GeneralDisorder

Yep. Look around on ebay though - I bought an EJ22 kit with the belt, all 4 belt bearings, cam+crank seals, and water pump for $117 shipped. Insanely cheap. GD

An EA81/EA82 police cruiser?!? What the hell are the bad guys driving? Bicycles?? Roads must really suck where the constabulary bought those - if they have roads that is. Nice collection. GD

If you can't find one, let me know. I'll have one for sale shortly. I have to make a spacer for the pulley but I have a nice maxima alt that I pulled about a week ago. Probably be about $125 ready to drop in. GD

Confirm - all the Legacy's have double-din capability. Just remove the pocket if it's so-equipped. GD

That's a common issue - the solution is to install a relay for the solenoid to power it directly off the battery. Use the existing circuit to fire the relay's coil. Just hook the male spade from the back of the starter to the relay's coil + side and then ground the other side of the coil. Run a new wire with an inline fuse from the battery + to the relay contact and the other side of the contact to the starter solenoid. Your problem will never return. GD

If you have a decent selection of tools, it shouldn't take more than a day to do the timing belts and water pump if it's your first time out. It's a 3 hour job for those who have done it before (with the cover's on). Familarize yourself with the procedure before you start. More than one person has been totally confused by the dual-belt setup of the EA82's. As for parts - the ebay kit for the timing belts is what I reccomend. It's very cheap and all the parts will be replaced again in 50k miles. Thus there is no reason to use uber-expensive parts here. I like the Atsugi (SP?) water pumps. They are the OEM manufacturer and typically run about $50 or $60. Check around - my local Discount Import Parts has them.... Rockauto maybe or even one of the online Subaru dealers... also get the cam and crank seals and the oil pump seal kit from the dealer - they are inexpensive. It shouldn't be more than about $175 to $200 for all the parts but your engine will be set for 50 to 60k for SURE. Unlike paying a shop $250 and having the timing belt break in 10k, or something start leaking, or the lifters start ticking. Those guys are in the business of working on your car - not making sure you don't come back. GD

It's an easy job and you may as well do the t-belts, idler, and tensioners while you are in there. Reseal the oil pump, etc. That shop will charge you more than the parts to do everything will run, and they will replace ONLY the water pump and use a crappy brand to boot. Don't let some futz at a garage touch your car. It will hate your for it. It's not that cold - don't be a baby. Hell I'm 50% older than you and unless it was below 0 out (in which case I would rent someone's garage for the afternoon ) I would be out there putting that pump on. GD

As you work the fuel line loose from the rail, cover it with a rag. This is all I've EVER done. These rails run at like 35 psi and have very little volume. You'll get at most a few seconds of fuel from the hose. It's not worth going to the trouble of pulling fuses, etc. Not IMO anyway. Junk yards never depresurize the fuel rail - that's how little of a concern this is. I've cut hoses at the yard with a razor knife and had them spurt a bit. Not a big deal just keep open flames an ignition sources away from it. GD

With the addition of the 240 SX rear calipers you could have 4 individual brake lever's.... though I'm not at all sure where I would put them :-\ GD

Maybe comming out of the rear driveshaft seal? Those aren't an uncommon leak point and they are easily replaced. Only get those from the dealer as I've had friends that replaced them with NAPA seals only to have them leak again in a week or two. Thinking maybe the ATF is sloshing rearward when you take off causing it to run out of the rear output...... just a guess. GD

There is a rear reservior - if you open the rear door it should be along the jam on the side somewhere I think. Been a while since I messed with an EA82 wagon rear washer but all Subaru's with rear washer's have a rear tank and pump. Maybe it's just empty? GD

Wow - your dealer doesn't discount at all! They are usually $10 or $12 cheaper than that at my local dealer. Glad you got it fixed. GD

You should probably ask for specifics over on the XT board. I only know of the problem by proxy - I've never owned an XT let alone one with that specific problem. GD

No rock big enough to cause all that racket could get past the bell-housing inspection cover. Surely is a strange thing you have experienced. Hope you never hear that again. :-\ GD

Cleaing the contacts may mask the real problem for a while - look for it to possibly come back. If it does then your problem is the crank circuit - it's not passing enough current to kick the solenoid out hard enough. GD

XT's are known for problems of this nature related to wireing harness issues around the door sills - being that the ECU is in the trunk the harness runs quite a distance to get to it. People have found stock crimp connections that had corroded or grounded out to the body. If you think it's the alt then disconnect it. The engine will run for a time off the battery. GD

There isn't one. Instead the outer joint is retained by the shape of the CV joint. The inner race, cage, and bearings must be turned 90 degrees for them to come out of the outer race. This obviously can only happen when the shaft is removed from the inner race. It is held in place by an internal snap-ring such that the axle can only be removed by use of a press and appropriate adaptors. GD

It's a timing belt job. You have to strip it down till you can get the driver's side t-belt off. EA82 right? If it were an EA81 then you would have to remove..... the water pump/alternator belt. Heh. GD

Yep - when I get a used rig with unknown history, I march right down to the dealer and ask them to order EVERY cooling system hose for me. GD

All Subaru axles, except the Justy, are interchangable for left/right. I prefer the EMPI (new) axles - find a dealer of VW aftermarket parts and have them order them for you. I pay $65 per axle. Also - if it's only the inner's that are torn you can get replacement joints from Rockford and reboot the old axles. GD

I wonder if all Subaru rods are forged then? I remember reading that EJ18 rods are the same part as they use in the STi's.... can't imagine that being possible unless they are all forged. Subaru engines are known for their short, stubby, super strong rods so maybe? GD

That's an interesting solution but still required banging out the tunnel. His work sucks too. There's no reason to use the 5 speed 4WD shifter and wreck your interior like that. My Brat looks 100% stock and it required only that 1" of 1/2" rounds stock be added to the 4WD shift rod. GD

Here's how I used the 5 speed mounts on the 4 speed - might give you some ideas. Basically just bolt the tranny up into place and fab something. It's not all that hard if you have some skillz. If you don't..... buy Jerry's kit. I got one from him for helping him with some electrical troubleshooting and put it in my Brat - works like a champ and no rubbing on the tunnel. His kit is well worth his measly asking price - it is better quality than what most folks have the ability to do on their own and his design which allows the tranny to be fitted without hitting the tunnel is pretty intricate - tight clearances. I won't divulge how his is made and neither will anyone else - he has asked that we not. If you want to see one you'll have to buy one or crawl under someone's rig that has one already. http://home.comcast.net/~trilinear/4speed_mounts.html GD

So much conflicting information. My EA81T rods looked cast to me but hell I could be wrong. I'm no expert in mettalurgy. GD

I had one do the same thing - I had pulled the whole cross-member and had left the control arm attached as I wasn't able to get the bolt out (junk yard). I figured no problem to do it on the bench.... haha. I hit that sucker with heat, a 3 lb sledge, and every chemical known to man. I ended up cutting just inside the mounting ears with a die grinder. Had to toss the control arm (never really wanted it anyway), as the bolt had become one with the bushing insert. GD