GeneralDisorder

Don't let it dry - just run a bead and install the covers. Dealer for the rubber washers. GD

22mm is the crank pully bolt size - you can turn it over by hand till you either feel compression, or use a drinking straw to feel the piston come up to TDC with both valves closed. When the timing mark lines up with 0 stab the disty in pointing at the #1 plug wire and you should be good. GD

Those are right for an EA82 - is that what you are working on? EA81's are not overhead cam, so they are much simpler, and the gaskets are just square flat cork. Incidentally, I've never replaced the ones on an EA82 - I just RTV them, and replace the bolt rubber washers.... GD

Hhhmmm - yeah probably have to go to the store and have them look it up. They are special order only, so none of the stores carry them. Usually only takes about 3 days to get them at my store. It's GCK part number SB-8002 www.gck.com GD

The problem is the ignition switch, and could also be somewhat the inhibitor switch in the auto shifter. The contacts are burned an not passing enough current to engage the starter solenoid completely. It's not passing enough current to fully engage the starter solenoid. Easiest way to fix it on an Auto is to run a new wire from the switch harness (black, six pin connector under the column) to activate a relay on the firewall that applies full power to the starter solenoid. The problem is both the ignition switch, AND the inhibitor switch. Trying to "fix" it is really just an excersize in futility because once the switches are burned (usually from repeated starting attempts when the car was out of gas, or something silly) they can't be brought back. And replaceing them is a pain. Running a new wire with a relay will bypass the inhibitor completely (like a manual), and prevent any more burning of the switch contacts as the relay current is very small. GD

Fuel LEAK?!?! Christ man - fix that FIRST. Worry about the starting issue when you don't have flammable fluids dripping from your car. GD

You would lose major amounts of low-end torque, and turbo's are not good up the mountain side. You have to keep the R's way up, and then they start to overheat..... yeah, bad juju. The SPFI engine you have is higher-reving, and produces insane amounts of torque. Plus the EA81T is way antiquated as far as it's FI goes. Parts are expensive and nearly impossible to find because they only made them for 2 years. You are talking a 5% increase in peak power, and a loss of probably 20% in low end torque. The turbo is 7.7:1 compression, and the SPFI is 9.5:1. Oh - and do you like the 30 MPG of the SPFI? I hope not cause the EA81T will get about 20 to 25 (usually more towards 18 to 20 though). GD

Only way to really rid a car of nasty odor is to remove all the carpeting, and wash down the floor pan - pull the drain plugs and rinse the whole thing out with a hose, and scrub with dish-soap. Wash the carpet and put it back. Also remove the dash, and wash down all the venting ductwork with pine oil - good time to replace the ductwork foam, and the heater core if your heat is sub-par. Really makes you familiar with the vehicle in ways most folks can only dream of. Run new speaker wire while you are in there, and some power wire for your amp.... hide it all in the plastic. Mice like to nest in the ductwork, and the fresh air intake ports on either end of the dash ducting get nasty rotting leaves, pine needles and mold in them - which can make it's way down to the heater core itself, causing the blower motor to seam weak. After 20 years it can be pretty bad - you will not beleive you were breathing air filtered over that gunk. You just aren't going to remove the smell of mouse pee without removing the nesting material and washing the ducting. The amonia in it will last for decades. GD

Wow - I have never seen or heard of that on an EA82. I've heard of people breaking torsion bars on the EA81's from rust but never the tube itself. I think you may just have a manufacturing defect. But it does look rusty right on the bottom - maybe just rusted through and the the crack just spread from there. Anyway - not too horrible to replace the whole tube. Might be too rusty to weld back up. You could try using some C channel under it and weld that on for extra strength. Might last a while till you can source a new tube. If the car really is that rusty, I would look at the strut towers, etc in the rear. I've seen cases where the coil-overs push through the body and end up in the cabin. GD

Either a Double Offset Joint on the front or a bad driveshaft u-joint I would say. The way you say it's less in 4WD makes me think u-joint. But when DOJ's fail, that's about the scenario - they go in just a few miles it seems. GCK axles from Autozone - you'll never replace them again. GD

Rust? GD

GD - that's me . You know Foster Ave.? It's in SE Portland. There's a Foster exit off 205. You go east about 1 mile and Foster Auto Parts and Foster U-Pull-It are on the left. GD

Well - that would definately cure it Yep - personally I would just use the GM stuff as you need one for the IAT anyway, so might as well use the same sensor for both. And they are cheap as dirt, and "in-stock" even in the most backwater parts store. If you use the MS relay board, and get a pre-made harness it's really, really simple. Half as much work or less than the SPFI swap. But the BIG, BIG win is that you can drop in ANY engine you want later with almost no wiring at all. You never again have to touch anything under the dash - just hook up the cheap laptop, retune and drive on. It will solve your MAF troubles, and in 5 years when those STi front clips are cheap you don't even have to worry about getting the harness and ECU from the donor. Or go like my plan - JDM N/A EJ20 DOHC. They can be had cheap from the importers because no US market vehicle used them, and the harnesses and ECU's are hard to come by. But they are 150 HP stock. That's 20 HP more than the 22, and better mileage besides. GD

Definately sounds ignition related the way it just shut off completely. If you suspect the cap and rotor then go for it - I've seen similar effects on other cars. Do you know how old the set is? If none of the ignition parts have been changed that you are aware of, then cap, rotor, plugs and wires should all just be done at the same time so you know the age of everything. Or just trade that pesky EA81T to me. I'll trade ya straight across for my 86 sedan - Weber, 5 speed D/R, etc GD

Yep - and if they did collide, it would probably just bend a push-rod..... but then *if* they collided that would mean something else (timing gears) is totally borked. That's why the later EA82 pistons have the valve cut-outs in them. Which would make it a no-no to use the RAM performance pistons in the EA82 and ER27 I would think..... at least not without a regular maintenance routine for the belts. GD

It's not that bad - about 6 hour total. I just did the one on my Sedan. I took parts of two days to do it as I went to the home cheapo and got some auto/marine grade weather stripping and replaced the foam on some of the ducting. It's actually nice to clean all the duct work anyway - I cleaned everything with pine-sol, and removed even more mouse nest over in the drivers side fresh air intake. It's nice to not have ANY piss smell at all. Smells like a clean car inside now. GD

Yep - no MAF. It uses the onboard MAP, plus O2, Coolant Temp, And Intake Air Temp (same GM $8 sensor for both temps). And of course the throttle posistion sensor. The new version 3 stuff can control all your stock igntion setups too - it can even signal a regular coil like such as the EA series engines used, and can work with both types of FI distributors - hall-effect with mechanical advance, and CAS from the hot-wire cars. Stock MAP sensor can also handle forced induction up to 25 psi boost, and sensors are availible that can handle up to 40 psi. GD

Yeah - that's a good point. I hadn't noticed that. Guess I was too busy trying to get the new core in with this freezing rain So it looks like the coolant is forced through half the core, around the bend on the other tank, then through the other half, and back out. So back flushing might do some good. Still need a LOT of pressure as those small tubes are going to turn your spray into a lot of little..... thinking about hooking up my pressure washer, and feeding it with the hot water tank in the garage GD

If I had to guess, I would say the XT6 ones are probably geared differently. EA81's used the same FWD manual too.... so really that tranny hasn't changed since like 1980. GD

Wireing diagrams 83 and 84 are near identical except the 84 includes the turbo, and in 83 that was a seperate manual. I have both and they cover pretty much all the same stuff. I would buy the 84 even if you have an 83 as it's going to be pretty much the same. If you need the whole EA81 series, 80, 82, and 84 are really the only manuals you need. GD

You don't have to program anything - you just have to setup the engine parameters. Fuel and timing maps - it's just a matter of plugging number into a chart. If you build a small air/fuel ratio meter and use your timing light to record the timing at various RPM's before you pull the engine it will give you some idea of what subaru had it setup for. Then you just use a cheap laptop on the passenger seat and dial it in by the seat of your pants. Wiring is super easy since the MS uses an onboard MAP sensor. The rest of the stuff is fairly minimal, and if you get a relay board, and one of the pre-made wireing harnesses it's really simple. All the wires are labeled - it's printed every 8" or something right on the wire. GD

You really should just get Fel-Pro HG's, and dealer for the other few you need - you are going to kick yourself later. Trust me. GD

GCK axles - Brand new from Autozone are about $100 no core. Beleive me, they are the best. www.gck.com 23 spline is what you need. GD

Replace your fuel filters. If that doesn't cover it, then you have a problem with your accelerator pump, or you have a partially sticking float. Either way it warrants a carb rebuild. GD

You are in Portland - land of the Subaru. Head over to Foster U-Pull-It and grab one for $25. GD