Subaru_dude

Unless you wanna redrill your hubs or do a 5 lug swap, only pugs will do. (Puegeot wheels)

Yeah that's what I had to do. There wasn't really any room so dropping the column was the only option. Also got rid of the steering wheel lock, and now I can stick the little bone shaped piece into the hole with a pair of pliers and crank it. I definitely need a new key switch... may know where one is. And if you've ever seen the interior of a 2nd gen Leone DL, you've seen the dash mounted key switch.

It appears I have figured out how to remove it!!! I was thinking the entire assembly was removable but only the cylinder slips out of the housing. I am going to get help from somebody who knows what they're doing because it came out in a bunch of small pieces. I was hoping I could stick a flathead screw driver in there after it was removed and use it to turn the ignition off but it's still stuck. Could that mean it's the ignition switch and not just the cylinder?

I have no idea what that even means.

Everything I've read so far does not apply to a DL. My ignition switch is mounted facing OUTWARD from the dash and is totally different from all the column mounted ignition switches I've read about and seen pictures of. After removing the plastic cover and unplugging the back of the ignition switch, how does the assembly come off of the steering column? It's attached by a big clamp that has a Phillips screw and some kind of threaded pin in the other side that seems impossible to remove. Shouldn't there just be a screw there? I can't get a screwdriver into the back of the ignition switch to remove those 2 screws because there's no room. Do I have to drop the column?

That freakin Finnish XT is absolutely GABOOSLEY.

When I get the money, hopefully by the end of the year, I definitely want to take care of the rust. It has some underneath that looks like it could be getting ugly in the next few years and I want this car to last me a long time. I will ride on the Weber for a while but eventually I would like to do the spfi swap. I've also considered doing a 4wd swap, but I want to keep this car light. I'm totally in love with the longer doors of the hatches/brats/coupes. Also love the lack of a B pillar in this coupe. If I ever need to find a replacement EA81 body, it will have to be one of those three. I've had quite a few EA82s and a couple EJ18 Imprezas and an EJ22 Outback but I think this car has me hooked on the EA81s. It's just what I've been looking for in a car, minus the 4wd of course.

Ain't no lie been spoken in this statement!!!

I'm REALLY digging the body color rims idea in this pic...

Yeah check under your steering wheel behind the plastic panel to see if there's a black box there. That would be the feedback computer if it's a feedback carb. You might be able to see a little red light blinking through a peephole... I can't exactly remember. But it does sound like you have a vacuum leak somewhere. Good luck finding that crap, you'll be better off pulling the carb off and learning everything you can about it and getting rid of the unnecessary plumbing. Owning an older Subaru with a carb myself, I can tell you life will be a whole lot easier if you put the time aside to learn everything you can about the carb because if it needs some work, more than likely you will have to do it yourself. Hint: There are better carbs you can upgrade to that are simpler in operation and SUPER easy to rebuild. Hint #2: The name of the particular brand I'm speaking of is also known for making cooking equipment, such as grills.

I've had a lot of issues getting the Weber in this car to run right, some of which have been completely unrelated to the Weber like the vacuum advance causing a massive air leak and some things that are related like the carb body being so worn the choke plate was getting stuck closed causing it to run terribly. All that is straightened out and I'm fixing the oil leaks one at a time. Slow and steady wins the race... it's proving to be a very reliable and VERY fun to drive car. Quickly becoming one of the best Subarus I've had so far. I'm totally hooked on the lack of a B pillar. Shows 256,000 on the odo, but the speedo stopped working a few years ago. I've probably put a total of 15,000 or so miles on it.

My EA81 coupe turned over 256,000 about 3 years ago, then the speedo cable broke. Who knows how many miles it has on it by now...

I'm not real picky about my wheeling capabilities. I don't make special trips just to get into tight spots on a trail. If it can get me to the top of the local mountain via a Jeep trail, it's good enough for me. I'd go with a 2014 Forester with X-mode, so yeah. I'd still stick with a Subie.

I had a '96 Outback with EJ22 5spd and King springs, and it did everything I wanted it too. I followed a lifted Jeep with 33s until he got stuck, and when I pulled him out I cruised right through the mud where he got stuck. Mind you he was in TWO WHEEL DRIVE the entire time. I wouldn't be able to go the places he could in four wheel drive. NO FREAKIN WAY. The approach and deproach angle he had were preposterous compared to my Outback. It was the first time I ever went wheeling with a legit rig, the other time I went wheeling was with a stock '88 Bronco with nearly bald mud tires. Had to pull him out a couple times too, but once again when it came to steep hills that low range and approach/deproach angles made the uneven stuff look easy. I wouldn't want a Subie to wheel, I felt bad treating my Outback that way. People loved to see it plowing mud and clawing up steep hills, but I'd rather beat on a Jeep. If money was no object, I would wheel THIS:

I'm really digging the look of that sedan Rust. I'm pretty broke so I think I might go with painting my current wheels silver or white and going with the chrome beauty rings. Can't decide between the dish center cap or smaller chrome ones with chrome lug nuts... might be something I'll have to swap back and forth between to decide.

Yeah that might be rare, but it's still not too desirable. If this were a 2 door EA81, which is probably just as rare (hell maybe not even as rare), you could make some money off of it. Or if it were a BRAT, then you'd really have a catch on your hands. But the least desirable turbo engine Subaru ever made, put in a Loyale? Rare doesn't mean squat at that point. However, I think it's worth a solid $2000 just because it's got the 4EAT and nearly no rust. I had a GL just like this one but with the nicer interior and bells and whistles and it was also turbo with the 4EAT. AWESOME car. Sold it for $700 cuz around here, Subarus aren't worth very much. You're up north, a rust-free/almost rust-free Subaru is worth more. Good luck with the sale!! Surely somebody on here will take interest.

EA82? Does well turning those big tires.

THAT looks REALLY good. I could live with that for sure!! I indeed think I'll go with white wagon wheels OR just paint my steelies white and go with chrome lug nuts, center cap and beauty rings. Thanks a ton for that picture, definitely confirms to me that THAT'S what I want.

Why thank you!!! If I can find a nice set of beauty rings I may go with that. I'm just not sure how the white will go with the tan color.

So the color goes well with black, but I think I'd only want to go black if I had tinted windows which I do not plan on doing. I really don't think white would look good, so maybe silver. BUT, I'd like to have a little more offset (wider track) and maybe move up to 14s. I can redrill the hubs so that's not an issue. I like the look of the center "plates" but I think they cover up too much of the wheel. Would like some nicer wheels that don't need a cover or beauty rings. So maybe you guys could photoshop some wheels on for me? Or maybe you've got pics of a similar car with different sets of wheels?

Wrecked my '96 with the infamous EEE JAY TWENTY-TWO at 250,000 miles. Never replaced a wheel bearing, or head gasket, or water pump, or oil pump, nothing major. Timing belt, hoses, a/c belt, oil changes, brake pads and diff/trans fluid. Car was ROCK solid, and the engine now resides in my sisters '96 Legacy that had a bad valve because she drove it on a miss too long (my fault, I told her it was fine to drive on a miss. I think the miss was a bad injector, but not sure). It is now pushing 280,000 and doesn't even burn oil.

The Forester comes with the FB25 (I guess that's the correct engine code?). The Imprezas are smaller and come with the 2.0. I'm not sure about the final drive on the CVT either but I would guess they would have given it a lower final drive for the bigger tires. I wouldn't see weight being an issue, I believe it's within 50lbs of the stock Impreza. Maybe it was just that particular car? Impreza had more miles, maybe the engine was better broken in? I would have thought they would have given it a different cam too for more low end torque considering what market it's aimed at but I doubt they'd bother with that.

Did you recently remove the rear driveline? It states in the title you're concerned about the 4wd binding, but if the rear driveline has been out the entire time then obviously that can't be an issue. And why would you have it in 4wd even if it can't engage it? And one last question, did you just remove a rear axle to disengage the rear end? I believe if you remove the driveshaft then you'll end up with trans grease and rear diff fluid everywhere so I'm wondering how you disengaged the rear end...

Correction, it doesn't have a chain. It has gears!!!

Ahah... I see. That is a problem....