Numbchux

I am...yep. I forgot the XT6 strut works with the legacy knuckle pretty easily....I suppose I'll just do that.

just bustin your chops. I think it's an awesome idea, and would be happy to help!

so, I'm in the process of buying an XT6. it's got working air suspension, and I'd like to keep it that way while it works. I would like to convert to EJ front knuckles/brakes. If I got my hands on a pair of working Legacy front air struts, would they work with the XT6 system?

alright, so I had planned to be a bit secretive about this.....but it's going to be a rather long-term project (hope to have it up and running by next summer though), so screw it.... Few weeks ago, I bought this: a v4 Link LEM ECU. mmmmmmmmm........still need a few things before it'll be fully usable, but the bulk of it is here. And after studying the manual for it, I realized it's only designed to control a 2-wire Idle-air solenoid. and subarus are 3.....so I picked up this on ebay for $10. from a '90 Audi 200. 2 wire, and doesn't mount right to the intake. shouldn't be too hard to fab a flange to bolt to the subaru intake where the old IAC was, and plumb this in there. then, this showed up...... an Eaton M62 Supercharger from a '00 Mercedes C230. only has 25k miles on it. I took the intake and exhaust manifolds off it and polished them on the wire wheel on my bench grinder. now they're all shiny . I also re-mounted the high-pressure one 90* from where it was stock so it points more towards where the subaru tb is. you can see the line that I drew on it, where I plan to cut it off, and weld a plate over the hole to only use the one output. from the back: again, line drawn where I'll cut off the low-pressure manifold. a few measurements, and it looks like a 3.5" coupler will fit perfectly over that spot. then I noticed the little chunk of heater hose left over from the new water pump on the '96 imp motor I put in the '86 wagon. I used it to put the IAC valve right off the blower: ideally, you'd want it on the low-pressure side, but any time the valve is open, the blower will be off, so it shouldn't be a problem. Also, I've got a Jaycar voltage switch, that will be calibrated to engage the blower at ~75% throttle. plan is, to get my hands on a dual-port phase I EJ22e. partial rebuild (rings if necessary. but certainly headgaskets, all seals, timing belt, pumps, etc.). Leave it at stock N/A compression Delta Cams, possibly head work phenolic intake mani spacers t-leg intake manifold and injectors possibly parallel fuel rails keep my existing exhaust (mmmmmmmmmm) use this AWIC, plumbed between the blower and TB. should keep piping down (click image for more specs): another voltage switch controlled by an intake air temp sensor to control the water pump for said AWIC stock pulleys should yield 4-5 psi I'm also planning on mounting 3 LEDs on the dash. one for the supercharger clutch, one for the AWIC pump, and the third for the radiator fan. mounting system originally planned to be something like this: but then a different setup just appeared on rs25. so things might get switched around before then. also, there will be paint involved on the new engine. still trying to think of a color scheme.....

just ran downstairs and checked....I definitely have that bearing, there seems to be a bit of play in it, but it spins real smooth, and it didn't make noise when pulled.... AND, the 5th synchro and driven gear are already pulled off the main shaft. I'll press the bearing off tomorrow and take a closer look. to make sure we're on the right page....this one, yes?

I fell left out.....both my subies are 5-lug

been discussed. as mentioned, the crank angle sensor is the key. you'd have to find a way to mount the sensor from an EA82 disty to the EJ..... seriously. harness modification isn't that difficult. and one of the reasons the EJ motors are so powerful (not just in a hp way either...) is the electronics. surprisingly intelligent/adaptive ECU, electronic ignition, MPFI, etc.

another vote for pulling the motor. it's definitely possible to do in the car, but the extra time to pull/replace the motor is decidedly less than the extra time to do the headgaskets while stooped over the fenders.

^The EA lines will plug right into the EJ pump. and yes, AFAIK the non turbo pump is the same (either way, I know the non-turbo pump will work...). also, what tranny bearing do you need? I've got a '93 n/a legacy tranny in pieces in the basement. worked fine when pulled, it's got some miles (like 180k, IIRC. which is why it didn't cost me anything, but seriously had nothing wrong with it). let me know what you need, and pm me your address, and I'll send it off to ya.

according to the information I was able to find from various sources and compiles....they would work, but you'd need the newer upper spring perch: spring rates for the newer legacies were a bit harder to find....so the H6 ones might be stiffer...

technicality yep, already working on the front, but since that design is very similar to EJ stuff, it's really not new territory. and yea, I was thinking about some subframe connectors to stiffen the length of the unibody.

yea, it's been said that a strut tower brace on the front will drastically help with chassis flex, and therefore handling. I also have a pair of aluminum fender braces for an impreza that I intend to use on my wagon (when I get motivated enough to pull my fenders......don't hold your breath ) but I've been thinking about the rear. many wagon owners talk about how much a rear strut tower brace helps, and I've been looking at my car, trying to decide how best to do this....empty-handed of course. my only success was finding cool pictures of some custom braces....like this for a GC impreza, that still allows the use of the rear seat: then it occured to me.....the rear suspension is already very well tied together due to the trailing arm design. I don't think that turning forces really exert much force on the rear of the body (between the 2 sides anyway, I'm sure a full roll cage to tie the front to rear would help....but that's a whole different can of worms). am I making sense? thoughts?

been done on many cars (I've never seen it for an old subaru....but the idea remains the same). cut a piece of plastic/carbon/wood/whatever the shape of the stock cluster, then use a hole saw to cut holes for aftermarket gauges. a few lights for indicators, and some paint and you're set. it's something I'm looking at doing in my next round of mods EDIT: a quick google image search for "custom gauge cluster" brought up these..... the hard thing, of course, will be the speedometer.....especially if you have a swapped car that needs the VSS signal

and understandably so! I know how you feel. boy was it hard to watch my Chuxwagon leave, especially knowing that the guy that bought it crashed his last sooby into a fence post :-\

I know, front is still goofy. and are you going to mount a tcase to the justy tranny? there's absolutely no reason to do this to a justy, when there are EA81 hatches out there. virtually the same size, but set up just asking for a lift and tcase.

an EJ22e would be your best bet. I just did one from a '96 impreza and I'd highly recommend it ('96 = last year for non-interference so a broken timing belt won't hurt anything, and first year for OBD II, for more power/mileage). download my write-up here: http://www.numbchuxconversions.com/downloads.htm your car is an EA82, btw.

yikes. the motor is pointed the wrong way, so you'd have to either rotate the justy motor to put a tcase in the middle. then the trans.....any way to lock it up so it just sends power to the tcase? probably wouldn't hold up very well. front axles aren't symmetrical, so you'd have to either mount the diff off to one side, or get new axles. I'd say put a real subaru drivetrain under it. no, scratch that, get a real subaru and do it.

all 5MT front diff carriers are the same. so an aftermarket front LSD for an EJ 5MT would fit in an EA one...... but, it'd cost more than your car, and you have to split the tranny case to install it. and most are helical, which would be worthless offroad.

depending where you are in the country, rust might be an issue. and not just cosmetic rust, get down on the ground and make sure it's structurally sound. the oil leak isn't really anything to worry about, pretty hard to keep an EA82 from leaking. usually the valve covers are the first place to leak, but unless meticulously maintained, they'll seep a bit from everywhere. that's about all I can think of for now...

EA82 and EJ strut tops are interchangeable. I have legacy struts/tops on my EA82. but, as mentioned. struts have to match the knuckles.

essentially, yes. AFAIK, OBS springs are a tad taller than stock impreza ones. but lower spring rate than legacy ones.

yea, the carbed ones will, but not terribly well. if you go that route, don't get a stock carb. I had an '85 with a feedback carb, blew the fuse for the ECU (and didn't figure it out for a couple days....). it still ran, but extremely rich, had no power at all.

yea, you could. I wouldn't put it too far away from the tank though.... MorganM relocated it where the rear seat was. I had that wagon for awhile, and still know the guy who has it, it's quite loud and obnoxious. but it's safe. http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=19948

I'm not far away in Duluth, MN

as mentioned, allows you to put it into neutral without the key (or more importantly, without a battery!).