Silent Bob

I've been having the same sort of off idle bogging/hesitation/flaky TPS problem. Anyone ever tried adapting a TPS off of some other vehicle to a Sub? It would be nice to be able to use a $35 GM/Ford/whatever sensor vs. the $350 Subaru version of the same thing. Assuming you could find one with the same sort of output range...

That's the catch, that nut sets the preload for the pinion bearing and overtightening it will cause your differential to self destruct rather quickly. The basic procedure involves measuing the amount of torque it takes to rotate the pinion yoke/flange BEFORE you take anything apart. Then remove the nut and yoke or flange and replace the seal. Reassemble and then tighten the pinion nut carefully in small increments, measuring the rotational torque until you reach the amount you started with originally. You will need a beam-type torque wrench that measures inch-pounds. -Bob

I stumbled onto these this morning: http://www.tirezoo.com/tirezoo/jsp/product.jsp?productID=402 says they come in a 205/75/14 might be worth a look:brow:

Thanks for all the ideas, here's an update: I switched the plugs, took out the Champions that were in it and replaced with NGK BPR7ES (1 step cooler than spec). The idle had been a little rough, so I pulled the hose off the IAC, filled it with carb cleaner (engine off) and let it soak for a while. Ran quite a bit better after that. Truth is, I'm not sure exactly sure what I did to correct the problem, but it is not pinging nearly as badly now. Maybe just a result of everything done so far (makes a bit of a case for regular maintainance eh?). Summary: O2 sensor cooler plugs set timing to 15* (didn't help, set back to 20*) disconnect EGR (once again, no help-hooked it back up) Seafoam cleaned IAC (idle is smoother if nothing else) replace PCV valve replaced radiator hoses/flushed rad./changed coolant(doesn't seem to run any cooler, still 1/4-1/3 on gauge, but certainly didn't hurt) blocked off coolant passage to throttle body(seemed to have a good bit better throttle response after that, didn't seem to make it run hotter or make the original problem worse) I think I'm leaning toward the actual problem being a localized "hot spot" in one or more cylinders, whether that's from carbon buildup or a coolant restriction, I don't know. Sure would be nice to have a borescope about now... Anyway, whatever I did it has improved. Mybe it was the incense and voodoo spells;)

Here's the problem: 91 Loyale, 2wd 3at spfi 160k Runs fine on cool days, but when the air temperature gets much above 70 deg., it has a terrible pinging problem. So far I've: replaced o2 sensor, checked timing (actually dialed it back to 15* btdc), checked coolant temp sensor, tps, &maf- all seem to be within spec. tried disabling EGR temporarily, didn't make a difference. Did the Seafoam thing several times. Replaced PCV valve, haven't found any vacuum leaks so far. There does seem to be what I would consider a lot of oil in the PCV hose, so a catch can/oil separator may be the next step. Any suggestions? I searched through the archives and found a couple of people who reported exactly the same symptom, but none of the threads had an "I found the solution" post. So if anyone has figured it out, lay it on me. thanks all

Did you make sure all the air was purged out of the system? Fill radiator and start engine with the radiator cap OFF. Bring to operating temperature, adding coolant as necessary as the level drops. Make sure the heater control is on hot. Run until the level stays constant, and you stop seeing bubbles. Doesn't hurt to give the hoses a squeeze now and then to burp out the air. Air in the system will make it run hot, regardless of new coolant/pump/thermostat etc.

Mine consistently gets 26-28mpg 91,2wd,3at sounds like something's amiss...

Sounds like mine, my problem was that the contacts in the solenoid were worn. On an EA82, the solenoid is built into the starter. Your friendly neighborhood Subaru dealer/parts store will probably tell you it's not servicable. It is, easily and can be fixed for probably <$10. Remove the starter (not hard to do, no hidden gotchas) There's a squarish looking bulge on the side that the cables connect to, that's the solenoid. Remove the cover plate at the end of the solenoid. What you will see is a plunger which will more or less fall out by itself, remove it. I think there's a small spring as well, remove it as well. What you should see are two L-shaped copper contacts. One is connected to the motor armature, the other connects to the + cable from the battery. The click you hear when you turn the key is the plunger snapping down against these contacts. You turn the key which energizes the solenoid, plunger moves, and the copper ring on the plunger connects the two contacts, completes the circuit and the motor spins. After a while these contacts wear and all you get when you turn the key is "click". It will work intermittently for a while, but eventually will wear enough that they don't make contact and the motor will not turn over. Replace the contacts and you should be good to go. This is a very common problem on Toyota pickups, and the Subaru starter uses the same contacts as a 22R/22RE. Anyone who is familiar with Toyotas will know what you're looking for. It's about a 45 min. job including removing and reinstalling the starter.

I work as a parts counterman at a large dealer in VA, and the best piece of advice I can give anyone is to develop a good relationship with your friendly neighborhood parts guy. The older and more obscure your vehicle is, the more important this becomes. Yes, you should expect good service, but the relationship is a two way street. Here are the sort of things that will usually make your counterman's eyes glaze over and quickly make them lose interest in going out of their way to help you: "Hell!, I can get that at XXX for half that price"... Fine, why didn't you buy it while you were there? "I don't want to buy the tensioner, I just need the bolt"(to use the earlier example) .... Some things are only serviced as an assembly. No matter how illogical that may be, we can't change that fact. "What do you need the VIN for, they're all the same!"...No, they aren't, and it's much less trouble to get the right one the first time. "I just called and gave someone all that information, why don't you know what I want?"...Who did you speak to?...."Hell, I don't know!".... Might be a useful thing to remember. "This ain't the right part!"....Sorry, you didn't mention that you swapped the drivetrain from a 78 El Camino into your Subaru. "Why don't you keep that in stock?"....You are probably the first person in years that has asked for one. The list could go on endlessly, but this is the sort of thing we hear every day. There are a lot of parts people out there that are a little clueless and even the best make mistakes from time to time. A good one is worth their weight in gold, treat them well and they will treat you well.

Glad to see I'm not the only one with this silly idea... I'm thinking about 16', plywood/fiberglass construction (easiest way to build a good one-off boat) and a jet drive out of a 1200 Yamaha PWC. The only hitch I've been pondering is the RPM issue, since most skis seem to run at about 6-8000 rpm & I'd like to keep it turning under 5500 at WOT. Guess I'd have to gear the pump up a little instead of direct drive. Or maybe a nice Hamilton... From what I understand, Subaru engines are a common choice for jets in New Zealand where jet boating is a popular pastime. The weight and low center of gravity are what appeals to me. I figure that an ea82 coupled to a pump would be roughly equivalent to a 60-65hp jet outboard in power and should not weigh any more. Plus the advantage of having the weight of the engine farther forward in the boat, instead of hanging off the back. FISH BEWARE!!!

I've got a 91 loyale wagon with the typically flaky 3at and am thinking about swapping in a 5sp from an 86 gl wagon. What I'm wondering is whether there are any compatability issues or whether everything will swap in neatly. This would be a straight 2wd to 2wd swap, and I'd have a complete donor car to work with. Thought i'd ask before buying the aforementioned donor... thanks

Subaru has thoughtfully made this easy. Remove the trim panel under the dash on the drivers side and locate the engine control module. There willl be an LED on one end of it. Turn the ignition key to the "on" position, the LED will start blinking the codes it has stored. Consult your haynes or other manual to figure out what all the blinking actually means. :cool: (at least that's how it works on my 91)

Burning incense and chanting has so far not helped. Anyway, 91 2wd Loyale when shifted from Park to Drive there is a lag of about 5-10 seconds before the transmission will engage. Gear engagement isn't harsh, and once it does engage it works fine, no obvious slipping or anything. Fluid level is ok and it behaves the same hot or cold. We've had the car for several years and this is a fairly recent development. Any ideas? Thanks