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Whole gearbox swap = easier than repair. I find it easier to pull the gearbox out from under rather than pull the engine from above. The drive shafts can be left to slide off as you take the box out, no need to pull them off first. Once the gearbox is clear of the bellhousing of the engine, push it left, remove shaft then push it right and remove the other shaft. Lining it back up if stub axle is a little tricker but possible. I’ve done it several time now and it works a treat!

yup, swap out the trans. you mentioned noise was only in 2nd gear. bad diff would make noise according to speed of the car regardless of gear

I haven't posted here for years, partly due to login issues. @Turbone fixed those for me recently (thank you!). All the Subarus I had before have moved along, but I have more than ever before - 2006 Outback Wagon, 2004 Legacy Wagon, and the newest arrival is a 1994 Loyale AT my son just bought. The engine is suspect from a large oil leak that resulted in the engine's being run low on oil. We'll see about the leak and then if the noises clear up. His goal is to put a dual range MT in is but we'll see how easy that is to find...

There's the buffer and a buffer cover Covers are discontinued, but there are still a few buffers in the Subaru of America warehouses, Any Subaru dealer in the US can order them. $15-20 ea

I forgot it had electric power steering. So that's one less thing to worry about. lol 99% of the time the AC won't turn it, it's because you're low on refrigerant and the low pressure cutout switch is tripped. There's no point in doing any other diagnostics until you get a set of gauges on it and check the charge. An ER27 is a big EA82 engine, with the same bellhousing. A newer engine will need a bellhousing adapter and redrilled flywheel, unless you run a newer transmission too, which is its own whole set of adaptations. Pitch stop is the link on top of the engine to the firewall. You have to fab brackets for it for an engine swap.

Sounds like the shifter knuckle needs new bushes or to be replaced with a new unit.

www.car-part.com is a good search platform.

They're a solid platform. Interference engine so I'd immediately be installing all new Subaru or Aisin timing belt, tensionser, pulleys, and water pump if it's in good enough condition to warrant that. You don't really want a 25 year old lower cogged idler - they are by far the most failure prone item on there. If minimalist is preferred: replace the timing belt and lower cogged idler - those are the two parts most likely to fail. The others don't fail often anyway and often times give you warnings the others don't. After market belts and pulleys aren't as good, I've seen the pulleys fail and the included tensioner bolts shear. While you're in there it's not a bad idea to reseal the oil pump (anaerobic sealant, one o-ring, and the crank seal) and tighten the backing plate screws - more than one are always loose.

Thanks. Looks like a pushbutton 5 speed will have to do for now. This morning we towed home an '87 GL turbo parts car and that is what it has. Hopefully with the parts car the turbo swap will just be a lot of "doing" and not so much figuring out what to do and how.

Great to see you back. Enjoy your time. Lost count of how many times I’ve typed “save the dual range fivespeed” In exclamation. Good luck. I think you’ll score. Those cars mentioned, kind of parallels our own at one time. We just sold our 2006 OBW seems either you get a good one or one that’s constantly having issues. These days my daily addiction is the 2000-04 Legacy/OBW but yet to own the 2004 with the fly by wire. Having that in the 06 scared this old dinosaur. The vehicles that are fly by wire these days are many and I’m just taking a while to accept that.