GeneralDisorder

That sounds like an excelent deal. The timing belt would have been due at 105k so if it hasn't been done or they can't show paperwork to that effect I would ask them to consider a lower price. Take it for a test drive - do some sharp turns with the car and make sure you don't feel any binding in the drivetrain. If the car has been run with mismatched tires durring it's life, there is a potential for what we call "torque bind". It's not terribly difficult to fix if you can do the labor youself - if you can't then most shops will tell you the whole transmission needs to be replaced. That would negatively impact the price as well. But really, with that mileage, and that particular engine, you are looking at another 100k - 150k easy miles if you just keep up on the routine maintenance. GD

The PCV is designed for positive flow of filtered air into the passenger side valve cover, through the crankcase, out the driver's side valve cover, and into the manifold to be burned. The check valve is attached to the back of the manifold. Additionally, due to the nature of the boxer design, there is a vacuum breaker line of smaller diameter inserted between the driver's side valve cover and the PCV valve itself to prevent the system from sucking oil out of the driver's side valve cover. This is about a 1/4" ID line. All these lines as well as the plastic connectors in the system get clogged up with oil and carbon and should be cleaned once in a while (probably something on the order of every timing belt change). Note that all the air that enters the engine - for the PCV as well - is metered by the MAF. As such you don't want to make changes to the PCV system as you might inadvertantly create a vacuum leak. Even pulling out the dipstick effectively creates a vacuum leak on SPFI cars because the air inside the crankcase is metered. GD

The carbs in the 80's have vent solenoid's that only open when the engine is running. When it isn't running the tank and carb bowl are vented to the carbon canistor under the hood. You can block the fuel tank vent line at the firewall and give that a try. If you have a small hand-operated vacuum pump you could try pulling a vacuum on the tank from the vent line at the firewall - it should hold a vacuum for a short while anyway. GD

Not having ever worked on a Justy, your problem sounds like the engine isn't holding a consistent idle. That is probably a carb issue being that you are immediately able to restart it. As your problem is difficult to replicate, I think it would be best if you put in 12v lamps that illuminate to show if the fuel pump has power, etc. Make sure, as noted above, that the fuel pump connections and the distributor connections are clean and tight. I would clean and inspect every connection you can get your hands on - coil, distributor, fuel pump, etc. GD

BIG sign: "The floodlight is purely for the benefit of the Camera.... and due to the rising cost of ammunition." GD

Here's a better picture of the way the linkage should be setup. That picture archive in those old links are terrible and that linkage setup looks pretty poorly done. Notice that I used the stock throttle cable mount - just moved it to the carb base and bent it with a crescent wrench to suit the needs of the Weber. Note that this is a DGV-5A weber (manual choke). But the linkage you are asking about is the same as the DGEV/DGAV. Frankly I prefer the manual choke. GD

That is the nature of electric chokes. They have a fast-idle cam that will set the primary throttle plate slightly open for cold-running. If you don't tap the gas to release the fast-idle cam and the choke plates, the engine will simply climb in idle speed as it warms and stay there. Such is the nature of carbs I'm afraid - you can't just walk away from them. Sounds like it's working just fine. Personally, I've always had so much trouble with electric choke's in general - breaking, electrical short's, mis-adjustment, etc - that I just went to a manual choke. Now I can set the choke, start the engine, and immediately drive away. I just adjust the choke down in stages for the first mile or two and then shut it off completely. Really isn't much fuss for me. I would never give one to the woman (she would forget to shut it off) but it works great for me. GD

Splitting the sleeve is no longer the gold standard for fixing the 4 speed slop. This is the new method.... as far as I know I'm the only one who's done it but I've done several now. There's even a better version still where I drilled and tapped for a second 5mm socket-head cap screw that bisects the sleeve and rod at about a 15* or 20* angle to the primary locking bolt. It's amazing. My daily driver has had this done as well as a fellow board member's Brat. Both were done with the tranny in the car - removing only the exhaust bracket and tapping the hole with a good quality tap and a crescent wrench for a tap handle. http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=86901 And here's another post where I detailed the second bolt I added to the linkage on my lifted wagon: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showpost.php?p=846007&postcount=3 GD

Actually, the 5 speeds seem to age much better than the older 4's. I have yet to run across a 5 speed D/R that had really bad issues. It seems that the 5 speed's last around 400k or more - usually far outlasting the car/engine they came with. There are some that have been abused to be sure, but you can usually tell from the car..... And they are easy to work on compared to a lot of transmissions. Replacing seals, bearings, and syncro's is not that difficult. GD

Gotta be something about the location that's causing you such misfortune. There a big tweaker population around there or something? How about an automatic flood-light in front of the garage? Assuming this took place at night.... GD

That's pretty typical of Subaru voltage gauges. They are sensitive to small changes in voltage like that. All of them do it to a degree. It's normal for voltage to drop slightly like that as the VR can't react instantly to changes in load. GD

Subaru Turbo's aren't cheap - not compared to the Loyale anyway. I have a '91 Legacy Sport Sedan with the 2.2 Turbo, factory 5 speed, rear VLSD, etc. It's my toy when I'm not playing with my old EA stuff. GD

If the cotter pin was still in it, then the nut didn't turn. What you have there is classic cone-washer/hub destruction. If you don't address this it will return a couple times then you'll just eat the splines inside the hub. Get a new cone-washer and properly torque the nut to 150 Ft/lbs. GD

Yes. There is no VC or center diff. It will bind on turns. It is 4WD, not AWD. No - just push in the clutch. It's like shifting into a different gear. You don't need the clutch for 4H - just pull up (driving straight). GD

When you jacked up the car to check for wheel bearing play, did you release the parking brake? The parking brake will hold the wheel solid to the knuckle and you won't be able to feel the bearings. Besides that, there are two bearings (6207-C3 ball bearings). If one was bad and not the other it's unlikely you would feel any play in them anyway. That type of test really isn't valid for EA's - well not till the wheel is about to fall off anyway. GD

I have a lot of experience with German engineering. Sadly not much of it's been good. I find the newer VW stuff to be obtusely designed and unreliable. Plus I really dislike transverse engine design's. GD

Yes - don't change the diameter of the tubing from the heads to the collector. After that it doesn't matter but 1-7/8" or 2" would be more than sufficient if you aren't running a cat. Get a muffler that can flow easily. GD

The manual is a CYA. You will not break anything on an unlifted/unwelded rig. I've forgot to put my various D/R's into 2WD hundreds of times before taking a tight turn - I've never broken a single thing doing it (with many of these rigs topping 200k miles or more). What happens is the driveline binds up and either one wheel chirps loose to unbind it or you back up, take it out of 4WD, and continue your turn (such as when parking in a lot). Lifted/welded rigs are another story. I can snap rear axles in my wagon like candy canes if I leave both rear's in while driving on pavement. 28" tires and a Lincoln Locker will break axles every day and twice on Sundays. GD

Most folks have difficulty getting the axle in and out of the bearings. It's an interferance fit with the inner race of the bearings. If you clean the inner races with some scotch brite and make sure there are no high spots on the axle mating surfaces they usually go in with minimal fuss. I use two pry bars first on the nut, then the cone washer turned backwards + the nut, then the hub+cone washer+nut. I use an impact on the last step to pull the axle fully into place. The trick is to prep the axle and bearing surfaces to insure nothing hangs up, and then to make sure you are pulling it through straight - it must be centered as you pull it through or it will hang up on you. Axle replacement on EA's is a bit of art form. Very frustrating the first couple times you do it but after a while it becomes routine and simple. GD

Should be under the dash near your left knee. It's a box about 1"x2"x2.5" or so. Should have a 6 pin connector that plugs directly into the front of it. It's most likely black. Dig around under the dash around the area of the hood release - you should find it near there. GD

Typically it goes into the hub first (and that's where folks have the most trouble), then you attach it to the tansmission, then you reattach the ball joint to the knuckle. GD

How many do you want? I can get tons of them any day of the week. GD

That is true of the 5 speed's, but only some of the 4 speed's. Not all of them were equipped with syncro's for the 4WD engagement. Now if you are going straight and all your tires are the same size it shouldn't matter and you should be able to go in and out of high range without issue at any speed you like (I've done it at well over 80). This is true of ONLY high range. You must use the clutch to shift to low range. GD

The axle is the only thing that the hub attaches to. Without it there is no shaft for the hub to rotate on and the only thing keeping it on the knuckle would be the brake caliper - if you don't have that either then there is nothing holding it on except maybe the wheel bearing lip seal . Trust me - you need the axle. GD

It will not roll without the knuckle, axle, and hub. You don't have to connect the axle to the transmission, but it has to be in the knuckle for the hub to attach. You don't need the brakes, etc, but the without the tie-rod you won't be able to steer it and it might not like to go straight or at all if the wheels turn wrong. GD