NorthWet

It might be difficult for the USA members to offer meaningful advice, as I doubt that most of us have much knowledge about what is available in Columbia. I do see from your list of current vehicles that 2.0L and 2.2L engines are at least available. A swap of an EJ20 or EJ22 might be a good choice. Since this is a recent model, do you wish to make that big of a change?

The valves are under loads from springs and what not, and they have parts that slide inside of other parts. In my all-to-often experience, unless you disassemble it you can not really assess the movement of the parts. They literally need to move like a "hot knife through butter". (I had also thought about making some genderist remark involving the distaff gender and looks not telling you much, but then I decided it was just the chain-saw fumes affecting my judgment.)

A picture of apple-cored driven gear (post#19): http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=120067&highlight=governor&page=2 Looks don't mean squat on that valve. Assuming the gear looks ok, disassemble it check it by hand, and then debur/clean it anyway.

California was/is funny. (And not Ha! Ha!). I do not now how many other states require payment of all back-registration (years that the vehicle was not registered), but I am glad that Washington State is not one of them. I assume that it does not matter that the vehicle is new to you? (My previous run-ins with CA were over my own inoperables.) Would it matter if it was from out of state? (A whole extra can of worms...) If it were registered in another state and then bought/brought back into CA would they still want their pound of flesh? Good luck. Edit: Wow! I just saw your previous post. Just WOW!

This is still my home; more my kind of discussion. I am more mechanical than esthetical; I could not care less which color car I am driving or if my corner markers are oem or clear. They do have an interesting (and long!) thread about a guy who is not a rabid Subaru cultist turbo-ing his SVX. Interesting approaches. The STI box still might explode on you. I seem to recall members talking about there not being significant difference in strength. If you haven't already done so, check this out before you have an expensive pile of metal bits.

I am definitely NOT an expert in this area, so I went searching other threads. I found several posts from people I respect that seemed to support my memory that most (all?) EJ22/Legacy should have a 4.11; certain other cars might have a 4.44. IIRC (always in doubt these days), the Turbo-Legs came with a 3.90, but I do not remember if they came with autos, and if so, what the ratio was. Bottom line: My belief is that most Legacies that you are likely to find should be 4.11 I have no answer as to why your "Mark-I eyeballs" (technical term for actually seeing instead of merely sitting and typing about it as I am doing) found 3.90s. Somebody swapped in the wrong diff, then gave up and junked the car? Seems unlikely in 3 of 4 cases. I don't know. A properly working 4EAT is a very nice thing... almost enough to make me give up manuals.

Carb cleaner is a much better idea than starting fluid (ether). It is far less flammable/explosive.

First, you should decide what type of intercooler you want, whether it is front-mount, top-mount or possibly even side-mount (apparently popular in other makes of car). If not a front-mount, do you want an air-to-air or air-to-water unit. You could get a unit that was originally on a subaru or some other make. You will probably need to do most of the plumbing (hoses) yourself, unless you buy somebody else's setup. Lots of possibilities. Try searching for intercooler in the old-gen forum and/or "parts for sale" to get an idea what is generally available and what fit your needs.

I think that the 4.11 is the most common ratio, especially amongst EJ22s with autos. (Might be the only ratio you are likely to find.)

Go with the 4EAT. Much better tranny, better gearing and can get it already hooked up to the EJ22 (no adapter plate, so a little money saved there.) If you get a donor car with the 4EAT you are half way there. Any particular reason she likes the pushbutton 4WD? I guess if you really needed to you could make the 4EAT pushbutton 4WD: FWD fuse and Duty-C wiring mods.

Disc calipers don't hide piston leaks very well, you checked the engine compartment plumbing for leaks, and the rear junction/splitter(/proportioning valve?). If you have looked at the lines to the wheels and the plumbing going back to the rear splitter, I can't think of much other than the master cylinder. (I am not sure if the ABS pump can leak internally; just haven't paid attention.) Occasionally spongy brake pedal might point at the MC. I hope others chime-in in case I am overlooking something. Otherwise, I might look into partially separating the MC from the booster to see if any fluid leaks out. Just for grins, might pull the vacuum line loose from the booster and check for wetness in the line (doubt that it will be, but easily enough to check anyway).

I do not believe that thtis is caused by the adapter plate, The adapter plate is a certain thickness (approx. 12mm/.5") for a reason, which is to make up for the shallower engine-bellhousing on the EJ22. The plate should put everything in the proper relationships.

Both GD and GG recommended OEM for HG, and I would follow their suggestions. They are both experienced with doing HGs (and I don't mean redoing their own over and over again ). Cheap is relative, especially if you have to do it over again.

Could also be a seized t-belt idler or tensioner. All far more common than a seized camshaft.

You can also, with a little work, adapt more durable solenoids from other vehicles. The "original" (AFAIK) person who suggested this (DaveT) said that you could use Toyota solenoids, and a later contributor (91Loyale) said that many of the EFI cars from the 80's will likely have something that works. http://home.comcast.net/~davidtief/solenoid.htm http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=93243

Stop leak is bad news, and will not fix headgasket issues. There is no flow control valve on the heater. You will likely plug the heater core and almost certainly exacerbate the radiators natural tendency to plug. Oil could be in the radiator from any number of previous maintenance issues, so its presence doesn't mean much. A more significant indication of blown HG would be coolant in the oil or combustion gases in the cooling system. Follow MilesFox's advice and check for hose leaks, especially that little hose between the top of the block and the t-stat. The temp gauge reading "cold" could be bad gauge/sender, bad t-stat, or low coolant level. Also check for a plugged radiator. Blocks and heads very rarely crack. The most common crack occurs in the exhaust port of turbo heads, and there isn't even a close second. Block sealers just line the pockets of manufacturers of block sealers and radiator shops.

Another thing I should have asked is what car this on. I am assuming a Legacy based on username. Rear disc or drum brake? (Drum brakes can hide leaks.) ABS? (Does not sound like this is a concern if all engine compartment lines/fittings look dry.) Does the brake pedal "feel" normal?

It might not. I do not know if there is any sort of weep hole on that particular booster; if not it would probably collect between the M/C and the booster diaphragm. Also, if the diaphragm is ruptured, it can suck fluid into the booster's vacuum line. I should have asked: What makes you think that you are losing fluid? Was there a sudden drop in fluid level? If not, is it possible that it is just brake wear causing the pads and/or shoes to extend further out and needing extra fluid to keep them out?

Did you have the flywheel's step machined to XT6 specs? IIRC, the XT6 uses a different depth on its step, and this would affect the workings of the pressure plate.

A little more info, located with Ruparts' part number: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=99165

Master cylinder leaking into brake booster?

I think that you would need to carefully design a cooler so that you didn't disrupt the thermo-siphon after shutdown. Or, just add a pump that runs after shutdown. I have had several turbo-to-tstat hoses crumble due to the heat.

Heat from heater would depend on coolant level and whether the heater is plugged. Heater and radiator don't necessarily plug at the same time. Rough running might mean anything in the fuel system and/or ignition system. I have noticed that my EA82Ts have been sensitive to old/marginal plugs and wires, having rpm ranges where it would just fall flat on its face. Once I had a set of plug wires give up the ghost right after I put in injector cleaner into the tank. Lots of possibilities.

As Numchux wrote, and the OP mentioned, the 85 and 86 (IIRC, only the 4WD) had adjustable spring perches, and later ones didn't.

Relief pressure (from 88 FSM): Turbo/MPFI : 924psi Other: 640psi There has been some discussion about fitting specifics, but off hand I don't remember them.