GeneralDisorder

I've made lots of tools over the years - latest is a Chrysler 2.2/2.5 crank timing sprocket puller. It's a 5-bolt pattern and there's no way to get to the front main seal without pulling this sprocket off. They wanted $85 plus shipping online for the tool..... $137 locally..... not happening. My version is about the same: Cut a disc from a 3" peice of shafting - faced it, marked center and bolt-circle on the lathe then drilled and tapped for a 1/2"x20 puller ram (borrowed from another puller), and then layed out the 5 bolt pattern and drilled that. Took about an hour. Saved me $100 GD

I bought a '97 Legacy with a blown HG (didn't know that at the time) and with the thermostat's guts removed (looked like they used a chisel - just left a disc to hold the gasket) it drove about 100 miles home (gauge was at about 1/4). Found the dirty secret when I went in to do the timing belt and then had to pull the heads off. With the thermostat in it acted just like a phase-I EJ25 where it would push the coolant into the reservoir and then the temp would spike.... Worth a try - especially if the plan is to just junk the motor and put in the 22. Not much harm in trying. If it comes right down to it I do have the ability to bring it down but the cost in gas for the truck/trailer will far exceed the cost to drive the Outback. Oh - and you have a reply to your PM. GD

Ulinkely - 20 MPG is more likely to be a combination of tire pressure, old O2 sensors, etc. It wouldn't idle right if it were off - you can't be 1/2 tooth off. GD

With over 250k - the heads will need rebuilt. That's $450 to $500 just for machine work. There's another $200 in the timing belt/water pump kit and yet another $100 in OEM head gaskets, intake, and exhaust..... oil seperator plate if needed..... And around $300 to $500 in labor. It's likely about $1300 to $1500 through those of us that do *quality* work. I would reccomend AGAINST doing it because of the neccesary head rebuild and how much stress that's going to put on the high-mileage bottom end. For about $1000 or so I can install a used '95 to '98 2.2 with a warrantee in place of the high mileage 2.5. Contact me if you are interested. GD

15 minutes tops. It's a rip off to have it done - it takes only a couple hand tools and almost no time at all. GD

Good for you. Exedy is the way to go. Though Amazon usually has the best price and free shipping. GD

That's because the first year of the 2.5 used on the '96 OBW/Automatic required premium gas. The 2.2 used in the manual did not. I agree with what others have said - if you want an Outback the '96/5MT is definitely THE one to get. Though I frankly prefer the '90 to '94's. The quality of the interior and some of the things they changed in '95 make me like them better overall. Same reliability but a little higher quality build. GD

You DO have to press off the old throw out for a FWD application. They use the old style (EA81 style) T/O with a cast holder that is not integral to the bearing. Needle bearing.... something isn't right there. You should only have the pilot (which should turn freely - it's just a 6202 I beleive), and the T/O bearing. GD

Just weld in a frame rail from a wagon, etc. Pretty easy to find them cheap or in the yards. Cordless sawzall - go to town. GD

No oil, no coolant, overheated a bunch, making noises like there are Communist gnomes making weapons from the crankshaft.... It is irresponsible and borderline criminal to sell the car with that engine in it. Period. End of discussion. I don't care how good it runs - it's comprimised and you are aware of it - thus you cannot in good faith offer that product to someone. It's not a car - it's a ticking bomb. Rip it out and put in an engine instead of a boat anchor. Or just part the thing out and take your lumps for buying a pos without first checking the fluids and doing the rest of the homework. You should have been nice to those poor folks and told them they could get $250 for it from any of the junk yards in town. Now they have been ripped off, you have been ripped off, and you are going to rip-off yet a third party by reselling it? No es bueno dude. GD

That's an excelent car and an excelent year. Can't lose with the non-interferance 2.2 They do not have any issues with overheating or a history of head gasket issues unless abused. Typically they go 300k+ miles when maintained and never blow a head gasket. GD

They sold you the wrong radiator. The GT's used all metal radiators and they are still availible. GD

For the idling - check for power to the idle cut solenoid when running - that wire sometimes gets bent and cracked, etc. If it has no power it will shut off the idle circuit in the carb. I agree on the grounds - there are some critical one's under the dash area that ground the light relays, etc. And also check your fusible links and your battery terminals, etc. Common places for problems. GD

So he wants a fast sport car *or* a teeny, tiny SUV that's basically gutless? He's all over the map. The Tracker isn't too bad - Suzuki really..... this is not going to end well. He's like a kid in a candy store. Going to buy the first thing he see's..... GD

Dump that POS. Not worth the frustration. Why can't she drive a Subaru? For towing - old truck. I have less than $1300 into my '69 GMC 3/4 ton. 350 SBC w/quadrajet. I guess I'm just not as needy as most when it comes to vehicles. GD

Could definately be a fuel pressure issue. The fuel pressure should be about 21 to 23 psi. You can T into the line with any pressure gauge (0 to 100 psi would be a good choise) and get a reading. See what it's doing when it starts, etc. Maybe you'll see the pressure drop off - that would likely indicate a clog in the tank, etc. I would discount the idea that the ignitors are all bad - but now you have spares :-p. GD

You won't have any success trying to remove them and put them back. Never happen - they are 25 years old and brittle. As Spencer noted - mask the car around them. GD

Since the manifold gaskets carry coolant you NEED to buy them from the dealer. Aftermarket are little more than paper while the proper OEM version is twice as thick and has the composition of a head gasket (graphite, metal, etc). There is a gigantic quality difference. As noted - distributor..... basically everything electronic has to be swapped - the exception is the oil pressure sending unit/idiot switch. You won't have to worry about that as long as it matches the car it's going into. GD

Yep - the second one is for a '85/'86 engine. Completely incompatible manifold, etc. You will have to use the manifold for the '87 on your car. GD

You don't know a thing till you check the pressure with a shop gauge. The dash gauge is worse than useless. They are very inaccurate. The pump needs to be carefully mic'd and the clearance with the block checked. Ultimately it may not be something you can solve. Lots of people have tried and failed. It is my personal opinion that wear in the lifter buckets that are pressed into the heads is part of the cause for ticking and if some of those are worn from extended ticking and/or poor oil delivery - chances are it will tick for the rest of it's days. I had an EA82 with about 180k on it. I replace the lifters, oil pump, relief valve springs, and every single seal - even checked the pickup tube for leaks, etc. All parts and seals came from the dealer - lifters were rebuilt by Mizpah. The oil pressure is fantastic (57 is the high spec and that's because the bypass valve in the pump is set to open at 57). The ticking is gone except it will tick for about 5 seconds sometimes on cold starts. Sometimes nothing. I beleive worn lifter bucks are the ultimate reason and that's not easy to solve. Also - oil pressure readings taken directly from the pump are pretty much meaningless as that is not the pressure the lifters see. You can have great pressure at the pump but little to no pressure at the lifters. And pressure isn't the whole story - volume comes into play as well. GD

Coolant and oil don't mix on 90's EJ22/EJ25 head gasket failures. That just doesn't happen on Subaru's. I've never seen it so it's extreemely rare on the EJ's. I've done quite a few blown EJ25 and EJ22 head gaskets and it's always combustion gasses going into the coolant. Don't discount that possibility - I had a blown HG on a '97 not long ago. The fire ring seal failed on the #3 cylinder. In fact a blown head gasket perfectly matches your symptoms. After a short drive they overheat because the combustion gasses displace the coolant and cause a "pocket" of gas that the water pump can't circulate through. GD

Yes - you have to reuse the bolt and sleeve from the original pulley. Toss the ones that come with them in the trash. I haven't said anything to them about it because I always just reuse the old one's and it's good to go. Since that's not a wear item it's really not that big of a deal. I use the belt's without the marks all the time - it's not an issue for me. I suppose if you are new and paranoid they make you feel better, etc. But frankly they aren't needed for the experienced installer. I do not like the GMB water pumps. The castings are terrible and the finish machining is crap. The regular pumps they sell (and the Aisin pumps too) are fine. I haven't had an issue with any of thier water pumps. They always include 4 cam seals even on the DOHC kits . Whatever - I have a big ziplock bag of extra's now. I have probably bought 2 dozen of their kits or more by now. Best price, good service, excelent products. The bearings in this last set I ordered were all japanese NTN (same maker that builds Subaru axles, etc). I have no issues with them. GD

Seized water pump perhaps. Belt may have slipped a tooth or two from dragging. Seen it before..... Engine might already be cooked. CEL could be from it being cooked - melted sensors, etc. FWD, lots of short trips, poor maintenance, body damage...... part it out. You *might* get back the money you paid for it. Bad investment. You should have walked on that one. GD

That's bad.... real bad. Doesn't get to proper operating temp with such short trips. Puts very hard miles on a car. The last few I've done with this problem have either been bad injectors or burnt exhaust valves. Very unlikely for an EJ belt to slip teeth without other symptoms. Possilble bad coil pack or ignitor as well. Did they say if this happened suddenly or came on over a number of miles? Check the usual - compression first. If one cylinder has wildly different compression that the rest - head job or find another engine. If that checks out then start pulling plug wires while it's running. When you find the dead cylinder check the ohms on the injector..... This usually narrows it pretty quickly. Being an OBD-I car you will have to take it through emissions to make sure the cat isn't burnt out (unburned fuel from ignition issues will kill them FAST). Can't sell it for much if it won't pass DEQ. The 90 to 94's just aren't worth much and are more headache with the OBD-I stuff and emissions testing, etc. There's no profit in them by the time you are done with major engine repairs and bringing the car up to selling standards. This is why I avoid them unless someone specifically requests one. GD

It's a typo. They meant EJ22. Their kits are good. No issues. GD