GeneralDisorder

Everyone comes here on equal ground. My policy is to assume that everyone is equal to me unless they prove otherwise. It was Samuel Clemens that said: "It is best to keep your mouth shut and be presumed ignorant than to open it and remove all doubt." GD

Duplicate.

1983 FSM. Actually I looked it up for him. I can take a picture if you really want. GD

What exactly does being an "employe.because" (whatever the hell that is ) have to do with anything? And for your information pal, Brian was one of the founding principles of this fine forum. He also was an "employe.because", to use your quaint, misspelled/ill-punctuated version of the term, for a very long time. GD

I agree - Subaru's aren't for towing. The only towing that is semi-safe is flat towing another vehicle using a strap as long as the towed vehicle has operable brakes. If you REALLY had to setup a trailer for use by a Subaru, it would have to be both very light (2000 lbs or lighter) AND have electric trailer brakes. I do not know of any trailers this small that are so equipped but it would not be difficult to build one. They may be for sale, but all the trailers I deal with at work that are generally larger, and MUCH heavier (10,000 lbs+) are equipped with electric brakes. I also deal with this stuff every day. I setup single and tandem axle trailers to suit the needs of various types of rental equipment ranging from 1,000 to 20,000 lbs dry weight (not including trailer, or fuel) as part of my overall duties. Ultimately, lots of people do it and get away with it. But it's not the everyday driving that will bite you. It's the emergency stops, or the hard swerve to miss a stray dog, etc that will hurt you. Control under these circumstances is imperative, and it simply cannot be achieved with the weight of a Subaru unless you are towing something so light that it could probably either be stowed in the back, or strapped to the roof anyway. The point is that just because you have done it, and nothing has happened, doesn't make it a wise thing to advise others to do. Strapping the trailer to the roof rack though..... GD

No problem. Glad that worked out for you. I can understand how you would need higher RPM for running certain accesories - heck that's why that solenoid exists anyway, because the demand of the AC compressor requires more fuel. The alternator's all put out more Amp's the faster you spin them too. GD

Make sure the belts are on correctly first. Instead of turning the engine over after the first belt, just put one mark straight up, and the other straight down and install both belts. Remove the #1 plug and turn over till you feel air past your finger. Put the flywheel at 0 and that's TDC on #1 compression. Turn the flywheel back to 20 degrees BTDC, and align the rotor on the distributor with whichever post you want to be the #1 plug wire on the cap. Order the plug wires 1-3-2-4. Note that depending on which post you use as #1, there are 4 correct ways to install the distributor. Fire it up. GD

The computer isn't bad - it just can't compensate for a poorly functioning sensor. Once it realizes that this sensor is out of spec, it ignores the input from it and runs in "limp mode". I agree that you are probably looking at a temp sensor. They are around $35 to $50 depending on where you get one. Check the codes first to determine the exact problem. GD

So install a D/R on your Loyale. It's really quite easy. GD

Ok - perhaps partially working then. But only on the EA82's. The EA81's trip computer is built into the cluster so it can't be made to work. GD

Get a AAA membership. Saves the grief on occasions like that one. Sorry about the loss man. You'll find a better one though. GD

Actually that was supposed to be a compliment to you, and to indicate that if the OP isn't a mechanic (or does not wish to wrench) then he should probably avoid the 2.5 EA82's and EJ25's are the realm of the Subaru "mechanic". EA81's and EJ22's are for the masses. Just one guy's opinion. GD

Yes - it does sound rich. Pedal to the floor while cranking puts the computer in "flood clear mode" and cuts off fuel flow. I second the CTS possibility. Clean the contacts first. GD

"can" is relative. Physically, yes. Electrically is a different matter. It's been made to work - there's maybe a handful of people (myself included) that have ever succesfully done it (that I've heard about on this board and other's). The plugs are different, as are the pin-outs. Some stuff like the trip-computer simply cannot be made to work with an analog cluster. Basically you need the schematics for BOTH cars. All of them. Lots of circuits run through the cluster for warning lights, etc. And the fuel guage sending unit has to be swapped as the resistance values are different between the two. GD

Bad choice if you aren't a mechanic like Gary The 2.2 was made through 97 on some models. The 96 Outback's came with the 2.2 and the higher suspension package. You should look for either a 95 or 96 - those were the years after the body style change, but before the 2.5 was released to most model lines. GD

Engine temp goes up when you turn on the FAN because of the higher amp draw on the circuit that the gauge is hooked to. Sounds like you are burning coolant. Time for head gaskets. At least they are easy on the EA81's. GD

Shouldn't be shaft bushings - that would be tach jumping but no real change in engine speed. Your problem sounds possibly ignition related since the engine also tries to die. That's a real misfire, not just weird tach readings. GD

They really can't clog - there's nothing inside them. It's just an open space used as an "expansion" chamber for fuel pressure spikes. If the pickup tube in the tank sucks air for a few seconds, these smooth out the fuel flow so the injectors see constant pressure. Removing them is just stupid. It's costly (FI line is expensive), and uneccesary. And besides occasionally rusting out, they never fail either. GD

I think it has to do with the steering wheel lock mechanism integrated into the ignition switch. There's a big steel pawl that retracts when you turn the key - it's job is to lock the steering wheel from turning. After years of paranoid people locking the steering wheel when they park the car there are grooves worn in the locking pawl - this makes it difficult to retract and leads to the wrestling match as noted above. IE: I don't think that having a new key made will help. Really it needs a new (used) ignition switch - preferably with the locking pawl neutered Early 90's Legacy theft is pretty uncommon, and I think a kill switch is more effective anyway. Also - if it becomes a REAL wrestling match - just jack up the front end. GD

Talk to Qman - he had one (with normal, rear fireing exhaust ) fabbed up to his lifted Brat running a hi-po EA81. IIRC, he put a "U" shaped bend where the turbo would have gone and ran it out under the cross-member just like a stock y-pipe style exhaust. He said it took a lot of work, and probably wasn't worth it in the end. GD

Wagon, Sedan, and Coupe ('80 to '84) tanks should be similar enough to work, if not exactly the same. But they MUST be 4WD. The 2WD tanks are larger, and don't have the divit for the rear diff. They can be used if you are running a large enough lift though . Hatchback tanks will be a lot smaller, and may bolt in but not entirely correctly. Again only 4WD tanks will work. There's plenty to be had in the junk yards here. I won't be able to get out to them till after the 1st, but I could probably find one if you can't get one locally. GD

Ever been under the Brat? The interior extends BELOW the bed. The fuel pump wires for example exit the rear of the cab about 8" to 10" above the floor, and emerge just UNDER the bed sheet metal. Moving the cab wall backward would require massive amounts of re-working to the uni-body frame rails and unless very carefully done would leave the vehicle structurally unsound. Given a proper body shop, and unlimited amounts of money I'm sure it *could* be done (although no body shop would touch the job for liability reasons). But unless you have some serious skills in this department you are going to totally mess up the vehicle and ruin it's already relatively high value. GD

It would be a front half shaft - not a rear. You probably wouldn't be able to feel anything. You can pull back the boot and look at the condition of the grease. I've noticed that severe DOJ vibration is often caused by lack of grease IN the joint. It's either all leaked out into the boot because it's too runny, or there just isn't enough in there at all. If you add some grease it might go away for a while. GD

Just change the seats. I'm 6'2", and I know your pain. I switched to Isuzu Impulse seats and now I'm golden. Plenty of headroom, and more comfortable too. You just need to lower the seat - trust me. GD

Not true. The Redline shockproof is AWESOME. I run it along with the other contents of Scotty's. But I use two quarts of Redline in place of one of the quarts of castrol. The reason this "cocktail" is prefered by many Subaru enthusiasts is that the front hypoid diff requires the additives in gear oil, but the tranmission syncro's like a lighter weight oil. These are difficult to combine without making your own blend. The Redline is great for the syncro's, but doesn't have the correct additives for the front diff gears. Thus the Syncromesh, and the Castrol. At any rate I too tried a lot of gear oils, but the proof is in the performance. And based on the number of folks running Scotty's on Nasioc, LegacyCentral, and here the results are pretty clear. I used to get a slight grind going into second - with Scotty's - I CAN'T shift it fast enough to make it grind. Cold, hot - doesn't matter. GD