GeneralDisorder

The heads will be trashed. Cam journals wiped out from rod bearing material. GD

The biggest problem with rebuilding is usually the heads - the cam journals can be scored and this really isn't something you can fix. At the point where you are looking for a set of good cams/heads its probably better to just get a good used engine. Rebuild on a short block is going to be about $300 minimum if you do all your own assembly. The cylinders need to be honed and you will want the block hot tanked. Then you need rings and bearings which is about $150. Usually you end up replacing the rod that failed so there's expense there as well as misc. o-rings, sealant, etc. Then you need gaskets to put the motor together and there's another $150 there at least. If its chewed a rod then the oil pump is toast so there's another $150..... To do a rebuild you will definitely have $100 bills flying out your butt. My machine shop charges about $900 to go through a bottom end. That's not including head work.... GD

To be completely accurate there is typically a single large cable from the battery positive feeding the starter solenoid and another ~8-10 AWG wire that feeds the fuse/link panel. Neither of these runs are typically fused. Ideally they would be but the manufacturers don't seem to feel its needed on a very short, very large wire run. Adding an additional run from the alt to the battery to handle heavy draw is important and you should fuse it for the wire size that you use. Remember the load will be shared with the existing wiring so you still fuse it for the wire size even though that may be less than the full amperage capacity of the alt. GD

Knurling simply holds more oil to the skirts. Making them a little tighter and quieter. It works. It doesn't wear out because the knurling puts indentations in the skirt that don't wear off. GD

Chrome faced or Chromoly? All the rings I've seen have been cast without facing.... I assumed they were cast iron but it's probably some type of ductile high tensile casting.... I just make sure they don't have a shiny facing material. GD

The 25D heads are good for turbo builds. They are not "frankenmotor" compatible. You need to use the block - which is probably trashed if it was free. You can rebuild them but typically it is not cost effective to do so unless it was a head gasket failure that resulted in it being replaced without being severely damaged in the process. Then doing ACL race bearings and new rings is not that bad of an expense if you do it yourself. DO NOT hone the block. Just install new bearings and rings (cast iron, not chrome faced) and run it. GD

Drop the pan and baffle plate and cut open the filter (with a FILTER CUTTER - you don't want to "create" misleading metal shavings) and check for metal. These are the only good ways to know what's going on inside it. The bearings are totally inaccessible without a complete tear down. GD

I've never tried it - I don't know if anyone else has. Please post your findings! GD

Fusing is always based on wire size. 12v DC Ampacity chart is what you need. Google image search is where you find it. GD

Don't put any money into a Loyale - get a Legacy with a 4 speed automatic. Easily will out wheel a Loyale with a dual range. The Loyale (EA82's in general really) is primitive and not really a great platform to start with. Dump it and get a Legacy. You'll be happy you did. GD

So if it's not overheating.... exactly why do you suspect HG's again? Bubbles are by no means conclusive. Just means there's probably air in your system. Which wouldn't surprise me being in a Vanagon..... GD

Engine/distributor designed for a carb - adjustment range reflects an original design set point of 8 degrees. With computerized fuel injection the computer expects the distributor to be at 20 which puts it toward the end of the same range. It doesn't "seem" right because you don't know what you are looking at. What made you think that adjusting something without a timing light and without knowledge on the subject was a good idea? It has no power because it's a 90 HP engine from the factory. It never had any. GD

Don't worry about it - you don't need it. GD

Glass, 220 grit wet/dry, wd-40, nice solid countertop. If that proves too difficult to true them up then they are severely warped and will need Blanchard ground. GD

Not worth rebuilding. No offense but if you have to ask how the first one you do will not turn out good. Subaru engines are not forgiving and are unlike other engines in many fundamental ways. Good used engines are cheap - much cheaper than a rebuild. Check out http://www.car-part.com GD

The twin turbo setup is a POS tuning nightmare and never was perfected - thus why Subaru dropped the idea. And in any case it won't fit a non RHD body due to major differences in the exhaust and it trying to occupy the same space as the steering column. The suspension is not just bilstein shocks and struts - its a whole package with sway bars, bushings, and IRRC adjustable stiffness and ride height. It will cost a LOT to approximate it with aftermarket parts. Huge waste of time and money losing proposition. Have you ever wired an engine transplant? 99.9% chance this never happens. GD

Three drops in four quarts.... How do suppose that's going to accomplish anything? Waste of time at that dilution level. You want good shifting you get yourself the Subaru extra-s. Though I've had good luck with the Motul that has Moly in it - but I have no idea at how much it has in it. If you want Moly in the gear oil I say go with the Motul as they have already done the blending properly. GD

Your problem is most likely poor connections between the fusible link and the box or between the power wire to the box and its connection point at the box. Poor connection = resistance, resistance = heat, heat = failure. A short arc from the alt wire should not have melted a link but an extended touch could have. GD

The EA temp gauge wire goes to the EJ temp sending unit on the coolant cross-over. The one with the male spade. No ecu wires are involved whatsoever. It's purely a gauge and a sending unit - higher resistance = lower temp. If its reading full hot then you have the wire to the gauge shorted to ground. GD

Yes where did you read this load of BS? Dealership is NOT Subaru of America nor does SOA recommend anything of the sort AFAIK. GD

It's a 2.5 with 30 more HP. The computer will not care. As I said use the crank and cam sprockets and manifold from the 2.2. Other than that its a direct swap - the engines look identical on the outside. GD

I've done both depending on what I had access to. It's not always as simple as that though. Sometimes the evap purge system has to re-created to match what the ecu wants. There are differences from year to year in how the ecu expects the MAP to react on a purge signal that require different hose routing. GD

There's always a possibility of an evap purge flow code. That pertains to differences in the evap routing and purge flow detection but 97 and 98 should be the same. Though I have seen '97s with front evap cans and a '98 absolutely would have a rear can..... GD

Usually they just bend valves. GD

You don't put an EJ22 in those model years - you go to the EJ251/3 because it's much more common and usually cheaper. Swap over the 2.2 manifold, crank and cam sprockets, and drop it in. Check http://www.car-part.com for engines in your area. GD