idosubaru

on occassion you really have to man handle the steering wheel. turn it HARD while trying to turn the key. if it doesn't work, try it again, keep trying and the wheel will finally "give" and the key will turn. usually gets easier after a couple minutes....you get real PO'ed and that brute force mentality starts kicking in!!!

when you're reading this....scroll to the bottom left of the page and look at the "related articles". it grabs your title and looks for related topics already posted. you'll see exactly what you're looking for in one of the listed threads...the third one down: "92 Legacy Timing Belt", click on that link. links to FSM and other dead on material. there's a "search" button on the gray bar above that allows you to find these posts as well. this site makes this job CAKE! did for me the first time anyway, it was a breeze. i've done dozens of older generation subaru's but it's still easy. no special tools required.

all the information you need to do this are on this board. awesome write-ups, links to subaru endwrench guides with more pictures and info and details. very informative, i found everything i needed here and didn't have any problems at all. very straight forward doing the timing belts, find the subaru "endwrench" articles and print them out. the cam seals and oil pump have some little tricks, if you're goign to do those, you'll see that pointed out in the many timing belt threads here.

it does sound right and seems like it, but doesn't work out that way. i will say i've only done it on the XT6, guess others may differ, but i'd expect that for the same reasons the XT6 doesn't make any difference it would hold true for newer models as well. the internals of the trans are all still there even though the output is removed. if he does remove his he can do a before and after gas mileage check.

manual transmission should be golden, i didn't see that in your post, they rarely have issues. the auto's have more torque bind issues (completely different trans and failure modes, but similar results in driveability). you can still test it if you wish, i'd be very surprised if you have issues with a manual trans.

no savings. i've removed driveshafts, rear diff, rear axles....been there done that (years ago, not trying to save gas) but i watch my mileage like a hawk on highway driving. remove drive train = no difference.

if a loose connector was the suspected cause might be worth the trouble to have a look inside the connector and make sure there's no corrossion or dirt in it from not being seated tightly.

good call wayne, they always say here that installing the FWD fuse is the "test" to see if you have torque bind or not. if you install the fuse and it goes away, you just found your torque bind.

S, i've done it before on a 4EAT and manual XT6 without issue, i think you'd be fine. not saying it's ideal, but i don't think there's a high probability of having any issues.

awesome, a 97 legacy wagon with a 2.2? i thought they were always 2.5. pardon the confusion on my part. i wonder if CA got different motors than US in legacy of that year? the head gaskets can last nearly indefinitely on the 2.2 liter motors. seen plenty over 200,000 miles with the original head gaskets. overheating is what will kill them, otherwise they shouldn't fail. thermostat, radiator, water pump failing will cause overheat and a 10 or 20 year old head gasket won't stand up to overheating to well. that's why i say replace the water pump with the timing belt. no matter what the replacement interval is of the 2.2 (it's either 60k or 100k, not sure), either way if you don't know when the belt was done it should be checked/changed. i replaced mine last year at 60k. i'll replace it again at 120k with a new belt and water pump. i'm not going to hope for the old water pump to make 10 years and 150,000 miles. cheap insurance to install a new pump and belt. allows checking the timing bearings as well if you remove the belt. bad pulley/bearings will break a belt. checking is really hard to say, really old belts can still have markings on them. but they can be checked very easily by anyone willing to give up 10 minutes of their time. all you need is a 10mm socket wrench (or wrench)..i think thats' what it is, they all run together. anyway, there are left and right side timing covers that come right off and allow you to see the belt.

your question is loaded. Yes. And no. you already answered the question yourself by including the disclaimer "non-interference". If a timing belt breaks on a non-inteference engine then there will not be any internal engine damage regardless of year, make or model. but you said "pre-1997", not all pre-1997 subaru's were non interference. i think the 1996 2.5 liter motors were interference as well as the subaru SVX EG33. the 2.2 liter pre 1997 engines are all non-interference engines. a generic statement might be, "all non-SVX (EG33) 1995 and earlier subaru's are non-interference".

2.5 liter motors have a higher than normal percentage of head gasket problems, check out all the threads started due to this issue. $1,100 seems about the average head gasket replacement price tag at a shop. drive it awhile, let it sit and idle awhile...keep your eye on the temp gauge and look at/listen to the overflow reservoir for air bubbles. when they first start to fail it is very difficult to detect...which makes it really easy to sell too. if you don't mind the risk, the work, the money for replacing a head gasket then go for it. a 95 or earlier legacy, or up to 99 impreza (maybe later??) 2.2 liter outback is a better bet in my oppinion. they do not have the head gasket issues that the 2.5 has. i went with an impreza outback sport with the 2.2 for my wife and am glad i did. other than that, check for torque bind if it's an auto transmission. drive in really tight circles on solid pavement and feel for any "dragging", hopping, or signs the trans is binding. it's an interference motor, at that mileage youll want to make sure the timing belts and water pump are new. breakage there can cause major engine damage. if the timing belt isn't new plan on a $500+ timing belt replacment soon (or do it yourself cheaper).

where did you read about the 2wd distributor being an "upgrade"? i'd like to see that, never heard about it. on the studs. the miracle cure is to weld a nut on top of them and then you can use a socket wrench to get them out. this works every time. take note of the distributor position if you remove it to do this. this is so fast, it's the way to go every time. if you can't do that, use a left handed drill bit to drill them out. file it/grind it to make the top flat and drill center. it should eventually come out without messing the threads up so no need to helicoil. helicoil would work but i don't think you'll need to do that. do not use an EZ out- they suck. if it comes out with an easy-out that only means it probably would have come out with a good pair of channel locks.

yep. my current daily driver was converted to coil overs when i got it, i'm converting it back to air suspension! coil over is the way to go for sure, far less trouble that way. i like the air suspension.

color is all up to you, if there was a one size fits all solution we'd all be driving the same color! the original pearl white XT6 color is very nice and hides dirt and other markings well. dark cars show dirt/dust more. that's how i think anyway, i have other things i'd rather do than wash my car. if you want dark, check out the old Subaru XT6 sales brochures, there's a reason they stuck that dark maroon color on there, it's hot!

ECM is commonly used as well "M" for Module. i would bet they are interchangeable. XT6 ECU's swap between FWD, AWD, Automatic and 5 speed no problem. I do not know for sure, but i would bet the same is true of similar EJ models. in the older generation EA82's there are many different part numbers for turbo, non turbo and such. There are a few differences across model change years and MPFI, SPFI, etc and such but many of the ECU's are interchangeable. it really comes down to the wiring harness and i would guess that it is the same. I don't recall any major changes from 1997 - 1998. motor swaps are fine from 97-98 so i'd bet ECU's are as well.

frank, i got a caliper you can have. i won't have internet access all day, but you can call if you still need one. gary

i'm on here everyday and have yet to see info on doing anything to the new H6. ask the dealer to copy the pages from the FSM..or better yet buy an FSM if you plan on keeping the car/doing your maintenance. or stop at the autoparts store and thumb through a Haynes manual and see if they have the newer H6 covered (probably do) and if it gives you what you want. there are times special tools are needed, but usually they aren't necessary.

seen a few others grab the kuhmo's and have heard good things from them as well.

does he get a bone for that? i guess he doesn't bark all the time if it got you out of bed?

check out http://www.tirerack.com, they have all sorts of ratings, reviews and stuff for each tire brand/type. very good information and feedback from people that bought and used them. different types/tread/rubber have an affect on gas mileage as well, might want to look into those ratings. i don't know so i can't elaborate on the specifics.

depends how good your insurance is!! nipper being certified is the one you should listen to but i'll share my experience. buddy had a bad compressor in his honda that the shop wanted $1,300 to fix. i swapped in another one and i told him we needed to pull a vaccuum on it and i even have a vaccuum puller. he refused, he's impatient. he put about two cans of R134a in and the thing still blows colder than mine ever has to this day. can came with some cheap gauge and instructions on it. if i tried that mine would quit working in 4 months i know it!! $100 for parts and my free labor and he's been golden since. i've pulled vacuum and charged a/c myself. i'm not certified and i know little about refrigerant and stuff. i read up on the internet and got a set of gauges, vaccuum puller. (i'll admit i rarely use the gauges, boo for me) some subaru's (the XT6's for sure) have the glass you can look through. this isn't how you're "supposed" to do it, but it is a method that others have used and i have too without problem yet. again, it's not right, you're not supposed to, there's a "real" way...all that disclaimer stuff.

GT = Georgia Tech

head gasket. water flowed through the engine fine. in the thermostat, out the water pump side. noticed while turning the crank that i could hear "swishing" through the open radiator hoses. not good....removed some spark plugs and see coolant in cyilnder 1. the bad news is that i installed a brand new intake manifold gasket before installing the motor so it has to be a head gasket. i'll check first, but most likely head gasket. at least i found the problem. not what i wanted to find, but i can fix that.

EA82 timing pulley's aren't too expensive to buy from places like http://www.thepartsbin.com you can also repack the bearings yourself, see here: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=50430 the drivers side usually breaks first, it has to drive the oil pump, distributor and more pulleys to go around. the bearings in the pulleys will seize, your belt will begin to slide over the pulleys....heat up, wear the facing off and eventually break. best to replace or fix that noisey bearing.