GeneralDisorder

Fill it with ATF and drive it for a while like that. See if it improves. ATF is only about $14 a gallon and that is enough to do a full fill (3.7 quarts). I never changed the transmission gear oil when I had it (checked it and it looked/smelled fine) - but it wasn't a problem either and I had it for only a few years. GD

I would have to see it. Probably the linkage is binding and needs to be adjusted (bent). GD

What makes you suspect the HG? EA81's are not like EJ25's - they don't just blow them because the stars are aligned. As for rebuilding an engine - the head gasket is a GASKET - it's also nothing like rebuilding an engine or tranny. They are simple to change. GD

Sounds like the syncro is shot. Time for a tranny rebuild or replacement. There's no good cure for that. You can try a quart of Rislone in place of one quart of gear oil on a fresh fill of the tranny (takes about 3.7 quarts). But it sounds like it's probably pretty shot. GD

You don't count turns - you adjust till the engine runs correctly - either by ear or with a wide-band O2 sensor. Start it at 3 turns out from seated - then adjust your idle speed and mixture (once warmed up) till they are where you want. Get the idle speed down to about 800 and then adjust the mixture to lean-best idle. That is about 1/4 turn out from where the engine starts to stumble and change pitch when you are screwing the mixture screw in. GD

Yes a Subaru OEM thermostat is always a good idea. Good call Tom. GD

It could be an axle or it could be a stripped hub - since it doesn't move in 2WD - start the car and put it in 1st gear. Set the parking brake and release the clutch (as if you were driving in first). Then get out and inspect - if the axle nut on one side is turning but the wheel is not - you have stripped the splines out of the hub. If the axle nuts aren't turning then slip underneath and check the axle shafts. One of them should be turning and that's the axle that's broken. If nothing is moving - you have lost the front diff and then it's time for the 5 speed. :-p GD

Is the core clogged? There's a control valve under the dash that shunts the hot water back into the return line instead of pushing it through the core - depending on the position of the hot/cold lever. I would take both hoses loose from the core in the engine bay and insure that you have flow - and then insure than the control valve is operating and not clogged or something. GD

I sent you an email - I don't have a suby junk yard and I'm pretty sure we've never met :-p. I would love to take a look and see what you are dealing with. I never charge for a simple once-over to tell you what you what my impression of it is. It sounds like it's got some nice features that most here would consier an upgrade - the Weber (we typically use a 32/36 DGV) and the rear discs..... Let me know if you want to bring it by. GD

Yes I agree - you could get away with a new tire in this case. But it MUST be the same brand, model, size, and factory of origin. Different brands will be different outside diameter even if they are marked the same size. Manufacturing differences between factories can lead to a tire having the same markings (brand/model/size) and still be different enough to cause a problem. GD

It entirely depends on how badly the valve is bent - I have seen burned exhaust valves still register 40 psi on a gauge. But when you get readings that low (well below 100 psi) then you need to start pulling heads off and investigating. It's very possible that a valve is only bent enough to not seal properly and cause a reduction in cylinder pressure. You need to run a leak-down test to be sure. If it's valves that are leaking the test will tell you definitively where the damage is. The interferance on these engines is between the valves - not between the piston and the valves. When a belt goes or is installed incorrectly it can cause the intake valves to hit to the exhaust valves. GD

That's essentially what's happening, yeah. The thermostat being gutted keeps the flow happening and gas bubbles are allowed to work their way to the top of the radiator and escape. As long as the gas bubbles don't interrupt the flow of coolant - they are essentially benign. Coolant flows and carries the heat away from the engine. The engine doesn't overheat. I've seen this work MANY times - cars that won't drive ten miles without overheating will generally drive fine without a thermostat. Obviously it's a temporary solution but it will get you to your destination or to the shop where the repair is to be performed without a tow. GD

If you enjoy not paying for expensive transmission repairs (transfer clutch and drum on auto's and viscous coupler's on manual's) then you need to buy 4 new tires or find the exact same brand and within about 1/16" tire wear to replace just the one. Easier to just get a new set and call it good insurance. If you destroy the transfer clutch or viscous coupler you are looking at $1000 to $1500 repair. I buy broken Subaru's all the time and rebuild/repair them and I know the costs and part pricing very well as well as what damage can be done and how invasive it is to fix. I rebuild transmissions when needed - the parts alone run about $500. GD

You dont immediately go for the stop-leak. First you gut the thermostat and run it till that doesn't work anymore - which could be thousands of miles or farther. GD

You can't use the later (46cc - down from 55cc) heads without also changing the pistons or you will increase the compression to around 11.5:1 and will definitely require premium fuel. It will increase the power but if you are going to go that route you might as well just use the EJ22 heads (40cc) and get it up to 12:1 for max performance. It will pull the torque up a lot higher. The HP is around 190 but is generally considered to be limited by how much the 2.2 heads will flow up high. GD

It's a dual-carb 1.6. Other than that - we can't tell you anything really. The numbers are meaningless to us. It's likely that it came from a performance model if it came with that intake manifold but the manifold will fit any EA71 so really there's no way to tell without knowing it's history and exactly what it came from. I will tell you that there are a LOT more carbs and manifolds out there than there are engines these days. Engines wear out or blow up - carbs and manifolds are what people save off the dead one's. There are 100 such manifold setups for every 1 actual dual-carb high-compression long block - seems that way anyhow. GD

Typically junk yard or forum members actually. Ebay and craigslist rarely have the sort of transmission you are looking for. GD

It's not economical to rebuild them - it runs about $500+ in parts and the labor is pretty high - you need a press at the least and it would be helpful if you have experience rebuilding this sort of thing. If you find a shop that's willing to do it you are probably looking at no less than $1000 to have one rebuilt with new bearings, syncro's, seals, etc. Remember that it's not just a transmission - it's also a front diff, and a transfer case all in one unit - it's actually called a transaxle. When you consider what it would cost to have all three of those items rebuilt on a truck you understand why it's so costly. For under $200 you can get a good condition used transmission. Your choice. GD

No I don't have any EA82 chassis - I have in the past but I've got rid of them all. I have two EA81 hatchbacks and they are my number one favorite body style. Both will end up with EJ's but right now have the EA81's and they run just great. And I have a '91 Turbo Sport Sedan - which is the only first-gen Legacy body that I find appealing in the cosmetics department. I don't like the post-facelift front end nor the wagons in the looks department - but I can and have lived with their ugliness. The '91 SS is the best looking of the 90 to 94 Legacy lineup IMO. Those are actually my only personal Soobs now. I have a truck for truck type duties, a car hauler trailer, and various other projects around here that I don't consider to be "mine" in the sense that I wouldn't own them on paper . Just the two hatch's, my SS, and the truck. Together they do all I need. GD

Right - we knew about the bell housing. Just wondering about the shifter and when we can get a package deal with both. What's holding me up from buying is that I really am going to need the remote shifter as well for my project so I might as well wait (assuming it's going to get developed :-p) and purchase both at the same time. No rush - actually I probably won't need it for a year - maybe several. But I want to support your amazing product for our little community here - that's the only reason I ask . GD

Start by removing the guts from the thermostat - just leave the open metal ring to hold the gasket in place. That should suffice for a bit while you save money and decide what you want to do. If you like - you could drive it down to Portland with the gutted thermostat and I could do the HG repair on-the-cheap in one long-ish day. Would probably run about $320 labor and about $200 parts. That's just the gaskets, seals, etc from the dealer and R&R the engine, resurface the heads by hand, reassemble and drop it in. Assuming you reuse timing components, clutch (if applicable), etc it can be done on the cheap. It usually ends up running into the $1000 range because in my shop because people opt to do complete new timing components, clutch parts, plugs, wires, VC gaskets, etc. All that stuff adds up. GD

If that's your big concern then really it should not be ignored that the EA82 carbed engine bay is a NIGHTMARE prior to doing a Weber swap and even afterwards an EA81 is still much simpler yet. If you want to go the simplicity route - then you really need to get an EA81. You will find that my stable includes EA81's both running Weber's and running the EA82's SPFI system as well as EJ22's and EJ25 frankenmotors..... no where will you find any EA82's. Experience has shown they are not the right answer . Well - in all fairness the EA82 happens to be more cramped - the engine is overall the widest that Subaru ever made and thus there is very little room to get to things like valve cover gaskets, etc. Then there is that stupid (really, really stupid) mechanical water pump fan on the AC equipped models.... that's a whore to work around. The EJ's are simpler in a lot of ways - no silly cam towers, no cork oil pan gaskets, no poorly designed lubrication system complete with abundance of deterorated o-rings and ticking lifters, and no wacky dual-timing belts that last 50k on a good run. The EA82 is a collection of what-not-to-do and Subaru definately learned from their mistakes with the EJ's. I have personally not found any model of car or truck that is as cramped or as badly engineered as the 300ZX. That car is definitely in the top 5 of cars I enjoy taking a ride in but would never, ever consider owning because I don't have the hands of a 12 year old girl. And I can say that from experience since I was the one that put the engine in it :-p. GD

Definately. The GL is a POS by comparison and it will bite you. It bites everyone that owns them to one degree or another - many of the people that own and drive them are used to their nature and dismiss their tendancies to nickle and dime you but that's how they are. I understand that the body style of the early Legacy is not as cool and retro to a lot of folks as the EA82's but things bought because of looks and not for what you intend to use them for are often a poor fit in the end. You really, really should turn and run away from the EA82 chassis. It's not a bad platform for an engine swap but with how primitive they are by comparison (yet not nearly primitive enough to be rugged and ultra-dependable like the EA81's) to the Legacy it's just a silly purchase now that the price of GL's and Legacy's is nearly the same. You get 10x the car for your money with a Legacy. Trust me - I do this every day. Without fail if I tell someone to reconsider on the GL's and they buy one anyway - they regret it within a month. GD

Any year heads will work but there are three generations of heads - each more robust than the previous generation (supposedly). The 90 should have either gen 2 or gen 3 heads from the factory. The 2nd gen will have EA82 with a line under it cast into the head while the 3rd gen will have the the same EA82 inside a rectangle not just underlined. They all can and do crack however so it's really more important to take care of engine management and keep it from getting hot in the first place. Any year EA82 turbo will work yes. They are all the same. You should use the Fel-Pro head gasket by itself ONLY. The rest of their "kit" is garbage. Order everything else from the dealer. Turbo and non-turbo HG's are the same on the EA82's. Surface the heads for sure, and you should consider resurfacing the block as well. GD

The turbo is oil lubricated/cooled AND water cooled. Compression test is basically useless for determining HG failure. The difference that might show up on a running engine with a small HG leak is so small that it could just as easily be cylinder/ring wear or valve seat leaks. Do a hydrocarbon test of the coolant. And don't dismiss the possibility of intake gasket leakage. GD