idosubaru

i have a pair of rear adjustable struts, the EA ones i guess. looking to install in my XT6. how do the maxed out (highest setting) adjustable struts compare to the 2WD rear struts (which are longer than 4WD)? what were adjustable struts available on? anything else to know about them?

i'd just get a used Subaru fan, they work fine, are so easy you can replace them with your eyes closed, and don't fail often enough to worry about IMO.

svxpert is a member here and used to do subaru stuff, been to his place before long time ago. subaru360 is somewhere in PA i think. if you want to go 10 hours, i'm in WV.

i've bypassed the coolant lines before - no issues. i figure it's *more reliable* since there are fewer connections/clamps. i've never seen those leak. i doubt it matters what you do. i've also used generic hose, looks like larry knows the size.

AM - no stations at all.

there's a lot of different possibilities, need to narrow it down more. if it's doing it at first start up, that makes it really really easy to track down, just open the hood or crawl under it while it's making the noise. heat shields are a really good possibility. start there and inform us as you rule those out. front or rear of engine, left or right?

some have markings, seems like the ones i've gotten do, but not sure all of them do. the markings are not even close to necessary. line up crank, cams, and install belt - make sure they're still lined up after belt install. really simple. you can even count teeth if you want, though i don't bother since it's so simple to visually inspect. since the timing belts have "teeth", it's either exactly right or it's completely wrong, there's nothing ambiguous, difficult, or tricky about it. the accessory drive belts are rather benign, i'd just get them from anywhere myself.

thanks for the shout out. i would be, but MA is too far to mess with. wife is due with second child in the next three weeks, i'm not planning on going anywhere any time soon.

yes any EJ engine will bolt up to any EJ trans. wiring is identical for this year EJ22/EJ25's - you can remove an EJ25 and drop in an EJ22 and it's a plug and play swap. the EJ25 has a propensity to blow headgaskets, very common. you can google it and find gobs of information about it. that suggests a few things to me: 1. be wary of a cheap DOHC for sale. even when repaired they can have bottom end failures and cam seizures, probably from previous overheating since EJ22's don't typically have those same failures. if you get a known good one, it's a really good idea to check to see if the HG's were ever replaced or go ahead and preemptively replace them before installing the engine. might be good to just knock out the headgaskets, valve covers, spark plug boots before cramming it between the frame rails anyway. there's an RX with an EJ25 in it on subaruxt.com. 2. the EJ22 might be a better fit for you. though turbo's are not my specialty so you should defer to others with more turbo specific experience and knowledge. the EJ22 does hold up to low boost just fine. if you're the kind to start pushing things then turbo-ing a non-turbo block is not a good idea. REDDEVIL (REDEVIL?) a member here and another forum supercharged his non turbo EJ and has gone through a number of blocks. he has an extensive write up about it on another forum. you could find it by searching his user name here to see his experience with slapping a turbo on a non-turbo block.

since the block is still good and demand is high you can probably recoupe some of the costs of the new motor for the EJ25 block. heck you can probably get close to the cost of the motor for it.

yep, that's a fine solution. was that Ej25 previously overheated or headgaskets replaced?

AH! boo, that's no good. what's your plan? i just priced out heads for a friends car - used heads are about $100 each. previously had the headgaskets replaced i presume?

thanks guys. plenty of heads out there, seems to make sense. i understand the sentiment but no charge on this one, helping this family out. they're just paying for parts.

2003 Forester, timing belt let loose. Trying to fix this for a friend as economically yet wise as possible. I'm thinking $100 for a used head is going to be hard to beat. No way a shop is going to replace all 4 valves (or probably 8 to be smart) and grind them for that price right? Would be nice to shoot for new valve stem seals but at this point a full on head rebuild is going to be costly. A local place quoted $400 per head, definitely not doing that.

i've seen folks mention EA81 support removal/installs. i have a new gen radiator support thread from earlier this summer on a legacy wagon that got a ton of very helpful replies - though i ended up repairing it with only the hood and fender, didn't need to do the core support stuff. but - i'd be finding that thread next time i have a core support to remove. you could try taking a cordless sawzall or sawzall with generator and cutting off more than you need - then properly de-spot-welding it or whatever when you get it back home.

good job getting that figured out, it's definitely in that rear extension housing then. it needs to be pulled apart to inspect and see what's going on. inspect clutches and make sure the hub drum isn't sheared, it happens. whatever is broke, fix it.

it's held in place by two bolts and is a rectagular...i want to say "silver" box, though my memory is'nt perfect and that could vary. it's close the to steering wheel and not against the fire wall if that makes sense. the bolt heads face the floor and threads point directly up.

TCU is under the dash, above your feet so to speak.

yeah those axle nuts are sometimes crazy tight. if you've got a torch, heating the nut up quickly then going at it can help.

mods delete? duplicate thread: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=127229

you know, i'm not sure exactly how that circuit works since its receives a varying signal. it needs to be getting something because default (no signal at all - unplugged) is locked 4WD so to speak which you obviously don't have. The TCU or the big connector on the passengesr side of the engine bay are the only two places i know of that are easily accessible, not sure which wire it is though. You could also just unplug the transmission connector. The trans will run in purely mechanical mode - which is "locked" 4WD. if you unplug the connector you should have severe binding from the 4WD. if you get 4WD/binding then it's an external issue - wiring or TCU. if it doesn't bind at all then it's an internal issue - clutch pack related. it'll be gutless since default it 3rd gear, but perfectly drivable. that's probably the simplest test.

there are two "style" cam sprockets that have different trigger marks on the back of them for the cam sensors to work off of. if you install an engine with different "trigger marks" so to speak, then the ECU isn't correctly interpretting the results. swapping cams from the original engine onto the new engine will give the ECU the correct signal. your location says "northern cambria"...not sure what that means but if it's international then information may vary.

good call, drilling...if you're going to drill get a high quality drill bit...they're pricey relatively speaking...but cuts the time way down. oil it often for lubrication and cooling and that will reduce the time a lot. or get a bunch of cheap bits and blown through them!

you can't, automatics don't have center diff's. center diff's are on manaul trans and they only fail to "locked", not open. measure voltage and see if the Duty C is getting power or not. is it possibly in FWD mode? the AT light isn't on - so i guess you probably checked or noted that it does work though (meaning the bulb isn't non-operational)? not sure why it wouldn't give anything, maybe the clutches inside are hosed? if the clutch/hub/drum (forget the name) sheared, which happens, i would expect other symptoms/noises. so should be Duty C or clutch related....maybe? not sure if a Duty C can stick "on" all the time, essentially in "FWD mode" without throwing a code. would be the first time i've heard of that.

disconnect, check, and reconnect the transmission connector. it's on the passengers side top of the engine below the air intake stuff. how is it running and driving?