El Presidente

The back has different suspension than the front. In the back, the wheel doesn't change chamber when it rotates up and down, its on a simple trailing arm. Lifting the front on springs only will change the geometry of the front suspension and you'll have horrible front chamber, not to mention you'll have about an inch or two of down travel which is hard on your struts. A proper lift will bring the top of the struts in towards the center of the car to offset the geometry change. Josh

As long as you don't loosen the tie rod end on the tie rod and just at the ball joint(castle nut at the knuckle) you should be fine in regards to an alignment. I used to be wary of sealed bearing too, but once you realize the bearings usually fail from contamination(failed seals) or over/under greasing(human factor), you'll understand why sealed units do last longer under harsher conditions. The sealed ones you get from a bearing supplier are higher quality than the undsealed you get at your work and they contain a much higher quality, pre-measured grease than you buy off the shelf. To each their own, I just got tired of dealing with bearings a long time ago Josh

Tempo springs DO work, but dont lift it just on the springs, get or make a proper lift. Josh

To clarify, that is %100 backwards. The bottoms should be towards the center of the car and the tops wider, like this \\ //. It seems backwards, but its not. By putting them on correctly, your pushing the strut straight down...the way you have it, your pushing the strut down and out, giving you bad camber. If you put them in right, along with the rest of the lift, it will have normal camber and handle well on-road. If you have a 2" lift you don't need cross member drops, but it helps. I've run 2" lifted ea82's with no cross member drop as daily drivers just fine. If its a 3" lift, you really only need to drop the front cross member 1" and leave the tranny/radius mounts alone. Back to the spring issue...just put that aside for now. You really only need different springs for special circumstances, and your isn't one of them. If you need new ea82 springs, go to orielly's and get new or take some off a gently used jy car, but start with new struts. I know you don't have a lot in the junkyards out there, but some one on the board could help you out. If your running 26-27's tires on a no-lift ea82, your gonna rub..thats life. If you don't want it to rub, put a lift on, or take the tires off, but don't expect new springs to help. Josh

Coolant in the oil is usually from the internal freeze plugs in the heads rusting, or working their way out, not HG's. Pull the valve covers, cam towers and inspect the freeze plugs. Look for clean spots. Josh

Have you considered sealed bearings? I run #6207 2RS bearings in all my ea82's. They're sealed and pregreased, so no seals or grease are needed. Last time I bought some they were $12 at Mcguire bearing(any bearing supply store will have them). The unsealed ones(just #6207) run less, more like $8-10, unless you go to a auto parts store..they'll charge you $40 per bearing and you still need to buy seals and grease Josh.

Yeah, 34 or 35 is a EGR soleniod/valve(cant remember exactly) on 49 state cars for your year, continuous 5's is a designation code, so nothings wrong. Is your CEL light on? Josh

Your 2" lift blocks were in backwards, that's why you had bad camber. If you put them back in correctly, you'd be just fine daily driving it. What wheels you run willn't have any affect on the camber either. The lift doesn't have anything to do with camber in the back and is likely from bent trailing arms...Note how the instructions for adjusting the camber involve a long piece of wood as a lever..(aka bending it back). As far as taking it to a shop to align it, don't do it, its a huge waste of money. All the shop will adjust is the front toe(and thats it in the front!), which isn't hard to do yourself, and tell you to get new trailing arms in the rear, because very very few shops will attempt to adjust/bend the rear trailing arms... If you take it to a shop with the lift in, they'll just tell you to take it out because its in backwards..if they'll even touch it with a lift on it for legal reasons. The big problem with lifting the front with springs in an ea82 is that you will lose a lot of down travel, not to mention you will have bad positive camber from it(again). If you want to keep the tires out of the fenders, do it right with blocks. You really only need tempo springs if you have winches and bumpers up front...You dont even need bigger springs for an EJ, just get new stock ones. Josh

Select monitor is Subaru OBD1 and the plug looks identical to the stereo plug for the back of the radio. Its yellow and located under the steering wheel area. Theres programs you can download for free, and that you pay for, that will allow you to take advantage of this system, but I've never done it. It doesn't look hard, but involves splicing in a USB plug into the SSM(Subaru Select Monitor) plug. Then you run all your diagnostics on your netbook or laptop....I suppose you could even use a smart phone. Josh

Ok thanks. If I don't break the ridge at the top, won't the #1 compression ring break when the piston comes to full stroke considering the SPFI pistons are taller? Are the ring lands in the same location? I've still got the EA82 that came in the car, its got something like 258K on it...do you think the pistons are too far gone to reuse in an EA81? Its hard to find an EA82 under 200k anymore.. I was thinking of fixing the EA82 motor I have and putting it in another car to flip, but if it will work for what I'm doing, I'll just yank it apart and scrap the rest. Josh

The HG blew on my '82 EA81 and I'm seriously considering dropping in some EA82 SPFI pistons to bump the compression while its apart. The EA81 is in a 90 loyale with the 90 SPFI system on it, so I think it would be perfect for the setup. I'm also mulling over taking some more off the heads to get the compression a little higher. With SPFI pistons I'm hearing it will be about 9.1-9.2/1...how high can I go on 87 octane?...maybe spfi pistons and .010" off the heads....or leave the heads alone?...I know one guy I wheel with has .020-.025" off the heads and ea71 pistons and he needs mid grade at a minimum. I'm not looking to go crazy, I just figure...why I have it apart...why not.. I'm not going EJ in this car yet.. I've never considered putting new pistons in a motor without boring over and getting brand new pistions/rings/etc., but having been around subarus awhile, I've learned you can get away with alot. What exactly can I get away with? can I use old pistons? Assuming I get new pistons and rings(stock sized), do all I need to do is grab a glaze hone and a ridge breaker from oriellys and drop them right in?? I used to be an auto machinist so it was always drilled into my head to "do it right" and not half-rump roast it, but since then I've learned there's a lot of grey area in between. Im also tight on cash... Josh

Since nobody seems to know why it willn't work, I'll just give it a try and run 6 hydro pushrods and 2 solid lifter push rods. I'll report back how it goes, unless someone can offer some experience here. Josh

If it applied properly, a roll-on liner is just as good as any paint and as far as rust protection, it will be compromised from a gouge down to the base material just like a paint would be too. Prep is %100 key in making sure it stays on and doesn't delaminate and allow rust to form underneath, even around a gouge. Also, not all roll-on bed liners are the built the same and are not as strong as the next. I've heard a lot of people say Rustoleum bedliner is really weak and prone to coming off. I've heard a lot of people say the same thing about Duplicolor bedliner..its good for a year or two, then it fails. The only roll-on I've consistently heard good thing about is Herculiner and Durabak. They are both the same for the most part, but Durabak is slightly better and comes in a bunch of colors and even untextured. Of all of them, it stays the most flexible, while retaining its durability and is the least susceptible to sun damage. Prep is #1 and bad prep is the most common cause from problems from this stuff. http://www.durabakcompany.com/ All that aside, no roll-on can ever compete with a professional epoxy spray-on liner. They are the best and the most espensive. Josh

Anybody have more info on this?? Is it a length issue, or is it that no one has tried it yet? Josh

Huh, the guy I bought the motor from said the solid lifter pushrods he included for free came out of the motor that the hydro lifter ended up going...so to me it sounded like he was running hydro pushrods on solid lifters...I asked if he had valve noise when it warmed up and he said no, but maybe he started with hydro lifters and tried running solid lifter pushrods on the , hence the bent pushrod in the free set. I was hoping they were similair enough to work, but I'll keep a look out for one more hydro pushrod. Just out of curiosity, why wouldn't it work? I know the aluminum ones expand as the motor warms up to keep the lash the same when the block also expands, but considering the steel ones expand differently and the lifter compensates, I'm not seeing why it wouldn't work...not that I'm disagreeing, I'm just curious. Josh

I recently got an EA81 hydro motor thats missing the pushrods. The guy I bought it from had a near complete set of solid lifter pushrods(aluminum) he gave me for free and I'm working out a deal for a partial set of hydro pushrods(steel) right now. Can you mix and match the two in the same motor? If mixing and matching won't work, can I run a complete set of solid lifter pushrods in a hydro motor? I'm not sure which set will be easier to complete.. Josh

You have my attention.. If a HG change is all I need to have a reliable motor, I'm doing that. I was under the impression that the ej251 was just like the ej25d, the only difference is that the 25d leaks internally all the time and the 251 leaks externally all the time. When my mom bought the car, she was told the headgaskets were just done before she got it and a couple months after driving it around, it started throwing a code of a missfire on cylinder #3 or 4(cant remember) and it would randomly leave puddles of coolant. Now it is really gutless, consistantly leaks coolant and runs like crap...its just getting worse. I did confirm that the gaskets were changed, but maybe it was a half-assed job. I can't find the exact spot it its leaking, but it does appear to be where the head and block meet. Which turbo ej2.5 HG's do I use? Part #'s? If I'm not mistaken the ej251 is a SOHC motor and all the turbo 2.5's were DOHC. Will the HG's still swap? Can someone confirm this? has anyone done this? I tried searching around the forum, but it seems harder to find what your looking for since the server change Josh

Thanks for the replies guys! Thanks for the advice about the plate between the thottle body and the intake too. I need to keep the Outback running for as long as possible, so I haven't had a chance to pop the 2.5 apart. I don't mined splicing injector connectors, but was really hoping to keep all the wiring intact...would it be worth it to use the 2.5 injectors in the 2.2 manifold? Ok, so the '98 2.2 heads will fit on the '90 block with the '98 intake...will I have compression issues with this combination, or will it be about the same? This car is for my mom, so I don't want a frankenmotor situation that requires premium only. I don't think I want to use the 2.5 heads at all. The whole reason for this build is because the HG were just done on the EJ251 and it is doing the typical external coolant leak again, so the plan is to replace it with a MUCH more reliable 2.2. The weak point of the EJ25 is the heads right?? The MAP sensor issue... The part number is - bosch #0261230013 Its located on top of the intake, just to the drivers side of the coil pack, which is off-set to the pass. side to make room for the sensor. It doesn't have any vacuum hoses. It has two small bolts holding it directly to the intake plenum and I can only imagine something goes into the air stream at that point. I can't find a listing for it at Rock Auto or Oriellys online, just the 3 wire Map sensors . When I google the part number I get plenty of listings for it and it shows it as a 4 wire unit. I can get some pictures of it in the Outback if that helps. I do have a remote MAP sensor for the 98 EJ22 intake i was hoping to use.. Theres a small picture here of what the outback MAP sensor looks like: http://www.justanswer.com/subaru/6h66y-subaru-outback-carguy1-i-reading-conversation.html Thanks again for the input Josh

I have a '90 EJ22 I'm trying to drop into a 2001 Outback wagon that has an EJ25 in it. I've got an EJ22 intake from a '98 I was going to put on the '90 long block and use the EJ25 intake wire harness and sensors to make it work...but..the MAP sensor has become a sticking point and to further compound the issue, its a 4 wire sensor, which I'm finding little info on. I have found that its a combo MAP/Intake Temp sensor that mount directly to the intake, but I'm not finding any info on how I can make this work. I have a remote 3 wire Map for an EJ22, but I'm not seeing how I can put it on the EJ25 intake harness. Please help!! I know about the issue with the EGR and I also know I have a couple different options to deal with that. I also have a set of heads for a '98 EJ22 I thought about putting on the '90 block....Is anything I'm trying to do going to work at all???? I read the compression will drop from running phase 2 heads on a phase one block...any input there?? I thought I did my homework before starting this project, but apparently not Josh

I'm not surprised. I thinking if you keep driving it it will get better. The learning curve of OBD2 is fast, but you'e only given it 7 miles of city driving. Don't be afraid to get heavy on the skinny pedal too, you burn most your fuel accelerating, so give it a chance to learn the best way to do it. Just don't baby it...baby it after teaching it what it can do Josh

You can't drive either bearing further into the knuckle if they're properly seated. Theres a shoulder that stops the bearing from going further in, you'll see when you get a bearing out. When driving out the first bearing, just push the spacer between the bearings to the side. Sometimes it will give some resistance, because its glued in by fried grease or packed in because someone put too much in, but it will move to the side. If you use sealed bearings, you don't need grease between the bearings. Theres no wrong way to remove the bearing, just get the drift seated on the inside of the bearing and thump away. I found a harbor freight 3lb baby sledge works awesome for this. Just keep moving the drift around so the bearing comes out squarely and you'll be fine. Josh

I might be able to help you this weekend, but definitely at some point later in the week. Your probably gonna need new jets if it was on a datsun, but we should be able to get you running good to OKish. I'm good with Webers, but if your jets are out, it'll never run completely right. I can show you my SPFI EA81 in my 90 loyale too if your still thinking about EFI down the road. PM me your number if Caboobaroo is too busy moving or you guys don't get it done this weekend. Josh

The axle pulled through so easy because its an aftermarket axle and they're not made to original specification. Just to clarify, the spindle is attached to the cv axle and the bearings are mounted in the knuckle. Your gonna end up taking the knuckle off(after taking the axle out) and replacing the bearings on a bench. Use a big brass drift and a big hammer, if you don't have one, hit up harbor freight, they have a three drift kit and the biggest one works great. There's a couple write-ups on the board that will give you step by step directions. I really recommend NOT going with the auto store bearing($40) and getting it at a bearing supplier($8). Its identical to the autoparts store one. I think the part number is 6207, but thats off the top of my head. I also really recommend going with a sealed bearing which I think is 6207 2RS($12)...they come water-tight sealed and prepacked with the perfect amount of grease, you can still run stock seals if you like, but they aren't required with a sealed unit. When installing, put the bearing in the freezer and put the cleaned knuckle in your oven set to warm or 200-250 degrees. This makes installing MUCH easier if you do it fast before the bearing warms up. Josh

Thread inserts are what your looking for. The most common brand is called Heli-coil and any autoparts place will have them, but you're gonna need the "kit". It has the install tool, coils and instructions, but I think you need to buy the drill bit separately. If you feel comfortable tapping a hole by yourself go for it, otherwise have someone else give you hand. It sucks if you get it in there a little sideways. Your gonna need to drop the y-pipe too, so don't forget to unplug the O2 sensor, or you may need a new one of those. Josh

I've done this and it works well, but I recommend using stainless wire instead of bailing wire which will rust quickly. Stainless wire can be salvaged from old crab pots or even some stainless .045 mig wire works well. Just a double wrap, twist it together and clip it. Josh