GeneralDisorder

Only thing I haven't added to my page is more detail on the wiring (it's all there, I would just like to lay it out better and in a bit more detail about each circuit), and the problems/solutions in reference to using the stock carburated fuel tank. The stock fuel tank doesn't contain baffles to prevent the sloshing of fuel. This is an issue for the SPFI. When the fuel level gets down around 1/4 tank the fuel can slosh away from the pickup and the pump will almost instantly depressurize the injector. Thus the engine sputters and dies out. Either a fuel tank from a fuel injected EA81 (Turbo wagon, coupe or Brat) needs to be retrofit (none of them fit a Hatch though) or a surge tank needs to be added. I made one from some ideas I found searching around on the internet. I used a filter housing for an under-sink water filter from home depot and modified it to fit my needs. The idea is to have a long, thin cylinder (8" deep x 3" wide or so works) and run the fuel into it from the tank using the stock carb fuel pump. Then from this tank you pump to the injectors. I haven't installed it yet, but the principle is well documented, and it's just a matter of building it to suit your needs. Likely the location/design of the thing wouldn't be the same in my Brat as a Hatch anyway. But just so you know, and are thinking about it. It's not something that has to be done right away - you can drive fine without it but be aware you may not be able to use the last 1/4 of your tank reliably without it. GD

Probably doesn't know squat about Subarus. The timing marks are on every flywheel. You do have to remove a rubber cover to see them. He is probably used to seeing them on the crank pulley. The valve and ignition timing marks are on the flywheel, and on the cam sprockets. Hard to say how he tested it. Or if his gauge is accurate. Then he has no idea how to run a D-Check, or what connectors to use to put the car in test mode. If he knew that he would also know that the CEL doesn't report anything - all reporting is done through the LED on the side of the ECU under the dash. As I said - timeing - ignition and valve. Go from there. Buy a haynes manual at least. GD

Most of that is acedemic for Carfreak though - if he's speaking about his EA81 turbo wagon, then he has sealed beams. That means new enclosures and I'm sure someone makes them that are designed for HID's. Putting HID inside existing headlight housings not designed for it are one thing..... but entirely not applicable to his situation. I see no problems with running properly designed HID's if the projector housings are used and aimed properly. It should be no different than OEM except of course there won't be a suspension connected leveling system for them. But a lot of early OEM HID's didn't have leveling anyway. GD

It's not in the wiper motor harness. IIRC, it's in the portion of the harness that swings around the front at the bottom of the radiator to supply the headlights and markers, etc. It then enters the fender wall somewhere under the air-box area and goes to the washer motor. You should be able to access the washer motor from the underside by pulling back the splash sheild inside the fender. GD

It's part of the pump - you have to buy the whole thing. The plate is not availible seperately. Next time don't pry so hard - twist and pull gently. Use the filter as a handle. Tap gently to get it started twisting. The good news is that the pump's generally require replacement around every 100k miles or so. The EA81's definately benefit from a new pump. The EA82's and up don't need replacement as often it seems like. 20+ psi pressure at hot idle is what you want. GD

That page is poorly layed out, and possibly incorrect on a couple points. I think you are under the impression that there is a size difference in the EA81's. That is incorrect. EA81 = 1800cc EA71 = 1600cc ALWAYS. GD

You can always hear oil in them - they are oil filled for cooling puposes. It shouldn't leak though. Test it before replacing it. You test primary and secondary coil resistances. GD

Big valve/small valve, yeah. 83+ has larger intake valves. They rated them 1 HP higher. 83/84 Auto's and all 85+ have hydro lifters. GD

AS I SAID - Federal Mogul is the best for what you are asking. Fel-Pro/Sealed Power and OEM are the only acceptible components/gaskets for the EA series engines. Unless you want performance parts - then you should talk with RAM engines. GD

82 GL 4WD would be an EA81. They didn't put EA71's in the 4WD GL's after 81. GD

Fuel pressure should be 21 psi. If it's low it's probably NOT the pressure regulator. They just don't fail. Never seen or heard of such a thing on the SPFI. It could be the pump, or a clogged filter or pickup in the tank. My bet is that he simply doesn't know the proper pressure for the SPFI, or is just making things up. The distributors rarely fail in these as either - it's an optical crank angle sensor, and they have pin bearings on the shafts - not likely to fail either. I say you probably have a timing or sensor issue. Have the mechanic pull the codes and verify that the static ignition timing is correct, and then pull the outer belt covers (three bolts each) and make sure both the belts are unbroken, have no stripped teeth, and the valve timing marks are properly aligned. Then go from there. Incidentally his prices for the parts are ASTRONOMICAL. I wouldn't deal with this shop in any way. GD

Basically, yes. But really, the development of the Subaru "transaxle" has been one of continous improvement. They have made a lot of changes. The 5 speed was itself an obvious enhancement to the 4 speed 4WD and the 5 speed FWD. They redesigned the 4WD "interface" in order to fit in the extra gear. Really, like most manufacturers, Subaru has taken old designs that proved reliable and functional, and improved along the way. There is very little difference from an 87 RX "Full Time 4WD" 5 speed and an EJ series "All Wheel Drive" 5 speed though. So he was actually more correct than you might think. Other than the bell-housing, and the center diff/viscous coupleing they are hard to tell apart. GD

Major differences are between GL and DL, not between the different body styles. DL/STD are a lot different in the dash and steering column so you are going to want to stick with GL parts if you have a GL, or DL if the Brat's got no t-tops (if it's an auto, then things get messy). The doors (and thus the door panels) are coupe/Brat/Hatch. Wagon and Sedan doors are shorter. Everything behind the seats is Brat specific. The A-Pillar molding on the passenger side is specific to Brats, as is the Oh-Poop "strap" and it's hook. Everything skyward of the windsheild is Brat specific - especially the GL's with the Halo-Twin roof. Consoles and shifter boots, etc have to come from a 4WD to fit properly. The tranmission tunnel sheet metal is physically different and the hole is in a different spot vs. 2WD's. That's about the size of it..... I can't think of anything else that's different off the top of my head. Door glass is Brat specific as well but you didn't mention needing that. There's a lot of outside stuff (mostly past the doors toward the back end) that is different too, but you didn't mention that either. When you get fenders be sure they are 83 or newer. 82's have the wrong sided antenna, and 80/81 are different in the headlight surround area as well as haveing the wrong sided antenna. GD

It will, because the EA81 AC fan is a LOT thinner than the regular fan on the passenger side. In fact it's one of the thinnest stock radiator fans I've ever seen. GD

Ok - lets clarify all the misinformation here .9 bar = 13 psi. EA82's and EA81's made AFTER 1983 use the SAME cap (for that matter, so do EJ22's). 82 and older use a larger cap. You have an 80 to 82 radiator (probably aftermarket). The pressure is the same. Get a cap for a 1982.... anything. You'll be in business. GD

The fuel pressure regulator is mechanical. The ECU has no way to sense the pressure. The ECU will only run the fuel pump if it senses a tach signal, durring cranking, and for a short interval when the key is turned to run. You may have a problem with the tach signal to the ECU. Wire colors tend to change as they pass through different portions of the harness. Test for 12v at the wire to the starter solenoid when the switch is in the crank posistion. It should be a thin gauge wire on the body side of the ignition switch connector. I can't recall the pin on the ECU right now, but either someone else will know, or I can look it up. There's also PDF's around on various sites that can help you with that, and other information. Yeah - green for test mode, and black for read memory mode. GD

If it's carbed then there's no vacuum signal to the distributor at idle with the throttle closed. So it really doesn't matter, and shouldn't actually affect your timing settings either way. Disconnecting them really isn't even required because of this. GD

Clean the grounds, and keep running D-Check's and fixing what it reports. CLEAN the IAC. Just soak it in carb cleaner overnight without the solenoid attached. And make sure the lines going to the IAC are clean and not blocked. Your issue sounds IAC realated to me. The IAC doesn't really do much when warm, but is very important when cold. GD

CA models in 84 would be computer controlled feedback carbs. Check for an O2 sensor in the exhaust. If you have one then you have a problem - you aren't going to be able to use the diagrams intended for the car because you would need feedback carb and associated components to hook it up ($$$). If you don't, then the car wasn't sold in CA so the diagrams won't work. That first Hitachi looks pretty early. Definately 80 or 81.... might even be an EA71 carb so it could be 70's. It looks to have an external vaccuum operated secondary which is odd, and actually characteristic of EA82 carbs (which this definately isn't). At any rate it's not a model I've specifically worked on so it's got to be older than 82. I can tell for one by the secondary diaphram, and by the style of accelerator pump arm. Both are indicating something far older than your car. I wouldn't worry so much about the older one. I would start hooking up a newer Hitachi - preferably an 84 "49 states" version using the appropriate vacuum diagram. GD

If you use the 5 speed gear linkage, with the 4 speed 4WD shifter, it's just a single cut, and add 1" of length to the 4 speed rod and it will work just like stock. You can't even tell there's a 5 speed in the vehicle, and it's a LOT less work than fitting the 5 speed console's, which neither fit quite right, nor match the rest of the interior color. At any rate that's my preference. The 85 I got from you (still have it!) got the 5 speed last year and still looks bone stock inside. Love the EA82 gear shifter! GD

Sounds like a possible fuel issue to me. Like the pump isn't running immediately after start.... They will all run the engine the same. The differences are not significant to your problem. Flip the parking light switch on top of the column. It's a Subaru thing.... Manuals don't have crank inhibitors. There are no fuses, switches or relays in the crank circuit of a manual transmission EA82. Your ignition switch is likely bad. There is a start signal wire (green with yellow stripe IIRC) that signals a start sequence in the ECU. That may be related to your fueling issue but it's hard to say. Just hooking up a crank button will not signal a start to the ECU. It's hard to say how much that actually matters in practice though. The line should be hot in CRANK only. It's powered by the ignition switch itself. Are all your sensors hooked up? The engine will have a very hard time starting without a MAF, or the CTS..... any codes from the ECU? GD

They forgot to install it, or forgot to replace it. It happens. My co-worker just put bearings in a $45,000 vaccuum pump wrong. Of course it showed up in testing and he fixed it. But he's been doing this for 8 years and this isn't exactly something he's never seen before. There's a LOT of parts in those transaxles, and mixing them up or forgetting one is not only possible, but actually pretty likely if you are in a hurry. If they fix it right, and make it good, then I wouldn't worry about it. GD

Hhhmmmm - that sounds bad...ish. If they had nothing to hide then they should have no problem going over a bill. That's the service manager's job after all.... That sounds much better. I find it's always best to confront situations like this in person. I should have mentioned that. Never call with a complaint about business that was originally conducted in person if you can help it. The phone is very "interrupting" as it MUST be answered - this can easily set people off if they are busy with another customer, project, etc. Be there in person - smile - ask politely for a "moment of their time". This is not demanding of their attention, and will be received much better. If they like you, you are much more likely to walk away with some skin left. "Special" tools are almost never used unless you ARE the dealer or the manufacturer. They are cost prohibitive, and often uneccesary. At work I will often make my own tools. Any good shop will have access to a welder and basic fabrication tools. His comment was probably along those lines. I don't know of any special tools that are required to work on a Subaru transaxle, but I know of a few that are useful. All of them could be made easily though with basic mild steel stock and some skills with a welder. GD

The 2WD gen 1's are completely different. Fitting 4WD to one would not be easy like it is with Gen 2's and 3's. There's part of the frame that crosses in front of where the driveline would need to go so you would essencially have to "remake" the whole floorpan and the driveline tunnel. Gas tank has no provision for a diff, and the frame isn't the same as a 4WD so the diff hanger and associated stuff has no place to bolt to. Really quite a mess actually. GD

Weak cable would be unable to dis-engage the clutch. High release is a sign of a cable that is too tight or (more likely) a worn out clutch disc. I've had "high realease" mostly worn clutch discs last 15 or 20 thousand miles though. It's all in how you drive it. Remove the radiator, pull the engine forward with the tranny jacked up off the cross-member just a little. You can rest the engine in the front of the bay while you change the clutch then push it back together again. Subaru's are one of the easiest clutch replacements out there. GD