GeneralDisorder

It would have some effect, but the piston change is a *better* solution to increasing compression because it does not change your valve geometry nor the fitment of your manifolds. The HP cam is not what I would use - the problem there is that the power increase is all above 4k RPM. Which is useless with the stock transmission. That would be a question for Delta - I would say they probably would to some extent. But if you increase the compression you increase the thermal effeciency of the engine so it might actually get better if you can keep your foot out of it. Yes - it's a lot better. It handles changes in altitude, temperature (engine and air), and driving conditions without any fuss at all. Not to mention it magically adjusts itself to any changes you make to the engine (within reason of course - adding a turbo or something radical like that would confuse it) - so when you port/polish, change compression, add cam, etc, etc - it just works. No tuneing, no fuss. It does have a computer (they never fail) - but the system is very simple. There are only about half a dozen sensors for the SPFI. There's WAY fewer vacuum lines (two - which can both be eliminated for the swap) and the system is 100% self-diagnostic. Jim bob and lil joe would probably be confused but frankly the system is very simple. You plug a connector under the dash and it flashes codes in morse (long and short) that tell you what it's problem is. Quite frankly it's a LOT more reliable than a carb - any carb. I've rebuilt many stock carbs and rarely seen one that made it past 200k still working in a *really* driveable way. I've seen plenty of SPFI system make 350k with nary a hitch. The components are THAT reliable. I put a system on my Brat from a donor car with 254k on it. Runs like a top. Another I just installed on my lifted wagon has 179k on all the parts. Again no issues - runs great. FI runs at any angle (no more float issues), it has no tiny passages to clog up with junk, it has no valves or diaphrams to wear out. It's got some electrical solenoids (a magnet with a spring loaded plunger - this isn't rocket science), a couple sensors (Coolant temp, O2 sensor, TPS, Crank angle (distributor), etc), an injector, a fuel pump (21 psi), a computer, and an ignition amp (transistor). That's about it. Can you use a meter? Check resistance, voltage, and continuity? That's all you need to know. Familarize yourself with the basic tests and how to pull the codes - troublshooting is similar to a carb - do you have air, fuel, and spark - if one is missing why? Etc...... and of course you have this board. We can walk you through any problem you might encounter..... but if you really take a look at past postings the number of actual SPFI problems that people have tried to solve is very low. It's usually a bad coolant temp sensor or something equally simple. You can keep most of those parts in the glove-box for spares if you like. And the system was used from '86 to '94 and from '88 on it was used *exclusively* except on turbo's. I would say the SPFI system is a very under-appreciated part of *why* Subaru has the reputation for reliability that they do. The EA82 engine had enough problems with the timing belt system - if it had a crap FI system to boot there wouldn't be any of them left on the road. But the reality is that the SPFI has been the silent champion of the Loyale body cars. It's only due to it's fearsome reliability that so many of them are still with us despite their value being nearly zilch. Q-Jet's have their strange issues - I rebuilt one for my '69 GMC about a year ago. But I've rebuild a lot of carbs before that. It was definitely differerent does have a LOT of parts. Strangely it runs very good despite it's high level of complexity. Not so with the EA81 stock carbs. I like the Q-Jet. I do NOT like the Hitachi's. Weber's are alright and definitely where you will *have* to go if you are not going to do the SPFI... For more info on the SPFI (don't be scared off by it's apparent complexity - really it's not that bad), look at my conversion manual: http://home.comcast.net/~trilinear/EA81_SPFI.html GD

I would say you have an issue with the tach signal wire from the coil negative side - thus why your "cheap tach" isn't working as well as the FPCU. I would start there. Run a jumper wire from the negative side of the coil to the yellow wire on the FPCU. GD

You should get the OEM cable from the dealer - aftermarket is inferior. You can drive without a cable - rev match your shifts and start the engine in first. Yes it will die at stops. Yes it is frustrating. Yes it can be done and yes I've done it for way too many miles. Follow my guide to replace the cable: http://home.comcast.net/~trilinear/clutch.html GD

DOES IT PUMP WHEN YOU CRANK THE ENGINE?!? I get that it pumps for a couple second when you turn the key on - that is not going to run the engine. You need to find out why it is not pumping when cranking or running - or if it is and something else is preventing fuel from getting to the carb. One step at a time - tell me if you have power at the fuel pump while cranking.... please? GD

With a timing light. To 20*...... I'm not following your line of questioning - didn't you already say you set it to 10? How did you do it that time? GD

It would help to know where you are located . Also - it is my opinion that if you do *nothing* else you should change the cam. There is no single other modification that can match it for price/performance. Talk to Qman, or just call Delta Camshaft in Tacoma WA. I beleive the price is less than $100..... from my experience it is only a fool that doesn't change the cam first - that one change can make all the other things you are planning SOOOO much more worth it. Nothing wrong with a good valve grind - I agree with that. I wouldn't worry about doing much port-matching. The EA81 has some pretty piss-poor porting - not a lot you can do and the cost is pretty high. Personally I wouldn't take the time - but if you have it to spare I don't suppose you will hurt anything. The next mod *I* would do is to change to EA82 SPFI pistons - that will increase the compression to about 9.5:1 - which is much better. Then add the EA82 SPFI system to replace the carb. That will take advantage of all the mods you perform without any tuning of a carb. No guesswork. Simple and reliable. GD

The hood release handle bracket - it's bolted to one of the bolts that holds the bracket. Directly above it. Have you verified that you don't have power at the pump while cranking? This could be as simple as the negative wire having come off the coil that signals the FPCU..... GD

Sure - as I said I can fix it without any trouble. Used EJ22 is about $500 and then some labor and maintenance parts to install. I do EJ engine swaps all the time. It's nothing really. There's always the possibility that the tech doesn't know what he's doing. Bent valves should be pretty obvious if you just remove a valve cover and take a look. Unless the engine has been swapped to a newer one - the EJ22 through '96 can't damage itself from just a timing belt breaking. Sounds like the lower cogged idler seized up and ripped out of the WP casting. Pretty typical of a failed idler and that's the one that always dies. GD

You clearly don't understand what you are messing with - the '87+ base timing is what the ECU expects to see - it can advance and retard from there as it see's fit. You need to set it to 20* for the ECU's software to know what the hell is going on. You shouldn't be monkeying with stuff that you don't understand. Do some reasearch before you call someone that's written a manual "crazy" GD

Bypassing the FPCU is a bad idea. Just asking for trouble. It's either blue or black depnding on the config of the orginal carb, and it's a 6 pin connector not 8. They are very simple units - I have used them to add electric fuel pumps to vehicles that had mechanical pumps. Very useful. GD

And hard to drive - without the rear wheels on the car the thing would try to drive like a huge bus - and having the articulated hitch...... it would be a nightmare to drive. GD

Nope - doesn't hurt it a bit. GD

You could punch one of the CV's off and see how much of a difference there is in the design of the splines and the retaining ring goove on the end of the axle shaft. I expect the groove will be farther down and wider to accept an internal snap ring vs. the external snap ring used on the DOJ joint race. GD

If it's already running at 3k then chances are that carb cleaner, etc will not indicate much if anything. That is a trick used to find vacuum leaks at idle. At 3k it will not find anything. GD

They are just mild steel - if there was any question about integrity I would just shrink a sleeve over it and weld it in place if I couldn't find a replacement..... but mild steel is really forgiving and bending it and then returning it to straight shouldn't cause an issue with it. This isn't a sway bar that's heat treated. GD

Sounds perfectly normal - Subaru's have a Fuel Pump Control Unit located right above the hood release latch - it will run the pump for about 1.5 seconds when you first apply power to it (ignition on) then it will stop till it see's a tach signal from the negative side of the coil (cranking or running). This is to prevent a fire in case of an accident. Make sure you have power to the pump while cranking (check with a meter or test light while an assistant cranks the engine). If you do then it's working as designed - if you do not then you have a problem with the FPCU or the tach signal being provided to it. GD

Check with your local parts houses - I get a good deal on parts locally and my cost on two of those (last week mind you!) was $155 out the door. It's the shipping that kills it for ordering online. But I order a LOT from Rockauto and so if I were going to order them online then that would be where I would go. GD

Don't get me wrong man - I would replace it if I had one or knew where to get one easily - hell I would give you one if I had one to give..... But in lieu of that I would do what I had to in order to get it back on the road in the meantime - cut out a section and reweld, shrink it with hot/cold, etc. There are ways and I would NOT be without my wheels for long. Just trying to help..... GD

Indeed that is quite a distance! I went to school in Maryland for the ARMY. Aberdeen Proving Grounds..... if you have never been there they have a very interesting ordinance museum.... if you like that sort of thing or your husband does. I was a museum gaurd for a short time - that was easily the best detail I ever got put on! Good luck with the repair and hope we have helped. GD

Yes - being larger diameter the Addco sway bar has the hump under the exhaust instead of over it like the OEM design. It does make them look strange in pictures and probably makes a lot of folks seccond guess whether they even fit or not - but they do and they are designed for the EA81. GD

+1. I have seen this before. The connection is poor and will melt the plastic eventually leading to a short - in your case the short may be bypassing the switch for the ignition power. I would sugest ording a new ignition switch from the dealer ($35) as they get pretty worn out by this vintage usually. That will give you new connections on the switch side - then you can either solder in a good body side connector or clean it up as best you can and replace those pins that you can't save with crimp-on spade terminals. GD

You are driving with both feet and getting ripped off at the brake shop?? Sounds like the case to me. The brakes are being overheated and thats often a result of someone that rests one foot on the brake pedal all the time. GD

3k needs air - find where the air is getting in and you find your problem. GD

The computer does not have any ability to affect ignition - in any way. It is a fuel trim computer only. It runs two mixture control duty solenoids with a handful of sensor inputs. It sees a tach signal and that is it's only connection to the ignition system. GD

Heat it cherry red and dowse it - it will shrink back to it's normal size. GD