GeneralDisorder

You can't check for warpage without a ground machinists straight edge. Chances are good that if it is actually checked by a machine shop they will say to resurface it. The spec is far lower than is actually tollerable in real life, and also the resurfacing is done as much to provide the proper surface finish as it is to remove warpage. With proper cleaning it is highly unlikely that you would have a problem just reinstalling them It is also pretty easy to resurface them yourself with a thick peice of glass, some wet/dry paper and WD40. That is also the only way to check for warpage without a straight edge. I've done heads this way and it takes an hour or so per head but the results are very nice and it's very controllable from a surface finish perspective. Though I'm sure you aren't into measuring RA and such. GD

Yes if you have the seat belts. They are original equipment and they are legal for passengers in all 50 states. Just like it's legal to ride around with no shoulder belts in my '69 GMC - it didn't come with them. GD

Yeah - no worries - just PM me if you need any advice. GD

5 speed or Automatic? 1. Generally, No. 2. Yes GD

If it was me I would just use an SPFI tank and make it work. There are probably small differences with the SPFI/MPFI tanks but people put EJ22's into SPFI cars all the time without any issues. You might need to adapt some of the hose sizes, etc but it's not really a big deal. The tank will handle the pressure and volume easily. What you don't want is a carbed tank. It won't have the baffles that are needed for fuel injection. SPFI tanks should be much easier to find used since they made them up till '94. GD

Sounds like you have a power supply issue to the rear. "Rear Harness" problems aren't unheard of in Subaru's. The wires run a long way and through some places that aren't ideal like the door jams, etc. They can get pinched due to improper installation and they can be exposed to leaks and spills, etc. The fuse block is not something that's simple to replace - it's integrated to the harness in a non-trivial way and would either involve an INSANE amount of soldering, etc or the whole front harness has to be replaced. In any case I highly doubt you have a problem there and that can easily be verified by checking for voltage on either side of the appropriate fuses. Which is the first step in tracking down your problem. Blindly replacing parts is going to be frustrating and not effective since the problem probably isn't with a part but rather a section of bad harness - my guess would be somewhere between the passenger kick panel where all the rear harness connectors are located and the trunk where many leaks and potential problems exist. I've had shorts in circuits that were so difficult to find it was easier just to run a new wire from the rear harness connector to the back of the car - I had an '86 sedan with a non-functional fuel gauge that I solved by running a new wire to the sending unit and splicing it to the correct pin on the rear harness connector. I ran the wire alongside the existing harness loom and you could never tell that I addded it with the interior put back together. Your door ajar indicators are indicative of the 90/91 models. You need to adjust the door latch on the body side. Loosen the two large phillips screws, smack the latch inward with a dead-blow, etc and retighten. I had the same issue with my last '91 and the previous owner had install a battery disconnect switch so the indicator lamps wouldn't kill the battery. . Same thing occured with my '91 SS - I've had to adjust the door latches on every 90/91 I've come across. GD

If the tank isn't rusted to the point of leaking, ect then the cleaner/sealer kits work pretty well. Although with how common EA82's are I would be tempted to just locate a clean used tank. It shouldn't be hard. GD

AC work is pretty generic - especially on the older stuff so you shouldn't need more than the FSM and some knowledge of AC (refrigeration) systems which you can buy a tech manual for at most auto parts stores. To do most AC service work you are going to need at least a manifold/gauge set and a small vacuum pump as well as the appropriate fittings for your R12 based system. GD

Technically it isn't. Other sizes will throw off the speedo a bit. But all things considred it's not a real big deal. I've had Les Schwabb install 185's on a 2WD (175) car before. They had no problem with it and did exactly as I requested. GD

If you took it up to 60 with that loud of a noise it's not a rod bearing. It would have thrown it out the top of the block. I've seen it several times and done it once myself. GD

Yeah - good call. 185's are standard on 4WD GL's. 175's are standard on DL's/2WD's. I wasn't aware the STD called for 155's but I guess it makes sense in a weird way. GD

When you get the manifold and carb, send me a PM. I built and installed it so I'll be able to assist you with installation. In the mean time you need to pickup two EA81 manifold gaskets from your local dealership and start prepping the manifold bolts for removal. They don't always play nice so it could be a real fun time removing them. Gently try to spin them and if they don't start turning then you will need to spray them down and start "shocking" them with a hammer and punch. Eventually you will be able to start working them back and forth and they should come out. If they are seized into the manifold itself the heads of the bolts might just twist off - in that case you can work some penetrant down into the bolt shaft and probably pull the manifold over the broken stud and deal with it that way. What you want to avoid at all costs is having them break off flush with the head - that will be a much bigger problem if that happens. GD

You should reseal it and drive on. Couple reasons: 1. Your skill level isn't ready for an engine rebuild. That's a whole ball of yarn you don't want to unravel and it won't be done by the time you need to drive it. 2. As long as the compression is decent, it should have at least another 100k in it. My daily driver EA81 hatch (which wasn't anything like "well cared for" by it's previous owners) has like 250k+ on it and it just won't die. These engine are well known as being arguably the best Subaru engine ever made and will easily handle 350k before some major mechanical failure claims them. GD

I would pull the engine - I'm not convinced that's a bearing. Rod bearings typically don't come and go like that - broken flex-plate maybe? Timing belt components...... And for the reccord - rod bearings don't typically "spin". They just wear to the point of being sloppy and eventually they fly apart. That's not something that happens overnight or immediately following an oil change. GD

Yikes! And my friend Ed had one in his '90 AWD Automatic..... with outback struts and wheels/tires . He said it was actually scary how slow the car was with a reduction of *only* 25 HP. GD

Go to WalMart, etc and get a mechanical gauge for $10. GD

Could also be the sending unit for the guage. I would take a reading with a mechanical gauge. Anytime I see wild flucutations or readings of zero while running I double check the gauge since they are known to not be accurate. GD

Funny - I got a running EA81 for free a few months back. The engine isn't worth squat. Not one that came out of that heap anyway. The guy is off his rocker - tell him to pound sand. GD

Yeah - it's worth nothing. It's a parts car at most and as those go it's worth about the same as a wagon, hatch, etc. They all have the same exact parts with the exception of the body - which is trash. I would offer to haul it off for scrap. I wouldn't even give them any money because it's going to cost you to haul it, strip it, and rid yourself of the shell. BTW - it's an '84 or '85 by the grill and side-step. '83 would have a different grill and '86 would have no side step. GD

Legacy's are heavy and losing 45 HP isn't going to be pretty. I know someone that had an EJ18 in his Legacy for a while and even that was pretty bad. GD

Actually anything newer than '95 will be a computer hookup test. So the CEL will prevent you from passing. And in any case a CEL will prevent any car from passing regardless of OBD-II or not. If they see the light it's an instant fail. The first thing you need to do is buy an OBD-II scan tool. As for the knocking sound - the '99 EJ22 would be a second gen and has solid lifters. Perhaps they need adjustment at that high mileage. Other than that I would take a close look at all the timing belt components as they can make ugly noises when they are neglected. Bottom end fail is possible but not very likely. I've seen stranger things at lower mileage though. Abuse/neglect can and will fail almost anything that to us normal Subaru owners would be nigh impossible just because we occasionally check fluids and generally know how to drive and watch gauges. GD

Lots of info on this around here. 1. Basically - most people have bad luck with aftermarket cats and sensors. 2. It could be the cat, but it also could be the sensors, or possibly exhaust leaks, or combinations of all three. Typically you replace the sensors first (front and rear) and only replace the cat if the code comes back again and if the code continues to return then it's down to finding and fixing leaks, etc. 3. It's very expensive. Alternatively you can install a spark plug non-fouler between the exhaust and the rear sensor to lean out the signal from the rear sensor and placate the ECU's sensitive catalyst check routine. Fixing it the right way could cost near $750 to $1000. Fixing it with a non-fouler is less than $10. GD

Copper tubing would indicate a mechanical gauge which would not use a sending unit. GD

The gauge sending unit hangs off the bottom of the oil pump - directly in front of the oil pan. All EA81 oil pumps have the location for the sending unit. Those from DL's and Digidash cars have a plug in that location and instead have a pressure switch for the idiot light - the plug can be removed and the sending unit threaded in. Chances are that you simply have a wireing issue or the sending unit is bad. GD

If you have low pressure then the pump is probably bad internally. Seals will only do so much for it. Last one I resealed rather than replaced outright blew a rod through the block about 5k miles later. I haven't owned an EA81 as a driver since without installing a brand new oil pump. I have two extra brand new pumps on the shelf for just such occasions (when a new one joints the fleet). EA81 pumps have a tendancy to destroy themselves if the oil hasn't been properly maintained. Inspect and take measurements. With a good pump you should see 20 to 25 psi at idle when the engine is at operating temp. Much higher when cold. GD