GeneralDisorder

Sounds like you probably had some lifter noise. GD

You can put the trans in 2nd gear and hit the manual button. That should lock it in the 4WD. Check the FWD fuse holder. If it still doesn't move then suspect a failed transfer clutch pack. GD

Check injector pulse with noid light. Swapping injectors doesn't mean they have the ground signal to fire them. Check for switched 12v at all of the injector plugs then use a test light to check for pulse from the ECU. GD

Fuel, spark, air, compression. Its missing one of these. Test. Then replace. Don't troubleshoot with Visa. GD

95 would be a 2.2 liter. Those don't have slap unless they get severe skirt wear, etc. 2.5's have piston slap due to very short skirts, poor skirt design, lack of proper lubrication... and it's exacerbated by carbon build up in the oil control rings if they get run with non synthetic. They can't tolerate large amounts of carbon due to small oil drain back holes in the skirt. 2000 to 2004 have pretty bad slap as well. In 2005 they changed the skirt to a barrel design instead of a cone/straight taper. They also reduced the oil control ring width. The skirt design change helped with slap but the control rings are even more prone to carbon blockage. Don't know what you heard but piston slap doesn't go away. Once the skirt to wall clearance opens up.... Well it's not like the aluminium grows back. GD

06 to 10 have the same heads. Its not till 11 they changed a bunch of stuff. Sounds like it's ok. Change the piston rings and clean out the oil control drain back holes in the skirts, etc. Feel the rods when you have the pistons out - if there is any tightness in any of then it means the bearing insert is collapsing and grabbing the crank. They should flop around with virtually no friction. GD

Cross-hatching is meaningless. They all retain this. For that matter my 99 Chevy Vortec with 177k on it still has it too. Its not unique to Subaru. It also doesn't mean the bores don't have wear. When you cut the filter you are looking for metal in the canister - it usually settles on the bottom - or between the pleats of the element. GD

If it got hot enough to cause that much head damage - I would be worried about the bottom end. Cut the oil filter and pull the oil pan. Almost certainly going to need rings as they will have lost their tension and are probably full of carbon. GD

If it passes a pressure test, use it. Cracks between the valves are not uncommon and are typically not an issue. GD

Some years of the 4EAT did call for a gasket. After those earlier models Subaru switched to Three Bond products. Used to be 1217B for trans pan and is now superseded to 1217H. GD

Compression is way over 12:1 with phase one (90 to 98) heads. Not runable. Will pull timing like mad due to detonation issues and likely melt a piston. Phase two (99 to 01) heads are the same as EJ25 heads. Compression will be basically stock. GD

Subaru engines have aluminum heads and therefore do not have the valve seat ground directly into the head casting like vintage iron heads would have been made. Therefore the seats are not cast iron and will not require the lead cushion as they are not soft like non-hardened iron heads without seat inserts. Ethanol will only harm older fuel lines and carb gaskets. If you can get updated carb gaskets made from neoprene, etc and replace the soft fuel lines with ethanol safe hose, the rest should be fine. It won't harm the fuel tank unless its allowed to sit for extended periods and draw moisture, etc. And even then only if air can get to it, which honestly isn't significantly different from what happens to non-ethanol gas left in a tank with airflow. Still turns to a useless mess that looks like the titanic. Trust me I've been down this path more than twice. GD

Its more likely intake manifold gaskets or carb base gasket, etc. GD

No

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Dealer sells the Speedo head for about $200 or you can solder the circuit board yourself. Known problem and quite common. Trans probably needs replaced. GD

Why are you running a catch can? The ONLY reason for a catch can or AOS is if you are doing high-G cornering. If you need one for daily driving it means the rings are shot. Too much blow by. GD

There aren't any links. The source is my own experience. It's not difficult to search and find this info based on what I've given you. You split the case, swap the cam, install new bearings, etc, and install 86 to 94 SPFI pistons. Compression goes up to 9.5 from 8.7 and the cam does the rest. And even if you did this - 90 HP is not at all impressive. If you want power swap in an EJ22 or EJ25. Instant 135-165 HP. You'll never get even close to this with an EA. GD

EA82 SPFI pistons, and swap the cam for an RV torque grind. That's really all you need to push it up to around 90 HP. GD

Giggle gas is never safe. Even when handled by "professionals". You see cars go up in flames and throw parts halfway across the race track even under "professional" use. The least that will happen is that you will yardsale that poor EA81. If you are unlucky you might also set yourself and the car on fire. GD

You use the CV's it already has. They are the same for auto/manual. Forester CV's are slightly longer due to the suspension lift. Will not be needed on the OBS. GD

It's worth virtually nothing as a parts car. Isn't worth much as a running/driving car either. When you can buy pretty nice Legacy's for a few hundred $, how much could a broken GL realistically be worth.... I just bought an immaculate 1990 Legacy with 112k on it for $200. Needed plug wires. Not even kidding. It's in my loaner fleet now. Can't get parts for the GL's hardly anymore. I know where two VERY nice wagons can be had for about $1200 a piece. One of which is a low mileage 86 with a Weber swap recently done by yours truly. If anyone is interested please let me know - the widow of the former owner needs to unload them. GD

This is not unusual - it's from short trips, and inoperative PCV system. It does not indicate coolant loss. That is condensation. GD

I'm a compressor snob so take that into account. Worked as a compressor and vacuum pump technician for about three years at one point. Actually was my last "real" job before starting my shop. Generally speaking, a serious compressor (3-5 real HP) is going to be 240v and will need about a 40 to 60 amp circuit. Generally you will be looking at around 25 amps full load on a real 5 HP machine. GD

Interesting. One has to womder what the F the engineers were thinking on that one. Seems utterly pointless and less cost effective having all those different parts. They should have just used electric fans. The clutch fan on the EA82 is one if it's more annoying features to work around. GD