GeneralDisorder

Basically the ignition system is designed to do one thing - ignite the fuel. If it does that, then it's working. There is really no sliding scale here. Different plugs, different coils etc are largely gimicks to sell you stuff you don't need. I use the cheap NGK's and have no problems. I had a set of those platinum jobbies that came from a used engine I got (owner had just put them in trying to get it running ), didn't make a bit of difference. Besides that - weird slots or grooves, and strange metals on the plug electrode surfaces make it hard to clean and re-gap them later. Give me plain old plugs, a proper gapping tool, and some sandpaper any day. Maybe they last longer or whatever, but they would have to last a REALLY long time to justify the cost. The NGK's are like $1 each :-\ I replace the plugs when I get a vehicle, and then NEVER again. They can be cleaned and re-gapped easily, and should be anyway at every few oil changes. I've never had to buy a new set of plugs for a vehicle that I have not just bought. Eventually (takes a LONG, LONG time), the electrodes will wear away to the point that cleaning and gapping is no longer possible, but I have not reached that point with any of mine. The Accel coils used to be good but are now produced in mexico. The failure rate on them is extremely high lately. Junk. Napa sells a unit that is from the same plant that Accel used to use for theirs... do a search there is a whole thread about this. The coil resistance is matched to the ignitor resistance - using a different coil for "more powerful spark" which is of dubious use at best anyway, is just asking to burn out your ignitor. The stock coil's work great, last nearly forever, and are cheap at the junk yard - what more can you ask for? Get a universal V8 8mm plug wire set and make yourself two sets of plug wires from it. The stock wires are 7mm and I've had arcing problems with older wires. I just use the 8mm universal sets cause they are cheap, and the 8mm wires stand up a little better to time and fluids. GD

Tires for sure (even 4 good temp spares would work for a short trip), but the rest is dependant on where it was parked, the environment and such. I bought my 86 sedan after sitting for 3 years. Jumped it, drove to the gas station and put 10 gallons in, and drove it 20 odd miles home. Since then I've put 8,000 on it. It was parked in good condition tho, and only because the guy broke a screwdriver off in the ignition switch. The feedback carb was crapola, so I threw on a Weber. The tires were shot, so I got some used ones. My rule is if the tires still have air in them and ok tread, drive it. If they are flat don't bother trying to inflate them. All in, I'm $100 for the car, $109 to register it, $190 for the Weber+Rebuild kit+Adaptor, and a case of oil and some filters. It's my daily. I pulled the timing covers off as I'm unsure of the belt condition. They look alright, but I keep and extra set with tensioners in the trunk, and with no covers I can change em with a 12mm deep socket in about 20 minutes. I re-tension the belts every so often too, but I'll just run them till they break. GD

"Runs and drives fine but needs HG" Hehe - probably intake manifold or carb base leaking. These engines never "run fine" with a blown HG. At least none of mine ever have. GD

You can do the bearings on the car - just remove the axle (there's plenty of write ups on this - search), and then the bearings are right there. Just crank the wheel around and *maybe* remove the lower control arm to get better access. They just pound out with a punch, and drive back in the same way. Make sure you grease them properly, and with a quality grease. If they come greased, wash that stuff out as it's only for shipping to prevent corrosion from sitting on parts shelves (doesn't apply to sealed bearings of course). GD

All Brat jump seats are the same - even Gen 1's Yep - have to pull the axle. Then the bearings just drift out with a brass punch. GD

Gotta love the old soob feeling. They just feel so..... right. It's like the $1 whopper. It tastes better cause of the price. GD

Sure - EA82, 1800. Got one on my 86 Sedan. Daily driver. GD

But he says it runs into the pan - and the engine runs good.... coolant can't get to the pan from the manifold, and it would run terribly if the HG's were so loose it ran into the pan as fast as he can pour it. Probably wouldn't run at all. GD

Did one for that POS sedan I got for $200 - actually a little less. I may have a friend that would sell you one for pretty cheap. Have to get an adaptor plate ~$38, and maybe a couple jets and a rebuild kit. Glad you got it runnin - sounds like a nice engine. GD

You are lifted - that's not great mileage, but I usually get about 20 MPG with my lifted wagon and a Weber. The big tires suck the gas. Normal. Danny - Get a weber. GD

Yeah - I just don't want the ECU to give off an error code by not having it connected. I'm connecting the ECS light in the dash as well, and I would like the ECU to report correctly. So sounds like it's most likely the same... I just don't want to blow up the ECU with a weird signal at some enormous voltage. GD

Unfortunately, the 1.2:1 low range will be useless. The 3.7:1 diff ratio, and the 1.2:1 low range basically make the RX tranny useless for off-road. It's low range will be 4.44:1 effective ratio, where the D/R is already 3.9:1 even in high range, and 6.02:1 in low. Driveing in high range will be harder, and you'll have virtually no crawl ratio at all. GD

Serious vacuum leaks - how is your EGR hooked up? Is it working? GD

He has no O2 - 4WD 49 states carb. GD

Freeze plugs poped out of the heads. Were they even in place when you installed the heads? Should be able to put new ones in without much trouble. GD

Repair shop is dead wrong about the lifter tick. The lifters can be rebuilt for cheap, and replacement does not require the removal of the engine. Proper oil pressure, and rebuilt lifters will almost certainly rid you of the tick. If the engine is otherwise sound, lifter replacement is a lot less work, a lot cheaper, and less of a gamble than a replacement engine. On the other hand - the ticking is more of an annoyance than anything. If you can ignore it the engine will not suffer. GD

Might as well find another one and clean that first - then just swap them. Will improve your downtime by a lot, and you may find the old tank has a lot of rust and scale. If the car spent some time in the midwest or east it may be nasty inside. Most radiator shops can clean them out real well too if you bring it in. It's a nasty, nasty job to remove them. Working overhead, and the years of crap on the top of the tank plus all the lines and the filler tube. Have to remove the rear end to get to it as well. I would rather pull 5 engines than 1 fuel tank. GD

Buy a new one - it's well worth the $60 for good oil pressure. Killed my wagon engine because I didn't change the pump - only 165k on it when it blew a rod. Too much swamp water and bad oil pressure. GD

Ok - so I'm in the process or convering the Brat's EA81 to EA82 SPFI. I've got all the electrical worked out save for the speed sensor. Well - I have the wire for the ECU, and I have a yellow/red wire from the cluster that the EA81 FSM indicates is the speed sensor. The EA81's were equipped with this for the optional cruise control unit. My question is does it operate the same as the EA82 speed sensor and will the signal be compatible with the Loyale SPFI ECU? Here's what I could find to describe the EA81 speed sensor operation from my 84 FSM: "When the speedometer cable rotates with the ignition-starter switch on, on-off signals at more than 5V and 0V are repeatedly transmitted." Does this coincide with the EA82 speed sensor design? GD

What do they charge for a tranny at the PAP's these days? Isn't it like $100 plus tax? GD

www.1stsubaruparts.com - $65 + shipping. Discount Import Parts (local to me) - Parut OEM - $60. I called em at 1 PM, and picked it up at 4 PM. GD

Yeah - I say rear wheel bearing too. Remove both rear axles and retest. That will narrow it down. GD

Ball joint = 1/2 hour easy. Sorry - not near ya, but if you get down portland way it would be a peice of cake. GD

Well - that's a good question - it's an NPT thread, so it's going to suck to measure it. I would take the sender with you or a spare oil pump if you have one so you can check fitment. It's definately metric I know that. Here's an option for ya - when you buy a new oil pump that hole comes with a steel plug in it - drill and tap the steel plug - it's normally a hex drive so you already have a starter hole too. Oh - and I just remembered - it's the same thread as the carburated coolant temp sensor - EA81 or EA82. That should get you going eh? Sorry I don't have the specifc size. I just dealt with it in the above manner. GD

You want the Parut pumps - they are OEM. About $60 around here at discount places. GD