GeneralDisorder

Don't fret the 3AT too much - I took a 78 wagon with an EA71 and the 3AT up to about 85 mph on the freeway. Poor thing wouldn't get out of it's own way with a running start from a stoplight. Sure could move down hill on the freeway tho. Scary - very scary in such a small car. Almost needed the jaws of life to get back out of that car. 2WD Auto - bieng an '83 that should have a hydrualic lifter EA81 - definately worth the asking price if that's the case. Otherwise let it rot. GD

I've done the conversion as well - and yes, Miles has done it, along with some others.... it's still not something I would reccomend to anyone other than a mechanically inclined subaru nut. While it may be worth it where you live, it simply is not here - there are tons and tons of 4WD EA82's to be had for cheap. I would sugest she swap her engine into a 4WD before bothering with a conversion on a 2WD. GD

Well - here's my thoughts on this - been meaning to fix the slop on mine as I have soooo much other stuff to do before I get around to the 5 speed. Are you drilling the hole, or the roll pins? The roll pins just punch out with a pin punch. Anyway - if you have a broken bit in there, it's going to be much harder. Best to drop the tranny at that point so you can get more stank on it. Use a lot of cutting oil to prevent the bit from going dull in minutes. I have come up with a new approach but have yet to try it - get two of those hardened hex set screws and drill holes on either side of the shifter. Grind some flat spots on the transmission rod, and reef those set screws down till it doesn't move..... here's a pic I whipped up: GD

I drove in the ice storm we had a couple years ago with my 3WD - really knarly on the ice. The rear end wants to walk out to whichever side has the axle still in. Weird feeling. GD

Crap dude - got called into work, and forgot my personal phone at home. I see you called a bunch of times. Was going to call you (from Eugene!) but of course your number is in my 870, and all I grabbed was my work phone. We had a price increase, and everything is going nuts - had to re-measure a bunch of houses and a duplex in Salem and Eugene today. I just got home (9:00 PM). Boy how I wish I wasn't salery.... Where is Kenny? GD

Out here the yards remove the tank and put it in the back seat or trunk so they are availible from the junk yards here.... not sure about where you live. Shipping wouldn't be all that bad, but have to clean it up good and cover sharp edges with cardboard ect - still it certainly wouldn't be $250. Have you tried any radiator/gas tank shops? They could probably patch it as well. Also try the wanted forum here on our board - perhaps someone is parting a car in your area. As for this being common - it's a rust-effect from your salt. Out here I've never seen any subaru fuel tank leak no matter how old. GD

Perhaps you can get a tranny from a member here (try the wanted forum), and I'm sure another member would be willing to install it. I know that I would do it for you for $200 labor no problem, but I'm not real close. $100 for a FWD trans is a bit high as they are not very desirable. Maybe a case of beer, or $25 - the pull-a-parts in WA charge $100 for any trans tho from the yard if you pull it. Also - with the trans out, the clutch is right there, and it might be wise to install a new or rebuilt clutch pack while you are in there. Just to avoid doing it again soon. Definately at least want to put in a new release bearing even if the old one is good. Should check and possible replace the rear main seal for the engine as well. Rear main is about $10, and the release bearing is about $25. Converting to 4WD - while possible - is probably not something that a non-mechanic would want to go after. Seriously most people here on the board have never done it, and really are not qualified to tell you what all you need. From a labor point of view it's not terrible, but the list of parts you need to make it correct, and stock is fairly extensive. GD

Likely the sender is not bad - you probably have no oil pressure. Been there. Get a new oil pump NOW or suffer a blown rod sooner rather than later. A re-seal is NOT sufficient. Once those idiot lights start going on, you need to TEST the oil pressure. I replaced the seals in one that had a similar problem - engine blew a rod about 5k miles later. Test your pressure, and do the smart thing - install a real guage. The idiot light for oil pressure is probably why there are so few DL's left. Bad design to remove an engine safety item from a stripped down model. GD

Subaru has always been very much into reliablilty - msot things are relay controled except for I think the starter solenoid. My friends Audi A4 burnt out the headlight switch because there is no relay in the circuit - seriously what is Bosch thinking? GD

Sweet! I never would have thought to look there. Thanks. Haynes manual is no help at all. GD

Hoping someone can help me who has an EA82 FSM. Never thought I would do it, but I broke down and got an EA82 sedan.... what can I say it was cheap. Anyway - the fuel guage is a little wonky - probably the conectors to the sending unit, but I don't know where they are / how to get to them. Do I get to them from underneath or from in the trunk? I've only ever had the tank out of EA81's.... I would look but its dark and I was hoping if I knew how to find it I might be able to find and clean then with my mag light GD

Off-roading can use a lot of fuel for not a lot of miles since you are not really moving a whole lot, doing a lot of idleing and such - it's hard to judge. I usually come in around 20 mpg on my lifted wagon when it's driven on the street (to and from off-road only, but that is sometimes pretty far away - two or more tankfulls). So 15 mpg isn't totally off the wall.... you still need to accurately measure it without the off-roading in there. GD

Ah - well I guess you got it fixed then - right on. GD

You just need to oil the drill bit a little when you are drilling that kind of stuff - without a little cutting oil the bit will dull within minutes. Also you need to start with a smaller bit and work your way up. Although the whole mount is probably a mess by now. Angle grinder the mount out and put in a new one with grade 8 nuts welded on the back for your bolts. Bring it over here and we can set it up right man. GD

Calculate the mileage for real before you go looking for a problem that may not exist. Average it over 4 full tanks. And do the math - the guage is not accurate, and judging by the tank mileage and not how much fuel you have put in the tank is not the proper way to calculate mileage. GD

Are you using a geniune Subaru PCV valve? And have you replaced (REPLACED - not cleaned) the PCV filter in the airbox (assuming you still have it..)? GD

Sure - it will basically drop in - especially if both cars are carbbed. The SPFI will bolt onto an EA81 as well, but the distributor will need modification to be used. But yes - you will use the EA82 flywheel and clutch (need to grind a bit on the EA81 bell-housing for it to bolt on). And the engine will line up with all the mounting points in an EA82. You will lose about 12 HP tho :cool:, and being a heavy vehicle already, it's going to be slow unless you build the engine up with a new cam, and some better intake/exhaust. GD

Bad intake gaskets will generally cause the engine to burn the coolant, but you will see evidence of "milkshake" in the breather hoses, PCV valve, and oil cap as some of the coolant does get by the pistons rings as vapor and then condenses in the oil. Not a lot tho, and the oil is still usually pretty black. Delt with this problem many times on subaru's - often it is mis-diagnosed as a head gasket. Run a compression test, and see what you get. GD

Just got this for $100. Drove it home too. The little 1/4" coolant line under the carb to the manifold had a small leak. Guy broke a screwdriver off in the ignition switch and let it sit for 3 years: GD

This is why power steering rocks. Doesn't kick near as hard when you have the fluid pressure slowing it down. GD

Do tell - how nice does it run? Got ponies? Eh? GD

Ebay auction said 1.8, but who knows. I don't see any evidence in the picture of the coolant cross over pipe that's on the earlier engines, so I think it really must be an EA81. That thing is a serious race machine tho - don't think it even has an alternator. That pressure guage doesn't go over 15, so it must run a fairly small amount of boost. I wonder what the advantages are over a turbo setup besides simpliciy of course. Turbo's are more effecient, and on a small engine like the EA81 I would imagine that effeciency would be pronounced. Must be a good reason for it tho. GD

It's really just a Legacy AWD tranny with the bellhousing for an EA series. They called AWD - Full Time 4WD back then. The RX, some GL-10's and the XT6 AWD all had it. It's most likely single range with a diff lock, but there were dual range versions in the RX, and the XT6 had a single range with a 3.9 diff instead of a 3.7. All (except the auto) have the diff lock I'm pretty sure. Diff lock just turns it into a regular 4WD instead of AWD. GD

Pretty darn rare. No one knows for sure, but I live in soob central, and I've seen maybe 2 loyale's, and 1 or 2 legacy's.' GD

The 2.2 can handle the RPM's - it's redline is 6500, and should have no difficulty at all doing 8000+ all day long. The 2.2 has 5 mains, and short, stubby rods that aren't even drilled for oil passages. The aircraft guys run the EA81 at 7000 with a prop drive for hours and hours. That engine is not as rugged, and only has 3 mains. Let your cruise do it's job - it's going to 4k because the engine is more effiecient if kept within it's power band. GD