GeneralDisorder

That's not always the case - the 25D is a gamble with blown head gaskets - this routinely results in bottom end failure down the line due to repeated overheating and not changing the engine oil. They are also more expensive to maintain - valve adjustments, timing belt kits, etc all add to the cost of ownership over the 2.2. An EJ22 with torque cams (less than $200) is a good comprimise. GD

Aluminium push-rods with steel caps are for solid lifter engines. Without pulling the oil pan and checking the actual lifters I'm not sure you will be able to verify hydro vs. solid if you think the push-rods were changed out. Sounds like it has some mismatched parts though - be that valve covers or push-rods I don't know. Valve adjustment is done with the valve unloaded. Pull both covers and then just proceed with each cylinder in sequence - leave your ratchet handle and socket on the crank so you can spin it as you go. That's how I do the EA81's - better than jumping back and forth and possibly miss something. GD

Pull axle and it's fine. That's what I do. Though I have driven quite a few miles on my welded diff (welded by me) with the axles in place and haven't broken the diff yet - sometimes after taking it off-road I'm too tired to care about pulling the axle . I've also snapped rear axle cups doing it too. GD

I think what they are trying to say is "use any sealant called for by the maker of the gasket". Which on the case of Subaru and the felpro gaskets - means use nothing. GD

I don't know of ANY Subaru gasket that requires additional application of sealant. They either use sealant or a gasket - never both. Though I do apply RTV to the old cork stuff as it keeps it from absorbing oil. GD

And you probably will be till one of the following happens: 1. Rear main shaft bearing failure 2. Syncro grinding/failure 3. Shift-shaft failure 4. Blown up from too much power. I love an MT myself - it's all I drive personally...... But reality sucks - the AT's are better tranny's. I've replaced tons of MT's. I've replaced exactly one 4EAT. They are hard to kill. One example of diff failure is not representative - I can show plenty of examples of MT failure and plenty more of AT's that just won't die. My '99 Forester has 242k on the original AT and it shifts great. And with paddle shifters, ability to change the torque bias with a control knob, superior AWD performance...... it's hard to not like them just a little bit. Hell the 2010 Forester in my family has manual mode.... GD

Just some info - I needed to go from EA82 PS lines to my EA81 rack. A1-Coupling in Tualitin soldered JIC fittings to the existing hard-lines on both sides and built me custom hoses for a perfect fit. Cost was less than $75 out the door. Beautiful work too. GD

Overall the AT's are excelent transmissions - better at AWD than the 5MT's and more reliable as well as capable of handling a lot of power. As with anything you need to check fluid levels and notice things like big oil slicks under the car . GD

That EJ22 Legacy is like the space shuttle compared to your EA82 - which is more like a horse and buggy. EA82's are total crap compared to the EJ series. Get the car, put the engine in your Loyale. That's a 45 HP uprgrade and better reliability. GD

Automatic's occasionally fail - but not the MT's. They have other problems but not the front diffs. GD

Stripped hub splines - improper axle installation and/or castle nut torque. GD

Short answer - no it will not. If the front diff were bad then the transmission would be shot internally and it likely wouldn't move at all. Probably a stripped hub or broken axle. Subaru front diffs do not die like that. GD

No sealant on Subaru head gaskets. EVER. GD

Could be that you have a burned exhaust valve. A late 96 or early 97 with a late 96 build date would have solid lifters that need adjusting every 105k. If not done it can lead to a burned valve. GD

It does not pull out - it is crimped in place. You may have to source another fusible link box with a good crimp on the white supply side wire and then solder your wire (or new wire) to it a couple inches down. I suspect you have a corroded connection there and it's going to be a real pain to clean it and repair it. Better to find a used replacement that hasn't seen so much mud. GD

That fusible link should be the black one on your car - it's the largest of the three (1.25 square mm cross-section), and has a current load of like 21 amps. You definitely have a bad connection - I don't think the alt or it's wireing is your trouble because if it were then the other links would be damaged as well. That black link is like $10 from the dealer or you can find them at the junk yards, etc. I would start simple - verify that the connectors under the link are clean and not corroded, etc. Same with the wires going to the fusible link box, etc. That is a common point of corrosion and high resistance - it creates heat which will damage and burn up the links after a short time. My guess is that your problem is very close to that area. GD

We need to know a bit about it - there were two engines used in '81. And as above - these are very dependable and the engines routinely last 350k+ miles when maintained. What's the symptom you are having? GD

Won't fit without notching the frame rails. More than twice as much - rebuild on the DOHC heads is over twice as much (~$500 for the set), and the cams are WAY over twice as much. Like over $500 for the 4 cams vs. ~$175 for the SOHC's. GD

You have a DOHC 2.5 known as the EJ25D. GD

It's not real easy to turn the cam by hand anyway. You are going to have to overcome valve spring pressure no matter what to turn the cam. It won't hurt anything. Was a valve job done on this thing? Why didn't they cut the stems when they faced the valves and cut the seats? That's standard practice. It should have been setup so that it was basically the same as it was when it went together. GD

No because it doesn't have AC. But an EA82 with "2" fans (AC equipped model) as he indicated it has would have an electric on the passenger side and a mechanical clutch fan on the driver's side. That's how they were built. EA81's (previous gen) and EJ's (next gen) both have dual electric fans (except EA81T's) and thus the EA82 is the odd-ball with respect to cooling fan layout. GD

You have to remove the mechanical fan from the water pump, then unbolt the fan shroud and slip both out before you can remove the radiator. Yes - it's a pain in the rump roast. GD

I did adjustments on the hydro's in my EA81's before I ever touched a SBC (have one now in my '69 truck) and thus that's how I've been doing them. My 350 sat for many years and has a ton of miles on it (but runs alright and seems in decent shape considering) and when I did an adjustment on it I just did it using the Subaru method. Works fine. I'm not entirely sure of the logic - probably to bleed out the squishyness (air) and make sure you are adjusting the lifter with only oil in it..... that's my assumption anyway. GD

Either method would work. You just don't want the lifter at the end of it's travel - you want it slightly compressed. The FSM on the EA81's has a procedure that is similar to what I mentioned - compressing them and waiting for a bit..... GD

You don't have to - just install the cam and let it open the valves - they will bleed down once you start cranking it. GD