thealleyboy

This isn't a bad idea at all, and will leave open the possibility of a full resto down the road. I would suggest though that you get the rust contained ASAP, even if you can't do the body work right away. But first things first. I would assess the structural integrity before dropping another dime on this car. If it is "too far gone" you need to know this up front. The idea of keeping a car like this intact is not always clear cut. I personally believe that Brats will be collectable someday, while others laugh at that idea. I think it's safe to say that the number of Brats has dwindled considerably in the past 10 years, while the interest in them has remained strong. You can do your own math. Doing some mods (brake upgrade for example) will make the car safer, but may "ruin" the car in the eyes of a true collector. Whatever you do, try to keep all the original parts (in boxes, if necessary) so that it can be restored in the future. good luck, John

VAB: good luck, John

Thanks for clarifying that. I always assumed the "second" CAT is where the air flow restrictions became problematic. Definitley enough ceramic material in there, that's for sure!! I'll have to try your method for clearing out "CAT #1". John

That's interesting.... Maybe I've gotten my terminology crossed up, but I always thought that the catalytic converter was located in the second pipe. What Tom describes (within the Y pipe) I considered to be the resonator. Am I getting it backwards, or are there actually two CATs? ??? John

I've only seen it happen once (someone getting turned away at the JY) for "emissions" equipment. And it was at one of those uppity U-Pull places that are corporate owned. If you make yourself known at the good-ole-boy yards, your $$ is always good. But again, the problem is finding a used cat that's worth the bother. As mentioned above, there's a market for scrap cats, and that would limit their availabilty even further. good luck, John

A used section in GC, would be the best/lowest cost solution. However, if you want the cat to function as it was designed, a universal aftermarket cat is what you want. Cats have a limited lifespan, and the chances of finding a good used one is not very good. Alternately, the price of an OEM pipe would be pretty steep. Fortunately, that section of the pipe has a long, straight run, so splicing in a cat shouldn't be too bad. You could probably fab something yourself , if you can't find a pipe-bender who's willing (muffer shops can be kinda picky about doing what you ask them to do). Also, by fabbing your own exhast system, you are not stuck with the OEM muffler, and the location it mounts to the undercarriage. good luck, John

Do you wanna keep it? Do you live in an E-check state?

Yeah, that's what I was thinking... Not sure about what goes on internally, but the connector at end of the cable is like a flat head screwdriver. Should be pretty straight-forward... John

I'm fairly sure that the 3.7 EA82 cable will work. I know at least one person I can think of that has done a S/R to D/R conversion, and I don't remember any issues with the speedo cable. I guess I was hoping that the cables from the newer models would be a direct fit. I believe some the early AWD trannies were used on both the EA82's, and on the newer platforms. John

Appreciate the offer, Gloyale. I may take you up on that if I strike out at the yards tommorow. I was hoping to finish the tranny install this weekend. One of the tricks I discovered is that it is best to change out the speedo cable with the steering column and pedal box out. Otherwise, the dash has to be partially dissasembled to get to the back of the instrument cluster. Hard to imagine that a cable would be so hard to come by. I mean, aren't both ends of the cable pretty much universal on Japenese cars? It should just be a matter of finding the right legnth. John

I'm doing an AT to D/R conversion (write-up and pix coming soon), and I don't have an extra cable in my my inventory presently. The D/R speedometer cables are longer than the A/T's I checked around, and there are no OEM replacements readily available from local suppliers. I'm planning to hit the yards this weekend, but finding a suitable EA82 isn't a sure bet around here (OH). Does anyone happen to know if any of the newer gen cables will work on the old D/R's? Or maybe a speedo from some other make/model? thanks!! John

I've never been a big fan of of suspension lifting (and I grew up in the era of shackles & air shocks:Flame: ). Yeah, you get the looks by lifting, but the car loses the driving stability that you can only get with a good center of gravity. These cars are too light (IMO) to get too crazy with excessive height. I would recommend getting a "natural" lift thru tires. An 80 series (common and cheap) might do the trick. You may be surprised at the all-around improvement in looks and performance. If this is not satisfactory, I would try to find the 85-86 adjustables. I'd feel better about running those since they were designed for these cars. I'd personally be careful about any aftermarket suspension mods. good luck, John

I believe my 88 has provisions for the 3 point belts. I'll double check tonite. Keep in mind that the EA82 unibodies have stampings for various markets, and dealer add-on items. The Euro and Japanese models were more adavanced as far as safety equipment, so the 3-points may have even been standard on those models. The standard US and Austrelian versions were closer to those sold in 3rd world countries, by comparison. John

I once had a similar problem that threw me for a loop for awhile. Turns out the axle thread was stipped right at the point where the hub assembly was snug, but not completetly seated. After a few miles the looseness would return, though the nut would still "feel" fairly tight. This possibility can be verified/eliminated by threading a nut from top to bottom. You'll have to tear it down enough to have full acess of the axle thread. Unfortunately, the only fix is axle replacement. good luck, John

I've got all those FSMs too. Trust me, they are not the final word on these cars. The only definitive source of info that I have found is Subaru of America. They have the specs for every model that was built for sale in the US. You give them your VIN#, they'll tell you anything you want to know about how your car was originally equipped. Not tryin' to start an argument with ya Gloyale, but I'll be happy to snap some pix if you don't believe me... John

The Loys arent bad cars - just really "stripped down", as you mentioned. Personally, I kinda prefer the Loy body trim and interiors over the Gl's. If you can settle for a 90-94 Loy, you stand a better chance of finding an EA82 with a solid body. You can retrofit a lot of the goodies from the older models onto the Loyale. Never heard of anyone swapping out instrument clusters, but I'm sure it can be done. Most of the differences between GL's and Loyales are in standard equip (and in the wiring harness). If you have access to older parts, you can "option one out" to your specs. good luck, John

Yep, 100% certain...I'll include a pic of the plate in my write-up... And yes this is the original tranny/diff for this car. I bought it in 1999 off one of the founding members of this Board. I know the complete history of the car. This question comes up alot, and I don't if these are particularly rare or what. All I can tell you is that I've owned 2 3AT's with the 3.9 (an 87 & 88). John

Carbs, particularly Hitatchi's, get a bad rap, and this isn't always warranted (IMO). Carbs are actually pretty reliable once they are set up correctly. A lot of the problems associated with "carbs", aren't the carb itself, but other related systems. That being said, SPFI is definitely superior in every possible way. I feel so strongly about this that I've decided to ditch the carb on my 86, and will be converting over to SPFI. Every Sube in my "fleet" (5 vehicles) will be fuel injected at that point. I'm working on an interesting project now that gives the "best of both worlds", as you describe it. It's an 88 4wd that started off as an 3AT - and SPFI of course. The cool thing about this particular model is that it already has the 3.9 diff setup, making it an ideal candidate for the D/R conversion. Write-up with pix coming soon... You may want to keep an eye out for 88-94 3AT's if you want SPFI, and are willing to swap trannies. good luck, John

My standard "Alley" exhast set-up for non-turbos is very simple: OEM "Y" custom-bent 2" straight pipe cherry bomb muffler extension tailpipe (optional) The critical piece is the straight pipe. I fabbed up a prototype, and I was able to find a pipe-bender who will dupilicate them for me on demand. Everything fits together (without flanges) and can be C-clamped securely. Cost for the pipe, cherry bomb and hanging hardware less than $100. This set-up performs (and sounds) great!! PM for more details if interested in going this route... good luck, John

I guess you learned one of the biggies when it comes to swapping motors in these cars - keep the OEM intake intact!! If the source above doesn't help, I would recommend that you get a replacement underhood sticker (I'm assuming the original is missing). If you take your VIN# to your Subaru Dealers parts counter, they can order the correct one. Don't let them tell you they can't get it, or some other BS. The Federal Govt requires that this info is available for any vehicle that was originally equipped with emmisions devices. Then, your task is to restore the vaccum system to the original configuration. Be prepared to but a bunch of rubber caps/screw-in plugs, etc. to eliminate any extra junk on the Japenese intake. good luck, John

A lot of people have been successful taking window glass out. Personally, I've not had much luck :-\. And believe me, I've had lots-o-practice... If you have access to a JY that won't charge you for "failed attempts", by all means - give it a shot. MD describes the procedure very accurately. Heat (weather natural or artificial) will help soften the brittle adhesive. But if you gotta get it right the first time, have it taken out by a pro. Money well spent, as far as I'm concerned... good luck, John

The newer models (Loyales) use a pop-out rubber seal. These are much easier to remove/install than the older (GL's), which are held in place with glass sealant. I would start looking for the newer setup at a junkyard, and if you don't feel confident about doing it yourself, have it done professionally. It will still be less expensive than setting the glass the old-fashioned way. good luck, John

Nice job Dae!! The only suggestion I would make (and I don't know the answer myself) is in selecting the right relay for the application. There are different values for these, and I never knew whether I was using the correct one - or overkilling by using one too big. Otherwise, excellent write-up that just about anyone on this Board will be able to understand. John

If you are willing to do the dissasmbly/assembly work, you can just take the knuckle/control arms to a shop and have the bearings done. This might be a good compromise for you if you are limited on $$, and not ready for a crash course in bearing replacement. Probably less than $100 for parts and labor. good luck, John

Z: I would probably look at that oil pump immediately. After you get normal pressure, you'll be able to take it to the next step. Engine noise is never good, but it's also not as bad on these engines. Remember, it takes a while to break em in, and they die slow... good luck, John