ROObiedooby

I did give going the AWD route some thought. I guess I was leaning to keeping the 4-low/high setup due to fear of the unknown-and just an overall hunch that the EJ22 + EA tranny setup would be bombproof . Perhaps I should revisit the complete EJ22 drivetrain setup. I am fairly adept at things mechanical, especially if there is someone available for mentoring/handholding through the tougher aspects of the swap. I really would like to make the changes I have in my mind's eye specifically to prolong the life of this much loved car, and to deliver performance that I find to be lacking in an otherwise wonderful machine. I really do find the EA motor to be reasonably acceptable for most of my needs. But moving forward, I also see that this swap will, in theory, provide me with the extra "something" that seems to be lacking right now. By no means am I anticipating the creation of a "rock crawler" or drag/street strip barn burner. But I do want this car to be able to negotiate high altitude runs on the highway, as well as the comfortable capabilities of trecking deep in the backcountry at high altitudes for camping, backpacking adventures. As the car sits now, with a semi fresh motor, it just doesn't quite make the grade. The one bright spot is the transmission. Although, I think I will need to look at replacing it with a re-built one at the time of the swap. I fear the syncros may be getting a bit long in the tooth between 2nd and 3rd gears. This may be a determiner when deciding what to do regarding the swap (EJ22 with existing trans vs. EJ22 drivetrain complete.)

Thank you for your response. I am currently in the very preliminary stages of gathering the info I need for the ej22 swap. I am 99% convinced that this is the appropriat modification for my needs. The EA motor in the car now, is serviceable at present. So the plan would be,drive it like I stole it this year/winter, as I accumulate theparts needed and researching the actual swap. Then come spring or summer, perform the swap so I would have some buffer time to workout any bugs before ski season 2014/2015. If all went well, I could have a more reliable,more serviceable machine next season. Ideally one I would not be afraid of taking into the high country.

Hy all, Long time lurker and intermittant poster. Ever since I got my hands on my Subbie, I have been a frequent flyer here at USMB. Here is what I am hoping for. I would love to find some fellow Subaru junkies nearby me to bounce some ideas off of. I read, and read here and have a very cursory grasp of the in's and out's of this wonderful little vehicle, but would like to find a few friends here locally to come to with various questions. That said, this by no means is meant to dissuade others who may NOT be local to me from also chiming in as well....the more the merrier!!! My car is an '88 Subaru GL wagon. Normally asperated, Fuel injected ( I think SPFI ). It is a stock 5speed, with 4wd hi/lo lever rather than the push button version. Wonderful car that I picked up for a song. 205,000 on the body, and probably transmission, just under 30,000 on the RE-MAN motor. This car does have the legendary TOD that comes and goes, and has some rough idle. Here is what I am spending so much time researching. I am a ski instructor in Winter Park Colorado, and commute from Lakewood. this is about 60-ish miles one way, up and down various mountainous terrain. I am very seriously considering an EJ-18 swap, or EJ22 swap. I think probably the EJ-18 due to its simplicity, and "bulletproofness". I am considering this due to the abject terror of stressing the woefully underpowered EA motor that is in my wagon "Patches" now. A note about this possible swap, I really, really, REALLY want to maintain the 5-speed-and 4wd HI/LOW rather than going to an AWD set up. I havent run across this quandry yet in my reading. So that is one issue I would like to talk with someone about the pro's and con's. Mind you, I do realize that there are a TON of threads discussing this very thing, and I am currently doing my due dillegence and reading them. but there really is just no substitute for talking / posting / PM-ing, directly with someone who has done this swap. Another thing I would like to explore is an "UP-grade" of my suspension. Not a lift, more of a "tightening" and improvment with an eye to longevity. Not really a mudder here, though I do take the car into the back country/logging roads, for camping. So stiffer struts/springs, fatter anti-roll bars (front and back?) etc. Basically, I absolutely love this car and would like to take the time,effort, and $$$ to make it last a good long time, as well as improve it's performance trudging up and down the Mountain passes. OK, this is getting long winded....sorry about that. Please feel free to chime in, say hello, offer any words of wisdom etc. thanks guys, John

Scoobie, Thanks, I actually never even thought that far...yes that would definately make sense. LOL...I thanks so much for the advice. It is really helping me to dial in on the approach I am going to take to go through the car. thankfully, I think that I have a good, solid platform to work from in this little gem of a find. Hopefully I am going to be able to find more information and have to ask less questions, but for now it has all been about finding out what it is 'I DON'T know" before I go off half cocked and start tearing into this car once I get it. I seem to recall someone mentioning some videos on youtube or some place, that delt with tuning up, troubleshooting, and executing various required, and involved operations with these cars (the EA-81-82's) can anyone point me to these videos? It was my impression that these videos were fairly extensive and well regarded.... So, back to part's shopping and research.

If you get a lot of shake on idle, perhaps your timing belts have hopped on the cam gears, or the timing is off, or you have a bad plug or you have a loose plug connection. This is the case. But the motor settles WAY down under load. It looks like the shaking is just a smidge more than what a boxer should be doing anyway. I was also wondering if there is a "miss" in the motor which would indicate plug or plug wire? I will also need to run the "box" to see if there are any specific codes being thrown. The PO suspected an EGR failure of some sort. I won't know until I get the car home later this week. Any advice on managing this particular issue if it is the cause for the misfire? I am reading up on the EGR as we speak.

I was planing to re-seal the oil pump as that seems to be the next move after a seafoaming. If I am changing the timing belts, I may as well do the water pump also. I dunno, I was just trying to think of ways to increase my trust in a 'new-to-me" car that has a motor that reportedly only has 20k miles on it. The motor indeed presents visually as a remanufactured motor. Heads and block a very, very different and cleaner shade of "metal color" than the transmission, tags still on in various areas of the heads and block. Granted, this means next to nothing in terms of verifying that the motor is rebuilt, but it lends a little credibility to the PO's claims. I realize what I am getting into buying a 20 plus year old car. I am just trying to gather as much advice and information as possible before I start tearing into this car. In that vein, I have been spending an "annoying to the missus" amount of time searching and reading here. The fact that she is annoyed, leads me to think I am spending an appropriate amount of time researching...LOL... I am also looking into some less mechanical modifications, rest proofing/rinolining, the rear wagon compartment, the wheel wells, etc. A major shampooing of the upholstery and carpet. Major cleaning and a "Mothers" treatment for the dash and plastic. Lube , and fluids change for everything just as a previous poster mentioned. I am also a big fan of MMO and was going to use it in the tank and crank before I change the oil and filter. (Wix or Purolator filter...thank you very much). I have been reading up on the Seafoam also. Seems this may be an idea for the TOD, as long as all I am doing is cleaning and filling fluids to start with. If it fixes the tick, great...if not, I am right back to doing what I had already planed to do anyway. I may pull the oil pan off at this oilchange and replace the gasket. I want to see if there is any goo in the bottom, and see if the breakin has been going to plan on the "rebuilt" motor. By the way, Upon startup on this car, the motor seems to shake back and forth fairly vigorously, in the engine compartment. It shakes "East and West" not "North and South". Is this normal? Or is this another issue I am going to need to manage immediately? The PO did NOT replace the motor mounts with the new motor. So I wonder if they are shot? any help here is appreciated.

Have multiple manuals for these cars, cap, rotor and wires are all brand new and verified by me at the time of inspection. I am assuming that the water pump went in at the time of the motor's installation, so a new water pump is now on the "very" short list of to-do's. the timing belsts are also of the same vintage as they were put in when the motor was installed. I suppose if I am in the front end of the motor for the water pump, I should do the belts, and perhaps all of these "o" rings that i am reading about in other posts at the same time as well...nes pas?

Yes, No rust as it is an original Colorado car. Rust proofing is on the list, but only after I get the drivetrain tightened up and trustworthy. A major doucheing of the interior and some upholstery shampooing are also on the shortlist as a consession to the missus.

Today I saw, and am purchasing an '88 GL wagon. It is no beauty queen. Mis-matched back hatch and passenger door, dent in left rear quarterpanel, sticky lifter/TOD/misfire at idle. The good news is, at least as advertised, 20K on remaned-motor, new accesories(alternator,water pump, oil pump, timing belts,remanned throttle body.) The engine compartment looks clean and well sorted after the reinstallation of the motor. The 4wd is of the "hi-lo", lever actuated variety, and is fully functional and tight "feeling". Interior has no cracks in the dash, and no tears in the seats. Overall, seems to be tight and sound with virtually no rust and healthy-ish (somewhat concerned about valve ticking) drivetrain. Price is $600. I am opening this up to this board for suggestions for really dialing in this car for an economical commuter car for myself. Perhaps some back country camping and trail driving, and certainly lots of snow driving here in Colorado. So any thoughts on prioritizing the repairs,modifications,and preventitive care are what I would dearly love to hear some advice on how best to squeeze a few years out of this $600 find. Fire away guys....and thanks in advance.

Hello all. Lakewood Colorado Subie lover here. Thanks to Shawn for sorting me out. HATE not having the search function available to me. So at present, I am searching for an early 80's to mid 80's GL for my new-to-me commuter. I have owned several in the past, but have been without one for some time. Time for a wagon or a 3door hatch. (Anybody in Colorado able to point me to some inexpensive candidates?) Anyway, glad to be here and looking forward to meeting you all, after many motorcycle builds, and discovering forums as a means of reaching out and finding other, likeminded folks in my area and elsewhere, I figured I had best get myself on here as I began my search for a good Subaru candidate for myself. so far, I am not dissappointed, looks like a real good crew here......