GeneralDisorder

The key is that most folks swap out the discs on a vehicle that had poorly functioning drums, or drums that weren't functioning at all (frozen adjusters, etc). If you repair the drums to the point that they function as designed (new drums, new shoes, new cylinders) then there is very little performance difference. The disc's are awesome if you install a proportioning valve along with them. If you don't they are great right up till you try a panic stop on a slick surface. The rear end will pass you. Not really as cool as it sounds and it doesn't sound all that cool either. GD

The dealership is quite reasonable on parts. I buy almost all my parts exclusively from them. Some of the online dealers are about 10 to 15 percent cheaper than local dealers. subaruparts.com, subarupartsforyou.com, 1stsubaruparts.com, etc. For the EA82 timing belts I buy the "kits" on ebay. Timing belt/rubber technology has come a long way but unfortunately the EA82 is very hard on it's timing belt arrangement (two separate belts, with tight turns and non-hydraulic tensioners ). The ebay kits last as long as any belt will last and even though the idler and tensioners are probably using cheap bearings they last the required amount of time till the next belt interval without problem as the interval's are so short. Plus the savings are pretty hefty. About $65 for the kit on ebay or closer to $200 from the dealer. The oil and water pumps can sometimes be sourced from Atsugi (the OEM manufacturer), but if you can't get them from the dealer. I don't trust aftermarket at all on this stuff. Gaskets and seals are best bought at the dealer as many aftermarket are severely inferior and the ones that aren't don't warrant a seperate trip as the cost savings amounts to a few 10's of dollars at the most between them all. GD

Do everything I suggest above as a precaution. You don't want to be stranded for a broken timing belt. There is a transfer case of sorts, but it's part of the transmission. It's known as a transaxle. It's easier if you just go look under the car and see for yourself. The portion that would be called the transfer case on a normal 4WD setup is called the "extension housing" and because of the way the Subaru transaxle works internally it's not a gear reduction transfer case like you are thinking. The gear reduction for high/low is done at the input shaft at the front of the transmission, not in the transfer case. There doesn't need to be a "transfer case" as there is no need to transfer power back to the front wheels - the front wheels are powered from half-shafts that emanate from the sides of the transaxle. It's the same setup as the VW beetle turned backwards with an output for a tail-shaft, and the same system that Audi uses. GD

They aren't very particular with regard to fluid. Transmission (transaxle) and diffs are 75w90 gear oil - any mid-range brand will do. Transfer case is part of the transaxle so it shares gear oil with the transmission and front diff. Coolant is the green stuff in the required ratio for your climate (brand really doesn't matter - just change it bi-annually and use distilled water). Power steering is Dexron ATF (again - any cheap brand will do). Brake fluid is just plain old DOT 3 - any brand is fine just change it bi-annually when you do the coolant. I run chevron 10w30 in all my engines. It's high quality, and it's cheap at Costco. Changed regularly with a top-grade filter (WIX/Napa/OEM) you will get just as many miles from the engine as anyone else. Don't go with a higher viscosity or a "high mileage" type oil because you think it's an "old" engine. The tolerances are VERY close in these and 10w30 is the right choice. Push in the clutch and shift. Just don't do it while turning sharply at speed. It is 4WD not AWD so you can't turn sharp corners on dry surfaces while in 4WD - it will bind as there is no center differential. While you are doing your fluids do the timing belt, tensioners, idler, water pump, front main and cam seals, and reseal the oil pump. If it's got over 200k on it just replace the oil pump. Timing belt is called for every 60k and they have a high likelyhood of not making it to 50k. Oil pressure should be 20 psi or higher at idle/operating temp. Change the thermostat and radiator cap and check/replace the cooling system hoses including the heater core hoses. These engines do NOT like being overheated and you'll be kicking yourself when you overheat due to a split OEM heater core hose that's 21 years old. GD

Rear discs help to stiffen up a mushy pedal and they eliminate the need for manual brake adjustment. However they are not an "upgrade" that will help you stop faster with a larger engine. Rear brakes only account for 25% of overall braking so assuming the rear discs are 50% better than properly adjusted drums (that's likely a vast overestimate) you are only going to get an additional 12.5% braking power. Coupled with the fact that you probably aren't going to install, test, and adjust a proper proportioning valve they may actually be MORE dangerous for high speed braking than the drums were - rear brake lockup while the fronts are still rolling is SCARY. The rear brake conversion is nice from a maintenance standpoint. It's great for lifted rigs that won't see more than 55 or 60 MPH and helps to control larger tires, and it makes for a nice pedal feel and less nose-dive when doing everyday braking operations. It is NOT a replacement for proper brakes (IE 5 lug swap) when adding HP. GD

I always do them in the car unless I have reason to suspect the rear main seal or the clutch needs work. Then I pull them because I own a cherry picker, but if I didn't I would do the clutch in the car as well (pull engine forward). If it came down to needing a rear main I would probably pull it if I had to rent a picker or ask a friend for help and use a 4x4 and a chain. There's plenty of room for the job. You will want a 10mm ratcheting box wrench for the valve cover bolts - about $10 at Sears. Buy or put on your christmas llist a nice set of 15 degree reversible ratcheting box's from SK if you don't already own a set. GD

Well - if you can get them cheap then do an EJ22 swap from a legacy. The biggest drawback to the EA82 chassis is the engine - underpowered, poor timing belt arrangement, etc. The 3AT transmission makes a good boat anchor so if you do plan to keep it then swapping it out would be an excellent idea. $500 sounds reasonable by US prices including all parts but then I never pay to have work done. Here I could do the entire job for half that including all parts. $150 for a used tranny, $75 for a new clutch, and another $25 for misc. parts like the pedal assembly. GD

You clearly have issues related to the front-end swap. The voltmeter is probably corrosion on the back of the cluster as I mentioned on your board. The rest of the stuff is going to be a real pain to track down. The differences between the vehicle harness that the front end came from and the Brat's harness may be part of the problem but I would need to look at the car. I doubt you have a "problem" so much as you have an incorrect conversion. Does the brake lamp warning also illuminate when you remove a bulb and apply the brakes? GD

You need to clean all the PCV hoses, and replace the PCV filter in the air-box. Replacing the valve alone will not cure the problem. GD

You could have had a nice early 90's Legacy for what you are looking at spending on this thing. Unless you have specific plans that necessitate the EA dual range transmission's then I would sell it and look for a 90-94 Legacy. GD

When you say you "swapped plug wires".... what exactly did you do? The EJ engines like new plug wires about annually. OEM or NGK are recommended. 1/3 use the same side of the coil (wasted spark ignition) so that vaguely points to an ignition failure - I would normally suspect the coil but you swapped that out. GD

This belongs in the New Gen forum, and as to the cam - almost certainly a different profile and likely a different design as the EJ18 uses a quite different lifter/rocker arrangement. I would source a proper 22 cam as they are quite common. GD

"Fuel Injector Cleaner" is largely bunk. Mostly what that stuff does is clean carbon deposits from valves - Techron is generally considered to be the top of the line for cleaners such as this. GD

Try using the plug tool that came with the car's tool kit. It is designed for this purpose after all. Having the right wobbly's and extensions makes the job a lot easier. You need a broad selection to find the right combination that does the job without pain and suffering. GD

First - keyless entry doesn't seem to have been an option. I have looked through the Subaru parts information and I can find kits for 95+ but not for gen 1's. That doesn't mean that an aftermarket system wouldn't work although I haven't investigated that. As for getting the key out - pull the handle/lock assembly and you'll be able to get to the broken key from the backside of the lock. Should just push out with a small implement. Now would be a good time to lube all the pivot bushings of the locking and latching rods inside the door, and also some dry grease for the lock tumbler itself. GD

Get one from an EA81 or from a 90 to 94 Legacy - they are mounted in the engine bay. The EA81 unit has a bracket that should be pretty simple to find a place to mount. The Legacy one is contoured but with some creativity it would work. GD

We need a better description of the problem. "car won't start" is vague and most of us don't care to spend valuable time speculating. If that's all the better you can describe it then you best take it to a shop. GD

All EA82T rear discs are not the same. There are two different piston sizes and that affects lockup pressure. GD

Same from EA81's all the way through to at least the late 90's EJ's. A coworker needed one for his 97 OB, and we installed one from my collection of EA81 stuff. GD

Subaru's use a diagonal braking system, so if you are using aftermarket bias valves you need two - one for each rear circuit. You install them inline with each rear circuit where they exit the body under the bed. GD

Subaru distributors are designed for ported vacuum, not manifold vacuum. You will have full advance at idle if you run manifold vacuum to them (unless they don't work, which is often the case). GD

As long as you will never be doing panic braking, you don't need one.... For the rest of us, it keeps the rear from locking before the front. I did a wet-pavement skid test both ways and without the valve your rear axle will pass you - I ended up facing 180 degrees out in the oncoming lane from about a 60 MPH skid. With the valve the skid is straight and tight. GD

Have to be careful with cast iron. Chase the threads, use a bit of anti-seize, and then a torque wrench. I found out the hard way with cast iron. I broke a large casting on a centrifugal blower housing by over-tightening it - I didn't have a spec on the proper torque but I still should have known better. Ended up having a machine shop weld it back together - very difficult with cast iron as it has to be pre-heated in an oven, welded hot, then cooled slowly. Even then it had to be machined back to spec. GD

Get a Holly-Weber 5200 and a DGV/DFV adapter plate for the EA82 manifold you have. The 5200 is a licensed copy of the DFV and was used on many Ford's (Pinto's, Cortina's, ect) in the 70's. They can be had cheap on ebay. Or do the SPFI converson. Don't waste your time with the Hitachi or the Carter. GD

Replacing the timing gears is pointless. They really don't wear out. Don't bore it over unless you have a machinist with a bore-plate for the EA71 as you need to simulate the head being attached. If you don't there's a high probability you will spin the liners during break-in. There's no need to go to all the trouble you are planning - put new bearings in it (mic the crank of course), cross-hatch the cylinders, new iron rings (chrome is a waste and they take forever to break in), and do the heads of course (mill, valve grind, ect). Throw it together and run it. GD