edrach

Boy that's a surprise since the EJ22 showed up in most Imprezas in '96 maybe earlier. Certainly something to check for.

Austin, I saw Tom in Fall City today and he says hello and would like to you call him and say hello. For those who don't know Tom, he's an avid collector and once had as many as 40+ Subarus in his back yard (he has a LARGE backyard). Anyway he is slowly weaning himself off his collection. Anyone looking for parts cars especially of the EA81 variety PM me for his 'phone number. He is not giving them away, but he's not asking much for the cars either. He's a great visit and will talk your ear off if you let him (I let him and he let me yak back at him too). He was saddened to hear of Bob Barci's passing since Bob used Tom as his personal pull a part yard; lots of Tom's pieces wound up in Bob's three project cars.

I'm taking a survey of '97 Imprezas. When you look at the car, can you check the VIN plate (drivers side inner fender) and look at the transmission number (if it's a manual only....not interested in automatics). If the tranny number is not TY752VA5AA would you copy it down for me and send me a PM? Thanks.

Sorry, I didn't answer your other question. Yes, the '97 model year was the beginning of the interference engine. I don't remember the timing belt interval (used to be 60K, went to 105K I believe). If there are no records of the timing belt having been done in the last 30K, I would play it safe and do it soon (certainly before the short warranty expires). Also, make sure the warranty would cover the engine repairs if the timing belt broke in that time frame. In either event, have the water pump replaced with the timing belt since it likely won't last until the next belt replacement and the labor for a water pump is almost the same as the timing belt replacement. I personally don't like automatic transmissions, but if it's a manual gearbox expect the clutch to need replacement in the next 50K.

$4295 is a bit high for that mileage. I bought my wife's '97 model L (one notch up from the Brighton which is the base model--if it has window cranks it is a Brighton) 1-1/2 years ago with 120K miles on it for $3995 with no warranty. It had some minor issues but nothing major until recently (transmission doesn't like to rallycross anymore ). I don't think you can go wrong with Jon's car. The Impreza is just too much fun to drive and pretty bulletproof. I think my wife's car's problems stemmed from poor maintenance on the part of the previous owner(s).

So why are you posting this? Hoping someone else will buy it out from under you? Or trying to get others to NOT buy it out from under you? Anyway, best of luck with it and happy pizza delivering.

There are 7 or 8 u-pull-its in the Portland area. Check the 'phone book, call them, and ask. Most of them have a pretty good idea of what they have in the yard. I've been to the Tigard yard a few times and they generally have a good stock of Subarus.

I'll look over the prints again tonight. Sometimes the automatics are wired differently from the manual transmission models. Which GL do you have? Wagon or Hatch?

No rear disks available at Lynnwood as of last Sunday. I don't know about Tacoma.

Also consider the difficulty of replacing the rear shocks if needed. The bolts extend through the body and rust out there. I've replaced a few in my time and it's never been easy. If you break off a rusted bolt you're pretty much hosed and will be unable to replace the shock.

Perhaps this should be posted in off topic, but I think it's a funny story related to this. My wife's former daily driver was a '93 Geo Metro (I know; but I finally got her into an Impreza:) ). Anyway, this Geo would periodically blow the 40 amp fuse that acts as one of the fusible links in the car. First time it happened, she called me to tell me the car had a dead battery and wouldn't start. I jump started the car and she drove out of the parking lot and 50 feet down the road it came to a stop again. To make a long story shorter, I found the 40 amp "fuse" and replaced it. but every once in a while it would blow again. The point of this tale is that the link fed the charging current from the alternator to the battery and when it blew, the alternator wouldn't charge the battery. And to make matters worse, the charge light was on the same circuit and never came on! The only tip off was the lights would start to go dim or the wipers would slow to a crawl in the rain. And when the battery got low enough the ECU shut down the engine. We carried extra 40A links in the glove box for about three years when the switch assembly on the steering column went bad. After replacing that, the 40A link never went again! I never did find the short but it was certainly in the switch assembly somewhere.

I think the reason for a fusible link instead of a fuse of the same current rating is cost. A hunk of wire with two connectors on it is much cheaper to manufacture than a fuse of a certain rating and 15 second delay. Especially since fusible links aren't supposed to "blow." They are purely a safety item.

It is confusing; I had to look in two different places to be sure I had it right.

I might have to amend this based on someone's comment about the rear axles. Oddly, I've never had to do a rear axle (lots of fronts however); and 3/16th is the size for the front. If the rears take a larger drift tool, I've learned something new today. Thanks.

Try 3/16"; 5/16th way too big.

FL1 (i.e. center fusible link) does not go to the ignition switch or alternator. FSM shows it goes to the headlamp relay and horn/hazard switch fuse.

I'm not sure of the current rating since the '83 FSM doesn't have a current value for the links. However, it does say that the cross section of the green fusible link is .5 square mm and the red link is .85 square mm. If someone has an electrical manual and can see what the current carrying capacity is for copper wire of that diameter. However, that's not the point. The comment for the red link direct from the service manual is "Fusible link should melt within 15 seconds at a current flow of 130 amperes." Green link "should melt within 15 seconds at a current flow of 80 amperes." So you see that fusible links are not fuses but safety devices. Fuses will blow pretty quickly at those currents. Using an old fusible link might cause it to burn out since it's no longer able to handle the rated current draw for a long enough time. Scour the wrecking yards and pull a selection of fusible links for yourself until you find what's causing the failure. As a help, the center link feeds the contacts of the lighting relay; after the lighting relay contacts the wiring is split between the three fuses for the headlights and tail-lights (two 10A and one 15A). Since these fuses aren't blowing the wiring problem (short) should be before the fuseblock. In addition the center link feeds a 10A fuse going to the horn and hazard switch. Same comment applies; i.e. the short you're looking for has to be before the fuse. If someone in the Bothell, WA area has a scanner, they could scan my FSM and post the info for you.

Sears Craftsman WF 42885 is one drift tool to use that works quite well; 3/16" for the generic tool.

Rust is why I don't suggest dropping the ball joint. But to each his own easiest method.

Item C) I don't think I ever said it was easy. Before I got the Subaru tool off ebay, I used to pull the stub axle through by using a number of large washers and an axle nut and pry the axle through with two large screwdrivers and a fair amount of effort. I did at least a half dozen on my '86 wagon that way. Some were easier to pull through than others . Only in the worst cases did I ever remove the outer portion of the hub. Three hours to do six is excellent time; I've taken anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours each depending on the car and bearings and axle. Ninety minutes is about average for an axle replacement by your average "shadetree" mechanic.

Jamal, I posted the link to that chart and I know what it says. What I'm trying to determine is whether FHI used OTHER gearboxes for the '97 Impreza model year than the standard gearbox listed in the chart.

I believe fusible links have a higher current rating than 30 or 40 amps. Check what the center link feeds and see where it goes. It's even possible you have a short down stream. Hard to find if you don't look at a wiring diagram and see what it feeds.

Looking to compare information of what transmissions were available for the '97 Impreza with 5 speed manual and EJ22 engine. I've found FHI often used other than "normal" transmissions to keep up production schedules. Can you check you VIN plate (on drivers side inside fender well in engine compartment) and let me know what transmission you have and post it? I have a TY752VA5AA in my car. Thanks.

I bought the BR-3 (search for one of my previous threads) and I'm quite happy with it. However, I've stumbled across others that look equally promising. http://www.scoobypedia.co.uk/index.php/Knowledge/DiagnosticsSoftwareSuppliers

No webers; there's one EA81 hatch and two or three EA81 wagons (see my previous update). I never walk the American side of the yard; you might call them and ask about the amc you're looking for: 425-778-3147