TheSubaruJunkie

I had a RX with a EA82T in it. Was fun, then i started to modify it. Intake... Exhaust.... up the boost with a manual boost controller. They are good motors stock, but if you start trying to make real power, you run into problems like this: But luckily they are easy to rebuild too -Brian

Perform an oil change before you do the test. Also make sure everything is stock. Timing etc. New plugs never hurt, but unless you have spark problems probably wont help as much as the oil change. Also make sure you drive the car for a while before taking it to the tester. Get your catalytic converter good and hot. Sometimes if the shop is busy your car will sit for a while, so maybe try to go on a wednesday morning or some off-day when there is no one there and you can get right in. The hotter your cat is, the better. -Brian

There's a white brat sitting in a driveway less than a block from my house. Have been living in this place for 2 years and never seen it before last week so Im assuming the owner just bought it. I agree, you dont see many brats. Grass Valley has more EA81 Subarus than Sacramento though. Doubt the owner is on this board. Ive been thinking of stopping by the white brat's house and letting them know about this place. -Brian

A slight change in plans... Im not going to be able to make it this year The gas prices are too much for me and the trip there and back will put me at almost $400. If I didnt have bills piled up and two tool trucks asking for payment I would definatly be up there. But this time of year is no good for me. Sucks cause I sold my tires to a member in Portland, and expected to be able to deliver them to him this weekend. So, Mike... think you'll have room in your Brat for a set of 27" Mud Terrains? Hit me up on AIM if you can and let me know. -Brian

So if you recommend not hitting the threaded portion... what do you suggest you smack with the hammer? -Brian

Coolant will get everywhere. Its a good idea to drain your radiator before you start. -Brian

One thing I would add... When pounding the tie rod out of the steering knuckle. Re-install the castle nut upside down so you dont screw up the threads. Not everyone has a brass hammer. And it doesnt "take a lot to damage what you are wailing on" I've damaged my tie rod ends before and it turns a 2hour wheel bearing job into a 6 hour 'run to the junkyard and get another tie rod and add $60 for an alignment afterwards' job. Other than that. This is a great write-up! +1 for the USRM. -Brian

Put more brake fluid in your master cylinder. -Brian

Now what fun would that be? Take a bus to a subaru show? THats almost as bad as showing up in a Mercury Tracer (sorry andrew :-P ) -Brian

Actually, change of plans. Doesnt look like im gonna be able to make it

Looks like its a change of plans for me. Ive run out of money 1 week before the show. Payday is the day after I had scheduled to leave, and I just cant afford it. This paycheck is my rent check and i got bills stacked up and disconnect notices that MUST be taken care of It would cost $400 in gas and i still need new tires before I can attempt a 1400 mile round trip so I have to throw the towel in and just take it in stride. Maybe next year :-\ -Brian

I still dont understand why you want to remove the lift, but okay. Make sure you have ALL the original bolts. The bolts supplied with the lift kit will not work without the lift installed. Support the engine crossmember, Remove the bolt holding the bottom of your strut to the steering knuckles. Remove the bolts holding the engine crossmember to the frame and lower the engine about an inch or so. Remove your lift blocks. Lowering the crossmember should pull the struts out of the steering knuckles as well. Then remove the top strut bolts and remove the struts all together. Then you can remove the strut blocks. Locate your steering extension and remove that. Hope you have a stock extension laying around, cause you cant use the extension from the lift kit. The tranny crossmember is going to be a pain in the rump roast. With the engine still lowered you can unbolt each of the 6 tranny lift blocks. Once you do so, the sway bar will make it difficult to line everything back up... but with all the blocks removed you jack your engine crossmember back up and bolt the crossmember back into its stock location then line up the tranny crossmember and bolt that in. AFter that re-install your struts and you are done with the front. THe rear is cake. There are 2 blocks for the diff hanger. One on each side. And then there are 3 blocks for the torsion bar. Find them all and remove them. Use your jack to support the differential. Remove the bolts and lower the differential a couple inches to get the blocks out. Once they are out replace the bolts with the stock bolts and you are done. -Brian

They have tires, but are no good. You got me on AIM still??? hit me up and we'll talk. -Brian

That thing needs some rims. I have a set of stock turbo legacy alloys if you are interested. the 15", you should know what they look like. Coupe's lookin real good otherwise. -Brian p.s. i also still have my modified grill. Lemme know and i can tote it all up to WCSS with me.

Its pretty much the same for EA81 and EA82. I wish i had pix, but i dont. I should do a write-up on the process. Pretty much all you do is break your CV (yeah, break it). Remove the shaft from the stub that goes through the steering knuckle. You just re-install the stub and drive your car in 4WD. The tranny output shafts will stay exposed and no CV will lead to the knuckle. The tricky part is seperating the axle shaft from the CV stub. -Brian

LOL Shawn, does that mean instead of a Vanagon forum we can have a toyota Forum attatched to the USMB?? -Brian

Yes, 1st make sure you really need the gasket. If the car is running fine, and not overheating I doubt its a blown gasket. Another tell tale sign of a head gasket would be white smoke in your exhaust... or exhaust in your radiator. I would suggest performing a compression test on all four cylinders before you do anything. If all 4 cylinders test out okay (i believe 130 to 150psi per cyl) then its probably something stupid simple and not a gasket. -Brian

Runnin out of time Mike -Brian

And they had to convert from 1.2l to 1.0liter. Wow. I wonder how many subarus have held land speed records? -Brian

Trannys are cheap. Any 4spd from any EA81 will bolt in. A couple things to help narrow down your problem. If the problem only exists with the car in gear and driving, its most likely the transmission. Try getting it up to speed, put the trans in Neutral and coast, if the problem still exists then its probably driveline related (CV's, Bearings). But, as rob stated before, popping out of 4th is a sign of worn internals and its not long after that until the trans makes wierd noises. -Brian

It shows our age under our nickname... if we opt to show it But i like the idea of having a poll. -Brian

Pirate4x4 is pretty local. And yeah, i see 33's on there all the time. Problem is they are gone in like 15min. Craigslist has also been my friend. But my buddy here at work with these 33's is willing to give me a screamin deal on em. So i may just get them and wheel em a season or two until I can afford new swampers. 1st thing 1st... i gotta get the 22R to fire on all 4, and maybe (just maybe) get tags for it -Brian

Well the set im looking at getting are kinda worn in the front. I would say maybe 30%-40% tread left on the front tires. Rear's look good. Still, 33's are 33's and i can tell i am running 29's when i hit the rocks. Another thing that bothers me is the 3ply sidewalls. I believe the Swampers I have are 6 ply but im not 100% on that. Regardless, swampers are some mean tires and Im in love with mine. However, a brand new set of 33" swampers will put me just under $1000 -Brian

I wanna say its a 3" body lift. Too me it looks like its taller than 3" but the lift blocks dont look it. And i doubt theres any suspension lift. The tires are 29" Swampers. I got a buddy with some 33's he's gonna give me... but I dont know if I want to trade the swampers for BFG M/T's. We'll see. -Brian

One more yota video for you guys http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8659504067577991216 Made it today, from yesterdays wheelin. My green truck is running like snot! BUt my buddies yellow truck is runnin great. -Brian