GeneralDisorder

AT's are worthless in this country. 27's will fit but you will have to bash and cut to an extreeme degree. For the money, there is nothing finer for the NW conditions than the Interco Super Swamper. If you want capability here in the NW - SSR's or TSL's (both come in a 27") and a 4" lift would be what you want. Don't waste your money on AT's - they suck in the mud here - the tread pattern isn't agressive enough and they don't self-clean. Basically they turn into slicks and are worthless. Plus they typically have weak side walls. GD

I seriously doubt you are measureing in inches of water column - that would be a very low, almost non-existent vacuum signal at 11 inches of water. Inches of mercury is the standard measurement for vacuum gauges of this application and should show around 15 to 20 for a normal engine (29.92 inHg being complete vacuum). Conversion from inches of water is a multiplier of 0.07355 which would yield an inches of mercury reading on your engine of 0.8 inHg - far to low to even run. The slightly moving needle at 11 indicates that it's probably just the cam. My vote is for fuel injection. It's actually pretty inexpensive if you get a used SPFI system from an EA82 vehicle and adapt it. It might even run on the stock computer. At least it has the advantage of being able to compensate for engine demands via it's various sensors. Jetting will not help a low vacuum signal. It's so low that the fundamental design of the carb makes it incapable of pulling fuel from the primary nozzles - the neccesary signal vacuum simply doesn't exist. You need a carb with a double-venturi and a vacuum/demand operated secondary to properly function with an ultra-low idle vacuum like that. You can try richening up the idle to *cover up* the flat spot somewhat - it will run rich at idle though. You also might be able to change the progression slots or holes to try and increase the amount of fuel flowing from the idle circuit durring throttle opening - but that will be a trial and error deal and any changes you make there are not going to be reversible - it will be easy to damage or destroy the carb body making changes like that. Increasing the pump jet size might help also though. Whatever you do - it's going to guzzle gas like no tomorrow. Huge idle jets, huge pump jets, large progression ports, BIG primaries to keep it pulling up high..... it's going to suck to drive and it's going to suck on your wallet like a hoover. GD

Audi Fox platform. I don't believe they offered a dual range box. Probably good for light rally racing. Most of the cargo space would need to be loaded down with spare parts. I was thinking you mean the syncro vans for a second there. GD

Oh - and Kudos on tearing down a Hitachi carb. You have got to be the first chick I've ever seen on here willing to do something like that. These carbs are notoriously difficult for the "backyarder" to get right. I think it took about half a dozen tries for me to get it down to where I could actually make one run in a mostly-factory way. If you end up pulling it down for a complete rebuild send me a private message and I'll try to help as best I can. There's a couple tricks to them and some things you will probably want to pickup besides the kit itself. Also - it's not likely given your location, but there are models of these that are computer controlled - look either in the "crotch" of the y-pipe on the exhaust for an 02 sensor or look under the steering column for the dreaded gold box - either one indicates a computer controlled "feedback" carb. They are nasty, horror-show peices of equipment. I'm about the only member here that has any experience with making the system work (that actively posts anyway). GD

Thanks on the thumbs-up for my title - I've been here a while and sometimes I get agitated at the noobs There is another kit for the '85+ carbs. The guys at Napa are just morons. NAPA online search shows it as a part number: CRB 21374 http://www.napaonline.com/Search/Detail.aspx?A=CRB21374_0185975918&An=599001+101986+50068+2068009 You'll note in the description that it shows it as fitting all the variants of the DCZ328-(502 through 504). Versus the kit that your local idiots looked up, which is the part number: CRB 21343A http://www.napaonline.com/Search/Detail.aspx?A=CRB21343A_0185975917&An=599001+101986+50068+2068009 Which fits the EA81 carbs (80 to 84 models) which use the smaller DCP306-(23 through 27). I don't even work there and I can figure this stuff out . The Weber's can be had pretty inexpensive. The general rule is that you pay about $100 for a used one with no shaft play and it takes about another $100 to rebuild, rejet, and setup for a Subaru with adaptor and filter, etc. GD

Most '86 models would have a Hitachi carb. It's very likely a DCZ-328 variant of some sort. Chances are if you order a rebuild kit for an EA82 Hitachi you will get what you need. I guarantee you won't have any regrets if you replace it with a Weber though. Easier and much more satisfying I assure you. GD

That is a SUPER low! Normal engines run about 15 to 20 inHg (you are talking in inches of mercury yes?). Does the needle move at all or is this a steady-needle reading of 11 at idle? That would indicate either a manifold leak of some kind, late valve timing, or a really, really large durration/overlap on the cam. If that reading is just because of the cam - I doubt you will ever make it run correctly with a Weber. You will probably have to go to something that has a double-venturi primary and is designed to operate off such a low vacuum signal. Most of the carbs I know of that are designed for that type of operation are 4-barrel V8 carbs - such as the Quadrajet. The other option is to go to the EA82 SPFI manifold and run a custom fuel injection setup using something like Mega-Squirt. You could tune out that nasty bogging with injection. GD

Yeah - probably some hardware cloth draped over the ballast and lagged down to the floor. Weld in some d-rings and put ratchet straps over it too. GD

No - ballast is extra weight - sand bags, rocks, etc. That will keep it from nose-diving off a jump. But it will slow you down as well. 200 lbs back there would offset the engine nicely. GD

The one going into the throttle body. The rear hose comming out of the diaphram device is the return line. Remember that Subaru always puts the regulator on the return side. GD

The radiator weighs nothing to speak of. Put it on top of the engine. You will need ballast for the back to keep it even and a LOT of power to drag it and the ballast up to enough speed to get airborn. Better yet - if this is for just a single run - run it without the radiator. GD

Hose is difficult to run through panels and firewalls - replacement would be a horror show not to mention all the grommets you would have to use, etc. It would be vulnerable to puncture from a variety of sources inside and outside the cabin.... it's also generally bad practice to use hose where hard-piping will do the job. You save the hose for sections where movement and vibration are a concern. Hose tends to collapse when it gets weak and the continual expansion and collapsing of the hose walls leads to failure. Long runs tend to accelerate that effect. You don't need to go to an exhaust shop - nor would I trust those monkeys to do cooler tubing. You can do the whole thing with an inexpensive bender from HF and either build a small tool to bead-roll the edges or use Parker style tubing fittings to go from the tubing to the hoses. The fittings will clamp to the tubing and can be had in tube/NPT which you can then thread a barbed hose fitting into. GD

Yep - on top of the engine is a much better location. Mounted to a hinged swing-out assembly and run to the engine with stainless braided flex line. GD

Next time search for "low oil pressure" in quotes. That will search for the entire phrase rather than the unique words. GD

Should be able to, yes. But since the tranny has to come out and obviously has had a lack of maintenance..... it would be most cost effective for time/materials to just swap in a good used transmission. Unless you happen to have a bad auto with a good diff. That's about the only time it makes any sense. GD

A bad thermostat would show itself long before 3 to 4 hours of driving and in any case his problem is due to over-pressure, not a lack of circulation. GD

Classic head gasket failure. It's so common with that engine that you can basically bank on the original gaskets failing at some point before 200k - very often before 100k. What you describe is EXACTLY how they act. They always do it after driving for a while and blowing the coolant into the overflow bottle. That is a sign that the system has too much pressure - it's letting exhuast gasses into the cooling system and causing higher than 13 psi in the system - blowing the cap seal and pushing the coolant into the recovery tank. When it cools it creates a vacuum and pulls it back in. GD

You don't want to run hose for something like that - 1-1/4" tubing is the way to do it. Then you just bead-roll the ends and attach short lengths of hose between the radiator/tubing and engine/tubing. GD

Normal - next time use the search function - oil pressure has been covered - pretty much weekly. GD

That is a very rare engine. Yes - techincally the heads are MPFI/Turbo heads - but they will be first gen turbo heads and they also won't have the passages drilled for the turbo oil supply. Basically not worth much since they are very prone to cracking. The block should be a 9.5:1 block just like the SPFI's so yes - you should be able to use it. GD

There are lots of folks around here who's idea of a proper wireing splice is to twist the wires together and wrap them in e-tape. Proper splices are done with solder and heat shrink. Occasionally you might need to use a crimp connector but if I have to use one of those I pack the open ends with RTV then wrap them in tape to seal them against corrosion. Just wait till the majority of the EJ swaps that have been done reach a few years old. Wireing nightmare! GD

Yeah - no problem. They are easy to do. I made a driver tool by cutting an old front wheel bearing in half and then re-welding it - that took about 1/16" out of the diameter and made it slip right down in while only touching the outer bearing race. I welded a short 2" pipe nipple and threaded a cap on to use my dead blown to drive them home. Works great and much easier than using a drift - which can potentially harm the seals if you use 2RS sealed bearings. GD

When I've done it I only use one - drilled completely through. Works fine. GD

That is exactly the reason I have always stressed that folks hookup EVERYTHING. You just have no idea what the software engineer's used that input for. Besides an annoying CEL - you just don't know because you can't look into the code. All the non software engineer's around here scoff at my anality with regard to sensor inputs but there's damn good reasons for what I say and I speak from experience. Glad you found all that lost power though - that's a win. GD