All_talk

Stock should be NGK BPR6ES-11 with BPR5ES-11 and BPS7ES-11 as alternats (source: '89 FSM). If I remember right, bigger number is colder with NGK so you might try the 7s or maybe 8s. But I doubt plugs are your problem, first guess would be to much timing for the quality of the fuel. Try a grade higher fuel or a few deg less timming, my RX pings lightly on 87 (I can only hear it at lower speed with the window down), but seems to do well on mid grade (89), timing is stock 20 Deg. Gary EDIT: Or add an intercooler

My wagon has this type, short hose attches to the nipple, works pretty good. Gary

Nope, not tapered. Straight thread with a land for the O-ring to seal on. A standard metric bolt with some teflon tape will work just fine. If you dont believe me I can show you the broken one laying on my bench and the bolt in the radiator of my RX. :-p Good advice on the hot screwdriver trick, you really dont want that chunk of plastic floatin around in there. Gary

There are four stock sizes I know for sure... 155/SR13, DL models 175/70SR13, GL 175/70HR13, GL-10(Turbo) 185/70HR13, RX & GL-10(Turbo) FullTime 4WD tranny I have also heard that a 165/80SR13 may have been used on earlier models. Gary

What you’re describing should work, but using one wheel per side will work fine, typically the rear as it leads to better control. But before you go through all the trouble routing and mounting a secondary cable assembly have a look at one of these hydraulic dandies (like the pros use). http://www.cbperformance.com/catalog.asp?ProductID=1189 Note: this will require you to re-plumb the stock “X” style dual braking circuit to a more conventional front/rear type. Gary

This weekend I'm putting a rebuilt trans back in my Suburban, I wouldn't say its a fun job but its not nearly as hard as it was to write the check for it. I could have bought 3 or 4 good Subes for the price of this thing. :-\ Gary

Being that it happens throttle on after decel (high vacuum), my first guess would be PCV system trouble. Gary

Hammer and punch will do if you're carefull, just make sure you only drive on the outer race when putting the new ones in. If you're unsure about the proper way to do it with the hammer/punch ask for more advice or take the hubs to the shop, you dont wanna end up worse off than you were to start. Good Luck Gary

Check this thread for stock resistor values and more info: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=2614&page=2&pp=20&highlight=resistor+block And this one for a resistor replacment fix: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=18580&highlight=resistor Gary

The "corrosion stuff" is a ceramic epoxy (or similar), its used to stabilize the coils and keep them separated. Problem is it holds moisture next to the coil causing it to corrode and break. Side note: the reason these failures are common is not the fault of the coil blocks themselves, but due to the fact that the blower intake is capable of ingesting a lot of water and the resistor is at the lowest point in the intake tract. During heavy rain on the freeway with lots of trucks throwing up spray, both of my Subes will suck in water if the blower is set on the higher speeds, its enough water to drip out of the resistor block and puddle on the floor mat. Gary

But then where's the intercooler gonna fit when you put twin turbos on it?? Gary

Going PM to avoid hijack.

Not a bad suggestion, but... Its a EA82T, it has a MAF, no MAP. Gary

Hey Styles First suggestion, start at the beginning, assume nothing, check everything… compression, valve timing, ignition timing, fuel pressure, spark… Second idea, follow the lead you have… it will start cold. Cold engines require a richer mixture, maybe you’re running VERY rich and the cold engine can take it, but once warmed a bit it just floods out? Pull a spark plug and look for lots of raw fuel. OR, what’s different about the control system on cold start? You said you replaced the “thermo unit”, is that the auxiliary air valve (AAV) for cold start? Coolant temp sensor? I’ve seen ignition coils that fail after they warm up a bit… Just some thoughts Gary

Ground metal in an auto tranny is VERY bad, and I've heard that the 3AT doesn't even have a filter. Yep... If it were me I'd be looking for a good used unit. Gary

Great Work, I’ve be awaiting the debut of your car, nothing like doing it old school and being competitive… Inspirational! If I could muster the cash I be right there with you in my ’87. Gary P.S. did you get the suspenders from John Van-whatever?

I do understand that the engine is the same... but the differences are what give the RX its illusionary powers of performance. Gary

My two Subes are at the ends of the spectrum, the ’87 wagon is carbed with the 3AT and the ’87 RX. I haven’t driven a non-RX turbo but I’d bet they lack much of the sport feel that the RX has. See with the RX its really just the perception of performance, it really does feel much faster/quicker than it is. What the Subaru engineers did right was to put the handling and power right in the normal driving range for a street car, back and forth to work, freeway ramps, stop lights, the RX feels like a race car. It’s well mannered and feels very nimble and is the best/funnest daily driver I’ve ever had, but when pushed beyond “sporting” style driving it starts to show its econobox foundation… it is NOT a sports car. As a comparison, I have a ’74 Datsun 260Z with about 160 hp and near the same weight as the RX, around town it doesn’t feel near as nimble as the RX, but when pushed hard it whoops up on the RX and doesn’t even come close to feeling near its limit. On the same freeway ramp the RX gets to the top of third at 75mph, the Zcar (with a 3AT) will be just into third at about 95mph. Gary

I've read something about the center splined shaft (main pump drive) pulling out enough to disengage, I dont know if the torque converter will position properly with the shaft out, but it might. Did you have the TC out of the trans? Gary

Just to clarify (sorry if I’m being slow), the LP enters the manifold as a liquid, or is expanded into gas between the tow motor valve and injector? The reason this is important is that expansion within the intake should provide significant charge cooling in addition to the supplemental fuel. Why did you find it necessary to use the tow motor valve, were there problems using the injector alone? The liquid pressure of the LP (at ambient temps) should be within the normal working range of the injector and I doubt the LP would be incompatible with the wetted parts, just curious. According to the ’89 FSM the pressure switch that lights the “TURBO” light also signals the ECUs “heavy load” mode and cancels the O2 feed back. On my RX the pressure switch trips at 0psi, so I’m sure its doesn’t set the injectors to full pulse. So I would agree, the boost map doesn’t use the O2 feedback and the ECU controls the pulse width for some part of the boost map before handing A/F ratioing off to the FPR. It is also my understanding that the stock FPR is a 1:1 type with the fuel pressure set at 36psi above manifold pressure. Gary

The WRX unit is the TD04-13G, I wonder if the others listed are the same? Gary

Thats my dream, but no go with the Subie tranns. The final drive is of the hypoid type (not the simpler spiral bevel used in the VW trans), and it cannot be flipped. Gary Edit: What Mikie said

Dont fear what you do not understand... Or was it dont fear the reaper? :-\ Engineering matters... and how. A lot of the engineering done by domestic auto companies is half-***** garbage. And why you may ask... because we keep buying it. Gary

My RX with 276,000 miles has lots of play in the output bearings front and rear, thats why the seals leak a bit, but it still drives just fine. The risk of running with the bad wheel bearing is that at some point there will be enough resistance in the bearing to spin the inner or outer race (if it hasn't all ready), the outer is most common and when it spins it destroys the hub (new bearing won't fit tight). Better to change it sooner rather than later. Gary

I'd love to know more about this, injected as a liquid or gas? Injection pressure? Hardware used? The stock ECU has no way to read boost pressure, the 5psi must just coincide with the point where other sensors tell it to go full pulse width. I'm assuming you've seen this on full throttle pulls? Or are you saying that it goes full pulse at 5psi under any condition, like part throttle or low RPM? I wonder how? Gary