Numbchux

Take a look in your area... When I was at the dealership, we bought several good used ones for around $500. We had several that had out-of-warranty torque converter failure, and it was cheaper to get a used trans than a new converter.

This is exactly what I was thinking. They stopped putting a conventional auto in the Outback almost 10 years ago. You're far more likely to have an oil consumption issue on the FB engine than a CVT failure. Both happen enough that they extended the warranty, but still a relatively low percentage.

This must be a regional thing. I've pulled several from the local junkyard for my own cars, and the rear joint in all of them were tight. One of my co-workers at Subaru ordered one from a junkyard, and it took at least 3 to find one that wasn't junk when it got there (the benefits of a professional relationship with a junkyard, only paid for the good one). And he ended up having it rebuilt about 6 months later anyway. And we had several cars at the dealership where the u-joint got so bad it wrecked other things, usually the pinion seal/bearing on the driveshaft, but one the output on the transmission....

Are the strut tops tied into the cage at all? I've seen some seriously abused rally shells, and never anything like that...

I generally don't agree with posting to criticize a sale price. I prefer to let the market bear what it will bear. But GD is right. I've owned 3 SVXs, 2 had great engines (other problems, admittedly, but excellent engine donors), for a grand total of $800. I probably wouldn't scrap it, but I wouldn't pay much more than scrap value. Nothing on craigslist near you now. But here's one relatively near me: https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/cto/d/92-subaru-svx/6721027602.html Still not a bargain, but what I found after about 5 minutes of searching. And you could still have it shipped across country, sell the lights, gauge cluster, wheels/tires and a few other things, and have an engine with known history, wiring, ecu and good head gaskets for less than $1100. But yea, good luck the with sale. Might have better luck in the "For Sale" section.

2-0430DL Duralast U-joint from Autozone. Greasable, Lifetime Warranty, like $20ea. You'll need a dremel and a press to get them apart, it's a finicky job, for sure, but not terribly hard. Just make sure to mark all the parts so they go back in the same orientation. I did both joints on our '04 Outback in August, and have put about 5k miles on it since then. I just did the rear in my '00 beater Outback (I had both joints, but my dremel quit, and I was running out of time so I only did the nasty one) a couple days ago and then put 500 miles on it. Or look for a driveline shop. We have 2 here in Duluth (not a huge market, so I assume there are places like that everywhere) that can do them. I know the one shop here sells the joints for like $35ea with a basic install (no balancing).

It happens. Yea, I was doing harnesses for awhile. Couple years where it seemed like my living room was always taken over by wiring harnesses. I don't miss that

Boy, if only there was a stickied thread with examples of this.... Ahem... https://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/107295-biggest-tires-with-no-lift/

Judging from the corrosion on everything, I'd say the only thing worth more than scrap is the intake manifold. Steel parts are probably rusty, rubber parts are probably dried and cracked, etc.

The drum is available from Subaru, but is probably prohibitively expensive to get that way. I know I've heard of people cleaning up grooves with a file with success. But if they're too bad, it probably makes more sense to get a used trans. But since the solenoid works, you've probably got a relatively simple repair. Gasket, fluid, clutch packs, some time with a file, and carry on.

Yes, your car definitely has transfer clutches, which are controlled by a solenoid, usually called the Duty C solenoid. Does the FWD fuse change the symptoms? As I recall, the drum that the clutch plates ride in can get grooved or rusty, which can physically prevent the clutches from releasing. Otherwise the solenoid can stick, and sometimes the gasket that seals the solenoid to the case can leak, so fluid pressure is not held to the clutches. Typically best to just get everything. The dealership I worked at stocked it all, gasket for the case, solenoid, and gaskets for the solenoid (there's a spacer under it, and 2 gaskets, you'll have to replace both). If they have it in stock, they'll probably accept returns if you don't end up using it (make sure to ask first). As I recall the techs always asked for a little fluid tube back there, too. But the one time I did the job I didn't replace it, and I'm not 100% sure why they did (maybe someone else here will know).

I want that trans skid!

The way he drives, more transmission cooling is definitely needed. You can over-cool the fluid, but if the extra cooler is plumbed in series before the radiator, the coolant will re-warm it to the ideal temperature. More transmission coolers is definitely better. I add coolers and usually gauges to most of my auto transmission cars. I think that's the exact same one that I used, in essentially the same place. I used the little zip-tie mounts through the condenser and mounted it behind the support, but whatever. It's really nice to be able to put my hand on that cooler when checking the oil on a trip to see how hot the transmission is running. 20160326_155341 by Numbchux, on Flickr

I've had all kinds of problems on vehicles with aftermarket remote start systems installed. Usually as a result of poor connections/installation than the system itself. If you can't use it anyway, I would throw that thing right in the dumpster before anything else. I'm almost completely positive that that car would have an immobilizer, which means that's another computer that can interrupt the starter signal. Most cheap remote start installs on immobilizer cars involve attaching a spare key inside the steering column trim near the ignition to fool the immobilizer. Is this a manual or automatic transmission car? Yea, pretty simple circuit, and it sounds like you have fairly predictable symptoms. Get a multi-meter and/or test light and a wiring diagram, and start isolating components of the circuits.

Yep, definitely EA81. Since the rear is just a shock, it's pretty easy to find a cheap longer-travel option. On the rear of my Brat, I'm running a Rough Country shock. It's easily been 10 years since I bought and installed them, but I'm pretty sure they were for a TJ, possibly lifted, and I think I used the Subaru bar pin (the pin through the bushing at the top of the shock) as the bolt spacing was narrower than the one on the jeep shock. The front is much more unique, I don't know of anything even remotely bolt-on that would yield more travel.

Yep, I go so far as to look up an '83 or '84 Brat (or, when I need EA82 parts, '89), as that will eliminate almost any overlap with other models. I think there are a few trim changes, but for most parts, that should work.

80k+ typically. They came out of the woodwork when the warranty was extended to 100k for awhile Yea, we did plenty of used ones if the car was out of warranty (or before the extension). Junk yard ones were plentiful and cheap, which tells me they do not fail very often (more good transmissions in the junkyards than people looking for them). The remans are like $6k, and a low mileage junk yard one is like $6-800....no brainer. We needed a CVT for a Nissan of some sort at one point, and I spent some serious time calling around to find one at all, and when I did they wanted like $4k, for a junkyard transmission with basically no warranty.

We saw lots of failures at the dealership where I worked, BUT, most of the ones I saw are ones that had not had any fluid changes....and still a relatively small percentage of the cars we saw. They bumped the warranty on the early ones to 100k miles. IIRC, replacement new ones have a 1 year warranty, and reman 3 year. Labor if they installed it, parts only if not. Personally, I wouldn't avoid it for reliability reasons, just make sure it's had fluid changes (preferably with OE fluid, although GD has posted a good alternative, Amsoil I think).

Post some pictures. Generally, we refer to the EA81 body style as a hatchback: And EA82 as a coupe, even though they both have 2 doors and a rear hatch: These overlapped '85-'88 in the US. AFAIK, neither was available with the 1.6 during those years, certainly not with dual-range 4WD. Is it a 4- or 5-speed? 3 bolt front struts is EA82. But not impossible to modify that. Just like the EA71 and 1600 badge.

The Subiefish adapter looks pretty cool, and looks like a basic lift block with a different pattern on the bottom. Looks to me like the bottom of the strut should bolt right in place. Because the geometry on the Tacoma, they use a very heavy spring (~450 lb/in for the standard, and ~550 lb/in for the TRD Offroad, from what I can tell the stock Outback rear is about 200). The downside of this, as the shock actually has about an inch less travel. I sent them a message yesterday asking about it, and I'm assuming I misunderstood the price (or what's included), because it's astronomical. He did say they should have their website updated with that information today, though. I badly need an overload spring option for mine, as we tend to load it down. And while I don't push it hard enough to need the travel, I'd rather not loose it.

IIRC XT6 TREs are the same as early EJ, which are on the long side with EJ knuckles (The TRE tab on the knuckle is shaped differently on the EJ knuckles than XT6, this gives a shorter steering arm, which is what improves the Ackerman Angle). WJM cut and shortened the EJ ones. EA81 are shorter, but with the larger stud. EA82 are also short enough, but use a narrower stud, which will put excess stress on the knuckle (I ran them for awhile, and they seemed to work, but it didn't take long before I had some crazy play in them). That's a deal on the hubs, grab them for sure.

Adding electric trailer brakes is no small task. There is no plug-n-play kit for the Subaru, so you'll have to get a universal controller and install it (which involves running wires all through the vehicle). There is such a thing as a receptacle with the 7-pin and 4-pin connector right next to each other, that part is relatively easy. No good place to mount it, but still easy compared to adding brakes to everything. If the trailer doesn't have them, I'm sure you'll have to replace the entire hub assembly, if not the axle. Install a battery, extra wiring, etc. Not terribly difficult, but fairly costly. Surge brakes will save a lot of labor on the car, but you'll add some on the trailer end, needing a new coupler, and running hydraulic lines on the trailer (at the very least, I've never done a conversion, just knowing how a trailer already set up that way works).

Yea, you're pretty much right on. Miata rear shocks are about 4" shorter. You'll probably want those if this is a pavement pounder. I *think* XT6 FWD rear shocks are still quite a bit longer, like the 4-cylinder ones. So you probably don't want that. As for getting the XT6 hubs. Basically your best bet is the marketplace here and/or Subaruxt.com. There was a company in Australia that made 5-lug kits for several years (Crossbred performance) but they stopped several years ago. There was also a private guy in australia who had a couple runs of them made fairly recently, but I think they got snatched up. And I think I remember him posting that his professional situation changed and he probably won't be having any more made.

Sorry, I just noticed this post.... You bring the ECU and related wiring from the engine donor car. This is the biggest job of the swap. Since the gauges are mechanical, you just splice them into the appropriate signals (sometimes with the addition of resistors or even whole sending units to get them to read correctly). The specifics will depend on the specific combination, but that's a general idea...

From 86Bratman's post, linked from the FAQ https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedway-Tapered-Ball-Joint-Reamer-10-Degree,29005.html