GeneralDisorder

If you just leave the hose disconnected it will be it's own block-off plate. Otherwise - use some 1/4" plate and drill/cut to fit. You should keep the EGR though - it lowers combustion temps and keeps your exhaust valves nice and cool. There's no reason to block it off. GD

The heater core can flow either direction - it really doesn't matter. GD

The belt cover marks are not that accurate - you are correct. Same thing on my '91 22T. The last word in timing belt correctness is the tooth count between sprockets. The covers aren't all that useful. GD

It is common for the DOHC engines such as in your 98 to do that. The engine in the 99 Forester is the SOHC and they don't blow the HG's in the cooling system (so they do not overheat unless run low on coolant). They weep coolant and sometimes oil to the OUTSIDE of the engine and drip it on the ground. They are two completely different animals. Your 98 went ~100k and blew the HG's. This engine has 232k and only leaks a tiny amount of oil from the head gasket. BIG difference. GD

GD's rules to live by #23: NEVER buy a car from a dealer unless it's brand new and in such a case make sure no lot boy has touched it, pay cash, don't pay over MSRP, and scoff when they try to sell you "extra's". GD

Sounds like you have a definite ring issue with the low cylinder. Find a good used engine and install it - or just upgrade to a 90 to 94 Legacy. They are easily availible for less than $1000. Most will easily go 300k. GD

Correct - all MPFI EA82's (including the turbo) used dual intake port heads. There are two different manifolds - the XT manifold is refered to as the "spider" manifold because of it's shape. SPFI was never equipped with a turbo and shared the single intake port heads with the carb engines. GD

Change the plugs and wires. GD

You definitely have the valve timing wrong. Redo both belts. GD

What do you mean by this? What kind of failure? Where was the oil *not* getting and what did that cause? Have the oil passages in the crank been checked? Have you blown compressed air through all the passages in the block and crank with a rubber tipped blow-gun to insure there is no blockages? How long have you cranked it with the plugs out before determining you don't have oil pressure? It usually takes about 30 seconds for them to prime if you have filled the oil filter already. GD

The adjuster is a sqaure pyramid shaped thing so it's normal for them to be "notchy" like that. The drum won't come off till you back off the adjuster - it's catching on the edge of the drum where the shoes have worn it down. There is now a ridge there that the shoes must clear. Back off the adjuster as far as possible and smack the drum a few times to dislodge the shoes. Should pull right off. GD

The hex plugs on the pump are likely for a gauge sending unit - which could be availible in other countries. The pump housing is used for many pumps across several different sized engines I'm sure. EA series engines had oil pressure sending unit's located around that area as the US versions of those cars had oil pressure gauges. They could be used durring manufacture for quality control and/or to drill internal passages. GD

Subaru oil pumps are georotor's and they are a positive displacement, self-priming pump. They cannot cavitate. If it's not pumping oil then you have assembled it wrong or it's broken. GD

You would then have the MPFI non-turbo EA82 as seen in the late 80's XT's. The benefit is about 9 HP with fuel injection, 9.5:1 comp. pistons, and the right cam. Not worth the effort. GD

Does it shoot a 2' gyser of coolant out the radiator fill neck if you leave the cap off? If so you definitely have a blown head gasket. Under normal circumstances nothing but a few gentle air bubbles will escape from the filler neck. I always leave the cap off when I'm starting an engine newly filled with coolant. This allows me to see how the level reacts. It should not go anywhere. Sometimes the level drops, and sometimes it will surge a bit but it never really boils out unless the head gaskets are blown. GD

Well - appearances can be deceiving - check them for continuity and make sure the connections are clean and tight at each one. Beyond that - there isn't anything that is very common to those systems according to the diagrams in my FSM - maybe they have some common grounding points in the harness but their power supplies are not related. If the fuses are all glood in the fuse panel I would check the ignition switch harness under the column as those tend to get burnt and have problems. Bench testing the ignition switch would be a good idea. I would start checking the harness grounding points for corrosion as it sounds like you aren't passing enough current to close relay's but still enough to power some circuits. The ciggarette lighter outlet is prone to corrosion and loose connections so it may or may not be related. GD

You can't - they are a interferenace fit to the knuckle and removing them will neccesarily damage them. They are 6207-C3 bearings and any bearing house can get you new one's for $10 each. You will need the seals also as those too will be destroyed durring removal. I sugest you get the 6207-2RS-C3 bearings (sealed and pre-greased) and avoid the potential for contamination of the grease later and improper grease loading. Get yourself 4 bearings and 4 seals. Drive the bearings out with a brass drift and drift the new one's in. Don't forget the spacer that goes between them and apply a little grease to the outside of the seals on the new bearings and to the spacer and the inner lip of the seals. GD

Size up the owner and his/her story, etc. Total judgement call. GD

There is no need to press the axle in/out of the knuckle. Just pound it out with a soft face hammer or a small sledge and block of wood. GD

The heads are not different. You would have to pull the entire engine as it is mostly the block that is different. The casting allows the removal of the lifters without splitting the bock. The rocker are assemblies and the hollow steel pushrods are the other differences. Also if it was not wrecked it might have serious issues. Hard to tell though. These really aren't uncommon in the yards here but it is half price weekend and all.... GD

Check the fusible links under the hood. GD

EA81 turbo's have different heads as well. The injectors are mounted directly on the head. Besides that the system is very primitive and parts are very difficult to find. If you wanted to swap the heads I suppose you could probably make it work. But the ECU is tuned for a 7.7:1 compression ratio and forced induction. You would be better off just using the heads for the injector bosses and then mounting an EA82 SPFI manifold for the TB and using MegaSquirt to run it. GD

He's right - valve guides typically have to be knurled in order to stay in place. I wouldn't even bother with it - just get another head - they are a dime a dozen. GD

ECU has nothing to do with the oil pressure gauge. GD

You are running out of fuel. Either because the boost is too high and the ECU is cutting it off or you have clogged fuel filter or something. Install a fuel pressure guage and watch what happens when you go WOT with it. You could also need new plugs and wires in a real bad way - I've seen turbo cars have ignition problems under boost due to improperly gapped plugs and poor leads. GD