FerGloyale

It didn't come with cruise? I think ALL USDM subaru's since the late 90's have cruise. Especially high end Forester such as turbos. At any rate, you should be able to access the VSS wire at the ECU (under right side footpanel) Not sure of pin or color for EU version.

You're driving lights in the lower bumper are already wired that way (on with lows, off with Hi) and they are legal housings. You can adjust them outeward a bit to hit the sides of the road. Polish the headlight housings, and a good quality halogen bulb will be plenty bright. 3m makes a great polish kit.

Very low trans fluid

you can see the adjuster head in this pic. Just directly below the axle. 81EA81's advise is basically correct (above) I would add though..........the adjuster has a wedge on it's tip....this wedge sits into angled shims to make the adjustment. When turning it, you will feel the tension, and then the "seat" at only 2 points in it's rotation. don't leave it between the seats. Make sure you're turning it until it "sits" into one of it's two positions, as you go. Of course, it may be seized. It might be a good idea to pull the drums, and spray the shims and adjuster good with penetrant before trying to adjust.

Straight water will boil at operating temp. you MUST add at least 30% coolant. Only use OEM rad cap. Get rid of the venting one. HG tests like you used are not effective in diagnosing subaru HG leaks. The fact that you keep getting air in the system is a clear sign that it is a HG leak. It DOES happen on 2.2s. Everyone always wants it to be something else, but 90% of the time an overheating subaru is a an HG failure.

sounds like a broken outer cv joint.

You obviously haven't tried to source heads in the USA. They are not easy to find or cheap. The idea that testing could be more $ than new heads is 1) incorrect 2) if it were correct, would be an argument for running the heads as is and not testing. Save money towards buying heads if there is a problem. it's an EA81 so if you have to pull heads again it's like a 20 min job in car, lol. The only "test" that needs to be done is spray a bunch of carb cleaner into the intake and exhaust ports. Set the heads so that the puddled cleaner is trapped by the valves. Watch for any seepage around the valve seat or from those cracks. If none, or just a wisp of wetness, they are fine. If they drip the valve seat is shot. There is no water jacket near those cracks. They are common, and Subaru has even said they are OK since the 80's. The ones in yer pics are particularly small and benign. This isn't an aircraft motor I assume?

U-joint in the front of the driveline.

Seriously, hone it and put new rings in it will be fine.

Cracks between the valves are fine and common. Replace the piston rings and run it.

+1 Cable is attached to the top of the pedal assembly, and goes to a hill holder valve mounted just below the brake booster near drivers side strut tower.

Fan shouldn't run with key on. I'd unplug that fan for now and figure out why it's on constant. As for the light on dash, that is normal is normal, as long as it goes out when engine starts. For cold temp starting, press gas pedal 2 or 3 times to the floor, then release, and keep your foot off the gas until it starts. This primes the intake with fuel from the accelerator pump, and sets the choke open. It may sputter out after catching, just repeat procedure until it catches well enough to begin the high idle. Let it warm up 5 mins before you drive in cold weather.

Run from that mechanic. He's either dumb or full of crap or both

Good point. 85/86 RX were Sedans, and here got a PT4wd, D/R 3.7 final drive with 1.19 low range and 25 spline stubs.........Close ratio 2nd-5th gears. The 87+ RX were I think all or at least mostly Coupes, and here got the Fulltime w/difflock box with all the same ratios.

In response to el_freddo Yeah I don't usually ever do any engine work in the car. I was just thinking from the perspective of his original question. What he was asking to do was not doable.

get a set of new bellows and bump stops (usually one kit with KYB)

I don't think it's really doable. Not while it's in the car. There is NO WAY to reach the #1 rod nuts. The internal coolant crossover Is in the way. How do you get to the upper rod nuts and the #1 nuts? And you wouldn't want to change rod bearings without polishing the journals first. Doesn't seem like a practical solution.

man you are a wealth of knowledge. nice work

No the RX trans has a standard Open front diff. None of the 4spd parts will fit into the 5spd. 3.9 from XT6 is the ONLY 3.9 pinion that will have the right diameter and length to accept the RX gears. 3.9 from D/R or S/R 5spds will not be long enough or be right diameter for matching RX gears(too skinny). An AWD pinion shaft (in 3.9 or 4.11 or 4.44) would be too long, although it will be the right diameter. I supposed one of those would be the place to start with cutting and welding if you were goin that route. there is a splined end that engages the lockable diff, so you can't just cut it shorter......you'd have to cut out a roughly 2" section from the middle. Or cut and mate the tail end of the RX shaft onto the new one. You can use a standard 5spd D/R lo range set. (1.59:1) An OBX or other aftermarket front LSD for WRX etc. should fit inside the D/R box. But maybe not as the D/R gear set lives directly above the diff, and a larger LSD carrier may not clear the D/R gears.

i think that type of clip is still available new. Maybe from an aftermarket body clip supplier, but I think there is something close enough to work out there.

I love teh figure 8 action. That looked super fun. Really a stocker could do it. Any Subaru can make it look easy, but you made it look hard!!! jk.

Torch came as is. I got a dozen new tips with it but no gaurd or standoffs. Meh...for what I paid, It's worth it. Figure I'll buy a new torch assembly eventually, but for now it works way better and cheaper than the Oxy/Acetylene. Machine has a built in regulator and drier. Plus the air at this shop is pretty dry already. 80 gallon tank, 100's of feet of line with a drier before the last 50'

just labeled wrong Order is for sure 1324 CC

All of the SOHC 2.5 engines are solid lash adjuster. no hydraulics. guarantee it. But the valves can still clatter a bit just from being dry where the rocker rides the valve stem. other possibilities are Piston slap? or maybe a tad bit of rod rattle until oil gets to the ends of the crank?

So........I figured these would help. Craiglist score. One was supposed to be "just parts" but it seems to work too! Capable of cutting 1" thick plate. So 3/8th was nothing. IMG_3513 by Dans Subaru, on Flickr First few cut plates for the bottom of the EA side trailing arm blocks. These plates will welded to the existing EA torsion mount blocks. Leaving a large, flat, horizontal plate the trailing arm blocks can be set against, slid around until aligned, then welded. IMG_3517 by Dans Subaru, on Flickr IMG_3518 by Dans Subaru, on Flickr And then here are the finished trailing arm blocks. Again, they aren't identical......used drops from other jobs. But they are stout as heck. IMG_3516 by Dans Subaru, on Flickr IMG_3515 by Dans Subaru, on Flickr