GeneralDisorder

Try the freezer/oven method. Should make it much easier and no tool required. GD

You can install the pin if you wish - doesn't make much difference. I've made new pins before from old drill bit shanks. All it drives is the accesories and as long as it's tight there's generally not an issue. Use some blue loctite on the bolt and properly torque it and you will be fine. GD

EJ donor. GD

Only if it's 2WD. A 4WD hatch tank is 11.9 gallons. GD

Yeah - sounds like the governor gear might be a problem - follow Turbone's advice and I'll add that sometimes it's not the gear but rather the plunger in them needs the edges dressed as they can get rolled over and cause it to stick in the bore. Also if it keeps eating governer gears then likely the drive gear inside the tranny is shot - you would have to pull the tranny and remove the diff section to replace the drive gear. Usually better just to find a different tranny at that point. GD

Drop by some time and we'll make one . Just need to pickup some tubing and some all-thread. Or you could bake the hubs at 225* for a few hours and put the axles in the freezer - then they should just drop in. Fancy tools are for people with too much money and not enough imagination. GD

Does this count? GD

You should ask that question over at legacycentral.org - the guys over there would know. I haven't investigated any of the suspension stuff. GD

That's expensive for a torn-up Forester. I just bought a 99 for $1500, replaced the radiator and it's golden. Yes it has 232k on it, but still - $4000 leaves a lot of room for repairs - hell I could replace the entire drivetrain for that. It's also in very nice condition inside and out. Look for something nicer before paying that kind of price. GD

Depends on which body style it is. GD

You could cross-reference the Gen 1 legacy turbo parts - you would have to swap out the springs as well to get the proper stance. Then you would want to add the larger sway bars. The Legacy turbo suspension is markedly better than the plain jane L series suspension. Sits a bit lower and handles miles better. I'm sure there are better options but I doubt you could beat the value of the stock components and you won't be dissapointed as they were designed specifically for the Legacy's weight and size. GD

Hhmmm - yes were you checking power at the round plug or the two-pin spade terminal to the amp? If you don't have power at the black/white wire on the round plug with the ignition ON then you have a supply issue. I may have mis-understood what you were refering to when you said you had 12v to the amp as both the round plug and the two-pin spade connect to the amp but only the wires from the round plug connect to the coil.... GD

Yeah - just seal the whole opening - tube as well. You can remove and plug the hose that runs to that tube if you wish or just leave it hooked up. GD

Yeah - you may have to get one from the US market. They are out there but it depends on your countries branch of FHI whether you can get one locally or not. GD

Adjust the choke so that it barely closes all the way when cold. You will have to hold the throttle open slightly to allow the choke to clear the fast idle cam so you can accurately set it. If that's not enough then set it slightly harder. It's a feel/guess/check thing so it might take a couple tries and a few days to get it correct. GD

If the gaskets don't explicitly state that you don't have to then you do (should). I generally don't - what I do is add 5 lbs to the torque value. I go to 65 Ft/lbs (IIRC) rather than (I think) 57 that the book states. Never had an issue but I've mostly used the Fel-Pro's that don't require it. GD

The port is part of the coolant passage that runs through the manifold (the coolant "cross-over" from one head to the other) and as such cannot be blocked by removing or plugging hoses. You could TIG weld the passage off from the main passage but JB weld is easier if you don't have access to a TIG and there's no danger in my experience of it blowing out - the carb base acts to back up the JB weld. GD

Yeah - water in the oil could be manifold gaskets just as easily as head gaskets. That in conjunction with an improperly routed PCV system (common with Weber conversions) will result in milkshake looking substances in the valve covers and the PCV breather lines. You have already done a lot it sounds like. Head gaskets are really not a big deal on these - if you have had it stripped to the heads for a timing belt job then going the extra distance to pull the manifold and the heads for a HG replacement isn't much more work. It's a bummer to have to go back in after doing all that stuff but it's worth it. These engines are pretty reliable if you take care of them and give them some new gaskets once in a while. I have seen many with well over 300k. And a lot of them don't make it to 300k only because of those Hitachi carbs or because people that don't do their own automotive work balk at the cost of timing belt jobs etc on cars that are often worth less than the labor to do the maintenance. GD

Don't think it - I KNOW it. Probably better than anyone else here. Whatever issues it has pale in comparison to the EA82's Hitachi carb. Trust me. If you are having running issues you should make sure it was properly jetted for the engine. That's just one of the many benefits to the Weber. You could always sell the Weber and use the profits to swap over to the Single Point Fuel Injection (SPFI). GD

Check the manifold-to-head gaskets - they often leak coolant into the intake ports in the head. Replace with OEM only if they are leaking. Otherwise - good chance you need head gaskets - that's pretty common at around 200k. Replace them yourself for about $100 or around $250 if you do the timing belts/water pump/main seals also. They can be done in the car and it's really not a difficult operation. Invest in a 10mm wratcheting wrench for the valve covers if you don't already have one. If the engine is otherwise sound it's easily got another 100k in it. GD

Two-peice gives smoother operation and better ground/exhaust clearance. You can use a single peice if you want. Nothing wrong with it. EA81's had single peice drive shafts and were only 5" shorter or so. GD

Bingo. The adaptors are notorious for that. GD

Dealership or junk yard as far as I know. They are very plentiful in the JY's and rarely fail. GD

Doesn't matter what's in the diaphram if you are using it as a block off by not hooking up the line. Bench test it, clean it, install it and properly hook it up. No problem. You can find many replacements that will fit in the junk yard. GD

EA81 head gaskets are really easy. Afternoon to pull the heads and another to install them afer having them gone through (if you need that). I never pull the engine for just head gaskets. Make sure to replace the intake manifold gaskets with OEM gaskets only - torque to 12 ft/lbs. GD