ferox

You didn't mention a throttle return spring.

I ran one on my Jeep for a while, but the foam insert shrank and allowed unfiltered air into the engine.

Yep linkage or vacuum leak. You didn't mention what the timing is set at.(?) That is a requirement for a carb swap and tune.

What they said, but also if your timing belt is loose from a bad tensioner, then you might check your water pump. I just did a timing belt kit and water pump in my new (free to me) '97 Impreza because the 2.2l engine allows the engine to run for a very long time while the water pump is going out (which is run by the timing belt). The radiator fans and engine oil compensate for the reduced cooling system efficiency for quite a while. When I pulled the water pump this weekend it was nearly seized. The friend that gave it to me has been driving it that way for who knows how long. I wouldn't be surprised if the heater hose went out partially due to a water pump failing or starting to fail. It could also be the ticking you heard. Not saying I'm dead certain, but it's worth a look in my opinion. It sounds like it's time for a new timing belt kit as well, especially since the '97 is an interference engine. [Also, it's widely regarded as a general rule to use only a genuine Subaru thermostat for replacement]

I sold my webered ea81s. I'm down to an '81 Hatch with a Hitachi. I just put the baseline jetting in my signature because it gets asked a lot. The webers were fine. I think they typically got 22-25 mpg. I have one on my '82 Jeep with a 4.2L straight six and I get 12-19 mpg depending on whether I am towing or running with no payload. The jetting is very similar to the Subaru.

Jet sizes are in my sig.

"You may not have a throttle return spring or it may be weak. Dont rely on the little spring thats on the throttle shaft." +1 Sounds like your accelerator pedal return spring has been acting as your throttle return spring.

I'll see what I can do. I am prepping my house for sale and planning a move to Eugene (job search, etc..) I have to rebuild the Hitachi one last time before I move and was planning to post a step by step of my method. I can probably make it more comprehensive and go through the deletes. I don't have any of those old components anymore so it might consist of mostly photos.

Nice work, I like the attitude. I would like to see similar treatment with the great graphics on the other components (vacuum solenoids and such) that newcomers are afraid to deal with. With all due respect I will say that I have run my Hitachi for 10 years without a VCV, VSV, or thermal vacuum valves. I don't consider them "crap"...that would be ignorant, but for me I wanted dependability and when those components fail or the users reading this post have already failed parts, they are expensive to replace if it's even possible and will required delivery. I'm not trying to undermine your efforts, but I just want to note that those components can be removed without issue. It is nice to see such a nice explanation, so members can decide for themselves which route they want to take.

Looks like you still have way too much useless stuff in your engine bay. Don't use the steel lines under the manifold. Hook your vac lines straight to whatever component they go to. I run the charcoal canister. The only reason not to, is if the vacuum valve on the canister itself is degraded and you don't want to but another canister...doesn't have to be a direct replacement. I'm using one for a Jeep $30 Rockauto. You have the ported vac nipple for the canister/egr hooked to the steel transfer line that runs under the manifold. Is it connected to the canister? If you're not using it, cap it at the carb with vinyl caps. If you are, run a direct connection. You can't diagnose a problem like this with so many unknowns in your connections and obsolete components. Here are my pics again, but maybe use them to see what's not there

If anyone can do it you can. I have been planning basically the same thing for my '81 Hatch for years. I am finally getting ready to buy a new place with a real shop so I can proceed. I think it just comes down to some decent sub-frame assemblies. When I posed essentially the same question a couple years ago I think consensus was that it would simply take a good transposition of the mounting points, which you have already identified as an issue you can deal with. Your Loyale will be easier than my Hatch.

It's not offensive and you've answered your own question. Members bring up the fact to newb's as a courtesy, so they know they may not get much response from a direct question to the OP. Also, if I am not mistaken this thread is for a Gen 1 not an EJ [see first sentence of thread], so it would be more effective to just start a new thread about putting an ea81 or ea82 (not specified) sender on an EJ.

Howdy, I'm in Milwaukie myself. I don't see too many lifted '98 Outbacks, and the ones I do see are usually only 2". How much lift are you going for? Incidentally, my buddy drives a '98 OBX, Navy Blue. Once when we were leaving the local Trader Joes we accidentally got into someone elses identical Outback that was parked a couple spaces away. Even the stuff inside the car was similar. We didn't realize it until his key didn't work in the ignition. Maybe it was yours...

Have you replaced the gasket between the secondary vacuum diaphragm and the main body of the carb? The little one with four holes. You should be able to see the actuator move when you pump the throttle while the engine is running. If it doesn't move, swap diaphragms (super easy), see what happens.

I had Les Schwab tell me that once and handed me the estimate to replace all my tie rod ends and stuff. I just went home and replaced it all with better quality for about a 1/5 the cost. When I took it back for the alignment they did not have any problems with it. So definitely try Schwab. I kind of depends on who is working the desk...the customer service has suffered since Les passed. One thing I do is dress in a shirt and tie when I go into a situation like this. I do this for everything. One time I had a brand new set of tires from Les Schwab less than two weeks old. I came around a corner and hit a crazy pothole that ripped giant holes in the sidewalls of two of the tires. Well, Les Schwab has a road hazard warranty, so I took them down to my most local shop and they flat out refused to even listen to me. I went home put on a button-up and tie and went to the next local Schwab. They couldn't get me new tires fast enough.

Mercmarc, welcome. Your input is appreciated; however, you're probably not going to get much response from a 7 year old thread.

I found the rear wheel bearings and tool that I offered before. If you are still interested, PM me and I'll figure out prices.

By Drill+saw+beers I meant you drill a hole (or holes) adjacent to and within the inner-diameter of the large hole you want to cut, not a hole-saw. Then you can insert a recip saw blade of some kind in the drilled hole, either jigsaw or sawsall, etc. I would be partial to the jigsaw. Then you just have to be patient and take your time gnawing a hole in 1/4" steel...hence the beer suggestion. It actually won't take that long if you have some good saw blades. Fab shop would be purdier and a lot easier but unnecessary.

4.25" hole in 1/4" Drill+saw+beers Plasma Cutter Fab shop

If it runs worse when warm, then I would also suspect a vacuum leak or leaks. It sounds like when your choke fully opens, the A/F ratio leans out too much which could be enhanced by a vacuum leak. Could be a million other things, but the choke is the main A/F regulation device that is coupled to temp like that. The vacuum valve on the charcoal canister is often overlooked as a potential vacuum leak, but I would suspect a carb rebuild is also needed. Make sure the carb base is tight on the mani. I have had the screws that attach the throttle body to the main body of the carb loosen up as well.

+1, sounds like the idle circuit is blocked. If you can blow some compressed air (carefully) through the idle circuit when you have the choke-body off and the e-tubes out that can make a huge difference also. Just pull the brass weight out first. I cringe to think of how many carbed Subarus were sent to the yard because of the tiny piece of crud lodged in the idle circuit.

The rear wheel bearings are different than the front and require a different procedure. I have an extra set of ea81 rear bearing new in the box and the tool to install them that I would sell you and send with the carb. The rears last a lot longer than the fronts, so if they seem fine I wouldn't touch them. I should be able to get the carb in the mail tomorrow...the past week has been a little crazy.

Seems like it might be easier to bob/cut the front end (forward of the front wheels) as much as possible.

I took my '81 Hatch with Hitachi through last fall and it breezed through. I think I was there all of 10 minutes, re-registered and out the door. I took my Webered '82 Jeep with 258 inline six with 70k miles through last month and it took me 1.5 days to get it dialed in. I know that's not a great comparison, but my point is that I had to lean it way the hell out to get it through. Your Brat would probably get through easier than the Jeep, but if your first pass or two are terrible, and you don't have access to a wide-band O2 sensor A/F gauge, then it might be worth it to take it to a tune shop and have them tune it and avoid the hassle...especially when the lines are long.

I saw a few MT/H6's when I was in the market, but I don't know how common they are... I believe they were all LL Beans since the VDC system probably doesn't play very well with a manual. Many if not most of the MT/H6's had rear LSDs too, so that's a plus for the OPs intended purpose.