Subaru Scott

You know, we REALLY need to find the best write-up on the auxiliary relay mod, or make a new one, and STICKY it! How many times have we answered this? It should be the first thing on the welcome page! Sure, changing the solenoid contacts if they're roasted is a given. But the MAIN PROBLEM is the high resistance of the start circuit, with all the different connections it goes through, and the neutral switch with it's downsized wiring. This is what causes the solenoid to not fully engage and burn the contacts in the first place! Changing starters, batteries, cables, will sometimes "fix" it for a while because you just gave the system a little boost. Doing the relay mod, (or just running a #10 wire directly from the ignition switch to the starter) is the only way to permanently cure this forever and done. This can be very tricky to diagnose because 8-10 volts is enough to engage the bendix, and you hear that, thinking that the solenoid is engaging, and go chasing after high-amp circuit problems (contacts, battery, cables). The catch is the SECOND spring, at the end of the solenoids travel, that keeps the contacts open. If you don't have a full 12 volts, it will clunk, clunk all day long without overcoming the second spring and engaging the contacts.

The door switch is actually integrated in the latch. Mine's been starting to act funny, like maybe the switch is coming apart. Can't make up it's mind where it wants to go sometimes. Have to look into that one of these days... But yeah, the passengers (I don't have many, its the work truck always full of tools, etc.) always freak out over it. Mostly when they're trying to undo the belt before they get out, and I open the door and scare the hell out of them.

I went round,and round, and round on one of these many years ago trying to get the TOD to go away. In a last-ditch effort, I removed the timing belts, attached a clear hose to the pump output at the oil filter base, and chucked up a right angle drill to the oil pump shaft nut, just to SEE what kind of flow I was getting. Guess what I saw in the clear hose? Air bubbles. The pump flowed great and had plenty of pressure, but it sucked air around the front seal. New seal, problem over... That's how I fixed all of them from then on. Sorry, I didn't see your post before now, been swamped cleaning up from Irma!

What kind of gibberish spam is this, and why does it seem to be all over the forum?

Congrats on the find, those are cool cars! A weber carb conversion will give you a pretty good boost.

I always tap around the heat shields to find the offending section, then grab the ears where they're bolted together with a pair of channel-locks, and bend them down, kind of half folding/dimpling the sides. Puts enough tension back in it to shut em up.

Wrong. Sorry. Where are you going to find one? Mice have been in every Brat on the planet. Should we replace our houses too when the mice get in?

Yes, burnt, not broken. This can happen from just a small defect in either the valve or seat. Once there is a pathway made for combustion pressure to get through, it will cut the metal away just like a torch.

Can't hurt to have a look. Most of the time, they're just packed with dirty goo and stuck. Take them off the mount, but leave the line connected, and pump the brake pedal to pop the pistons out. Use some fine plumbers strapping cloth to clean any rust off the pistons.

The ring and pinion SET can be swapped from one transmission to another, as long as you know how to set the pinion depth and backlash properly. A ring gear from one ratio will not match to the pinion of another. No way.

Take them apart and clean them out. If the pistons aren't pitted, you can just replace the seals. Not that complicated.

Taking a wild guess that you're a machinist... Nice work! Are you swapping the battery to the drivers side?

Good work getting that done in the field! The battery ground goes to a small bracket at the starter, where it bolts to the bellhousing. Intake manifold bolt would be a poor choice, as it does not torque down very tight, so the manifold is free to float just a little on the heads with expansion.

And yet, it will thread into 3/8" NPT. Just give it a good wrap with teflon tape. Here is my setup, EA pressure senders for gauge and light, (because both is best) T'd into a grease gun hose, running to the 1/8" port in top of the EJ: Been going 4 years now, not a drop. The stainless tie wire is not to hold down, but to ground... cause they won't work if they aint grounded... duh.

Welcome to Subaru, and the forum! Whatcha drivin there, PrarieRose?

Makes no difference. Whatever fits best hose-wise. I used to think it should flow in the lower and out the upper, to help purge air bubbles. But I've done it both ways and had no problems.

DUDE! 2/3 full, you should be able to just pull the bulb out and get most of it out. Then just tape a small hose to a wetvac to suck out the rest. Then look for where the waters getting in and seal that up.

Electrical problems on modern cars is more than just an inconvenience of power accessories not working, they won't run either. Best thing you can do is get the seats and carpet out, and try to dry everything as fast as possible. Spray WD-40 into all electrical connections and components that got wet. Then let that drip out for a day or so and see what happens, you got nothing to lose. Sorry for your misfortune. Keep us updated, and we'll try and help out with any advice you need.

Keep your eyes peeled for a JDM EJ trans. They do pop up occasionally. Many times, the seller doesn't even know it's a dual range. Just look at the pics for the lever. You can even swap in the lower, dual range gearset from your EA trans. There's a write-up somewhere...

Nice! Whatcha running in the rear?

A plain ol automotive test light is a great tool for this job, and my tool of choice for most electrical diagnosis. Harbor freight has them for a few bucks. Add one or two alligator clip jumper leads and a couple of large paper clips with one end straightened out for inserting in connectors (such as fuse holders), and you have all you need for most any diagnosis.

Or cut the tube just past the fitting, mash it flat with a hammer, then fold it over and pinch it tight with said hammer.

Look for a place where the wiring has been bumbled with by someone, such as stereo wiring. Or possibly damage from an accident. Soobs RAREly ever develop electrical problems like this on their own. I always go right to where it has been fooled with, and 99 percent of the time, there it is.

Or... just sell it to one of the dozens of people with blown engines in late 90s cars, who keep coming here trying to figure out what else they can swap in... And buy something else.