GeneralDisorder

+1 for the NGK wires. Gauranteed for life too (so I'm told by my local dealer) so even though you may have to replace them as long as you keep the receipt you still only have to buy one set. They are numbered for easy identification and installation and they are exact fit for each make/model, not universal as some other brands. The terminals are stainless steel too. Best of all, they are inexpensive. http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/products/cars_trucks_suvs/wiresets.asp?nav=11600&country=US GD

You can't test an O2 sensor with a DVM (unless you have one of those Fluke portable O-Scope ones ). The CTS is really just an RTD (resistive temperature device - probably a thermistor), and will give a resistance based on the temp it sees. As long as it changes from low resistance to high resistance as the engine warms up, it's likely ok. I also vote for valve timing. It's very easy to accidentally get the cam sprockets off by a tooth. GD

What exactly are you trying to clamp? Vacuum is messy thing to work with. Remember you are not trying to keep vacuum in, you are trying to keep the atmosphere OUT. Any place you have a leak, atmosphere is leaking INTO the system. You can trace those leaks using carb cleaner, brake cleaner, or other evaporating, flammable, aerosol product. Spray around and when the engine changes pitch you will have found a leak. Shaking at idle could be many things. Bad valve timing, faulty ignition components, poor idle mixture settings.... etc. Vacuum leaks may have nothing to do with it. Start at the beginning. Put a vacuum gauge on the manifold and see what the needle does (both it's motions, and it's readings are important). Pull each plug wire one at a time and check that each cylinder is firing - it will run worse when you pull a wire for a cylinder that is working. If you replaced any of the vacuum hoses, make sure you chop the old ones into 1/4" pieces to verify that you didn't miss any "orifice" plugs. GD

Not easily. You need silver solder IIRC, and special flux to solder Nichrome resistance wiere. Plus the old stuff is brittle. You can buy new Nichrome wire, wrap it around a pencil, and then using the special flux and silver solder you could make your own new windings. A bead of RTV across the top should keep the coils from shorting and withstand the heat assuming the blower motor keeps cooling them. GD

Maybe. But most of your scavenging comes from the headers (y-pipe) itself. It's usually not a problem to go with larger pipe or no pipe after the first cat. At least it's never really affected any of the one's I've run that way. Perhaps your y-pipe is leaky. Do you get backfireing at times? That's indicative of a working AIS and a leaky y-pipe. Too much fresh oxygen combines with unburnt fuel and often ignites in the muffler. GD

To my knowledge Subaru never used that style cat with the air injection tube running into the side of it. That was mostly used on cars equipped with smog pumps. Subaru's system was to inject air into ports built into the heads right above the exhaust flange (on EA82's). I would say you have someone's attempt at plumbing in an aftermarket 2nd cat to pass some inspection when they found it expensive and difficult to replace the built-in cat contained in the y-pipe. Their solution (a valid one) was to add a second "universal" cat. They just used one that had the AIS port and figured a way to hook it in I suppose. Sounds ghetto - I would yank it out if it were me. Chances are good that if it wasn't done right it could cause more problems than it's worth. GD

Paper filters better and doesn't harm MAF's. The stock filter is larger than the engine needs by quite a bit, so there is nothing to gain but a lighter pocket-book. GD

The coolant line in question is 1/4". It's there only to heat the bottom of the carb for emissions puposes. Warm air mixes more readily with fuel and so more vapor is formed, and fewer droplets go unburned. This reduces tailpipe emissions GREATLY in a carb. That line has a device in it that can regulate coolant flow to the bottom of the carb base - it's a bolt looking "T" shaped business. This allows pressure directly off the water pump's heater core bypass to circulate coolant through the manifold. You can block it if you wish, but realize that your emissions will increase as more unburned fuel will escape out the tailpipe. It will also affect your mileage to a degree. It also heats the carb to prevent iceing. Although that is only a problem in cold climates. Subaru generally knew what they were doing with this stuff - you would be wise to leave as much of the stock equipment working as possible with the Weber. GD

Depends on the carb. Hitachi feedbacks ARE closed loop systems - all of them. The non-feedbacks are simply carbs - there's no feedback loop at all - closed or otherwise. Hhhhmmm - well I wouldn't have done it that way. At least not without some serious analysis of the function of all those items, and a wideband to tune it with. But if it works for you - great. The time investment of tuneing a carb by seat-of-the-pants is far too great for anything less than a track only car IMO. The vac can's can be rebuilt for about $25. There's nothing wrong with carbs. The only thing really "wrong" with them at this point is they are all old and worn out, and the rebuild parts availible are of poor quality and come in highly generic "kits" that often do more harm than good. They are also very complicated for the home mechanic to work on and they contain a lot of miniturized mechanical parts that are sometimes difficult to put back the way they came out. The SPFI is not without it's issues - for an FI system it is primitive. It has very little self-diagnostic abilities, and unless a full understanding of it's systems and theory of operation is grasped, it can be difficult to adapt. The wireing is also a pretty large project for most people. GD

Again - use the search. I've covered it before and I'm not willing to cover it again.... so unless you get ahold of one of the other half-dozen or so folks that have actually done this swap I sugest you learn to use the search. GD

The mileage increase is negligible at best. A properly tuned and running feedback Hitachi could turn in similar mileage numbers. Count on 1 to 2 MPG increase over properly tuned stock carbs, better driveabilty and easier maintenance. The performance is going to be largely the same without futher supporting modifications such as a larger mid-pipe and muffler, higher compression pistons, larger valves in ported heads, and a recurved cam. You'll get somewhat better throttle response and better off-the-line torque. But the top end will be virtually unchanged. Adjust your valves if you have solid lifters. Can't stress that enough to EA81 owners. GD

160 should be primary, and 170 secondary. Yes I'm sure. Larger air jets let in more air - the secondary needs a leaner mixture to give best performance at WOT. GD

242 is what I mostly use.... but I use the 248 "Stick" version. Try that one as it's much easier to work with. GD

I have Jerry's custom 5 speed mount, and it's quite nice. It's not something most people could build for what he charges. The design is a bit complicated because there is VERY little room for the 5 speed to fit without rubbing on a stock EA81 floorpan. There's as little as 1/8" between the trans and the cross-member, and the whole engine/transmission assembly is tilted backwards slightly. I won't go into more details or post pictures of Jerry's design as I feel that his price, quality, and excelent knowledge of the swap are well worth the paltry sum he asks. Pictures serve no purpose but to give folks ideas of how to copy his design. It's a cross-member with some rubber mounts on it.... what is there to see? If you want to make one, then stick the tranny in the hole and get out your tape measure and welder. It's not rocket science. But don't be surprised when it's not a as nice and takes you 10 times as long. Jerry's kit is one of the few square deals left around. Help yourself and a fellow board member at the same time. GD

85/86 are different from 87+. They more or less interchange though. The difference is the amount they stick out. The 87+ have a foam insert that makes them stick out about 4" farther. The older ones are just plastic over metal. GD

Not to in any way discount the Skipster, but "loctite" is a brand. You need to specify what TYPE of loctite you are talking about. Some types are more "forgiving" than others. Generally, yes you should always clean threads. But Loctite makes threaded pipe dope with teflon for instance (it's rather like the consistency of snot), and when you are talking about 3" threaded iron pipe the difference in "clean" and "CLEAN" is a pretty big one. I wouldn't bother with more than a wire wheel for example. I'm not going to hot tank it or use any solvents on such a joint - it's not going to help. Our production guys have tried numerous methods to "seal" 6"+ pipe. They just can't. They have welded some connections in the past. They found after much trial and error that it's best to let it leak and the pipe will rust and seal itself from the inside. GD

That certainly wouldn't be my choice of engines, but good luck to you. Please avoid the airspace over my house. EA81's are easy to fuel inject as well. The EA82 SPFI manifold bolts right on. GD

Yes, it does. Back of the manifold same as all the other EA's. GD

If it has one, then is IS a CA emissions spec vehicle. They were not always sold in *just* CA. There are other places that adopted CA's emissions practices in varying degree's. GD

Nope - my 85 Brat never had one. GD

Then he should know enough to figure it out. And he should also know that neither of your drivetrains will handle that kind of power. GD

That's why they sell "sensor safe" RTV. But there's very little use for RTV on modern engines such as the EJ's. Their gasketing systems don't need it. Older engines such as the EA's however can benefit from RTV in a lot of ways. Cork sucks. Sensor Safe RTV has never harmed any of my O2's. This is a very old subject, and one that has been addressed by the RTV manufacturers. It's only a problem if you use the wrong type. GD

I think there's a couple bolts and the whole gear housing and shaft comes off. The seals may actually be nylon and application specific IIRC. I checked into it and you can't get onesy-twosey from the dealer. I think you have to buy the whole rebuild kit and it's really, really not cheap. You'll have to drop the steering rack to get to it. GD

I'm not sure of all the regs, but I'm pretty sure for one-off experimental aircraft they will inspect the thing and give thumbs up or thumbs down to flying it. They have daylight limitations (no flying in darkness), and you can't carry passengers that aren't licensed in certain catagories. That's all I really know about it, but I have ran across a few sites talking about the virtues of the various subaru engines in aircraft. Seen some pictures of EJ22's and 22T's installed in aircraft, etc. Never seen anything with an EA82 though I sure wouldn't climb into such a contraption. I value my life too much. Would you hang from a cliff 20,000 feet high holding only one end of an EA82 timing belt? GD

It's probably the front cam seal. I have had them completely pop out and just sit there on the shaft. It will consume a large amount of oil when that happens. Definitely fix it yourself if you can manage it. Shops will charge the same labor price as a timing belt job because essentially it is. Figure $500+, and figure on doing the timing belt and all ancillaries As far as the the EA series seals and gaskets.... they suck. Cork has much to be desired as a seal material, and while what Qman says is generally true, the older Subaru seals "age" much faster than newer technology sealing systems. Coating the stock cork oil pan gasket in RTV for instance makes them last a LOT longer. Resealing engines is a good thing - but there are times when redesigning the seal or gasket is a better option given the ability. Subaru isn't going to tell you to do it - they would much rather sell you a new car instead. And there are also times when it's just not worth the time and effort to stop a few quarts every three or four thousand from leaking out. In fact, for a "beater with a heater" it can save you from even doing any oil changes. Just add more and plop in a new filter when you think about it. GD