djellum

tbh you already have the basic upgrades that most would do to the XT. Intercooler and exhaust. cone filter is a mixed bag, I've heard of people having issues with them, and I doubt the claims that swapping one filter for another will make any significant increase in power. If you can get a better filter, ie it removes smaller particles or something sure. probably the biggest thing you could do (if it hasnt been done already) is to send your cams in to Delta Cams to have them reground. if you tell them your building a drift car they can custom grind them to put the power where you need it to break those tires loose. not saying you would want to drive it to work after, theres only 110 hp to play with so if you move all the power to the top end theres not much left at a stop light. any which way you go, remember that heat is your worst enemy. Do not run lean, Do not overheat this motor, use good quality gas. keep your systems and oil clean. do those and the motor should last reasonably long.

dont mess with the boost, the motor really cant handle much more than it came with. considering the mods already done Id investigate and make sure you still have the stock turbo on it. if not repost here with the one you have and see what people say. the stock turbo is 7psi, some people run 10ish ok, but you have to be carefull, once you hit double digits your pushing it. putting a full sized modern turbo running 15-20 boost is pretty much just manufacturing explosives. it has been done but it takes a lot of research and knowledge, so at least wait to mess with the boost. personally I think your best performance gain may be replacing that exhaust with a 2-2.5 inch version. built big blocks dont even need 3 inch most of the time. I doubt that the EA82 can clear a 3 inch exhaust, though I dont know for sure how it reacts with that big pipe. cutting the springs is pretty horrible on cars, and the XT actually has decent handling, Id recommend a lug conversion and changing the tire profile first. I think you can get lower and have it handle and look better that way. Rear wheel drive is pretty doable, just get the equipment and put it on. there are write ups here on the site. if you want your XT to do what that WRX does, you will need to put a WRX motor in it. if you fully build the motor in your XT to capacity, and run it on the ragged edge of explosion, it still wont put out as much as a stock WRX. the EJ motor swaps are fairly simple, if you want real performance thats where you should look. either way you decide to go, XT's are fun and unique, love them for what they are, but dont try to keep up with the modern tuner crowd. do some research here and at XT6.net. you cant just throw stuff on these motors like you can on a Vtec or STi.

sure its the head gasket? theres water passages in the manifold where it could get there. think it would burn more than mix, but id double check what you messed with first.

its not that crazy, they just tax the hell out of addictive stuff. what works for Phillip Morris works for the US govmn't. they just legalized marijuana in my state, and have about a 40% tax on it buying from a store. don't want to go into too much inappropriate lingo but what has been $40 for the last 30 years would be around $80 with just taxes and fee's, not to mention markup for the end seller. one thing you guys may not be used to is that we have federal, state, county, and local taxes. our federal income tax for those of us working shlubs is around 20%, but states will impose their own (additional 10% in Oregon, many states are higher). My state has no income tax but an 8% sales tax on all goods sold (pretty much). there are only a couple of states that dont have both at the same time. then the extra taxes on the sins, which approaches 40% or more sometimes and is additional to the normal taxes ($19.99 bottle of booze here, ends up at around $35). Property tax in my area is a county tax. My city makes its money on levies and permits and services so theres not many taxes that I have noticed. the absolute best part of it all, is that there is no law that requires us to pay federal income taxes, and actual court cases setting precedent of that, and you can still be thrown in jail for it.

the color difference normally is for biodegradable or less toxic versions than the old green stuff. I have heard of cars calling for certain types, but I didn't find any special requirements when I was searching. if I were taking care to get the exact right stuff I would think getting one formulated for aluminum engines would be better than a generic year of foreign cars.

id say if you know what engine knock is and how to listen for it, then try it out. if not id leave it at 8 degrees. if you turn your timing up too high it can damage the motor so make sure you know what your trying to avoid. that said many people have run it there so its not insane, just make sure your carefull.

my $87 a month is for the same coverage as yours, we call it liability here. I do have some dollar amount limits increased, but it only adds like $6 or so to do that. diesels in general get better gas mileage than gas engines of similar size and power. we used to have options back in the 80's, had diesel vw's, mercedes, and audi's that were 50ish mpg. the most fuel efficient american car ever built was a Chevette that had an isuzu diesel in it and would almost get 60 mpg highway. of course your talking 60-100hp diesels and the only thing they try to sell to us is big truck hauling turbo diesels. theres also the biodiesel and veg conversions to add to that cost savings, so I for one, am disappointed that we don't have more options in diesels. VW has been better than most at giving the american market some diesel cars. my sister in law has a Jetta TDI that gets 50ish mpg. problem is that so many of us don't remember that they already had a 50mpg Jetta 30 years ago. I do think the TDI's can actually do better than that, theres a whole club of owners who talk about the 1k mile club or something like that (1k miles on 1 tank of fuel). the biggest problem today is that those cars are either old 300k mile cars, or brand new $40k cars, with little in between. I owned 3 Chevettes when I was a teenager, but the average american wouldn't or couldn't spend the time to fix and run one. It also takes a lot of money to buy a fuel efficient new car so the great majority of us who have to keep an eye on the bottom line cant afford to drive cheap. what is needed is a $3k-$5k option, where someone may recoupe fuel costs vs car and insurance payments in a year or so. I think you would see a large jump to alternative fuels at that point (not that I would classify diesel as "alternative"). I dont know what the resistance is to be honest, other than someone just not wanting to do what everyone else does. I'm not a fan of hybrids, though they are our best common option currently. even they only really get 40ish on the average and that can almost be done on a gas engine if its built for that. diesels are one of the most flexible and dependable systems around, get great mileage, and have already been able to work out most bugs and problems. All they need is a shipping invoice and an add campaign, were plenty malleable in this country.

doesnt have to be a blown head gasket, but thats a common symptom of a blown head gasket. how much water are we talking about, is the whole oil system is creamy? its common to get creamy oil on the inside top of the fill cap from condensation. id do both at the same time, minimal cost and effort once your tearing one out.

You never have to return your car to a crook or a bad mechanic to give them a chance. what you will have to do is take it to another certified mechanic and get a statement on what the problem is and what likely caused it. then if you get your ducks in a row and you paid with credit card you can have the credit card company yank your money back from them. after that its up to you to defend against their retaliation for you taking your money back. if you paid cash or dont have much of a case, call the better buisness bureau and/or the attorney general in your state and have them negotiate on your behalf. you will then likely get in contact with someone much higher up the chain than the local schwab manager. they may do a better job finding out whats going on.

yah, gas prices in the US are still good, even if it hurts to pay $4 a gallon. its made up for somewhere though, money makes the world turn so if we arent paying it in fuel costs they are getting it from other sectors for sure. it looks like you guys pay much less for insurance than we do for one point, and im guessing that our government gives a large chunk of our taxes to the oil companies to offset the gas cost, that way we will reelect them so they can take more next term. one problem is that we dont have the options that you all do. we dont have near as much access to the high mileage diesels, LPG, and other alternatives. they exist, but arent very convenient and support for that market sucks.

Mine was advanced to begin with. I tried both the stated 8 degrees and the 20 that other people said to run. between the 2, the 20 degree ran much better for me so I had it set there long before I swapped to the weber. timing is very subjective though, it will matter what gas you put in, what the condition of other motor components are. you will just have to check and see. the stated degree for the carbed one is 8 degrees, but some have claimed that the transition years of that motor would rather have the 20 that the fuel injection calls for. I liked the 20 setting, and it doesnt show any signs of excessive advance like pinging or hard starting.

look up maxima on this site for the alternator swap. it basically just needs a plug and the pulley swapped, but some years case stock with an adaptor plug. carefull with the oil cooler, colder isnt always better. if it were me I would just rig a toggle to the fan in addition to the normal sensor switch. if you want the motor to run colder switch it on. if it still doesnt stay cool enough you likley have an issue

contact Shawnw on the boards here if you need axles. they rebuild quality ones next door to his shop and he gives fair prices. not much higher than aftermarket crap but better quality. my answer is to have a local shop do the axles since they offer a warranty. the axles they get are no better than the ones we get, but they eat the extra cost and time to switch them out. even they say quality is spotty, they sometimes have to put 3-4 in before one holds.

Les schwab doesnt generally hire mechanics, they just hire strong backs and show them how to put things on cars. if you get someone who is generally mechanically inclined your fine, but its just that person not les schwab that makes it that way. I dont even prefer them for tires really, but thats within their scope at least. for repairs id take it to a real mechanic. tires, maybe oil change or something is probably fine as long as you check their work. the axles can take some work getting them out depending on what strategy they used. they may have pried on the control arm to get the axle out or in. tough sell that they bent it, but that may be the issue.

going point by point. the tubes below are for the ASV system, guaranteed. they dont attach to the egr system and never did. there used to be pumps attached to the back of your motor that pulled air from the air cleaner, and pumped it into the exhaust through that welded up tube. they welded the tubes and removed the valves. no performance gain or loss, so unless you need it for emissions I wouldnt worry about it. if you do need it for emissions or inspections, post in the looking for parts section, a lot of us pull that system so theres bound to be available parts. you will need the tube and the valve for each side (might only be one side on EA81, dont know for sure). the upper assembly is just rubber hose running to the air cleaner, so you could even use a breather cap filter if you want. tell your mechanic its an air injection system for the exhaust, he will know what that is. the EGR system is contained within the head and intake manifold. theres a tube running from the head of your car into the intake manifold. it feeds exhaust from the exhaust port into the manifold. theres a seperate chamber in the intake manifold that feeds the EGR valve, which then allows exhaust into the normal chamber of the intake manifold. the small vacuum line opens and closes the EGR depending on throttle, and that big hose ran to the Anti Afterfire valve. the anti afterfire valve is seperate system from EGR, but it uses the EGR system to do its thing. its not even for emissions, it just stops the engine from making poping noises when coasting downhill with the throttle closed. its another system that is commonly removed. if you dont need to have it leave it plugged, if you do post here, theres probably more than one floating around. I'm willing to bet that the 2 bolts are where the egr pipe went between the head and manifold (if they are on the same side anyway). if it is, you can get one from a junker somewhere, here or at a yard. might be able to get away with a couple of fittings and a rubber hose, but make sure the hose can handle some heat. double check on it, and/or post a pic of that intake port so we can see it. the intake at least is aluminum, I think the heads are too, so unlikely to be welded in, though its possible. I dont know the position of the EA81 accessories, but if you add PS and AC pretty much the whole front of the engine is covered so Im sure those mounting points are for those systems.

look up SJR lifts. they make the conversion kit for an EJ swap into an older body. have to get the wiring done by someone, but there are people here that do it.

if its a hole making noise you can weld it up so it wont leak, if its a vibration rattle first check the exhaust mounts and any heat shields on the car. many times its just a loose bolt or worn mount. heat shields are notorious for making rattles. if its the inside of the catalytic converter then its likely the material inside and you need to take the cat out. you can put in a new one, put in a pipe if you dont have to have it inspected or emissioned, or hollow it out with a broom handle and put it back on.

no sensors unless you have a feedback carb, and they wouldnt plug into the block. Maybe from removed brackets if they took A/C or power steering out. the 2 metal pipes are for the ASV system, not the egr system. it pumps air into the exhaust to aid the catalyst. look just behind the heads of the car for the asv valves (maybe 1 valve in EA81, not sure). it will be squareish with 2 ports, one threaded and 1 meant for a rubber hose. if they bothered to weld the tubes Im sure they pulled them but if not then all you have to do is get a new tube from the JY. debatable whether it will make your readings go up on an emission test but it could. cant help on the inspection thing, we dont have that here. if they are specific about what systems are on it then maybe you can skate. im guessing that the holes your talking about are next to the carb? there are a few mounting points for vacuum switches and such. im guessing they removed some of the valves that run the carb but I would have to see it to know. does it have a weber? stock it will have a peanut shaped air box with a couple hundred hoses running everywhich way. if its been webered or the the carb has been gutted then it will be missing a lot of the hoses and maybe the airbox as well. the EGR is a round valve on the back of your intake manifold. it will be supplied with manifold vacuum to operate the valve, and as long as the metal pipe from the head runs to the manifold and the valve is working then all the EGR system is there. cant say whether it works or not though. if you see a plate with 2 bolts in the back of your manifold then the egr has been removed. does your engine look like the one in this thread? http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/114043-ea81-hitachi-vac-hoses/ or does it look like the one in this one? http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/90697-can-i-see-a-pic-of-your-weber-setup/ really need some pics

if its a 32/36 dgv... turn the top plate upside down to allow the float to rest as close to it as it will go. measure the distance from the bottom of the top base plate to the highest point on the float (the actual bottom if its on the car), this should be 39mm. bend the tab that is connected to the needle valve until you get the distance correct. then adjust the stroke. do the same measurement but with the top plate in its normal orientation and the float resting on the stop tab towords the back. the measurement should be 50mm. bend the stop tab till its set. if you dont have, get a small metal slide rule. its easier to get into those spaces and take a reading. if your within specs check to make sure the float is not damaged (if yours has a brass float for whatever reason id replace it).

there was a cool study done on how "free" the different states in the US were. they factored pot laws but mainly focused on financial freedom. My state of Washington was in the top half dozen or so. they studied average income compared to housing costs, sin tax (liquor, tobacco, gambling), sales and income tax, and fuel costs. very interesting read, helps give a perspective on how restrictive life can be when you don't have the money to simply go see a movie, or take a weekend off of work. statistics are basically bull anyway, but the idea to look at what the rat race is costing you is a good experiment. couple of things that I learned Washington is one of the only few states to not have an income tax. most states charge 10%-15% simply for living and/or working there. basic sales tax here is 8%. my state has a very heavy sin tax, approaching 50%. fuel tax is pretty average from what I am seeing, its 38 cents per gallon here. property taxes when I had my house were based on home value, just over $100 per month on 100k value. when I worked in oregon, making 50% more than minimum wage, I lost 43% of my pay just going to work (state and federal income tax and commute fuel). I had a decently long commute at 30 miles 1 way, but thats not insane or anything. another 25% went to rent and 6% for other needed bills like insurance and phone (this was very cheap). so 26% of everything I made was mine for food, fun, and entertainment. it was much less than this when I owned my home. My new goal is 51% of my time doing what I want, and 51% of my money getting spent on what I want. I figure if your not spending over 50% of your time and money on what you want then your going the wrong direction.

im sure its just a math conversion. my timing is 20 base and I dont ping on 87. the blends might affect stuff as well, but I dont know which direction.

i believe they all had it. I havent heard of a factory block off till the legacy's, but I could be wrong if there are rare cases. what do you mean by plugged? the egr is internal to the heads and manifold with the exception of the actual egr valve. is it just blocked off at the valve, simply unhooked, or has the tube from the head to the manifold been removed? if the big tube coming off the egr is plugged it doesnt affect the egr system, thats for the anti afterfire valve. Assuming that the internal components are still there, you can get an egr valve from a junkyard and bolt it on for an instant egr system (you just have to run 1 vacuum hose. if you live in a very restrictive state and the car must have all systems to pass, then you will need an antiafterfire valve which hooks to the second port of the egr. the anti afterfire valve isnt part of the actual egr system but its hooked to it. pics would help

your currency is about 20% higher value than ours (US), 3.78 liters in a gallon (i think). standard gas selection here is 87, 89, 92 octane rating. pretty much every station has them all. tbh our cars dont really need higher unless you jack with the timing. is your gas blended there? here its mixed with other compounds and alcohols.

id start by finding out what process they use to replace the axle. that will tell you what they screwed with. your best bet is to take it to a real mechanic and once he finds out what they did get your money back or stop payment if you used a credit card (assuming they actually did mess something up). in a vacuum id check all the axle hardware, make sure they put the cone washer and spring washer on correctly, check the brakes (the ebrakes on the front on these so make sure its adjusted). check tie rods, sway bar, lower a-arm, etc.

I use about 12 gallons a week. gas is around $3.75 US for regular 87 octane (thought Im currently trying out unblended 92 that we have at a local pump). thats $45 a week, or $180. converted its right around $1 us per liter here. no emissions where Im at, and the car is too old to need it in my state anyway $45 per year registration $87 per month for insurance (liability only but with max protection for property at personal injury, I think its just over 100k for each) $3.99 a week for oil, though its wrapped up in oil changes since I pay to have someone do it. with as much as mine leaks its a savings since they will fill it whenever I bring it by. when you register for collector plates they will record the mileage. even though you dont have to pay for tabs they will require you to log the mileage and get new stickers, permits, or whatever else they use now. if your putting 12k miles on your collector they will revoke it or charge you its a common scam, they are onto it, at least in the vancouver area.