GeneralDisorder

It's just messy and awkward - everything falls down on you, and putting the tank back in is actually worse than removing it. GD

Or you can replace the solenoid with a 33 Ohm, 5 watt resistor. Plug the vac lines or plumb the EGR to receive vacuum at all times. Your choice. This way you never worry about the solenoid failing again. You can also do the same thing with the Purge solenoid. Neither are needed for proper operation of the SPFI. GD

It's the worst job I've ever had to do on a Subaru. That give you an idea? GD

You have to split the transaxle case - just like all other Subaru transaxles. It is not simple and the 4 speed's require a special socket as mentioned above to remove the extension housing drive gear. I don't reccomend you attempt the job unless you have an FSM and the ability to fab custom tools and equipment as most of the special tools are no longer availible and the procedures for setting the front R&P are obscure and complex besides being difficult without the special tools. The assembly procedures are a small book unto themselves in the FSM. GD

So you are saying it's not going into "Four Wheel Drive"? The "FWD" acronym is used to represent "Front Wheel Drive". "4WD" is what his dash should indicate when the button is pressed. If it's not functioning then it's likely a vacuum hose problem as the system is vacuum operated. Look for any hoses disconnected around the firewall where the click is originating and follow the hoses back to the vacuum accumulator and the manifold. Check for damaged hoses. GD

Yes - it only works on AT's. GD

No - the block is bypassed for the highest setting. Sounds like the relay or the switch if you have no power at the fuse. GD

You would need multiple carbs for almost anything to work. A co-worker has a harley carb on his Samuri but that's about the largest engine (1.3 liter) that it would support. Plus it's a variable venturi carb and has no provision for vacuum advance. Large Mikuni's could work but you would need like 4 of the 40mm style. Bike engines are a LOT smaller than even an EA81 so it difficult to fit and tune off the shelf bike carbs for automotive applications. Besides - SPFI is much better. GD

Pull the #1 plug and with the piston at BDC thread about 10 feet of 1/4" nylon rope into the cylinder. Use a 1/2" breaker bar and socket to remove the bolt - they are not left-hand thread - turn it out just like any other bolt. GD

Only really two things that will affect NOx emissions - lean mixture, or malfunctioning EGR. The EGR should open around 1/16" to 1/8" under about 6 inHg of vacuum for most vehicles. I would test it, check for proper operation, and then probably bypass the EGR control solenoid to take the ECU out of the equation durring the next test. GD

If it runs fine now then leave it the way it is. There is no such thing as an "electronic" choke. It's an electric choke, and eventually the one on your Hitachi will die (the hook on the end of the bi-metal spring wears through and breaks off). If you are concerned about then put a Weber on it - for cold temps you will have to properly connect the hot air riser to prevent carb iceing but the Weber's work fine in the cold when properly jetted and tuned. As for the post count thing - I just don't want to argue with the newcomers. It's not worth my time. GD

While I agree in principle with what you are trying to say, carbs can and will do what he wants. A brand new Weber is both simpler to install and easier for a non-technical person to troubleshoot. That is completely wrong. The EA81 is an excellent design - much better than the EA82. Plus the EA81 can be retro-fit with the SPFI system making it even better. The EA81 is lighter, and the Hatch body is the unchallenged champion of the Subaru off-road world. Have a read through my SPFI conversion site: http://home.comcast.net/~trilinear/EA81_SPFI.html If you want to argue with me - go ahead - but take a look at my post count before you do. GD

That is not at all true. You can either turn the carb around backwards (the adapter plate is symmetrical), or you can use the Hitachi plastic spacer under the weber adapter and make a dent in the side of the PS reservoir with a ball-peen hammer (it's just a fluid reservoir, it doesn't hurt a thing). Of the two I prefer peening the reservoir as it's cleaner. GD

You don't. LSD's only come on performance models and not all of them. Outback's are not, so it wouldn't have come with one stock. GD

Almost surely a stupid error on the production line or sabotage by a disgruntled line worker. These things happen - and they happen with all brands, makes, and models. You should have fought harder for a replacement vehicle. If it were me I would have called the local news station. GD

Have you checked the intake manifold gaskets? Perhaps one is leaking - they are notorious for being difficult to install and for non-OEM gasket failures. You are probably right about the water pump. If you can spin it by hand with the belt still on then the belt was not tight enough. Belts do stretch and perhaps it wasn't all that tight to begin with. Start by removing the manifold and inspecting the gaskets there. GD

It's almost certainly wireing. The sending units rarely fail. If it really is the sending unit then any sending unit from a non-digital dash EA81 will work. GD

I wouldn't say it's scrap. The EA81's can take a lot of abuse. A bit of coolant burning will just clean the combustion chambers up real nice. Do you know what was making the whining noise? Could the water pump have failed for some reason? You NEED to at least find out what happened. If you don't it will ruin all the work you did. You have to learn something from it to make it worthwhile. Investigative mechanicing.... it could be something simple. GD

You don't want to oversize the cylinders unless you have someone with a bore plate. These aren't chev 350's as much as they aren't swiss watches and one of the thing you MUST do on an all-aluminium split-block design is use a bore plate when boreing them out. The cylinder liners are cast into the aluminium and are prone to spinning if they aren't bored true - which they won't be unless you bore them with the block in it's stressed posistion (as if it were bolted to the head). The bore plate is about a 4" thick steel plate that has all the holes for the head studs as well as through-holes for boring the cylinders. Not easy to produce and not economical for a one-off. Better to ship it to someone like RAM and have them do it. They also sell oversized components IIRC. Although if it were me I would just give it a rough and finish hone with my 1/2" drill and be done with it. As long as you don't do major boring you shouldn't have a problem. Don't use chrome rings - they will take 15,000 miles to seat and make any oil burning worse if you don't have a perfect finish. If you use plain sintered iron rings you should be fine. It will seal up and run in ok. GD

Yeah mine starves for fuel as well. Sometime when I get around to it I'll install a surge tank to keep that from happening. GD

The one that is scored - what's it look like? These aren't swiss watches and I bet you could hone it. Just give it a good rough hone and see if you can get rid of the score mark. GD

Why not just do the head gasket and drive the car? The mileage it has is no problem. You can always trade it in or sell it later. Throwing away a perfectly good car just because of a GASKET leak is terrible thinking and indicative of our throw-away society. Do the head gasket yourself - borrow or rent a car for week while you do it. It's not difficult - these aren't swiss watches. You don't need to spend $12,000 on a head gasket GD

Motor oil on your exhaust will not generally catch fire. Fix your leaks and you won't have to breath the smoke though. GD

Slide the lock to open on the inside of each t-top. Pop the lifting hinge and push in on both sides of it's metal hinge pins. They are spring loaded and will disengage from the roof. Then you just lift them out. As far as EA81 crank pulley's.... I've owned a LOT of EA81's, rebuilt several, and know just about all there is to know about them.... I have never heard of anything bad beyond people loosing the key out of the shaft or forgetting it. GD

I'll try to get a picture of both brackets (EA81T and EA82) and see what the differences really are dimensionally. I'm reasonably sure that an EA82 version would work with modification. GD