GeneralDisorder

Yep - same thermostat and gasket. GD

Ask the machine shop that does your milling. It's hard to say from pictures. If the cracks mill out and it's still within the thickness spec then it's probably ok. GD

Completely different fuel pump - the rotory style FI pumps are much more forgiving with respect to sediment, etc. They will pass that stuff without as much damage (thus you don't see a filter before SPFI or EA/EJ MPFI pump's either). The diaphram style pumps on the other hand (carb pumps) can be damaged much more easily by sediment. GD

Yuck! That needs to be surfaced pronto. Don't install that without having it milled. Been overheated and it's definitely worn. Make sure the machine shop knows to machine both the disc and pp bolt surfaces and that they check that the step between the two is within spec when they are done. If those cracks don't mill out - buy a new flywheel. GD

It keeps crap out of the fuel pump. It really is the *only* "fuel filter" as the one under the hood is primarily a vapor seperator - it just happens to have a filter element in it. The one under the car is more important as it protects your fuel pump. But - you don't need the silly plastic one. Get one of the EMPI universal glass filters and a couple feet of 5/16" fuel line. The EMPI filters are serviceable and the glass is nice because you can clearly see the condition of the filter element - they are about $8 to $10 - totally worth the extra couple bucks. You can either clean the element (compressed air, etc), or when they get too nasty you can get a pack of like 3 of them for $5 or so. These: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260505984251&crlp=1_263602_263622&ff4=263602_263622&viewitem=&guid=f894a8f81260a02663b0e780ffec6a50&rvr_id=&ua=%3F*I7&itemid=260505984251 I get them locally so no shipping but about the same price. Around $8. Napa carries a similar filter but with a different brand name and brass hose barbs. I rather like the EMPI better though. I'm also wondering if it's not the filters though - filters usually show they are clogged by only allowing idling and slow speed operation - when you get into the throttle or load up the engine then they can't pass enough fuel and the bowl empties out. But I know you are a decent mechanic Brian so I trust that you know what you are doing..... GD

He's refering to the ignition switch connector itself - it's pink on EA81's and black on EA82's. As the wireing gets old and connections build corrosion and resistance the wireing heats up in that area and tends to melt the whole plug - sometimes resulting in the terminals in the plugs touching on the body side of the harness - that could cause the ignition switch to be bypassed. Check the body side of the switch plug for melting. GD

I looked in both my Haynes manual that cover's EA82's as well as my EA81 FSM's (EA81's should be similar to EA82's with respect to radio wireing, etc) and neither indicates any kind of relay for the ACC circuits that power the radio, lighter, or clock. The power flows from battery +, fusible link, ignition switch, fuse panel and then on to the accesory. There are about 5 fuses that are powered in this way directly off the ignition switch with no relay's involved. GD

Does it have an aftermarket stereo? Maybe some of that stuff got rewired - it's all in the same area of the dash..... I don't remember there being any relay's to power that stuff but I'll check my books and see. GD

It's a right-angle hose comming off the top of the water pump and going to the heater core tubes. It's beneath the alternator/AC bracket. I have a cool part number for a range-rover heater core hose that has two of those tight 90's in it - that way you get an extra for a spare or the next time you do one and the hose is like $8. I'll get the number for you if you need it. GD

There is no relay for the accesories - they run of the ignition switch power directly. Check your ignition switch - I suspect it's bad. Try unplugging it under the dash - all that stuff should go off. GD

Make sure it's not the bypass hose before you rip it apart for a timing belt job. GD

50% denatured alcohol in the tank - retard the timing till it barely runs. It will pass..... A new cat would do it also - you can get them for $50 to $75 on ebay and just weld them into the mid-pipe. Both options cheaper than finding the cause - if it runs alright and you are ok with the mileage I say don't screw with it. If it were me - I would fix it - but for you that depends on how poorly it's running now and if the mileage is affected. You can dump a lot of money at a problem like that and get nowhere or only improve things slightly - it's also sometimes beneficial to get it to pass and THEN worry about fixing all that stuff. If it's due for tags and you don't have time to do it right - just make it pass and worry about it later. GD

Check for AC voltage off the alternator. That is the most likely cause. And I sugest you find a mechanic with a DMM that also knows how to use it. GD

That's not the turbo you want to use - it's way to small, and none of the EJ exhaust parts will fit it's flanges. Your life will be much easier if you get an EJ turbo and exhaust bits - the stuff can be had reasonable of even cheap from people upgrading the turbo/exhaust on their WRX's. GD

I would go back to the mechanic that just replaced the crank sensor and have them figure it out - since it was just replaced it ought to be under at least a 90 day warantee. GD

Probably depends on where you live (rust issues, etc) but I've had fine luck with replacing the donut seal - takes a bit of chiseling to remove the old one and then proper application of a wire wheel to clean everything up. Clean up or replace the bolts/spring and liberal application of anti-seize. Here in the PNW this seems to work fine. Of course, none of this will likely apply to the rust belt folks. If it's really rotted out then replacing the whole section would likely be better, faster and cheaper. GD

Straight bolt-in. No modifications neccesary. Maybe a change to the wireing, and you need to make sure that you get a D/R from an '87 or newer that had fuel injection or it won't have the neutral switch. Older one's can work if you put a switch on the clutch pedal and wire it to the neutral switch lead off the ECU. GD

Yeah - as an "experience" it's not without it's merrit - that's true. There are sometimes clearance problems with the transmission and the tunnel - it depends on which body it's going into. If it was auto/manual 2WD, year, body style, etc. On my '84 (5 speed FWD) the 4 speed didn't fit in the tunnel but I lifted it anyway so it became a non-issue in the end. If you don't have a donor car it can be troublesome to locate all the parts - not to mention expensive! Some parts, like fuel tanks, are body specific as well. A hatch fuel tank is smaller for example..... For mine I bought a donor for $300 and then sold it for the same $300 with all my 2WD gear installed in it. For me it's just not worth the trouble when 4WD's are availible. Dropping fuel tanks and reinstalling them is one of the nastiest, most uncomfortable jobs I've had to do on Subaru's. Personally I would rather avoid it. GD

The PCV valves rarely fail - usually they just need the hoses and coupler's cleaned out and the valve soaked in some carb cleaner. I almost never replace them although they are cheap - they should only be bought from the dealer due to spring-rate variations that have been experienced with aftermarket one's - causing oil consumption. The CTS has nothing at all to do with overheating - it control fuel mixture for the SPFI computer. When they fail it will cause hard starting in the cold or will cause the engine to run rich when warm - depending on the type of failure. They cannot cause overheating on their own. They don't fail that often and they are easily checked against the spec with a DMM. GD

Looks like a lost cause to me - at the very least there's going to be serious welding involved to replace the core support and maybe as far back as the passenger strut tower. I have a three-door coupe sitting beside my garage that had a less-severe impact to the same spot and it crumpled the frame rail about 6" forward of the strut tower. I got a front clip from a yard for like $35 and began the process of welding it on but have been busy with other stuff recently. All it needs is a bit more fitting and the final welding done and then the front end put back together. Actually - this three-door coupe I have would be a good candidate for you. It's essentially the same car you have but with a coupe body. It's still a 2WD auto like your's so you could use your's as a parts car for it. It could use a paint job but it's only got like 120k on it and has new timing belts, etc. GD

It's not *just* bolt in. There's a LOT of things that have to change. You need basically a whole donor car. I've done it and I'll never do it again. Basically - the only thing's that are the same are the engine and engine cross-member. Everything else - axles, front sway bar, transmission, trans cross-member, exhaust, rear end, fuel tank, etc - all different. Yes - it can be done. But that's pushing a lot of power through a D/R. You would want to rebuild it first. Going from ~85 HP to 165 HP is a big jump on a used tranmission. GD

Thanks for the pics and info Kaz - any idea who might carry such components? What type of supplier am I looking for? All the auto-parts chains want to sell you an entire axle rather than just just the joints. I was thinking of calling Rockford CV when I have some axles apart to measure. GD

No problem. GD

The regular EA82 doesn't really need oil cooling. The turbo's benefit from it, but on the NA motors the oil doesn't really get that hot. GD

That #1 cylinder looks pretty nasty from this angle - you sure it's even a good idea to bother with HG's on that turbo motor? These engines are known for their overall crappyness..... GD