicles! Nor will these Subaru’s make it to that status if they’re extinct! I understand the whole dollar over effort thing but I don’t understand why our society throws things away as soon as it becomes too hard - then we wonder why the younger generations give up once the going gets a little rough!! So getting back on the topic (that got out of hand sorry), you need to look at what the owner expects from the vehicle. If it’s just dirt roads or used logging tracks with suitable gradients for trucks then the single range setup would suffice. If it’s really about climbing things the decent low range or the auto and you might want to look into a lift. If the end of the day, it’s about what the owner wants - so long as it’s achievable! Cheers Bennie

All high pressure lines need to be replaced with EFI grade fuel line. If you don’t do this, you’ll burst a fuel line and have all sorts of issues that could include a fiery end. Cheers Bennie

Must be an auto for the above. Cheers Bennie

How did you kill those things? Cheers Bennie

Do an ecu reset and let it work out the idle setting. No use you trying to sort it mechanically while the ecu is trying to do the same. Cheers Bennie

Welcome to the forum @Tillaru! If you want comfort, go the legacy build. They came as 2wd, AWD single range and AWD dual range. Without other mods they don’t fit the loyale and vice versa. If the Legacy doesn’t have a rear diff (either of them) then go the loyale. The rear suspension in the 2wd needs to be swapped for that of the AWD setup If you (or the guests) need 4wd, the loyale is the go. If you want a better low range in the Legacy (AWD), you can fit the low range from the Loyale with some gearbox surgery. See here for the details on that mod: https://ausubaru.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=13511 If the Legacy gearboxes don’t have the low range lever, then you can’t put the good low range into the EJ gearbox. You could fit the loyale’s gearbox with an adaptor plate and some custom front drive shafts (and probably a custom tailshaft too), and swap the rear diff to ensure the ratios are the same. or you could do an EJ engine swap from the Legacy into the loyale for some extra get up and go! It does involve the computer wiring loom swap to run the EJ engine. You’ll need an adaptor plate and upgrade the fuel system to efi spec. Hope this helps. Cheers Bennie

Until you need a new optical dizzy! The drilling of the flywheel, make sure the initial holes is in the right spot!! Cheers Bennie

I’m pretty sure the optical dizzy has 180 grooves, one for every two degrees. Im sure you’ll come up with some thing mate, you always do! Cheers Bennie

If you’re not going to secure the new hose, I’d be trying to either wrap it or cover it in a conduit prior to installation. My 20c on the matter. Cheers Bennie

Yeah true that at times. But then where’s the fun in nutting it out? Cheers Bennie

I you didn’t hear that from me, I’m sure it was Steptoe! As for retorquing headbolts, on the EA82 I would’ve literally put the torque wrench over the bolts to make sure they’re still at spec then left it at that. For the EJ head bolts - DO NOT retorque them. It’s very hard to determine their torque spec anyway since the last two (from memory) steps are to turn the headbolts 90 degrees and again without exceeding 180 degrees. But they’re not torque to yield bolts... dunno how that happens. Cheers Bennie

Yeah you could do the fly wheel setup. Range Rover did it this way with the P38. So it can be done you might even be able to use one of these rings with the tabs on it for the sensor to reference, or use it as a template. Another thought, can’t fit it inside the recessed crank pulley front face? Cheers Bennie

There shouldn’t be. I’m running a phase 1 EJ22, with some exeedy clutch in there with a phase two gearbox casing using a clutch cable as the clutch operation - in an L series. It all works well. You shouldn’t have an issue with that clutch. Also a good time to ditch the dual mass flywheel for a solid (off any EJ subaru will fit). Cheers Bennie

EA82 or EA81? I don’t know which way the hoses go, in Oz, being RHD, the lines from the pump just “line up” with the rack on the EA82. On the EA81 the end of the EJ hoses needs to be flared. I think (but could be wrong because I’ve only seen on here and not in the flesh) that you also need the hose hard lines that run across to the RHS to meet up with the pump lines. Cheers Bennie

There’s a lot of old thread digging going on recently. You can’t just drop us like that Steptoe!! Cheers Bennie

I’m sure you can get standard height replacements by king springs. Or grabbing a set from a Gen2 could be another option. Cheers Bennie

Glad this is sorted mate! Have fun, chalk it up as experience! Cheers Bennie

If your struts have a hex nut shape at the top of them where the shaft comes out from, do not throw them away, they’re rebuildable! If they’re pressed on units at the top there, DO NOT attempt to open them as these are gas filled struts and cannot be rebuilt. With the rebuildable units, my issue is where to get new seals from - and to work out what weight oil to use in them. Cheers Bennie

The Crank timing gear mark is on the tab on the back of the gear under the crank sensor. The tab you’re looking for is just like the one in your pic but has a definite line printed in it. Your problem is either misaligned cam belt timing or a harmonic balancer/pulley where the rubber is deteriorated and the outer ring has slipped, moving the TDC timing mark orientation. But I’m thinking that it if you’re using that mark on the crank timing gear for the cam belt timing, this is what’s out and causing the issue. In theory, you could have the arrows on the cam wheel pointed in the right directions for cam timing TDC and do the clearances. But it probably wouldn’t run if the cam timing is out. Cheers Bennie

Awesome news! Now go and run that thing in properly! Cheers Bennie

Must be a right hand drive issue then, which makes sense since the speedo drive comes out on the right hand side of the gearbox, so our Speedo cable does a direct route that hugs the firewall. Cheers Bennie

Valve lash adjustment - I thought he lined the TDC mark on the crank pulley/harmonic balancer to install the belt. Re-reading the original post this morning I’m thinking that @chopper is using the timing mark on the crank cam gear for TDC. The timing for TDC must use the crank pulley/harmonic balancer or go by the arrow (not the cam timing mark) on the LHS cam wheel. Cheers Bennie

Speedo cable will need extending for a four inch lift. I had to extend mine for a three inch lift - lucky mine came with a free L series soo had that part with it. Cheers Bennie