Subaru_dude

'89 EA82 5spd FWD Sedan. Been great... other than having to fix my own screw-ups (timing way advanced causing overheating), it's been a great car. I've put an axle on it, reseal, clutch and headgaskets. Did the clutch for the heck of it, headgaskets cuz the overheat was my fault. 32mpg around town and 37hwy. We don't get snow very often so FWD is not a prob. I love/run the thing to death. Never complains. Not even at 80 for extended periods of time.

I want to see pics of this beast. GD, you're an emotionless bully. You completely lack decency and sentimentality. The only logic you understand is your own. You're very rude. You don't realize that there's alot more to life than money. The car sounds pretty important to you... you shouldn't worry about what it's worth. It's yours until it's death.

I know... I'm already dreading it. I'm gonna take my sweet time on it and I'm gonna have some help. I'll be the wring that gives me the most hell... and figuring out how to fit a dual-core rad in there. Think I'll do the lift while the original motor and tranny are out. But first, I have to find a job.

I THINK I've located an EJ22 AND a 5spd D/R. I'm gonna let my headgaskets blow (never drive it out of town) and have the 2.2 and transmission sitting there as one piece so when I pull the motor and tranny, I can (simply) swap them. And it's gonna get a lift too... being that this is my project car. The project starts as soon as I find a motor and tranny. This will be the thread I keep pics and progress on. The action won't start for a few days... so don't get too excited.

Oh yeah, I guess I should mention I drove from E. TN to Missouri Valley Iowa in about 13 hours... 900 miles. Only stops were for gas and food, no overheats. Continued the last 400 miles to Golden Colorado... didn't stop at all. The higher elevations were KILLING the power though, it was carbed.

It's always good to give her a rest. I'm sure you'll appreciate a break as much as the car will. Keep an eye on the temp gauge and you should be fine. Have fun.

I highly doubt the guy even realizes Subaru is producing a diesel boxer... let alone thinks somebody has imported the not even released (I don't think it's been released anyway... already has in Germany?) Subaru diesel boxer for ONLY $4,000. OBVIOUSLY it would be WAY more than that, and that's assuming it actually IS a Subaru diesel... which it isn't. He probably just heard a severe case of lifter tap and assumed it was a diesel and made up some crackpot story. But then again, we won't know until somebody goes and looks.

I believe this to be incorrect. But don't hesitate to tell me I'm wrong... I'm just pretty sure they're SOHC.

How can we do that when we're being stupidfied by hydrocarbons? You didn't touch up on that one.

1987 EA82 wagon, light blue 5sp D/R. Jumped it over train tracks numerous times, bottomed it out several times jumping it on dirt roads, plenty of mud and ruts, drove through a pond up to the headlights once and ALMOST got stuck but not quite, slammed it nose first into an embankment (engine actually shoved electric fan into radiator, causing alot of unwanted noise), slide sideways into a curb at about 60 and bent a radius rod and broke the rim, got it stuck in a field behind an Ingles and had to get my friend to pull it out with his bare hands while I gave it hell, got stuck in the middle of a field in Iowa (high centered) and had to get a tractor to pull me out, towed a 1964 Stepside Chevy pickup 1/8 of a mile up a fairly steep hill, played tug-o-war with an '89 crown vick and won, it saw 8,000 rpm a few times... but I never broke any axles. It was done in a little over a year ago when I hit a 2004 Ford Taurus head on. The driver of the Taurus suffered some trauma, I was fine. If it weren't for that it would still be around raising complete hell.

I never realized how little of a difference we actually made until I saw the math and figures. I'm certainly feeling a little more enlightened. And I think I'll give C-SPAN a shot. I can't stand TV because everything is far too entertainment oriented, including news. The math got me thinking... well what about the smog? What does getting stuck behind the exhaust-less truck in traffic do to you? Hydrocarbons kill brain cells.... but that's absolutely all I know. I don't know how many brain cells are killed per minute of of breathing aformentioned exhaust (if any, maybe it's another one of those imeasureables). Waiting for GD's logic to chime in...

Apparently anything interference (roughly 1997 and up) had solid lifters. I've been looking at early 90's Legacy's and that's what I'll keep looking for.

What years did they have adjustable valves??

I obviously haven't done near enough thinking... the cylinder condition didn't even cross my mind . How long do EJ22s go on a set of headgaskets done properly?

I have found a few EJ22s at the junkyard but want to know if I need to replace the headgaskets in an engine with 170,000 miles on it. I would really like to avoid it. I know with an older engine it would be wise (EA82 or EA81), but the EJ22 is a pretty large step up and I'm hoping letting the headgaskets go would be ok because of the "bulletproofness" of the EJ22. I've heard some accounts of nearly 300,000 miles on the original headgaskets.

GD has some good points. I didn't take into account you would be going down to Mexico... if you picked up an EA82 wagon, you would probably want to put a new radiator in because it's probably clogged or on it's way. And yes, you can't know if it's been overheated or not unless the previous owner tells you it has. The EA82 is a good engine though. I bought a sedan with 200,000 on it with original radiator (as far as I know) and it ran nice and cool and didn't use any coolant. So you just get lucky sometimes. But GD is definitely right about the EJ22 and EA81s both being very bulletproof. But the EA82 is still bulletproof, just not VERY bulletproof.

They've already stated why it's a big deal to run without a cat. Hydrocarbons kill brain cells BTW. So are you saying that a Subaru with a cat still won't pass emissions?

'Nuff said.

The EA82 is heavier and doesn't have as much low end torque as an EA81. And DEFINITELY isn't any more reliable than the EA81. I don't see any advantage to it over an EA81 really, but it's not a bad engine. And you could also stick the intake from a SPFI EA82 right to an EA81. Bolts right on. Of course you'd have to deal with wiring and stuff like that. And about what GD said about single core radiators not being adequate... my EA82T has a single core radiator and it never gets past 1/3 on the gauge, and neither does my N/A EA82. And I've had it sitting in traffic in 102 degree weather for an hour straight with the A/C blasting and the needle didn't budge. So the single cores are obviously adequate.

I'm gonna say... EA82 wagon for the room. I hate to see a hatch lifted actually... there seems to be so few I just see that as "hacking" it up. Once it's lifted it's condition will only go downhill from there IMHO. Seeing an EA82 wagon get bashed doesn't bother me though. I remember my 5spd D/R... You can climb some pretty steep angles with D/R, especially with good quality stock size tires. I could hang with the Jeep guys just fine... for the most part. Deep water... any soob's gonna float a little, or should I say swim. The most obvious advantage over Jeeps and other lifted rigs is their stability. I barely ever see them rolled over.

The pictures in his profile have nothing to do with what he's talking about.

Come on guys, let's get back on topic. No amount of flaming/convincing is going to change whether or not Rob's rig (or anybody elses for that matter) has a catalytic converter. If they don't want to, then they won't. If they want to, they will. It's the way things have always been. Yes, you're cat is probably clogged. How's the power? Lacking?

I've never heard of that before (then again I'm not exactly educated when it comes to the automotive world) but if you have good oil pressure, no metal flakes in the oil, and no noises... I wouldn't worry about a thing.

I guess the only thing you can really do is just start messing with the carb. Maybe add some additives to the gas?

It always feels good to get a ride back on the road. Is that the wagon in your pics? Doesn't look that rusty, does it have frame rail rot? The lights on the front bumper sure do look good. Judging by your pics, I think it's about time for a D/R swap and a lift. I'm still looking for a wagon to lift, mine's a turbo with a 4EAT but if the engine ever blows it's getting a 2.2. It's an excellent candidate, very little rust and all. Have fun with the rusty wagon.