86 Wonder Wedge

Hmm.. as of 6/7/13 Gas $3.89/ US Gal (87 R+M/2 rating) on an SPFI and changing timing doesn't really help..., but I run Shell 99% of the time since it's the only Top Tier fuel around.. Insurance $500/year (also have an 81 Firebird on collector's insurance, so a bit of a discount) Monthly maintanance- $0 No safety inspection Free emmissions testing every 2 years. Registration $45/year Not too bad compared to some states with safety inspection.. sheesh...

Either borrow or buy a vacuum gauge. Get a reading and see what it says/what she's doing. Could have a vacuum leak, off timing, fuel problem or a dirty/bad MAF. Also make sure the green connectors are disconnected by the firewall.

Excellent news! Yeah, that cap fits others as well (the hitachi distro wasn't subaru specific, IIRC) But just keep an eye on smoke and coolant loss.. running without that gasket just seems insane to me, but if it works.. lol But nice job!

^^ yeah, he means distributor. When it dies, either listen for the fuel pump to prime with ignition on OR connect the green connectors under the hood by the fuel filter and you should hear the pump cycle every few seconds for approx 1 sec. No noise? Could be a bad/dying pump or even a fuel pump driver inside the ECU failing. Could also be a MAF, injector, ect (things that see both cold and hot operating temperatures). Determine it's a fuel problem by a quick shot of starting fuel down the throttle body. Good luck!

Might also look for a broken coil or failed/collapsed LCA bushing even a bent strut... That is some significant negative camber as I believe even subaru spec'd 0 degrees (straight up and down) as the maximum "negative" and up to 1.5 positive.. so for it to go negative like that (looks like up wards of 2 negative) is serious.

Good to hear the progress! The aluminum on the throttle body and intake can be a royal *%*^( to seal if it's scratched, or if that toilet bowl gasket doesn't seat properly.. what a major PITA.. Anyway, before you start ripping out starters and cables, take a pair of jumper cables and connect on red to the battery and the other to the large terminal where the battery red comes in to the starter. Now take the black side of the jumper cables and one end on the battery, the other on the ear/bolt where the starter mounts to the trans. Then try to crank again. If it works, take off the positive (red) side of the cables. If it works again, you have a bad ground. If it does not, bad connections at the positive on the battery or the starter or the cable is bad (internally corroded, pinched/severed strands, ect) If the jumper cables do not work, take a test light or DMM and check for 12V at the small wire on the starter solenoid. Dim light or less than 9V, you're not getting enough to keep the solenoid engaged. Bad connection/wire or bad contacts in the ignition starter switch (just behind key/tumbler in the steering column) Keep us posted! almost there!!

So wait, if the valve spacing is different, then the valve stems and valve guides are different. If the valve stems and valve guides are different, the rocker/HLAs will be farther apart. If the rockers are farther apart, then the cam lobes have to be moved to match. If the cam lobes are father apart, that means a different cam for the Gen 3 heads (or maybe even a cam case/tower). Is there a different cam ever listed by Subaru? And I've had gen 3 heads and they looked identical to the gen 2 heads in relation to valve spacing... thicker casting? probably, but they still had the valve seat cracks... anyway, PO: the job is not for the faint of heart or someone who hasn't done a HG job before.. no real special tools needed, but there are lots of little tips and tricks that make the difference when it comes to long term success or short failure.

Check condition of the spindle nut (and make sure it's still tight) and the concave washer and cone seat for the hub. Does it do it at high speed? Low speed? Also check for worn radius rod bushings and/or control arm bushings and strut mounts.. Also see if 4WD Hi or Low makes a difference (not when turning obviously)

As funny as this sounds, I really do believe this... Look at things like the steering wheel, shifter, door handle, radio knobs... how many "low mile" cars you see with sundamage, cracking, fading... now look at the daily driver stuff: polished pleather/plastic... yeah, some of the grip texture might be gone from the shifter or steering wheel, but are they cracked? dried out? rough? nope. This stuff's meant to be used, so I'm just as leery at a low mile example as a high milage one.. and if push comes to shove, I'd take the high milage.. at least you know it's been driven and SOMEONE had to have at least looked at it, if not maintained it...

Or if you spend enough time, you can grab an EJ carb intake (overseas.. EDM, AUDM, LADM I believe) and just run it "blind" (purely mechanical).. Like people do with LSx swaps into older stuff... they grab a carb intake and just run a Holly or QJet and an ignition controller. The early EJ ECU and harnesses can be stripped down for spark-only duty.

Try to isolate the problem... Disconnect the clutch cable from the fork and see if the pedal is buttery smooth... IIRC, the clutch pedal box/support isnt the best built thing in the world... they can collapse and/or bend and cause alignment issues like a bent fork or bound cable.

The 91, 92 and 94 I've pulled clocks from, you drop the glovebox until you can reach past the insert and the connector is wrapped up in a foam-tape to prevent rattling (I imagine). Pop the clock out and the light from the hole will illuminate the wires and you can feel for the connector. I've got a clock for sale if you want..

I had a bank of HLAs fail so that the valves were BARELY opening.. low (not 0) compression..

This might sound crazy, but for those that don't have the awesome rear window wiper option (USDM, thanks FHI) looking at the wagon's rear wiper, and assuming that one does a 180 (or nearly 180) rotation, and the rear deck as the mounting for the motor, could you remove the high mount brake light, carefully drill a hole for wiper spindle and bob's your uncle? I can pull the entire wiring harness, motor and all that jazz from the donor wagon, but the hole in my non-holy glass is what has me worried... ideas?

IDK if theres the same box in the wagon, but in the sedans there was the "body control module" (I put it in quotations since it controls the door locks and auto seatbelts and stuff, IIRC) under the rear deck, accessible from the trunk. Since you don't have a rear deck, I wonder it they shoved it into the side panel.. pull off the cover and look!

There are 2 bolts on each side of the frame rail (directly under the lower radiator hose and directly under the evap canister) that when undone, you can re position the bumper to make it a little more flush... for an easy cosmetic fix. NIce find! And since it's automatic, makes a perfect 5EAT and EJ255 swap candidate! ;D

To be honest, find a friend whos got that band clamp pliers... zip ties may work (the heavy duty ones that you can REALLY crank on) and yeah, the no-tool style band clamps can't seal the boot causing the grease to leak when it liquefies at operating temp.. Beck Arnely boots are good and try pushing them in a little farther as said above... getting the boot to stay is another thing.. lol

If you want, you can definitely pull the radiator and gain 1-3 more inches.. and you're working underneath, right (I HOPE your not trying to do this from the top down.. ) ? Honestly, I kept the radiator in AND A/C compressor in place with no problems.. little slower minding the radiator? yes, but I didn't have to buy another gallon of coolant nor screw (parden the pun) with the bolts for the compressor.

Yeah.. hell, you can even just undo the tensioner bracket, move up then relock out of the way.. The oil pump is far enough away from it, you'll have 0 interference issues. Those subaru systems are pretty robust... to disturb it is like putting a furious weasel in your pants.. You can, but really, REALLY ill-advised..

Yeah, ask him how much he's spent on it. And a power increase percentage. What you can do it find an EJ18 or 22 (the 2.2 is WAY more common, IMO), swap it, then show him you did it way cheaper. And you have 4WD. And you're a wagon. And you still weigh less. and you still have money in the bank. and aren't an idiot. and what chassis is he running? A civic I imagine, but just like the Subarus, it it's the late 90s or 00s, their weight jumped pretty good too.. (at least an extra 200-300 lbs..) Point is, do an investment race. You're already lightyears ahead.

When did the non-turbo 5MT go from cable pull to hydraulic push? I think it was around 95? 96?

IIRC, there is a TSB about a reflash on the ECU for the '12 Imprezas (and even the BRZ/FRS).. it deals with some of the throttle mapping and an idle problem... Call up the dealer!

Installed an SOA (dealer add-on) cruise control to my 91 FWD/5MT Loayle! All the plugs were there (minus the NSS plug, but found a different plug?), all the holes for the vacuum diaphragm by the accel pedal, the extra hole for the second brake switch, the holes on the driver strut tower for the vac storage tank/actuator motor bracket where there, the power tap by the fuse box and everything. The entire system came from a 91 Loyale FWD/3AT. Looks like factory and works like one too. Proof, non-equipped cars DO have the provisions for dealer cruise control. Also, while my 91 did NOT have the proper horn/CC steering wheel switch hub (rotates with the steering wheel so the wires don't cross, ect) the 94 (build date of 7/93) loyale wagon donor, which DID NOT have cruise control installed, DID have the cruise control hub installed already and functioning (for the horn). Maybe Subaru just was trying to get rid of old stock? Anyway, SUCCESS!!! Now back to PAP tomorrow for this 94 wagon's rear subframe, driveshaft and SR4WD gearbox (with 94K miles!) so I'll have 4WD and be ready to go when the EJ trans finds its way in..

I SWEAR I read it in one of the manuals (Subaru written, not haynes/others) that specifically says thats what the ECU does foe the injector pulse.. Gotta find it..

Did you reset the ECU? May need to "relearn" what normal A/F ratio is for your motor and because new exhaust=different flow rate could change the composition of your exhaust (i.e different A/F, egr recirc, ect)