ShawnW

I too am amazed it runs real well. You might want to post a photo of the engine compartment maybe we can tell more that way. As for the studs AST makes a tool that grips onto them. (Assenmacher). Lots of the tool trucks (Snap-On, Matco, Mac) have these or can order them. If you can limp the car down here to Westminster I can give you a hand with it. Otherwise you could weld up and make a custom header with the flanges you have or have an exhaust shop do that.

I can get you just about anything. Contact me via PM here or on my website http://www.retroroo.com

Usually for me when I cant narrow this down its the power steering pump. I have taken the belt off my GL with 2.2 swap and put that on the crank pulley and alternator alone. If the noise goes away its narrowed down to the ps pump or the belt itself. If its the pump it can be because it has an air pocket in it. Sometimes raising the reservoir and pouring a tad more fluid in than the full line before/after doing so will clear up the noise. Sometimes I loosen the pressure side of the pump and bump the starter over with the coil pack disconnected to try to "prime" it. Has also worked but rarely.

Thats the problem right there! Bud light!

I think I have a couple mint ones.

Id be willing to distribute them if you wanted to do a bulk shipment deal. It would almost seem like we should be looking to get the mold made here and send you some instead of the other way around. Doesn't seem like there are that many Subaru's of this era left in NZ am I wrong here?

Did you go to this?

The smoke could just be a bad turbo. Better watch the dipstick and coolant levels closely.

Some times air cavitates in the power steering pump and its a matter of bleeding the pressure/air from the high pressure line side. It can be very messy but what I do is loosen the banjo bolt, have someone start the car (you better have safety glasses/shield on here!), and then tighten the banjo bolt nearly immediately after the car starts. Fluid is going to start spraying out 95 percent of the time. Shut the car off, degrease, let it dry and see if its quiet.

Most Snap-On tools are rebuild able if you buy one cheap, take it on the truck and have it sent out for rebuild that is an obvious way to go to me. The trucks themselves often have trade in units as well at very reasonable prices like you can buy a Mac, Cornwell or a Matco tool that was traded in on a Snap-on for 25-50 bucks and then take it to the other truck and send it out for rebuild. The rebuilt units I have seen are often better than they were new. A few of the tools I bought came back as a newer model because they don't rebuild the old one anymore. The other thing is the Cornwell and Matco prices are usually quite good and usually the tools are built by Ingersoll Rand for them so they are a high quality unit that isn't terribly expensive.

Their interchange got it wrong this time. The plug is different, the mount is on the other side and its closer to a 2.5L 2000-2004 and up Outback style one than anything else Subaru.

I disagree I would part that car out too. The brat is going to be amazing with that power-plant in it as long as the conversion is done as professionally as possible. On the other hand at $1500 you may have paid too much for a parts car. I find them here for 4-700 or less quite often.

Hose to the idle air control valve disconnected. Its a larger 1" hose that goes from the top center of the intake to the left of the throttle body to the black intake hose.

SWEET! Its about time you got that thing back on the road! I found a not cracked blue dash for mine the other day.

Sure sounds like the fuel pump or filters to me. Check the outlet from the fuel filter at the front under the hood to see if any comes on when the key is cycled to ignition on and then off.

If you can keep oil and coolant in that thing it will serve you better than the Infiniti especially in Winter Park. Most of the problems I have seen with those are hoses on the inlet tubes. They are real brittle after this many years of heat.

I do a little bit of everything as long as its a Subaru. Im in Westminster near the turnpike/92nd/Sheridan. You can email me at shawn@retroroo.com or my site retroroo.com has a contact me page. 303-641-7947

All my contact info is on my site at http://www.retroroo.com or you can call me 303-641-7947.

We drive a lot more miles per year than most countries average driver does. I can see it being lower overseas to account for this. I recall it being a time interval as well like 8 years or 105K miles. I still think 60K is a good idea. I do the belt every 60, and the WP and belt idlers every 120.

Im closing this thread because it is illegal to gut a catalytic converter and we can't promote this activity. At the same time I am not deleting the thread or information and I know I can't stop any of you from doing this. Furthermore. A modern catalytic converter can actually make an NA car run better than a gutted car. Back pressure is necessary. A bad catalytic converter is a very common problem. Adding a smaller one behind the old one that is gutted is not as good as leaving it where it was. It needs to be closer to the heat to both do a good job both in providing the most efficient air cleaning but also in making power most efficiently. A good DIY repair involves a 2 in 1 out catalyst, and recycling the old one is actually a money maker at a scrap yard. This can actually be a cheap repair. We also try to be environmentally friendly here. I don't want internal combustion, cars, and car modification to go away any time soon so lets keep them clean, efficient and powerful. It is entirely possible to do all 3.

Send me a parts request list via email I can probably get everything delivered by my parents next time they visit. shawn@retroroo.com

It might be but then you have an additional coolant line to run, break, and deal with. The electric is already there with a factory wire you can use and most of the ones I have done or seen utilized the spade from the factory harness.

That flange is shot too though. It may be worth it to take it to an exhaust shop and have it welded instead at this point. They would cut out the flanges and put a sleeve connection there. It wouldn't disconnect at this point anymore but you can still take the entire exhaust down rather easily still. Try all OEM as suggested first. New donut, new spring bolts and springs including the SS nuts. Torque with two wrenches evenly between the bolts until they wont tighten anymore. Don't over think this repair. If it doesnt work with OEM gaskets and parts move onto my exhaust shop suggestion. Ive had many of these types of fixes in the 20-40 dollar price range at little exhaust shops over the years. Save your efforts for another aspect of the car that needs attention instead.

Tire pressure will affect a little bit but not much. Are they studded tires? Do you have another set of tires you can switch on to see if its truly the tires and not wheel bearings?