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After cracking into some log splitting on my dad’s repowered log splitter using an EA81, I thought I’d post a pic and ask other forum members what they have as a piece of home made machinery with a Subaru engine, or what have you adapted a Subaru engine to? Pics are a must! ^ this is Dad’s home made log splitter. We built it when I was in primary school about 30 years ago from a crashed Mazda 808 and a high volume low pressure ram from a Drott bull dozer. It’s got a matching hydraulic switch lever from the drott. The rest was fabricated by Dad, using the Mazda’s 1.4L inline four as the power plant. Several years ago after sitting for more years again, we went to fire it up and found the engine was seized. We’ve got a few Subaru parts cars at his place now, including one Kellogg’s cornflakes spec Brumby with complete drivetrain. He used the EA81 with the bell housing from an EA82 auto to adapt the hydraulic pump to the engine. Wiring transferred over easily. It’s quite a neat swap and it still works a treat. Best bit is if this engine has an issue we have spares to swap around etc. This thing will split the toughest wood we have in our area - the River Redgum. That stuff can pop when it splits and shoot the wood off the splitter! Most of our wood is White Gum, Manna Gum, Grey Box or Stringy Bark. The Manna Gum and Grey Box can be hard to split too. The log splitter sure as hell beats swinging the axe! We also have a small bobcat that runs a two cylinder Sherpa engine, that’s an ongoing project and parts are very hard to come by for that one... So, what have you got adapted to or built around a Subaru engine? I hope you enjoyed the read. Cheers Bennie

in 'the old days' electric conversions often used jet engine starter motors. I dunno if they were getting them surplus or ????? They were about 20hp I think which should be good. You only need about a dozen hp to move along at a decent clip. the xtra HP is for acceleration. A physics consultant where I worked (Serge Scherbatskoy) drove an old chevy pickup truck. He had a pendulum gadget that would 'capture' a mass at it's extreme deflection. Took it in the truck, did some runs in 2 directions, let off the gas at 55mph. After some calculations.... It only took 12hp to maintain 55mph. Electric motors give you full torque from 0 rpm so, 20hp electric would be a decent choice. Or, maybe scavenge from a wrecked Nissan Leaf or Tesla? Some guy here in the States is using wrecked Tesla gear to electrify other chassis.

4-cylinder Automatic Foresters and Outbacks in that vintage should both be 4.44. Best way is to use the VINs from both vehicles on www.partsouq.com. If you look up the ring/pinion part number for the front or rear, the gear ratio will be in the comments.

So an update... Went back over after work today and it started right up and had oil pressure super happy about that, not many problems I have with cars just fix themselves! Going to do a full oil change tomorrow and go with 10w40 thanks for the responses everyone.

89 should be an EA82 SPFI engine, other option was MPFI turbo, but I'm not sure if they covered that year. At idle, it's normal for oil pressure to read near zero on the dash gauge. I'm in CT, run synthetic 10W-40 year round. I'm not sure what temp range you get, but 5W-30 might be a little thin.

I wish I was driving my WRX more, really only 'need' 1 car. Kinda wanting to add a third vehicle, electric neighborhood. maybe an eMoke.

Yeah we have four cars in the family too. Expensive hobby! We have Ruby Scoo, my L series off-roader, doesn’t get used much now our family expanded; Redback Brumby and our two DiD Gen3 Pajero/Montero/Shoguns as the family buses. Both lifted, main bus setup more for off-roading/touring... and I have an RS turbo Gen1 Liberty/Legacy in the build that will be put to club rego once it’s done (whenever that is! It’s a complete fixer-upper-er!). I’d like to take one something like that now that I’ve seen yours, but I’d also like a classic round nose mini panelvan, moke or to get my old Holden Torana on club rego... One thing at a time though, lots of projects to keep me busy in the mean time! Cheers Bennie

Yep EA81. EJ swap mentions were based on not knowing what made this impossible set up that landed in your lap. now that we know it’s not custom at all, or special, not mixed parts, and just a plain old EA81, this is much simpler. Id look into an SPFI rig he mentioned.

Possible, but unlikely. More commonly it's a wiring issue. Key on, engine not running, the check engine light should be on. If this doesn't happen, 99% of the time the ECU is not being turned on (getting all the power/ground that it needs). If you're at your whit's end. Spending some money to modernize the system wouldn't be a bad idea. But it's a big job to get it installed and tuned.