idosubaru

I won't think about aftermarket top mounts. They can deflect enormously and I've seen them fail in 10 miles. Yes clearly top mounts fail, but I've seen way more 200,000 mile top mounts not fail than have failed. I've never replaced them in my own vehicles with many miles. 280k on my OBW and it's nothing special or surprising. If you're with a shop you're going to see more cars with issues than average by default. So if someone was trying to save a buck, which is going to happen because of their price, they could only replace as necessary. One doesn't have to blindly replace all 4 every single time. Unlike springs and struts, they are readily visibly inspected. You want to have them on hand and then return if not needed since you can't check them without disassembling.

As far as lubricating the head bolts - what about the lube pushing out of the threads and then getting between the gasket and block? Or is that why lube is better than oil ?That's why I've always disliked oil there. But I'm sure people do it all the time.

do you mean you couldn't find drivers side tensioning mechanism or the tensioner pulley? The pulleys bearings are replaceable - I think they're 6005 bearings, just read the face seals. I've never seen XT6 tensioners fail, I'm sure it happens rarely but it's a low percentage risk. You probably didn't find one of the timing pulleys? one of those isn't available anywhere and another is very expensive from Subaru. Are you guys taking ER27 oil pump Mickey Mouse gaskets? I just got one from Subaru earlier this year? GD posted engine rebuild issues just a couple months ago, some of the issues and what happens. You should search and find that discussion. Highly skilled and experienced people can't sit here and answer the same questions over and over again for years hours on end either. People that don't understand that are simply not in high demand due to ability or accesibility - actively publicly helping people. It's not easy for highly skilled people to help without massive influx of questions, requests, and bids for help. I'm not a professional or trainer and I get requests daily. Emails phone calls texts dealers friends families coworkers...and I haven't mentioned forums yet.... I feel lucky to even get a reply from some of these guys and read their past discussions, I get it, id never complain they didn't hold my hand. EA and ER are same pistons and valves and cam profiles so read up on all the EA82 and EA82T build threads obwr the past 15 years and start building.

If rolled then oil could enter any open pathways on the top of the engine - like PCV valves on older engines. I assume this has to have breather hoses off the valve covers - pull those hoses and look for oil in them. This should just burn off over time. Is it definitely coming out of exhaust or couldnjt be burning off the exhaust? Did vehicle end up on its top or side and keep running? A Used oil analysis may tell something if that's a concern.

1. Buy a used OEM Subaru axle for $25. Www.car-part.com 2. Reboot it before installing They last the life of the vehicle. should have rebooted the original axle before it started vibrating. But even rebooted the vibrations would have went away (ive done it before) and probably lasted the life of the vehicles, certainly a higher rate than aftermarket trash.

The headbolt questions are answered, just go rebuild it if you're that capable and determined. Doesnt matter if others aren't cheering you on. It's not a big deal to go do something different others wouldn't do or say is a less desirable option- most of us on here have done that before....if not 100 times... The number of threads where people want to turbo a Subaru and how many of those follow through is a near zero percentage. So part of it comes from that. Had you already started the build and had some questions there would probably be less push back. You can run it with turbo pistons and it's drivable that way even without a turbo.

Right, didn't mean to imply that intermittent or partial failures don't happen. It can confirm fuel issues but doesn't rule them out is what I meant, I kind of assume people don't think things are black and white but I shouldn't do that.

FSM routinely mentions unnecessary steps. Assemble and don't worry about it.

Headbolts are the same EA82T and ER27. Nothing available for head bolt or gasket upgrades. You can search bolts and studs it was discussed long ago when demand was highest (but still atrociously low).

If it does it again and won't start you can test fuel supply in a matter of minutes. pull the fuel hose line in the engine bay (only need screw drivers). Then crank the car - if fuel pours out like a hose it's good. If not, it's bad. You only need to unscrew one Phillips head screw on the hose clamp. The hose will be so tight to remove you'll have to pry under the end with a flat blade screw driver, twist first with channel locks or cut it back about an inch with a knife. Otherwise it's super easy. So far that's diagnosed every Subaru fuel supply issue I've seen and is super quick. I would also disconnect the O2 sensor. The ECU doesn't typically use that at first start up, maybe car runs fine without the O2 and then when the ECU starts using O2 data it's a dirty signal. This is also super easy and quick. Not likely your issue but it's so easy and free, and I've seen it happen once on an XT, it's worth a shot. Oddly that car wasn't giving check engine light or codes for it either.

How many miles and did the vehicle ever sit for an extended period of time (1 year or more without being driven)? Do those have engine codes like MPFI, i think they do, if so read them immediately. Obvious starting point is tune up stuff: are the spark plugs, wires, cap and rotor original 30 year old parts? are the timing components also original? They could easily be compromised. Pull the side covers and look (3 10 millimeter bolts, takes 15 minutes to check) Idle control valves often stick. Clean first then replace. CTS are often problematic as well.

did the same to my 1996 Legacy. it spun out on friends at 75mph and mangled front and rear. It was mechanically sound so I put it back together - ugly as crazy, wrinkles and bends everywhere but still great life.

Subaru engineers designed it to run on low grade gas. Generic one size fits all ideas don't veto Subaru engineers for everyone. Generally I agree, its a decent one size fits all approach for turbo engines but specifically, this is a neanderthal EA platform not an EJ. In proper running condition EA82Ts run all day long on regular gas, as Subaru intended and designed them. So as a diagnostic, "fix", causative agent, or starting point on a car with issues, it's highly unlikely to be what he needs to be thinking about. theres some merit to running high octane but he shouldn't get any warm fuzzies or hope from it either. GD makes a good point that starting high while troubleshooting is reasonable risk mitigation. Fix the real issue then ask about fuel choice.

Absolutely, I've done it multiple times, and what's more, it's easy. avoids the disassembling and assembling insitu which is awesome. Make sure you have enough height available and room under the vehicle as the lump comes out nearly verticle (I'm exaggerating but it's steep). I have no idea why everyone here is saying you can't do it, I've done it on old gen, new gen and beefy EZs with automatics and it's easy.

Yes it's possible. Can you do it? I don't know, can you? Did you google or read about others trying and discussing it?

If you have a code then it's likely not fluid related. That said Is change the fluid just because it needs it anyway. Those 91 era legacys were part of a transmission recall due to a specific issue, I think they install an external cooler or filter. Check into it and see if your car was subject to that issue and fix. Check the transmission pan for dents or damage. The solenoid is very close to the pan so if the pan gets damaged the wiring can get damaged, the connector/top of solenoid smashed or solenoid broken. If it's just a solenoid failure then drop the pan and swap in another solenoid. They don't fail very often at all so used is odten a great option. If you smell an odor after driving then that's probably not transmission relatedness. you're probably leaking oil or PS fluid or slinging grease from a cv boot onto the hot exhaust. Track that down and repair it.

Good find. Its often the connections at the battery. Very common. They can return later too - clean it up and it comes back a year later. Grrrrr

"Aftermarket exhaust" is all but meaningless - we can't comment on it as they vary wildly in fit and longevity depending how it was made. That's like asking if a restaurant is good - depends what restaurant and what you're looking for. It also depends why you're replacing them - P0420, rust, poor diagnosis, performance, a mixture of those. I've had aftermarket rust in a year or two. Other aftermarket lasts longer but few will last as long as OEM in terms of rust or P0420.

Nice working fabricating that. I see, so you got it structurally sound first but not entirely sealed? That makes sense. Trying to make that structural part perfectly conformed, aligned and sealed was what I wasn't getting. Makes sense to do it in two sections. Structurally secure it first. Then seal it.

Sharp XT, very nice!

You can run any gasoline you want. 93 octane is pointless and a waste. If you bump the timing up a bit you can make a few extra imperceptible hp (unless you dunk it) on higher octane. If there is rust in the gas tank or old gas from the past - that damage is already done and needs addressed. It's only a problem if you let it sit for extended periods of time, like years. Drive it every day and you can run it to 300,000 miles all day long on any gas.

What happens to the ceramic pads? Are all pads absolutely and positively wearing evenly? Put the car in a lower gear. Replace the pad clips and clean and regrease the slides. Whatever you choose you want the pads to move as easily away from the rotor as possible. Most clips are bent, corroded, built up or otherwise compromised in some way. install larger diameter rotors

Air Burp it again and read here how others do it. Nose up. Drive, top off, drive top off, drive....until the air is gone. Thermostat failure is way less frequent than it's talked about. Pull it out and boil it to test.

The shop might think you mean just installing new studs but thats not even what you need, you need the bolts threads repaired. Maybe you need new studs first but that's easy, the first shop would have probably done that. You should clarify that. Actually the studs are probably reusable, though they'll function as bolts with the nuts seized in place. LOL. Purist will frown but I reuse them without issue. +1 same here. I do both and have both on hand but the 7/16 trick I got from you guys years ago is a sweet deal and my current go to for this. I hate having SAE too but I'll deal with it for this. For you two guys - If he has to have a relatively unknown shop do this which solution is the best to hand off to them? Maybe you could just take the SAE stuff - taps and parts and ask any shop to do it. With that and printing out this thread a shop would have to be imbeciles to not be able to pull it off.

Holy smokes how in the world did you fix that?!?! There's so many folds and joints and layered bits it's not straight forward. I'd love to see pictures of that repair. Well done pulling that off. what does the other side look like? Have you had the rear brake lines and fuel lines rust out? That's really common.