1992 Japanese Imported Subaru WRX

[Snazzyjoe]

I live in the UK at the moment and I've just recently purchased a used 1992 production year Impreza WRX. It is a japanese imported vehicle, which I believe is the only way I could have a '92 WRX model of the Impreza. The only thing I can see that have been done to the car so far are what the previous owner/s installed, I can see a front strut/sway bar, and a stainless steel exhaust, probably about 2 to 2.5 inches in diameter almost all the way up to the motor. The vehicle has an EJ20 motor installed, I believe it is stock from the factory like that, from the small amout of research I've been able to do. I'm trying to figure out if I can buy a workshop manual, like a Hayne's manual for it, but so far have been unsuccessful. I figure I will probably have to get one from a japanese website but as of yet, I've simply just had no luck.

I've only noticed one major difficulty with the car besides the fact that my boost meter is in kg/cm2. When driving in higher gears at higher RPM's, say 3rd and 4th gear, arroooound 4.5 to 5.5k rpm, it seems like the entire car begins to shake and lose power. Now, I don't really know a great deal about cars, but if I had to say something, it almost feels like when the turbo is kicking in, it feels like a valve is fluttering open and closed. I've asked around at my place of work from a co-worker who's pretty car-savvy and he says it could be a leaking vacuum tube from the turbo or maybe it's the fuel I'm using, but I'm using 94 octane gasoline, so I don't think that's the problem. Anyone have any ideas?

[Hudson]

Originally Posted by Snazzyjoe

I live in the UK at the moment and I've just recently purchased a used 1992 production year Impreza WRX.

Production of the WRX started so late in 1992 (November, I believe) that they are 1993 model year vehicles. You may get more information asking about a "1993 WRX."

[Snazzyjoe]

That would probably help out, lol, I had just noticed that almost every site I looked at the earliest year of the WRX I saw was '93. This is probably why, but I was told by a jap-import dealer that the way to always tell a production year of any japanese spec vehicle is to look at the seatbelt, since there will be a little patch sewn on with the actually year built. But, your post doesn't help me out with my problem ^^ haha, if anyone else has any information to offer it would be greatly appreciated

[Snazzyjoe]

Also, can anyone tell me how to post up a few pics of my car? Or happen to know a site or dealer I could find a new spoiler brake light assembly LED or otherwise?

[Snazzyjoe]

Here we go, I figured out the photos(I hope)

[freakray]

Hudson is 100% correct, the first WRX was officially a 1993 model.

As for a Haynes type manual for the WRX, there isn't one.

[Snazzyjoe]

Hmm, well, I've been scanning through the forums and noticed you seem to know alot about the cars. Do you know what my problem might be? I saw a similar post to mine about the car feeling like it's shutting off or losing power or just kinda shaking like it's losing power in higher RPM's. I'm pretty sure it's not the fuel level, or possibly a fuel pump problem, I'm not sure. At the moment, my fuel guage doesn't work at all so I need to decide wether or not it's a problem with the gauge or the sensor in the fuel tank. I don't think it's a low fuel level though, as I've noticed it either right after filling up or otherwise. Excluding the high rpm power problem the car drives perfectly fine.

It sucks that there's no manual for the car, I want to try and teach myself how to work on the car, I really have no idea where to start. I want to replace the exhaust that the previous owner installed maybe do some other more intricate stuff. I've seen that replacing the intake would be basically a waste of time except for cosmetic purposes. A rear sway bar would be feasible in the near future, but for now it's mostly a daily driver. I jsut really want to figure out the shuddering problem. Have any tips? Or should I just have the vehicle fully inspected by a mechanic(which I'm honestly trying to avoid if possible as the place nearest charges an arm and a leg)

[lamehonda]

how violent of a shake are we talking about? have you tried the nasioc forums?

[Snazzyjoe]

Well, it depends, as I'm accelerating the shake is noticeable but not crazy, and then as I reach higher RPM's in the 5-6k range it almost feels like a complete cut in power for a split second before it comes back. I was checking nasioc forums as well and I saw something that might relate, as in the starter coil conversion sticky at the top of the pre-2002 factory turbo forum. I am in no way automobile mechanically inclined though. I'm actually a jet-engine mechanic, so if you find me a manual or something, get me a step-by-step and i'll fix it no problem if i can find the parts.

Sucky thing is I've just found a new problem with the vehicle as well, I have a pretty bad power-steering fluid leak in the engine bay, can actually see it squirting out of the fluid container when the car is on and the wheel is being turned, I just filled it up yesterday after noticing, and just had to fill it up again about 20 minutes ago. Sucks too because it's spraying onto the block so whenever I go any distance that allows the engine to heat up the bay starts to smoke from the burning fluid.

[lamehonda]

Looks like you might have to bite the bullet and take it to the mechanic. The best thing to do is diagnose the problem ahead of time and tell them EXACTLY what you want them to do. is the leak coming from the PS resevoir itself? that should be an easy fix. I love your car BTW.

[Snazzyjoe]

lol thx, and yea, it does look like it's coming from directly below the reservoir, i hope it's not like an entire line replacement that would be more expensive =/

I love the GC8, when I moved to england I made my mind that I'd have one before I left here lol, and I found a cheap one for like 2000 lbs (bout 4000 bucks) it was like 200 miles away but I leapt at it lol. And for 4000 bucks I didn't expect it to be perfect, but I love it my first subaru ^^

[Jay!]

The original motor in your car (which you can confirm by the VIN plate on the left front strut tower, and also a sticker on the lower edge of the timing belt cover, if it's still there) is engine code EJ20G. It will help you to know that as you troubleshoot with NASIOC info.

Since the UK got both UKDM turbo Imprezas as well as JDM Imprezas, I'd imagine a great place for you to source OEM parts would be local dismantlers.

[lamehonda]

I read the thread on NASIOC about the coil. I wish you the best of luck cuz all of those wiring diagrams are way over my head.

keep us posted. You never know when someone who actually knows something might stumble upon this thread.

BTW are you serious about that exchange rate? Nobody wants our crappy dollars anymore.

[Snazzyjoe]

Yea the exchange rate is rediculous. At the moment it's like 2.08 dollars to the pound. When i bought the car it was like 1.97 but still. And yea, I did talk to a couple people on NASIOC and I was actually referred again over to Scoobynet since I think that's actually a UK scoob owner's site. If I'm able to locate a place where I can steal some of the newer coils, then maybe I can find a tv repair shop or something to help me with the soldering, I've never done that kidn of thing before. Or if I'm lucky, maybe the local repair place will do the whole thing for me if I print them up the write up he made about the coils. Who knows.

But yea, I found my engine code as the EJ20G and made sure to go to the pre-2002 factory turbo forum page over at NASIOC. I almost couldn't find that code though, haha, all the data plates on the engine block are in japanese lol. If y'all want though I can try to take a picture of the engine bay if anyone thinks they can help me out with the kinds of things I should remove and not remove to get to my ignition coils, I can actually see two of them, but the two on the battery side are lost to me XD I'm a pretty big noob when it comes to cars

[Snazzyjoe]

It may be a few weeks until I can do the coil conversion, but if people are interested I will post my results after I get it done