GeneralDisorder

Good luck with the swap. Many (dozens) come here and say they are going to do stuff like that and few actually do. It's a lot more complex than most people realize. I put a frankenmotor in a Brat for a fellow member - it's about 190 HP give or take - which is 40 HP less than a 205. It's got so much power that the chassis had been permanently deformed and the doors don't close right anymore. It's very fast - as fast as an EJ20 WRX in a straight line we figure. The power to weight is favorable... but it's no kind of safe with that much power. The suspension and brakes are both sketchy above 85 MPH. What you want to do is possible - but if you have to ask "how" then you probably don't have the background or skills to do it. The 205 heads will not easily fit between the frame rails and you'll have to pull the engine out to change the spark plugs or even remove a plug wire . GD

The hitch mounts with some big bolts into the frame and on the tow-hooks - they come with the hitch typically. The one's I've installed have required the rear "under bumper" be cut in specific ways for proper mounting. GD

Surfacing is typically fine and more economical (~$25). I wouldn't bother with a new one. They aren't cheap for good one's. GD

No - you remove the flywheel (should be surfacing it anyway) and the pilot knocks out with a punch. Install using a properly sized socket. GD

Yes they are required. They are what allows the fork to pull the TO back so it is not in contact with the pressure plate. GD

Correct. None of the kits come with clips. You can get them at the dealer for a couple $. There are two that hold the TO to the fork. GD

I realize this is a zombie thread... but in the interest of useful infomation.... if you want to rule out the TO bearing just operate the fork with the cable slacked off or with the slave unbolted. You will be able to move the TO back so it is NOT in contact with the pressure plate. If the noise is still there in neutral - the input shaft bearing is shot. MOST of the time on these AWD 5MT's it's the input shaft bearing that's at fault. The TO's typically make noises when you press on the clutch and it gets quieter when you release the pedal. If the noise gets louder when the pedal is released and then louder still when the car is in motion - it's the input shaft bearing. A used tranny is an option to be sure - but anyone that knows these tranny's can replace that one bearing without spending the $300 to $500 for a used tranny. The bearing is $65 and it's three or four hours to change it. Now depending on shop rates that might mean it's about the same price but the bearing will be new and this is by far the most common failure on the 5MT's. You may get a good used one but you may get one that is going to need the same thing in 50k or less. GD

They are interchangeable - they made three peice units as well as five peice and also single-peice assemblies. The three peice is the most common and will work just fine. Just knock out whatever is in there and you'll understand how it works. The outer race is pressed into the arm and then the inner and outer cone's are installed followed by the seals. EA81 and EA82 rear 4WD bearings are identical. There should be no differences. GD

You already have a 6 lug truck pattern - why would you go to a 5 lug? That's just silly for a lifted wheeler. Especially for how much work it will be. Trust me when I tell you that the EJ205 has too much power for an EA81 chassis and will not fit well. It's also too complex for a wheeler and turbo's like to have the turbo spooled up to make power - which you can't really do when wheeling. You need gearing more than anything and a bit more power will help. An N/A EJ22 is the best choice along with a 5 speed D/R transmission. Not the AWD. GD

They help a lot if you don't use synthetic oil. They keep the oil temp much lower (around 60 to 70 degree's lower) and this reduces varnish formation. The cleanest engines I've seen were ones run with synthetic or an oil cooler or both. GD

Bad input shaft bearing. Possibly other damage if its been run low on fluid. That bearing is easy to change once you split the tranny. About $65 at the dealer. No telling what else is damaged though. Could be a basket case - you won't know till you open it. For sealing the tranny I use permatex anearobic or loctite 518. I use copious amounts of the stuff as it has become my go-to sealant for everything. I occasionally will use some ultra grey but not on transmissions. The transmission case is a perfect example of what anearobic was made for. GD

The module inside the alt is called the voltage regulator. The yellow wire goes to the ECU. I can't recall its exact operation.... IIRC it's something to do with fuel pump control. GD

I'm getting tired of all the engines I open up that have leaky cam seals (and front mains) because they were driven in too far or crooked. That's pretty much the extent of my complaint. The dealers and a couple other shops that haven't been drug into this are guilty too - "Mountain Tech" is a big offender since Terry (I think was his name - their resident expert) died a while back..... It seems that very little care is given to the instruction on how to *properly* install seals. Proper seal installation is critical for longest life.... the problem is that the leak won't show up for 10k or 20k or 40k.... entirely dependant on how badly it was installed. But it will not last the 105k till the next belt. And the shop either will not warantee it because "That was over 25k miles ago!" (I have no idea what their warantee period is) or the customer just doesn't know any better. Improper cam seal installation and subsequent leakage is eaily the #1 reason for opening up a timing belt before it's due in my experience when replacement of idlers and water pump are part of the job. Across the board this is routinely missed by mechanics everywhere. I don't know exactly why but I suppose it has to do with their background being in automotive where things are very often simplified far beyond belief for the modern "parts hanger" mentality that pervades even the dealerships. That and most other manufacturers put steps in the bore where the seal goes for the seal to shoulder against insuring it is both flush, not blocking return passages, and straight. Why Subaru does not..... I do not know. GD

I've had a couple of vehicles in my shop (one that I own) that have had their belts and cam seals done by Superior Import. Neither had the cam seals done correctly. As with a lot of shops the quality comes down to who does the job and I'm sure if Richie did it himself things would be different. But you only have so much control over the monkeys. Besides not having any employees other than myself I'm also cheaper GD

The duty Solenoid was not designed for full voltage all the time. You could harm it. And you won't save any gas as the autos are 90% front wheel drive anyway unless the wheels spin. GD

Those are very simple to change. Probably about three hours or so. Send me a PM or an email to cropperr (at) gmail (dot) com GD

Yeah - its chunky. It has some copper looking flakes, etc. You can use up to two bottles without issues of clogged cores, etc. I have had two bottles in my Forester for over a year. Works great. GD

One thing to note is that some of the newer stuff has a "clip" of sorts on the oil pump drive shaft that has to seat into one of the two drive slots on the TC... it only fits properly into ONE of them and not the other. This means that if the TC has come out of the tranny you need to first fish out the oil pump drive shaft and seat it onto the TC and then install both of them as an assembly. Why they have this extra clip I do not know - but it's there any should be checked for if you have something from the later 90's and beyond. I just encountered this on a '99 Forester with a factory rebuilt tranny in it. GD

The green valve is a solenoid valve - either EGR or EVAP purge solenoid.... route it accordingly. Neither are critical and you could just eliminate it and cap the components it goes to. You can run a new vacuum line from late-ported vacuum directly to the EGR valve so it will function for emissions testing. Everything else is superflous except the PCV system. Best thing you can do is install a Weber and route the PCV correctly. I have a number of threads where I have posted the correct routing including pictures. GD

It would be hard to get a helical rear chunk to fit into the R160 diff case. It has to do with the design of the helical and the way in which the rear diff requires that the stubs be removed in order to install the chunk.... or that it use "innie" axles. There isn't enough room for the helical components in either scenario. That's why the only types you will find on the R160 are clutch and viscous. GD

The whole front of the car is physically shorter on pre-facelift 1st gen's. I'm not going to say it can't be done.... but it's a real pain in the rump roast to do it. People have tried and come to the conclusion that it's not worth it. Trade someone for a '91 SS front end that will work on your car. Someone else will want that ugly '92+ post-facelift SS front end . Personally I find the '90/'91 front end to be much better looking than the '92+ front end. It has more character. I say cut in a hood-scoop in your existing '90 hood and call it a day. Get an SS grill of course.... GD

Where is it that you are planning to solder? If you mean removing the main connectors that attach the engine harness to the car harness I would not do that... I would try to find the real problem and if it's actually the connector itself then source another harness. Any 90/91 non-turbo manifold harness should work. Butt splices are for temporary work only in my book. They are NEVER ok for permanent wiring jobs. When I worked for a manufacturer of industrial equipment butt splices were explicitly disallowed by our wireing guidelines. If you need to joint two wires you can use many methods but a crimp-type butt splice is just asking for problems down the line. If you must use one then use the heat-shrink variety that can be sealed from the elements. GD

The STi uses an R180 rear differential (180mm ring gear). I should have specified R160 when I said that. I don't think the R180 will bolt-up to an R160 rear suspension without some modifications. Granted it could be done.... but the price point on those also makes them a non-option for most besides being a non-bolt-in part and taking "innie" rear axles that would have to be custom made for anything but an EJ based vehicle. And yeah - I was talking about EA/early EJ diffs. Not the newest stuff of which I know only a little. GD

Thanks for the reccomendation on db - I will likely change them. The other's will make good replacements in another EA81. I'll shelve them for the next hatch with completely blown speakers. My hatch has all the carpeting, insulation, rear seats, and inner paneling removed and will have an EJ in the future with a "free flowing" exhaust. It's not terrible but it's not quiet either. GD

No walkthrough's because it's about the easiest motor swap you'll ever do. It's just like any other rear wheel drive layout. Just with some axles pinned to the side of the tranny going to the front wheels. GD