carfreak85

How were you able to confirm it was the ECU? I don't doubt you, but there are other little electronic gizmos that could also stop an EA81T dead in its tracks.... Ask me how I know...

Crazyeights - I'd be happy to have them shipped to me and we can either meet up or I can flat rate the hubs to you. Let me know what works for you. Dfoyl - I know you addressed it earlier in this thread, but do you plan on doing any additional runs of these hubs?

Interesting analysis DaveT, I'm not an EE by trade, so don't have the knowledge base to triage the failed dashes I've come across. This may help my friends who are helping me with this project, so thanks! Do you think a similar phenomena is the reason for the EA81-digidash failures?

DaveT, care to expand on the design compromises you mentioned?

Shoot me a private message and I might be able to help you out.

Chalk me up for a newly-studded pair, please.

What sort of autoX do you run where your brakes get hotter than open track lapping?! I run Motul RBF600 in my WRX without issues. 600*F dry boiling point, so it should hold up to almost anything you can throw at it. They also make a 660*F formula. Change the fluid AT LEAST annually and use whatever fluid you like, just make sure the boiling point is decent.

Rooster2, the funny thing is, I AM about to go down that path, having only recently replaced the spin-on, external filter. This go 'round gets a full flush, change both filters and hope for the best. Otherwise, this Forester may be looking for a new home...

DO NOT USE LUCAS OR OTHER ADDATIVES IN YOUR TRANSMISSION. Make sure both trans filters have been changed. At least on my wife's 1999 Forester there is a spin-on "oil filter" type mounted externally and a second, "traditional" AT filter, mounted internally. If flushing the trans and changing the filters doesn't cure what ails your transmission, there is probably some physical damage that no amount of magical soup is going to fix.

I would avoid using any Lucas additives in your engine, diff or transmission. Their additives tend to aerate lubricating oils, and as we all know, air is not a good lubricant. If they have that little gear-ladder-in-an-oil-bath display on the counter during your next visit to the parts store, give both hand-cranks a series of really fast turns and compare the oil afterwards. While the Lucas-infused oil will climb the gears higher and more quickly (That's what their trying to sell you on), you will almost immediately notice that the Lucas-infused oil becomes filled with hundreds of air bubbles. No bueno. Oil manufacturers spend MILLIONS of dollars on their formulations. Don't believe for a second that they would leave something out of the formula if it was truly needed. Lucas products are, quite literally, modern snake-oil...

As long as they're from a reputable company (I still consider MOOG a quality company, for most parts. Although they have started de-contenting their products) I wouldn't worry about the quality. I have used a set of Ingalls camber bolts on the front of my WRX without any issue. Full disclosure: When I swapped in Whiteline COM-C front strut tops, I removed the camber bolts.

Don't skimp on materials, don't build an exhaust with electrical conduit or mild steel. Back when I was considering a header for my turbo wagon I knew that paying more up front would net be a better product in the end. I ordered pre-bent 304SS mandrels as well as 304SS plate material to fabricate flanges. I'd have to look it up but I think I paid ~$200 for materials and some other amount for fabrication. If I were to do it all over again, there are a few things I would have insisted the fabricator do differently (thicker flanges, weld inside and outside of the pipe/flange joint), but this header is still going strong with only minor repairs after 11 years on my car. Even if it cost me $450 out the door, the header only cost me $3.41 per month for the last 11 years, less than the cost of one monster Starbucks drink per month. 100% worth it, IMHO. Vibrant Motorsports has really good prices on mail order materials, price check with them too.

Have you looked in the yards nearby? Kelowna's PNP looks heavy with old subies.

I've got what you need, but I'm a few hundred miles too far South to be of much help...

I'm not super familiar with the transmission codes, but if you're just looking for a 4WD 1600 transmission, I've got two different ones to choose from. Let me know if you're interested.

1 Lucky Texan is right, the dealership takes no responsibility for your vehicle. A family friend of ours recently had his nearly-new Outback STOLEN off the service lot at Carter Subaru in Seattle. They are still duking it out over restitution weeks after the vehicle was recovered.

They will want you to send in your lifters to be resurfaced at the same time.

I sent him a PM about parts I would buy, but haven't heard anything back yet.

The EGTs you see will vary depending on where you mount the probe. Ideally, you want to know the temperature inside the combustion chamber, since that is where the magic happens. Trouble is, there really isn't a simple, cost-effective way to get a probe mounted in there. The solution is to mount the probe as close to the exhaust port of the head, as in with a few inches AT THE MOST. The further you mount the probe from the combustion chamber, the more inaccurate your readings will become, since the heat of the exhaust gas column will have dissipated into the walls of the exhaust system. As for temps, many engines see up to 2,000*F in the chamber, over 1,800 in the exhaust may be a cause for concern. ~1,600*F during a WOT pull would be pretty normal.

The best Subaru to offroad is the cheapest one that meets your needs. If you're serious about offroading, this vehicle will get beat to hell and back and will NOT be a show winner. Buy something you aren't emotionally attached to, like a wheeler that someone already built.

Very cool!

Sucky... Sounds like you bought a "Friday car"...

I should have been more clear in my question. What is wrong with your car that required it to be in the shop for 55 days?

What specifically qualified your car as a lemon?

Is that gasket material a straight-through channel, or is it closed off at one end? I'm pretty sure the hardtop side window seals are molded closed at the top to limit water ingress. I'll keep my eyes open for a solution that is a bit closer to OE, but I will have to keep this in my back pocket in case I can't find anything.