GeneralDisorder

Yes - for optimum performance you need the exhaust to merge fairly close to the heads - this improves scavenging and increases performance. You can split it up again after that and run dual pipes if you prefer the look, but a true dual exhaust is not beneficial for us flat-four people. It will sound nice if you build it right though . GD

You can see the hydraulic buckets if you pull off a valve cover - they don't have the lip on them where a shim would sit.... it's a farily obvious difference if you can imagine an inverted shot-glass with a round disc on the bottom - held in place by a lip around the edge of the bottom of the glass.... hydro's will just be flat with not lip and no disc. Oil pressure check is a good thing - replacing the o-ring behind the oil pump is a good idea as well. It should be noted that the ticking can be due to sitting for a prolonged period and can take several hours to dissapear on first startup... don't know how long you have run the engine but a couple oil changes and such might take care of it. GD

What exactly is this "project" and why would the metal hard lines have been removed from the intake?!? I've never taken those off. Is the engine original to the car? There were about three or four different vacuum routings over the years on the 2nd gen EJ's..... if the engine came from a different car it might not match up to anything. The trick is to follow the lines and find out what they go to and make sure everything has the vacuum signal that it needs.... GD

The wireing connector for the ECU is completely different, but in theory it should mostly work. The two primary differences besides the ECU wireing connector will be the rear O2 sensor, and the OBD-II diagnostic port itself.... and of course the pinout nightmare that's going to result when you have to swap the ECU connectors. I don't envy you on that job . I've stripped a lot of harnesses for swaps but I've never tried what you are proposing. Would be a whole lot of work. However you do it - skip the '95 ECU as it's got some real strange wireing... go to the '96 version. GD

Most liklely hydraulic. They didn't switch over to bucket/shim till '97 AFAIK. GD

Check for vacuum leaks for sure. Also might need to clean/replace the idle air control unit on the back passenger side of the manifold. Sorry about your luck with the car - but it's well known that the EJ25D has head gaskets problems and it's especially important when buying used cars to know what you are getting into. In fact it almost defeats the purpose of buying used if you don't - used cars have been well tested by the consumers and thus you actually *can* know a great deal about their reliability ratings, etc from a bit of research before buying. GD

I agree to some extent but the bearings are sealed and it's really no different than the bearings on the front of the alternator, the power steering pump, or the AC idler which are all exposed in their "natural" state. The very fact that they are sealed and running in a "dry" (without an oil bath, etc) environment seems to sugest they *are* hardened against the elements - one of which being the rubber "dust" from the belt itself..... I don't think it's a big concern for most folks that aren't going to be fording a river with their rig.... and if you keep the splash gaurds in place under the car most of the elements can't enter easily anyhow. GD

The FPCU is located above the hood release handle on the driver's side under the dash. It's a black or blue module with a 6 pin connector. It will have a Mitsubishi emblem on it. You need to check for power, ground, and tach signal to that box - it also runs the choke on most models and there will be a blue w/red wire that runs to the fuel pump. The FPCU receives it's power from the main fuse box under the dash. Be sure you check for power at the pump while someone is cranking the engine - otherwise no power will be present due to the FPCU's failsafe against running the pump when the engine is off. GD

If you get the right bushing it should only increase it by 1/8" or so - and you can file down the hex end of the bushing to shorten it.... then you can cut off a bit of the end of the hose barb.... you can make it work. I doubt you will find a 3/8" barb fitting. They usually skip that size. Why doesn't autometer include one or have one you can buy that's plastic or something? Another idea - you could make a flush-mount bushing with a bit of brass stock, some drilling, tapping, and threading..... wouldn't be too hard. Just do the ID first - thread the brass 1/8" barb fitting into it, then cut the OD threads with a die. GD

You need a 1/8" x 3/8" NPT bushing. GD

All Subaru's went back to mechanical lifters in '97.... I don't know of any EJ251's or EJ253's with hydro lifters..... At any rate - you adjust them every 105k miles per Subaru (same as the timing belt). They are just like any other rocker-arm solid lift setup - you have a set screw and a square headed adjuster bolt. You loosen the set-screw, adjust the clearance till there is slight drag on your feeler gauge, and lock down the set-screw. Easy. Bucket and Shim, or more recently "Shimless buckets" are only used on the DOHC designs because in them there is one lobe per valve. Not so on the SOHC's where one lobe drives two valves. GD

Yes - when you get new rear's - just use black zip-ties instead of the bolts if you live in an area prone to rust. Running without covers is fine too - your engine is non-interferance and the EJ belts are VERY tough. Exceptionally hard to break. GD

Compare the gear ratios here: http://www.gearhack.com/myink/ViewPage.php?file=docs/Subaru%20Transmission%20Chart Yes - you can swap the fork from one to the other and change the '97 to cable. GD

If the rust is truely "light" then it can just be honed and use normal pistons. Subaru engines tend to need special boring aparatus - a bore plate - to prevent them from being bored incorrectly and having the cylinder liners spin after being put into use. GD

I've seen a number of syncro's where the teeth on the ID of the syncro are so bad they are almost flattened out - there is no amount of dressing that will repair that. Just an FYI - they can't *always* be saved. I would just find a used transmission - a 2WD box isn't worth rebuilding. Or convert the car to AWD..... GD

There is no starter relay. There is an interlocking switch on the clutch pedal..... thats it. Probably need new starter contacts. GD

I use WD-40 to lubricate anything in the fuel or ignition system that's rubber - use it for removing and installing fuel lines, and for o-rings, etc. Works great and non-conductive! GD

If, after changing plugs and wires, the codes return - you need to do a valve adjustment, and replace the O2 sensor. Valve adjustment because one has probably never been done so you are at risk of burning an exhaust valve (should do this no matter what actually), and O2 because it can cause a lean condition - especially if it's been exposed to a lot of raw fuel from misfires and is "stuck" on the rich end of it's spectrum. If it returns again - crank posistion sensor could be faulty. This is the sensor used by the ECU to determine misfire's and which cylinder they are occuring on. GD

Amature wireing when you don't have any idea how the system is supposed to operate is always dangerous. You need to immediately correct this - the fuel pump is driven from a Fuel Pump Control Unit (FPCU) that only gives it power for about 2 seconds when the key is first turned on and then only when it gets a tach signal (cranking or running). This prevents the fuel pump from running after an accident. GD

No - not quite correctly. The mounting is different on the headlight buckets. You would have to use the Loyale headlight buckets. GD

I'm not following what you are talking about - what is shuddering exactly? How long does it last, where does it feel like it's coming from? GD

Those two are virtually identical - to the point that the 2.2 ECU/wireing will run a 2.5 and the 2.5 equipment will run a 2.2 - easily. They use the same injectors, and all the sensors on the manifold, etc..... everything is nearly identical between the two. Software might change a bit but not enough for anyone to notice when running a mixed combo. That's why the 2.5 to 2.2 conversion is so popular. The engine just plugs right in without a single wireing change. GD

Mileage has everything to do with driving style and location (city/country/highway/etc). 90k is not too bad if it's all city drving - but if that's the case you don't want to be going with a heavier clutch as the feel will be all wrong and the pedal will be heavy. Besides that the car isn't making enough power to need a heavier clutch. I've put well over 200 HP though the stock (Exedy) 2.5 RS/GT clutch kit and they don't slip at all. For comparison - I have customer that went 254k on the original clutch . So 90k is not a real good run. Personally I stick with the Exedy clutches (Amazon has the best prices usually) as they have perfect OEM feel - in fact they make the OEM clutches. GD

Cut the line so you can work on it on the bench. Find someone with a welder that can weld a large nut to it for turning..... find someone that's studdied in the art of rusty nut/bolt/whatever removal. It will come out - trust me. If you were around here I would have that sucker off in 20 minutes or less. GD

Depends on the length - some EJ's use longer coupler's than other's. You'll have to measure. Spray it down with some penetrant and see if you can free up the rusted joints. GD