GeneralDisorder

Being a '90..... they have phantom code issues. Both '90 and '91 tend to do that... they will throw half a dozen codes at you and seemingly be unaffected. I have a customer with a '90 that threw 6 codes at me one day.... wouldn't clear them.... but ran perfectly fine and gets 30 mpg. I would start with code 35 - since that's an easy fix and quite likely that the solenoid is bad as that happens a lot. It's under the passenger side of the intake manifold runner..... test it and if it's bad replace it or solder in a 33 Ohm, 5 watt resistor in it's place to fool the ECU. It just wants to see the resistance from the driver coil. 41 I have never seen before. That's a strange one..... The rest are pretty common. I would test the solenoid and see if it's bad and then go from there. If it's not bad then you probably have a wireing or ground issue. GD

It's been running since I posted this. No sub or anything yet. Massive improvement over stock though. I think I shouldn't have gone with such cheap front speakers - should have spent another $30 and got something louder. GD

Why would you check ebay? I don't understand what you are trying to determine using ebay as a reference?? GD

As far as anyone can tell - they are all 3.7. The *mythical* factory 3.9 LSD hasn't shown up that I have seen. You can take the guts out and put them into any other ratio diff including 3.9, 4.111, and 4.444. It's not a hard swap. GD

No - older models used a clutch-type LSD. The VLSD was (AFAIK) introduced on the '91 SS (in the US) though there has been rumor of 3.9 VLSD's coming out of XT6's.... aparently it may have been an option that you could order.... '80s models all used the clutch-type though. No production models have used anything but viscous since the late '80s with the exception of the STi. And no production models have come with front LSD's except the STi. All you can get (stock) in anything that isn't an STi is a VLSD since '89. GD

The vast majority of LSD discussion here and elsewhere is *about* rear LSD's. Those come stock on many models from the mid-'80s on. All WRX's and STi's have them as well as my '91 Sport Sedan (SS) and many others including some turbo Foresters, and Outback XT's, etc. The other recent post by Zap in this section deals entirely with rear LSD's and what people have noticed about how they react depending on type. GD

Oh - well in that case bring a friend. I'm a bit less than double your weight so take what I say with that in mind . You could do it I'm sure - just have to employ some "egyptian" methods . GD

I don't see why the diff itself wouldn't last that or more. There's not much to go wrong in a Torsen type 1 (the OBX "Helical" is such an animal). It's just a bunch of gears that bind with each other in turns..... nothing to wear like a clutch type and no fluid to break down like a viscous. Jacob would be a better source for this question. It's going to be more "work" to drive the car with a lot of switch-backs, etc.... but I imagine with power steering it wouldn't be nearly as much.... but I would expect the power steering to actually "help" the diffs ability to recenter the wheels so it would still be something you would need to get used to and pay close attention in turns because it does affect how the car pulls. If it was a shop that is familair with Subaru transaxles then I would say..... probably. But a very respected Subaru performance shop in WA quoted the kid who Jacob bought the '96 STi tranny from something like $1500 to rebuild it. Which is rediculously low considering what needed to be replaced on the transmission. In fact if it weren't being used expressely for rally-x racing and I were actually going to charge someone for parts and labor I wouldn't have rebuilt it at all - the gears were chewed up something feirce from a bearing cage that "went missing" into 5th gear.... 5th gear was totaled and completely unusuable and 4th, 3rd, and 2nd had enough wear that they make a "ghost turbo" whine when you are in them.... this would have been enough for me to condemn the transmission to the scrap heap if I were a legitimate business and a man-off-the-street wanted it rebuilt. Either that or it would need a whole new gearset and that would run about $1500 just for the parts. How they could have possibly quoted $1500 for parts and labor is beyond me - unless they didn't see the gear wear and were planning on reusing them.... at which point I would have to say their tech was incompetant because there's no way you could use 5th and with how much metal went through it all the primary bearings were suspect as well. Add in the syncro's, labor, etc.... not happening for the quoted price. GD

Easily. I've seen them hauled in first gen Legacy trunks and STi trunks... etc. They are about 75 to 100 lbs or so. Not hard to move around. GD

Agreed - but I don't think there's a high percentage of members here that have the skills to do it. No offense to the crowd but proper setup on the front diff is a pretty critical operation.... you were there when I did your's and it took me.... probably a couple hours (?) to get it setup where I was comfortable with it. And that's *just* setting the R&P clearances. That's not dissasembly and reassembly and if you are going to install a $400 front diff upgrade then you would be pretty foolish to not also install $150 worth of new syncro's and replace any suspect bearings *at the least*. I bet I have 30+ hours into that transmission of yours with reaserch on part numbers, dissasembly of a couple donor tranny's, and all the work pressing the shafts apart and back together again.... it's a mess inside these things and if you aren't experienced with bearing fit's, press work, and precision measureing, etc.... DO NOT attempt it. You will just end up throwing away a lot of money. GD

There aren't any "proven" upgrades other than swapping that engine out for an EJ. An EJ22 will make more power without the turbo, will get better mileage doing it, and will outlast the POS you currently have by at least double or tripple..... multiply that by another 10x if you mod your 82T. It's a waste of time and money and will end in tears. If you want to keep driving it for any length of time march down to the dealer and have them order ALL the coolant hoses in the car, get a good two-row radiator in it, and if you want a mod that will help it live longer add a 2.0 WRX intercooler but don't touch the boost. Just leave it be but keep it cool and you might get some mileage out of it. GD

An alternator produces alternating (AC) current. That is passed through a bridge rectifier and then through a voltage regulator. If either of those fail the alternator can emit AC current and/or can produce voltages higher than 14.5. Either of these will have adverse effects on various circuits in the car. Sometimes it will burn stuff out (bulbs, etc), and sometimes AC current will defeat diode protected circuits and illuminate the "christmas tree" and other odd behavior can and will occur - gauges will read incorrectly if not given the voltage and/or current type they expect.... etc. You should do some searches - this is covered fairly often. GD

It's normal for the radiator fans to cycle with the d-check connectors (green) plugged together. That just indicates you are in d-check mode. You have to use the white (or black) connectors to read stored codes. You have it in test mode - that is a different procedure designed to uncover faults that are not found in the normal test routines the ECU goes through. GD

I haven't noticed any differerence in reliability - they probably are more effecient by a bit. And they can be rebuilt and serviced by a good radiator shop which is a nice plus. I also go for the metal one's when it's an option. GD

I would imagine they bend or break at the ends where they engage the shift collars. I doubt you could break one where they are attached to the rod. That portion is a lot thicker. GD

Pictures are.... only somewhat useful for people that haven't had a transmission apart before. There's a lot going on inside there and I really don't think that static pictures will tell the whole story. You have to open one up, run it through the gears and see how it works as you turn things to fully understand it. GD

Replacing the shift forks is possible if one is broken..... but you have to open the trans to do it so it's not really worth discussing till you open it and find out that's the actual problem. The forks are held to rods with set-screws. GD

You have a very simple, and incorrect, mental image of how electrons work. Trust me when I say a bad alternator can and will make your whole electrical system freak out. Get it tested. GD

+1 -It's most likely fried. Just install a used one and then open it up to learn how they work. Then you won't have to ask so many questions next time . I've seen some UGLY internal failures on 5MT's. Everything from gear sets torn apart, to bearing failures, to center diff's that have eaten themselves... and everything in-between. There's a lot that can go wrong inside there if people are really mean to them. It is unlikely that it's something you can fix and have any kind of "good feeling" about using. There's often so much metal inside them that I wouldn't feel good about using the parts that are "still good". I just rebuilt an STi 5MT from Japan.... I told the customer going in that it would make noises in some of the gears from the wear. But there was nothing to do about it - it's a special STi gearset - close ratio.... can't get replacements. And it does whine in 2,3, and 4. But it works great so he's happy. GD

Sounds like the alternator to me also. Over-voltage and AC current most probably. Did the engine actually overheat or just a high reading on the gauge? GD

Unless the arcing damage is serious - I doubt you have a problem with the coil pack. If that were the case then you would also be seeing misfire's from the #4 cylinder as well. 1/2 and 3/4 share a coil - it's a "wasted spark" system..... Have you pulled the plug to check for damage or strange coloration? If that doesn't pan out..... you aren't going to like this..... run a compression check. You might be looking at a burnt exhaust valve. Has the engine received it's proper valve adjustment every 105k? Ever? You can't neglect that on the EJ25D and expect to get away with it forever - you will burn a valve sooner or later.... GD

You can use a radiator for a '96 Legacy GT (2.5) - it will be the all-metal variety that you want. You will also have to swap over to the individual support brackets for the top with the rubber bushings..... probably order them through the dealer. But yes - it will fit without any mods other than changing the top bracket. GD

No - the CA feedback carbed models had a real live relay that was controlled by the ECU like an EJ engine. If you disconnect the ECU the fuel pump will not run. GD

Should be behind the passenger side rear access panel in the trunk area.... it's a cylinder looking deal. I would make sure the problem isn't in the bulb socket - otherwise it's probably wireing as you surmise. Here's the crappy part though - it's not limited to the circuit between the bulb checker module and the bulb.... the bulb check circuit will tell you the bulb is out if there is a break anywhere in the circuit for that side of the car. They probably share a power lead though so it's probably near there or close.... if the car has a trailer hitch I would start with any wireing associated with that. GD

As I said - you need the plastic tensioner nut. It is not "pot metal" - it is plastic and it's $6. Trust me on this.... GD