GeneralDisorder

Not specifically - it was a recall(ish?) deal from the early 90's.... you could find all the same parts on a 93/94 Loyale I believe. The kits are pretty cheap from the dealer IIRC - just have them lookup the long, sweeping right hand turn recall kit.... people who complained got it installed for a minimal fee or free I'm sure so I think the cost of the kit from the dealer is negligable.... GD

Did you replace the piston seal "ring"? I've had bad luck with non-OEM seal rings - the one's I've tried were much too tight in the bore and I had to revert to the OEM one (wasn't leaking - just wanted to replace it on general principle while I had it apart) and no problems since. GD

Yeah - can't hurt anything. I just wouldn't expect a lot from it. Even the clutch-type LSD's are really too small for a wheeler - the difference between a welded diff and a clutch type is like night and day. And the clutch type is the better of the two Subaru LSD's. The Viscous is neat on my '91 SS while cornering on pavement - though I didn't notice that it did much on snow last time I tried that..... Still - can't hurt anything as you say. GD

Stock guages are not even remotely accurate. The fan running all the time is bad. That indicates a problem in itself. You are prepared to install a second fan when you don't really know anything - you don't know the actual manifold temp, you don't know the delta-T across the radiator, you don't know or haven't said the status/brand/temp of the thermostat, you don't why the existing fan is running all the time...... in other words you know nothing at all. You have not taken the appropriate steps for myself or anyone else on this board to be in any way helpful nor have you any (good) reason other than some seat-of-the-pants feelings and speculation as to if another fan is even needed. I'll tell you right now that it's not if everything is working correctly. GD

Belts are going over 100k before needing any type of service. Do you really want to risk running *any* system past that? (let alone hydraulic cam-adjusters, and all that extra garbage in there). That seems to be a magic number and with any type of OHC system I don't think I would want to leave that stuff uninspected for more than 100k. My guess is the only real win is the VVT. It will still likely have a major maintenance interval at 105k and I can't see it costing *less* than the EJ's in terms of that specific service bill. Labor will be the same, possibly more, and there will be consumables, water pump, gaskets, seals, etc. It will probably be more expensive to work on as has been the case with each passing year and each new model.... GD

Profit might be marginal but if you offer an entire product line then you can keep the customer through their changing needs - Toyota is so huge because there is a large following of people that will drive nothing else - doesn't matter if they need a compact, family sedan, small SUV, large SUV, small truck, or large truck.... Toyota has them covered. Subaru builds small stuff in other countries - it's not like they have to engineer something brand new. They just have to tool up a portion of the US factory to make some. Like I said - they keep missing the boat with stuff - like the SVX, Baja, and Tribeca... all relatively unpopular additions to their line because they didn't implement them correctly for the age bracket they were trying to hit. SVX had no 5/6 speed option (which it just begs for with it's powerful engine and sporty appearance), Baja was not even close to the Brat it tried to draw upon for inspiration, and the Tribeca is an overpriced, ugly monster that kept buyers away with it's looks, price, and propensity for requireing premium gas in it's early years.... Basically the stuff they have tried seems very "unrefined" and without any real thought put into what the consumers might actually want in such a car..... they seem to dumb the cars down way too much and end up hitting a 50-something crowd instead of the 30-something crowd that would be their biggest market. GD

Yeah - totally lame. GD

I agree - Subaru is missing the boat on an EJ powered econobox for the US market. Lots of sales being missed due to Honda (Fit), Toyota (Yaris), and Nissan (Versa). Subaru needs a FWD (AWD optioned) sub-compact again like the old Justy. For some reason Subaru keeps trying to be a Japanese equivelent to BMW, Audi, and the other high-end brands. They are ignoring their following and their heritage - just as they have been doing for years. The Baja would have actually sold if it was like the concept and not just an Outback with no roof . IMO, their marketing people are idiots with the exception of the WRX/STi line of sport compacts. GD

Very unlikely. Intake and exhaust are not very resrictive on an EJ22. If you don't beleive me - just look at the intake and exhaust on the EJ25's - they are very little different. Yes the heads have larger ports that flow better, etc - but the intake plumbing, throttle body, etc are not the restrictions that people think they are. CIA is worth nothing, and dangerous besides.... My head guys say there's just no point in port/polish work on the EJ22 heads - they don't benefit from it enough to bother. The torque cams you used will probably DECREASE peak HP but will give a significant increase in off-idle torque. That will make it accelerate harder at lower RPM's - which definitely increases the fun factor of the engine. You aren't making *more* power - you are just moving it around in the RPM range. Low-end grunt is nice for anything up to about 65 MPH. After that it won't make much difference - but frankly I would rather daily drive a car that can get to 65 MPH quick than one that can do 100 MPH and still be pulling like a frieght train - I can't legally go that fast on public roads so it's irrelevant to me GD

Are you *sure* the leak is around these hoses and not the throttle body boot, etc? I have not seen a problem with those before - but you should probably get the kit to prevent oil burning on long, sweeping right hand turns - it replaces most of those hoses and fittings in that area anyway.... GD

No - not even close. Totally different platforms. GD

The viscous LSD won't do much to help out off-road. It's a "street" diff and doesn't lock quickly enough at low speeds to be of any real use off the street. GD

I have not had a problem with any of the 4-layer MLS gaskets. They are a turbo-style gasket and I think you would probably crack a head or melt something before you blew one. GD

You cannot use the EA82 manifold with the EA81 style power steering. It just will not work. You also cannot use the carter-weber manifold. You will need an EA81 Hitachi manifold to do a Weber swap. Unfortunately that is your only option - or lose the PS or switch to a later EA81 block that has the bolt bosses for the EA82 PS pump bracket - then switch to an EA81T crank pulley, water pump, and alt pulley...... WAY more work than you are looking for I'm sure. GD

He used Shuck's (Oreily's) gaskets . But apparently they were MLS - I asked him about them and he confirmed they were MLS..... so who knows - they might just be rebranded OEM. I'm not sure any of the members here are brave enough to buy a set just to see . We'll see how they last. But a failure is a learning experience so no big deal. It got him along and now he got a decent job, a new woman, and a house with a garage. So even if they fail again he's still in a better place from doing them himself. GD

Normal. GD

The stock jetting should be fine for sea level. Buy an extra 55 idle jet just in case it doesn't like progression from idle to mains. All my EA81's run fine with a 50 though. GD

Yes - the MLS stands for "Multi Layer Shim" and you can (usually - unless you are in the rust belt ) tell by looking at them and counting the layers you see. The composite one's (original) look like the exhaust gaskets - they have a graphite impregnated, perforated metal appearance. The MLS gaskets just look like a stack of metal sheets (which is exactly what they are - with some space-age sealant stuff on them). Early redesign was 3 layer and later they went to a 4 layer. I bought a '99 not long ago that already had the 4 layer's in it and I just bought a '97 with the 3 layer's in it and both were holding just fine so I wouldn't turn down a 3-layer equipped car. If they are still composite - definitely a bargaining tool because they will have to be replaced before considering driving it any distance. GD

Well - you should be doing a valve adjustment anyway - so you are (hopefully) not totally hosed. You need to check each lifter for clearance with the cam lobe - you do this with a feeler gauge with the valve "unloaded" (closed). Intake valves need to be set to .008" and exhaust to .010". If they are too tight then you need to change the shim on top of the bucket. You will likely find several exhaust valves that need new (smaller) shims. They are around $6 each from the dealer but you will have to measure the old shim (micrometer), subtract the amount of clearance you need to add to get to the desired spec, and translate that into metric. Then you can order the new shim. Your local dealer should have a list of shim sizes and part numbers handy in their parts departement. The reason you need to do a valve adjustment: if the clearances close up to zero you will "hang a valve" open and it will burn - causing a loss of compression in that cylinder and an expensive repair bill from your machine shop - not to mention another head gasket job GD

Sometimes people just need to jump in and learn by making a mistake or two. A mistake or two will still likely not cost the $1000 difference if you are careful and observe at least the rule of turning the engine over a couple complete revolutions to be sure the timing isn't so off that there is internal interferance. Too often in our society people want to be insulated from making a mistake or hurting themselves. I see failure as an oppotunity for education. And if you eliminate failure then there's not much joy in success. And shops screw stuff up - I see it on every car I buy. Something I would have done better/different/etc where some idiot at a shop stuck his fat little fingers where they didn't belong..... I have a recent aquaintence that completed a head gasket job on his '97 SUS (EJ25D) about 6 months ago (before he met me). He's an electrician by trade but had limited wrenching experience - mostly oil changes, etc. Hard times ensued with divorce, job loss, and near homelessness.... when the head gaskets blew the situation was such that he was either doing the job himself or walking because $1800 just didn't exist in his budget. He bought a Haynes manual and the neccesary parts and did the job in the parking lot of his apartment complex - no USMB, no advice from me or anyone else, and no roof either. And in the end - he is HAPPY that adversity showed him a better way. He is not scared to replace a wheel bearing or hit the junk yard in search of something anymore. It turned out very well and runs just fine. Though he knows that *next* time he's going to pull the engine because doing them with it in the car is a PITA GD

Carbsunlimited sells the adaptor plates as well as the air filters. I don't like the kits from Redline - I prefer to buy the carb, adaptor, and filter seperate so I know I'm getting what I want. The kit does not give you the choice of choke style or filter size and the filter it comes with is too tall for a non-lifted Subaru. GD

If it was a valve problem then it would show on a comp. test. Burned exhaust valve would probably be around 75 psi or less. The one I just did was 60 psi and the one before that was 5 (yes just 5) . GD

'99 is a phase-I engine. It will not leak externally on the head gaskets - they blow into the combustion chamber causing the cooling system to pressurize and blow the coolant into the overflow bottle (the infamous "bubbles in my overflow"). Eventually this leads to a loss of coolant and the water pump stops circulation causing a rapid overheat. It can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours to overheat. If you look at the head gaskets you should be able to tell if they are original (composite), 3 layer MLS, or 4 layer MLS (newest). If they are any of the MLS variety's then they have already been replaced at some point. 2000+ is a phase-II engine and will weep coolant on the ground. Those are much less dangerous as you can use the conditioner and keep them topped off and they should never cause an overheat. GD

I understand where you guys are comming from - I really do. I do work for people like this all the time. This is a judgment call the OP has to make. I'm just offereing a different veiwpoint - one that is often ignored - that you CAN do a head gasket job and it's not that hard even for someone that hasn't done one before. Yes it's going to take a few more hours than an oil change - but it's completely doable with basic hand tools, a $20 torque wrench, and a rented cherry picker. All the hard stuff is done by the machine shop when you take the heads in..... all you have to do is dissasemble and reassemble. I agree that often making/saving money should be secondary, but when it crosses that "I'm about to lose $1000 or more" line in the sand.... well I can think of much better ways to spend that $1000 than on some head gaskets.... . Obviously that's a moving target and $1000 is a large sum of money to me but probably not a lot to quite a few people..... then again we are on a Subaru forum talking about an 8 y/o car so..... I would wager that $1000 is a bunch to most of us. Personally I also feel that a man should be master of his environment..... I actually get a lot of enjoyment out of doing most things for myself. GD

Yeah I've never seen that. I would use a heli-coil myself. Don't go with the aluminium pulley - get a stock one. They can be had with or without rubber - most of the earlier 2.2's were solid steel. I wouldn't loctite the bolt either. The rotation of the engine tends to tighten them so as long as you get them tight enough not to back out you will be fine. GD