GeneralDisorder

What hacking? If anything your method requires more hacking. All you are doing is using the start signal to close a relay. There's no real hacking involved - just punch the pin out of the body side connector for the ignition switch, and run it to the starter area. Ground, and battery power don't require any hacking - just a wire to the battery and a couple to ground for the relay. What you are advocating is using another switch when you already have one IN the ignition switch. Using what you already have with a low-current relay makes more sense, and it's cleaner. GD

That is extremely ghetto, and takes almost as long as installing a proper relay. Much, much *less* time if you include the 3.5 minutes you'll spend for the rest of your days popping the hood to get at the silly switch, and then the hour you will spend next year replacing the hood release cable that you have worn out. GD

If you are removing the seats why not just pull up the carpet and REALLY get at that crud? GD

It's not - the weak point is your climate conditions, and the rust prevention history of your car. 1/4" would add far too much weight to the assembly, and frankly isn't needed. But 18 YEARS of rust and salt will eat anything. I've seen military trucks fall apart from it too, and talk about overbuilt GD

I'm not sure how "limited" they really were. I've seen a number of them here in Subaru central. I did a clutch for a guy on one not long ago. Kind of strange that it didn't have a digi-dash or turbo or anything. Just a plain old GL D/R wagon, but with a touring roof. Seems kinda pointless, but I guess it looks neat simply because most don't have it GD

Availible only in 89 and 90 - that's the "touring wagon". Extra cargo space is really all it is. There are no other differences, but they did usually come as high-end models with many options. GD

Intresting - never seen that before. Just as a note - that tube is only on non-AC models. That's where the AC condensor is located. GD

For future reference, as a general rule - distributors and camshafts run at 1/2 crank speed. GD

Replace those, and do it NOW. You are probably looking at a catastrophic failure within a short time - maybe days. They will blow out and spew coolant all over the place. Then you have overheated a turbo motor - bad idea. GD

Shaft bushings are shot. These guys can rebuild your unit for $50 - $75: www.philbingroup.com Any 4WD EA81 will interchange. The 2WD's have a ND disty - that will work also if you change to the ND coil. GD

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