85Sub4WD

your deductions about the accelerator pump are correct Hitachis are a b&$@* to work on - I would do the weber conversion IF I was to replace the carb that said - SeaFoam or something similar in the gas may solve your problem - squirting carb choke cleaner on the offending part may help too

I have had a coolant temp sensor malfunction (OK-it was unplugged) cause a no-start condition on my car before (SPFI system) - I think it could do the same for the turbo - don't know about the knock sensor - try cleaning the sensor and wiring harness contacts before replacing them

I would go to a GOOD mechanic in town (your other one did not sound helpful) and ask his (or her) opinion of the situation, and get him (or her) to tune it up - It appears as though you got a bad engine, and the company needs to replace it for you (while under warranty) - otherwise you loose the money you have already put into this engine - if you REALLY feel there is a problem, I would suggest you contact the company anyway, and inform them that you are having problems with their product - heck, drive the h#$% out of it, and if it throws the rod under warranty, they buy you a new engine!! It seems odd that you are having this much trouble with the engine as EA81's are known for being bulletproof - I guess you stunbled on some bad builders :-\ Good Luck!! (hope this headache is solved soon)

BEAUTIFUL interior - looks BRAND NEW!! btw - what does that button near the radio and below the ashtray do?? - just out of curiosity

you're welcome, and happy birthday!!

ditto on what Ross said - drive up to almost any somewhat reputable shop - walk in and ask the mechanic to come out to your car - start it and let him hear the noise - he will tell you if it is a connecting rod (means new engine/engine rebuild) - they have a VERY distinctive sound most any mechanic knows another way it to use a mechanic's stethoscope (probably spelled it wrong) - it looks like one a doctor has, except it has a rod on the end - put it on different parts of the engine and listen - it will help you find the source (find the loudest point) - if it is a rod, it will be hard to isolate, usually valve noise is easy to pinpoint with one (in my expierence)

OK, I am sure some board members have a better proceedure for this, but this is how I always adjusted my carb when I had one: all of this must be done with the car warmed up to operating temperature - first, mess with idle mixture until it sounds even, then check timing (do not adjust if idle is not at spec engine speed) - adjust idle to spec engine speed (if necessary) using the idle speed adjustment screw (off to left on linkage for the throttle - may have to dig through a few vacuum lines) - check and readjust timing if neccessary - repeat process at least once (checking/adjusting mixture, etc), or until all values are at spec this generally is a monthly thing (at least to check that everything is to spec), but sometimes less frequently another potiential problem is choke adjustment, but that is usualy encountered by a change in climate - look down carb throat - you will see an extra valve in the barrel closest to you - at operating temperature with the engine running it should be wide open now you see why I converted to SPFI - after you do your 20th adjustment, you get tired of it

ok - now which screw were you adjusting?? yes, there are two - one at the center base of the carb for idle mixture, and one further to the left (looking at the carb from the front of the car) for idle speed given that it backfired on you, I would guess it is a timing issue possibly - one thing I hate about carbed cars is you always have to reset the timing when you adjust the carb

you have to drive it to an A/C shop to have it done, however the rest you can do yourself - I did it, and it worked for a while, but I had a panasonic compressor out of the JY (those are the worst - Hitachis are the best) - and it blew a seal due to age after about a week in service, I am going to redo it sometime in the next week, with a Hitachi compressor - I think yours already has one

change the O2 sensor anyway - they do not throw a trouble code unless they are COMPLETELY shot (open or to ground) - they are relatively cheap too I would run it on premium - not hard (past 5k rpms), but at constant highway speed for at least 200mi with either Techron fuel additive (little black bottle) or CRC's Guranteed to Pass in the tank - both have worked for me in the past change the air filter anyway - just to be safe

depending on how comfident you feel (mechanically and electrically) you could conver to SPFI when you do the engine swap (more power/better fuel economy) http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/article.php?a=61 I did the conversion before the manual was written, so I ran into a few issues that you probably will not (if you follow the manual) - try to get a running donor car - just make sure you have VERY good grounding for everything, and you will be fine or you could stick with carb and put in a SPFI block (will bolt in, but you need to chuck the ASV system - no big loss) and as it has more compression (9.5:1 for SPFI vs. 9:1 for Carb) you will have more power - SPFI engines are easier to find too (they were produced from 1986-1994) at the very least I would change the headgaskets and reseal any engine I got from the JY - actually that may be all you need to fix your current engine the car is DEFINATELY worth fixing - it has a lot of miles left on it

what year is it? the 1985 FWD GL-10 was the only soob wagon/sedan to come with an MPFI N/A engine - they are very rare - may be worth going after anyway (for the drivetrain) Mystical: this might interest you: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7973456235&category=33675 that said, I would recommend you stick with the analog gagues, they are MUCH more reliable, and you have a oil pressure gague (not critical) and a volt meter (VERY USEFUL IF THE ALTERNATOR FAILS!!) - you would loose both with a digital dash

The pics work - nice score - I notice some repairs are needed to the front bumper, but other than that, she looks showroom-new!! I especially like the wheels (and the sunroof :cool: ).

I am amazed by it - the use of an RX tranny with Legacy gearing - unbelievable!! I'm sure it runs like a dream!! Beautiful work! :clap: my next question is HOW did you do it???

as you have a 1987 hatch, if it is the orig engine, it has hydraulic lifters - all EA81's made durring/after 1985 have hydraulic lifters - they do not require "adjustment" so you should not try to adjust them - I do not know how to set them back to normal after they have been adjusted - if you oil pressure is not good, it can cause lifter noise, but usually that is like a loud tapping sound, not a "knock" - prolonged low oil pressure will cause main and connecting rod bearing failure from what it sounds like - if you have a constant "knock" at all speeds and conditions, you have a bad connecting rod/crank bearing - I would rectify that problem ASAP before you put a hole in your engine block (throwing a rod or something like that)

from what it sounds like, those connectors plug into the top of the instrument cluster above the "telltale" meter - I may be wrong - I will see if I can get pics of my dash - but it will be a few days before I can - also, I think the connectors are set up so that you cannot plug wrong ones together, but I may be wrong - sorry you are running into troubles

the GL and brat have different front axles as one is an EA81 (brat) and the other is an EA82 ('86 GL) - the splines should be the same, but the length will be different - that said, any front axle off a '85-'94 GL/Loyale non-turbo will work - turbo 4-speed autos and MT turbos have a different spline count that said, I think the rear axles are interchangeable between the brat and GL why go used when you can go reman with a lifetime gurantee for under $100? think how many used axles you may break in the lifetime of one reman, as used ones are usually worn out anyway - which is really cheaper? - not to mention labor and time spent under the car

sorry to disagree, but that is incorrect my 1985 FSM SPECIFICALLY lists a proceedure for running the fuel pump on an EFI (turbo/NA) dry for tests (but a very short period of time) - which I have performed on the pump that has been in my car for 18k miles before installation as it was used - in addition to that I disassembled a subaru EFI pump in the JY that was badly rusted and found that there is an envalope that seperates ALL moving components from the fuel except for the propellor - it is also in the schematic diagram of the fuel pump in the FSM - there is an envalope to protect internal motor parts from gas, as gas is corrosive and could damage them (gas + copper = problem and gas + carbon brushes = problem) early Bosch EFI systems (BMW/VW) had surge tanks - the Subaru does not need one/have one because of the afforementioned pump operating characteristics, and the fact that the return tube is located 2cm from the outlet tube on both FI and carb cars - different fuel tank part #'s are probably because of the difference in return line diameters - FI tanks also probably have a sock in them - Hitachi and Bosch are VERY different in their design of FI systems - I have worked on both I have had my present setup - carb tank and steel lines (FI rubber) for over 18k MILES with no problems - many others on the board have also done the conversion in the same manner with no problems, and have put many more miles on their car than I have - it seems a waste of time/$ to swap components that will work perfectly fine as-is

The variable ratio steering uses a standard (not power assisted) rack, with different pitch on the teeth on the rack at specific and different places, so when the pinion rides across it (turned by the steering wheel) it had less sensitivity in the middle of the range of motion than at the ends (closest to the locks) - meaning the amount you turn the steering wheel does not always affect the wheels in the same way - the specific number listed in the FSM is 30% change in ratio - reason being that it allowed for a more secure feel and precise control at speed, where steering can become very jumpy - I find that the system works very well - and when I occasionally have to drive power-assisted cars, I always feel like I am overcompensating as the center area of the wheel is so sensitive - the VGR steering box is also nice for U-turns, and whenever you need to go to the lock to make a tight turn - it is just hard when parallel parking as you HAVE to drag the tires to turn the wheel as the car is not moving the biggest advantage I see to the system is that it is virtually maitenence-free, as there is no power-steering pump to fail, and racks generally don't wear out - it does require more effort than a power-assisted system, but steering effort is still not that great overall - I am a light person and have no problems with it - I do not know specifically which cars had it - I know mine does (I have the original invoice) - I know 1985 Subaru GL's with a manual steering box had it, but I do not know what other cars did - I think DL's had the CGR (constant gear ratio - standard type) manual steering box - my 1985 buyer's guide is at home - it will be AT LEAST Wednesday before I have access to it footnote - I have to tell most people that the car's steering is not power assisted - even after they drive it (my dad thought for a while it had power assist) because of how the steering works, it feels as though it has at least some power assist. I do not know much about the XT6's cybrid system, but it looks very complicated (and expensive) to fix

very simple - it all boils down to gear reduction - the non-powered rack has ~11 turns lock-to-lock - the powered rack ~4 (using my memory of the '85 FSM) - both cover the same distance of movement of the wheels - so you have to put a LOT more force on the wheel to get it to turn, as you don't have the gear reduction in your favor - manual rack: more turns=less effort To make it even more complicated, Subaru came out with a Variable Gear Ratio steering, which places the notches on the rack at different spaces apart to give the driver better control - I personally love it - except when parallel parking - I think all GL's with manual steering had it, and all DL's had a standard fixed-ratio steering rack my reason for staying with the VGR steering is that it cannot start leaking PS fluid!! I vote get your rack fixed ASAP - steering is not something to screw around with

Yes you do need to pull the cluster - but don't fret Removing the instrument panel is EASY once you see how to do it - usually takes me only a couple minutes - just remember that all components involved are 20 years old and plastic - you have screws to remove above the I/P, and behind the defronst/off buttons on the a/c selector (pull buttons off), then a few on the bottom ridge of the plastic surround panel- I may have forgotten a few - but you should be able to find them, the defrost/off ones are the easy ones to miss - but one you get the screws out, it comes off easily - disconnect the electrical connectors to switches behind it (the assembly includes the vent faces and the idiot lights - as well as the e-mirror control, etc) - the connectors only connect one way, and are color-coded - then you will have clear access to remove the 4 screws that hold the I/P in - after that it is just a matter of restringing the cable I had to pull mine to do a cable lube about a year ago - the hard part was screwing the plastic retainer onto the transmission housing

--I am not a turbo guru-- However, I think you should use the one with less resistance (as the turbo is impelled by the exhaust) UNLESS it has more play in the bearings (end play); in that case use the "tighter" one, as the other one is probably on its way out.

I would check my transmission fluid too - my parents have automatics, and if their fluid gets low "bumps" start to appear in the transmission - I hope that's your problem (because it is simple/cheap) otherwise, the DOJ sounds very feasable

Thanks GLCraigGT - you did a much better job of writing something understandable than I did - I am a little too used to working those equations right now my final for the course was Thrusday

somebody told you wrong because a carbed car does not have an idle air control valve - only FI cars have those - carbed cars have chokes for warm-up conditions - those can cause problems too - take the top off the air cleaner and look down, you will see a valve on the carbureator on the barrel closest to you - it should be open at operating temperature sounds to me like you slow idle adjustment is off - look at the carbureator from the front of the car - you should see (after digging past vacuum hoses) two screws, one that looks like it is at the center of the carb, and one off to the left (facing the car from the front - it has throttle linkage near it) - the one on the left controls your idle rpm once the car is warmed up - clockwise increases rpm, counterclockwise decreases it - the car MUST be at operating temperature when this adjustment is made - the other screw adjusts idle mixture - may need to be done after idle speed is adjusted if you notice any driveability issues BTW - Subaru_dude - how did you get a fullsize spare under your hood? I tried, but mine was too wide (185 width)