GeneralDisorder

Heh - I understand what you mean. The old stuff is getting scarce - though I have no trouble finding 90 to 94's here - other parts of the country differ and I know that. As to if it will work - I'm sure it will given enough fidling about. If it were me, I would do something like MegaSquirt on such a thing. That way I wouldn't be limited to running what the EA82's ECU wanted. I could mix/match at will and simplify. You could even build an adaptor harness to use the car's existing wireing since there will be enough wires to do the job. GD

2003 and up is your problem - those are crap. Get yourself a 90 to 94 EJ22 for the car. Trust me - it's a much better swap and the early EJ22 doesn't have the problems of the later EJ's. They cost-cut them to oblivion in '95+ cars. Even the EJ22 suffered in some ways. The original EJ22 design is yet to be surpassed by later generations of the EJ engine. It's a high-water mark for the Subaru brand in general. I would argue that the EJ22 is just as reliable as the EA81. And the benefits are worth the little bit of trouble to do timing belts now and then. Plus they are totally easy to do belts on. GD

Ok - so I know how I'm always talking about how I hate the DSM's..... but I'm stuck with fixing this one. I replaced the radiator, cap, thermostat, and hoses. No problems. Car ran without a hitch. I parked it till the owner could come pick it up. He shows up, starts the car, etc. It runs for a minute while we talk then I ask him to shut it off so I can show him a few maintenance items I noticed while under the hood. I show him the leaky valve covers, all the new parts I installed, etc and I close the hood. He turns the key and it just cranks. Won't start. We try a few more times but no love. He has to leave so I tell him I'll look into it right away and call him when I know what's going on. It's got no spark. The OBD reports no codes. Timing belt is intact, sounds normal while cranking, etc. Distributor failure is fairly common on these from what I have read. I bought a Haynes manual but it's worse than useless. Says the ignition system is hard to troubleshoot and that you should consult the dealer . But it gives me no diagrams, pinouts, or any other real help. The people over on the Chrysler forum seem to be idiots. Tell me to do things I've already stated that I've done - don't seem to answer questions about how to actually TEST anything.... etc. Here's my post over there: http://www.chryslerforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11592 At this point I'm pretty sure it's not the ECU (PCM). I keep seeing references to an auto-shutdown relay that provides power to the coil, injectors, and fuel pump but I'm not entirely sure this model has one (coupe's are different from sedan's and convertibles), and in any case I can't seem to find any accurate location for the thing - the closest thing I can find is people on that forum saying it "might" be located on the firewall. I've tested all the relays I can find and they are all good. I really need to know how to check the input voltage to the coil pack - if that has to be done while cranking, etc. With the ignition "on" I'm not getting any voltage to the primary coil winding - but I don't know of that's because of a bad distributor module, or a relay, or what. Every fuse and relay I can find tests good. GD

You aren't doing the proper maintenance then. They don't just run forever without being touched. Everything you mention is bad maintenance or assembly problems and that can and does happen to all engines including EA81's. And for the record I've replaced more EA81 water pumps for actual *failure* than I have EJ water pumps. The saving grace is that it takes all of 15 minutes to change the EA81 pump. EA81's are good engines, but I wouldn't put a lot of time and energy into making one MPFI - the parts, such as the heads, are too rare to consider running them on a daily. SPFI is capable of 16 more HP than a stock EA81 is rated for and there's likely a little bit of overhead on top of that. Why go to the added complexity and use of rare parts in order to gain basically nothing? GD

Not "probably" - it WILL show good. They always do. The leaks are external and thus the head gasket is not "blown". It is simply weeping fluids to the outside of the engine - just like a leaky valve cover, etc. This is not just common, it's virtually a gaurantee they will leak. You *cannot* buy a used engine of this model that doesn't leak so how can they sell you one? The only remedy they are possibly going to offer you is another engine - probably with more miles on it. It's going to leak as well so what's the point of persuing it? Replace the head gaskets if you are inclined or don't. I wouldn't - it's most likely not a big deal. GD

A leak down test will not show anything on that engine. You should just replace the head gaskets. Any used phase-II EJ25 you buy is going to need this and that should have been figured into the cost of the job by YOU. The company sold you a 70k mile engine - that's great and all but with this particular engine it is EXPECTED that they will weep oil and coolant. Thus, in my opinion they are not at fault. In fact you could probably add the coolant conditioner and run another 100k on it before they actually need replacement. GD

The first connector is for the dealership diagnostic station. It is unused. The second appears to also be unused. That is a water-tight o-ring sealed connection. Did you notice all the dirt inside the connector - it's clearly visible in your picture. That means it wasn't connected to anything. Third - obviously at some point the oil pump or sensors or something was swapped around because you have both the pressure transducer and the idiot lamp switch installed - one of which you won't be useing depending on if you have a pressure gauge or just an idiot light. The big bolbouse one is for the guage style dash. The small one is for the idiot light dash. The sensor connector.... no clue. I hate EA82T's with a passion that almost exceeds my love of the EA81. They are not allowed in my driveway nor do I willingly cast my eyes under their hood's. Someone around here will know The vacuum line could go to a number of things - the white vacuum accumulator on the firewall, etc. The HVAC controls need a vacuum supply to control the damper doors, etc. GD

The wheel will not come off - it's held on by the axle nut. The only thing those bolts hold is the disc. You can't judge the torque based on removal. There could be corrosion, the last person made them tighter than spec, etc. Too many variables. Irregardless - I do this every day and I can tell you that "tight" with a 3/8" ratchet is just fine. What you fail to realize is that the bolt and lock-washer combo will hold without loosening through a much wider range of torque values than you suspect. You could torque it to 2 Ft/lbs, or right up till the steel in the bolt was about to yeild (40 Ft/lbs or more probably). It would hold fast without loosening through that entire range. If this were a rotating assembly with the bolt on the *axis* of rotation then a specific torque value would be a good idea. But in this case you are over-thinking the whole business. Just make it tight. I commend your thoroughness and desire to do the job right - but it's time to get some perspective. That is not a critical fastener and it just isn't important that it be torqued to a very accurate value. As my old boss used to say "quarter-turn before it breaks." Besides that - the chart I linked to for you is the same reference the engineers are going to use in writing the manual - if they bother listing the value for that fastener - many fasteners are not listed and it's expected that mechanics are familiar enough with wrenching to not need them. Going by the thread size/lead and the bolt grade are perfectly valid on things like this. GD

It's not that important. If you must use a torque value then use a standard torque value for the thread size: http://dodgeram.org/tech/specs/bolts/M_bolts.html It's probably a regular 8mm 8.8 bolt so 17 Ft/lbs would be about right. But again - it's not important to torque those. GD

I doubt that the valves are your problem. They are supposed to be adjusted every 15k miles. You can give it a try - can't hurt. GD

We gave you "input" - that the same thing in your native dialect right? :-\ Unfortunatly we can't diagnose your problem over the internet. I'm out of magic tokens for my crystal ball till after the holiday at least. GD

I really don't remember. Been years since I messed with that problem in detail. GD

Ford Wrench. Classic. http://www.amazon.com/Crescent-C79H-9-Inch-Adjustable-Wrench/dp/B000TDKE54 Or a chain wrench. GD

I would check the condtion of the plugs and wires just for starters. Subaru's typically don't like anything but NGK brand plugs so if you have something else in there pull them out. Have you changed the cap and rotor? Beyond that it could be a carb problem. Sounds like it might be running on 3 cylinders - try pulling each plug wire off in turn while it's running at idle and see if it makes any difference to the speed/sound of the engine. If you pull one and nothing changes it indicates you have a problem of some kind with that cylinder. GD

It is most likely refering to the start signal for the ECU - the stock Subaru ignition switch will pass current to a specific ECU pin while the engine is cranking only. This tells the ECU that you are trying to start the engine and it changes some of the injection and ignition parameters - if it doesn't see that signal it will throw the code 12. That's my guess anyway - having done some EJ swap work and other fuel injection conversions. GD

Coat them in a thin layer of RTV and let them dry before installation. This makes them seal very well and prevents them from absorbing oil - which is their eventual demise as the oil breaks down from heat and turns the oil-soaked cork into brittle, crushed shoe-leather that doesn't seal anything anymore. GD

It's about 1.5 seconds but it varies based on the circuit board. All the components have tollerance values and depending where they hit it could be slightly more or less. But unless you can actually hear the pump (some are louder than others, etc), by the time you get back there to check for voltage or feel the pump you won't find anything. GD

You have the wrong plan. You don't want forced induction on your lifted rig. Too much electronics, and the power band is all wrong. If you are going to lift it - stick with the EA81 converted to SPFI, or go with a non-turbo EJ22. A 300 HP engine on a lifted subaru will do nothing useful except break itself and everything around it. Custom transmission!?! How much money do you have? And if you have what that would take why aren't you looking to buy something that has real potential like a Unimog or Pinz? I have a friend with an EJ22 powered Brat - it's exclusively for Rally racing. He also owns an STi. He's been doing the racing thing for a while and he doesn't use the STi - it's too much power and it's really just not any fun at all - 1/4 throttle will put it sideways - it does donuts really well but is very difficult to control. I sugest you go drive one before you commit to having 300 HP in any Subaru - especially one that doesn't have the brakes or suspension to handle it. My prediction - IF you get an STi engine in your car, and IF you then get it running and driveing (I give this about a 1% chance) then you'll probably kill yourself in short order. 99% chance though that it never happens at all. You are talking about something that would cost $10,000 just in parts - many thousands more to do the job right and if you even have to consider "having custom work" done like transmissions, etc - you probably don't want to ask what something like that will cost. By the time you are done you will have spent what an STi would cost and you will have a completely un-saleable machine. No one wants someone else's project car - especially something that's been built all wacky with a hodge-podge of parts that make no sense like STi engines and lift kits. Those don't go together. You would be flushing money straight down the toilet. You need some experience with lifted Subaru's AND with STi's in order to find out what makes a sensible and effective machine. What you are consider is neither. GD

Replace the REAR fuel filter by the pump. You don't need a new pump. They do not run with the key on - only with the engine running. There is a fuel pump control unit that only powers the pump when it gets a tach signal from the coil. GD

'95 should be dual port, yes. As to why they stopped using that head design - I couldn't tell you. The EJ25 headers will bolt up. I would just do that - the difference in engine size is minimal - 0.3 liters isn't much in the scheme of things GD

Any used phase II EJ25 will likely have the same problem unless the head gaskets have already been replaced. I don't see the big deal here - any used engine should be resealed (yes - with this model that means head gaskets) before installation. If it's already out of the car and you are doing timing belts, etc - you SHOULD be doing head gaskets as well with this engine. That's just the way it is with these. GD

There's some bullet connectors under the dash that allow you to disconnect the constant power to the clock - the speculation is that it's for storage, or shipping or something along those lines. The clock will work but will not keep memory as it does not have the constant power to do so. GD

The SPFI system is not capable of reading for a bad catalytic converter. You will need to pull the codes to find out what the CEL is telling you. There are no code readers for these engines - you have to plug in the white read memory connectors to get the codes. Sounds like it could be an O2 sensor. But could be other things as well. 4WD is just like a truck. There is NO center differential - lockable or otherwise. When the car is in 4WD power is transfered to the front and to the rear diffs. There is no ability to compensate for turns thus it will bind like any other 4WD. GD

5/8". 5 feet should do the job with a bit to spare. GD

If the car seriously has 1.3 million miles - get a new car. It's done. 60 psi and oil smoke would indicate some kind of internal damage - pull the valve cover and see if the valves are actuating as they should - maybe the timing belt on the right side came off - it could be pulling oil up past the rings if the valves aren't working. GD