GeneralDisorder

The u-joint in the steering shaft is probably getting frozen up with rust, etc. Remove it and check that it moves freely. It could be a CV also - but those will typically make noises rather than jerking the wheel around. GD

Yeah - sounds like torque bind to me. Flush the tranny and see where it gets you. Also - turn the ignition on and off and on again within 5 seconds or so and it will flash any TCU codes you may have stored. GD

Jerry's board name is bratsrus1 - just send him a PM. GD

Check with some other banks and especially with a credit union or two. Just going to a single bank is not a representative sample. And credit unions are usually a better choice with better rates. T-belts kits run from $130 (early SOHC EJ22's, etc) to $250 (late model SOHC EJ25's) for the parts (complete - belt, tensioner, idlers, cam+crank seals, water pump, etc). Labor is $100. Usually less than $400 with fluids etc - worst case. I do a lot more than most "timing belt" jobs call for though. The whole front of the engine will basically be new. CV's will run 1 hour per side on EJ cars - so $35 plus the cost of the CV (typically $70 aftermarket for the EMPI's) unless it's a rust bucket and it takes extra labor. Usually it's very simple. GD

+1. Huge waste of money. It will not affect DEQ to put any kind of exhaust on as long as you retain the header with the y-pipe and cat. Anything beyond that will just change the sound. I'll just put this out there since you seem to be very concerned about being able to mod your new Legacy: There is basically NOTHING that is cheap or easy to upgrade on a first-gen EJ22 Legacy. It is what it is - the best bang for your buck is to buy cams from Delta for $160 and install them along with a new timing belt, water pump, and reseal. They are easy and the torque cams WILL make a big difference. Beyond that - you are looking at about $1000 minimum to get into a 2.5 block or get a start at turbo-charging it. Frankly that car isn't worth it. The body is trashed. It's a nice cheap commuter. You should just leave it be and let it be reliable and cheap for you. When you have money you should START by buying a different car that has actual performance potential and has decent looks to go with it. Something with a turbo would be a good start. GD

No - that's the gear selector and it also twists. If you play with it you will see there are 6 distinct locations it will notch into. It pulls in/out - it's just tighter than you think. It operates both the 4WD engagement system as well as the low range idler gear at the front of the transmission Trust me on this - I've had more than a few of these apart Ah I see - don't remember Vans - I must be too old for those. . GD

That's lame and smacks of pure laziness. Pushbuttons are alright if implemented correctly but arcing wires is dangerous and silly unless the bombs fell and I didn't notice? If you have the internet and running water - this is not ok. GD

The switch is not serviceable - you replace it with a new one. GD

It's a Dual XR4110: http://www.amazon.com/Dual-XR4110-3-5mm-Mechless-Receiver/dp/B002OMB7FE/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1283986640&sr=1-1 GD

Probably the same if they are both single-piston calipers on cars with 14" wheels - but measure the piston diameter with a caliper just to be sure. Remember it will be in Milimeters for the measurement to make the most sense. If that's the same and it bolts up - then they should work regardless if the part numbers are different. GD

Frankly it will only get mildly louder with a straight-through muffler on the stock exhaust - there are cat's and resonators that take out much of the high piched noises. I would pickup one of the ebay straight-through models that has a removeable baffle plate that can be added to make it quieter..... GD

STi muffler will sound like crap on the EJ22. From experience I can tell you it's bad..... makes people around your car feel like vommiting. If you want it to be louder - knock the muffler off and replace it with a straight-through. The EJ22 doesn't have the cams or the displacement for the STi muffler to sound right. It will sound horrible. Like a tiny engine with a gigantic exhaust (weak and tinny). You don't need to upgrade the exhaust at all until you are well into higher HP numbers. The stock exhaust is plenty for the EJ22 and frankly even a mildly built EJ22 or a stock EJ25 would be fine. GD

Might I sugest - if you are going to the trouble..... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.m748&item=160476762024&viewitem=&_trkparms=clkid%3D5820903939381906431 (instead of welding it). From what I understand pretty much all the Subaru front diff carriers are interchangeable on the 5 speed's.... not entirely sure about the EA's but it probably wouldn't be hard to make it work..... I will be putting one of these into a '95 STi transmission soon so I'll be able to comment on changing the stubs out for 23 spline (that's the goal right now). GD

Since you obviously have a nighmare stereo install on your hands - I'll throw up my Dual XR4110 install pic again - might help you out. It does everything I need it to do but it probably won't be as powerful as that Pioneer (but it will fit ). Yes - I built the aluminium backing plate behind it and reconfigured the whole console. Worked out really well. BTW - good job fixing the broken ignition switch. If you decide you need a new ignition switch they are $32 at the dealer. I contemplated what you did as well till I found it was cheaper to just replace it with a new switch and have some code-cut keys that work made for $30 ($20 for the first and $5 for each copy). GD

That would be a shift every 10 MPH - I don't think your arm and clutch foot can move that fast let alone have the syncro's mesh up GD

I have that same deck in my hatch now ($37+free shipping from Amazon!) and it's great. Mostly because it's so short and does not stick out. Here's my install (EA81 but the same problem with depth exists on both): A regular DIN deck will stick out about 2" and thus you need the kit to properly install them. Yes it's ugly - the only other good solution is to use a shallow-mount deck like the Dual XR4110 (search for it on Amazon). It's a "mechless" deck so it has no CD or Cassette capability. It is 100% digital instead - takes SD cards, USB flash drives, and of course the AUX jack for your iPod, etc. GD

This has been covered monthly for years. Any DIN deck with the adaptor kit availible at any stereo shop - or you can make your own. Split the grounds for the front/rear speakers at the pink plug going to the door speakers at the driver/passenger kick panels. GD

Resurface it - and replace that pilot GD

.002" is basically flat. That's not even a step that's worth trying to duplicate on a resurface. Too small to worry about in the world of clutch measurements. GD

www.rockauto.com is probably going to be about the cheapest. OEM is always twice or three times as much. GD

Or get passed on the freeway by it GD

Hhhmmm - I thought there was still a 35mm but I didn't need a thin-wall like the 4 speed...... I could be mistaken though. GD

It's known as an "H4". The term "V6" both indicates the layout and the number of cylinders. 6 cylinder in a "V" orientation - 3 on each bank with (typically) about a 60 degree offset. As opposed to an "H" orientation which is a 180 degree layout, or an "I" (inline) orientation which has all 6 cylinders on the same bank. Subaru has/does make H6's - the ER27, EG33, EZ30, and I beleive there is a more recent one used in the Tribeca. These are 6 cylinder engines with a LOT more power ranging from 165 for the old ER27 to 250+ for the newer one's like the EZ30, etc. Other manufacturers use/have used the H layout. Notably VW and Porsche, but also BMW and some Honda motorcyle engines are of a similar layout to lower the center of gravity of the bike. Honda also used a lot of V4 engines in their bikes - just for comparison. But Subaru is not in any way unique in their use of H layout engines in cars - in fact they ripped off the design (actually bought it) off of Lloyd - a German car maker from the 50's and early 60's. The first Subaru engine was a light redesign of the Lloyd Arabella engine and was 1100cc GD

Depends entirely on the level of wear. For the price of a resurface - $35 and a 15 minute wait for my machine shop to do it - I do them almost every time. A new one is not that expensive either. I would buy a new one only if I suspected the flywheel had been resurfaced more than once before. My rule is no more than two resurfaces - after that they are done. 3 clutch replacements should carry the car close to end-of-life though (for any normal person) so in practice I've never actually had to replace one. Being that EJ flywheels are flat - it takes a mouth-breathing moron to screw up a resurface on one. You pull the alignment pins, grind it, and reinstall the pins. Doesn't get any easier. I'm sure markjw is speaking of experiences with EA stepped flywheels which are routinely screwed up by shops that don't know their business. When I do those I specify the step height to the machinist and I measure it before I leave. GD

Nice - they torched it out . Freakin rednecks...... The top picture is actually the 4WD-D/R selector, not the gear selector. Bottom pic - top one is the gear selector and the bottom is the shifter "tray" that supports the actual shifter stick into the cabin, etc. You will be using your tray and shifter so you can discard both of the peices in the bottom pic. You will need a new rod for the 4WD selector so get that when you pickup the D/R selector and console peices. Nice converse all-stars! You not 14 still are you? Sorry - couldn't resist. Seriously though - when doing transmission replacements.... you need some good steel toe's for the shop. Losing toes is never cool. GD