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It is assumed you have changed the pilot bearing along with the flywheels. Can't you measure how far the RX clutch fork moves and compare it to the wagon? This will atleast take pedal /fork travel out of the equation

Thanks Mike exactly what I was planning on, I have a few LEDs in the bin. I like the high impedence not affecting the operation of the D.S. being watched. I will need to to know what level of dwell these units get fed. I will also have to find out if they are negativly signaled. I was hoping we had someone that knew this, but alas I guess I'm guessing

Ya gotta luv it. Russ said Willy Nilly (I use the latin Willus Nillus) But what he is dead on. If it is a VSS, the TCU (Transmission Control Unit) probably will not take kindly to having a dead short on a sensor input. But you could try it and watch for smoke. Can you tell us what color the wires are on this mystery connector? Or is it too tight? I have a FSM and an 89 4EAT on the bench, if you could get a pict, I could see if it is on my unit.

Glen is right on. This fuse runs the ECU, ignition relay , fuel pump relay, EGR soleniod, this is for the MPFI model, you don't say if it's is carbed, SPFI, MPFI, or a turbo...sorry but it does make a difference.

Thanks for all the replies, guys Both on topic and off. My bad, this is an 89 FT4EAT it has no "manual button" It has a "1st hold" button only It also has no provision for starting in second gear, (I think FHI slipped up here as it is a nice feature for snow running, all my other Subaru autos have this feature) The gear shift pattern is 2,3,D... When starting in "2" from a stop, it still downshifts into 1st, then upshifts into "2" UNLESS the "1st hold" button is depressed. Please believe me on this one. That said I will now look deeper into the bowels of the FSM chapter on the extremely complex FT4EAT. Does anybody know where the TCU is located on a 1989 GL-10 wagon? My plan is to add some form of visual indicators for the operation of the varrious duty solenoids.

I do not want to come off as a smartarse, (too late I know) but people asking for help should atleast give a small decription of the unit they are working on. (a pet peeve I have about posting) Is this a FT4EAT or a FT 10 speed RX tranny, or is it the tranny out of your new ML530? I have a FSM and have been working on my 1989 FT4EAT but need alittle bit more info if you want help. Again sorry to ask so many questions, Mr. Smartarse

N8NQU,N8NQU, - - CQ15, W3RTT you might want to read over this thread- it also was driving in 4wd only http://usmb.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8308

well shucks, thanks JW but it's the special one's back up, mine's just a plain jane 87 GL wagon

Gad Arche, if it takes you that long to shift -- you have to try one of By the Sea's short shifters- BAM! Ask Trogdor he's shifted one- mine end of story

You know JWX, you may be onto sumtin, my wifes back up is a 2.5 RS. Must be sumtin in the H20

Garner, email me if you want to talk turning tech. Email the Electric Monk and ask him about the concept of angular momentum.

Sucks, (Subaru Master?)you may want to pull the fusible link closest the strut tower and look at it's connections, no bat charger probably means no multimeter either? The only way to test the link itself is with a continuity check. Swap a charged battery in and see what voltage it produces when running. Hope this helps.

Sorry guys. This is a 3 speed automatic -correct? My check mark goes beside the vacuum modulator on the tranny. Check the auto tranny fluid, if it's a bad mod. it will be real low. BTW I am the optomist of the group. You only need one wrench to change it to. This devise is on the pass side of the transmission, down low. Has one rubber hose on it. If you pull the rubber hose and it has red oil in it - that is the problem. Sure hope this helps.

After driving my FT4wd 4EAT in the snow, I feel the 4wd kick in after a small amount of front wheel spin. This is normal behavior as the TCU needs to compare the two VSS (vehicle speed sensors) and react to the difference by sending a signal to the duty solenoid locking the clutch pack for the rear drive. My question is has anybody investigated putting a switch in so that it acts like a true 4wd ( a center "diff lock" if you will)?? Will the duty solenoid shift into 4wd when recieving a signal, or does it use it's signal to stay in 2wd. (Thus the reason for the 2wd fuse) I have an spare automatic push button 4wd gear lever, I would like to wire the push button to activate the "diff lock". Maybe I should take this to the "New Gen" forum?

All my reading agrees with the BPV being better for our cars than the BOV. Most Euro manufacturers run them (Saab, Volvo) Mine is off of a Volvo. BTW if the dash pot on a turbo car is adjusted properly, it relieves a large portion of the reverberated wave that is causing the turbo shock. (Subarus way out when designing for only 8 psi.) Mine is pictured in the lower left Plumbed back into the custom MAF to turbo pipe. Hope this helps

Danbob, well you say "The power light flashes on start up as it should" This is not what the FSM says, it says it does this when there is a fault with one of the componets. The proceedure for retrieving the codes is also given. You are no doubt correct "it is a simple one of the nutorious subaru wiring issues"

I will assume you changed the distributor? Do you have the FSM wiring diagram for the SPFI unit?

Does the power light flash upon start up? I own an 89 GL-10 with the FT4wd4EAT and it shifts the same way. I haven't taken the time to pull codes from the TCU but as Will said one of the problems stated in the FSM for this is worn out tranny fluid. It must get thinned out or contaminated and not make the proper hyd pressure, therefor the soft shift solenoid is not doing it's job. OR we have bad solenoids

Thanks for the correction Ken, That was a strange year for the Subaru spark system. Thanks again for the correction.

Kevin, it was established (probably on the old board) that the genuine Subaru part was the only part to use. ALL aftermarket units are to be suspect.

I would like to point out this is the socket used for retorquing the head with the cam shaft in place (Bill made one, I just helped with the drawing)

BushB, although DanBob does not say what tranny he has, my bet is it's a full time 4wd 4EAT automatic. If so, does the "power" light flash at start up - this is the way the tranny's ECU (TCU) tells you there is a problem.

Bene may be correct, but my check mark goes beside a PCV valve wanting changed. It is allowing the crankcase to build pressure. If you get the dip stick to stick you will be asking for a seal to blow out (cam seals are good for this) Please note, there have been problems with aftermarket PCV valves esp. on turbo cars. This is one place where a genuine part is highly recco'd Hope this helps

Boz they did make an EA81 GL 10, and you are correct the distributor should work with the engine. 82 was they last year of the fuel pump control unit tied to the dist But this distributor should have the built in ignitor and only require it's two wires be connected to the coil. Lot of early EA81 grurus out there, please correct me if I am mistaken.

Shane, it does sound like the problem is with the park position sensor in the wiper motor. There is a ground on the cover of the wiper motor gear box cover. This cover also serves purpose as the park sensor gound plate. Check the ground at the cover and the swiper inside the cover. Sometimes grease can get on this swiper and cause intermitant problems. If all this checks out, and the plug for the wiper motor is in okay shape then the intermitant timer modual should be checked. This timer is mounted to the trim panel under the st. col. and can have bad solder joints causing this intermitant problem. These are also problematic when the wipers do the "herky jerk" in the int. position. Check the wiper motor cover plate first. Hope this helps