ystrdyisgone Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 Hello everyone, I purchased my first subaru about a week ago.:cool: I got it from some kid who knew little to nothing about it. It's in decent shape, other than drinking about a quart of oil every 4 or 5 days. Rear diff was bone dry when I got it home, who knows how long it was driven that way :-\. There's also a mystery clunk/knocking in front drivetrain somewhere, sounds like c/v's but they look fine. So I've got a little work ahead of me. Looking closer at the engine, I noticed there is oil leaking from the oil pan gasket, drivers side head gasket and valve cover, and who knows where else.. So my question is, with no access to a real garage of any sort, is it worth it to try to reseal the current engine? Or I've found an early 80s pushrod style ea(81?) on CL for 200. I'm thinking about picking that up, rebuilding/resealing that one then renting an engine hoist when it's all ready to go. Any opinions here would be greatly appreciated. Plans for the car: I'd like to keep it as my daily driver(for now). So I'm going to start small, probably going to get the 2" lift from BOSS, 6-lug redrill swap, some bigger rims and tires. I would like to put an EJ22 into it at some point, just don't know if it is something that is within my abilities to do. I have read a lot about the swaps. Mechanically, I think I've got it, but electrical kinda scares me. Thanks guys Here she is cooling off at the top of our first trip into the woods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru_dude Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 You should definitely go with the EA81. No timing belts, easy swap, far less likely to crack the heads than the EA82 if it overheats. It's a little smaller so there will be more room in the engine bay to move around, and it's more work to reseal an EA82 because there's the cam tower between the head and the valve cover. EA82s are alright, but it would have made alot more sense if Subaru just dropped SPFI EA81s in every ea82 body instead of the ea82. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ystrdyisgone Posted August 31, 2012 Author Share Posted August 31, 2012 Thanks for the input. For the ea81 swap is there anything as far as the wiring goes that might give me some troubles? Also will I have to modify anything to make it fit my current 5spd D/R tranny? This info may be on the forum, and I plan on doing some more digging, but figured it wouldn't hurt to ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subruise Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 run a search, theres a bunch of good threads on it. if the search function here on usmb isnt good enough ( it hates me ) try using google and add usmb into the search field, itll hook ya up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ystrdyisgone Posted September 2, 2012 Author Share Posted September 2, 2012 Thanks subruise, I wasn't having much luck with the search on usmb. The google searching is working much better. I brought home this little beauty today. An EA81 I picked up for $150. It allegedly has 80000 miles, and was pulled out of a wrecked car a few years back. Look pretty clean to me. My original plan was to do a complete rebuild. But I am leery about splitting the case open. Is it worth checking the main bearings and cam with such low miles? Or do you guys think I will be fine just resealing all of the outer gaskets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flowmastered87GL Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Just reseal the gaskets, (unless you have reason to think it was severely abused) I have resealed engines with over 200K and never had an issue. If you can stick on a weber carb (not carter-weber) you can make the hooking up of the vacuum lines MUCH easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbosubarubrat Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 your going to need to rebuild the carb. if its been sitting 3 years, my 85 brat ea81 sat basicly 2 years without being driven much and the carb. went bad so it needs rebuilt because its dumping to much gas into the carb. causeing it not to pass deq:mad: and my motor and tranny both only have between 30-40 thousand on them (jap. imports) so your going to run into that problem maybe but if yours only has 80 thousand on it should be fine because they run to 200-300 thousand without any major repairs besides stuff needed along the way;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ystrdyisgone Posted September 2, 2012 Author Share Posted September 2, 2012 Alright, starting to take it apart tonight. Is it worth getting the heads planed/shaved while I have them off? Also, as far as the carb goes, there's a (32/36 dgev?) weber on my current ea82. I was planning on just swapping that over. Will that be a direct fit onto the ea81 intake mani? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tron Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 exciting times!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbosubarubrat Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 the carbs. bolt on in different patterns so you would need a adaptor plate or do something custom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bratman18 Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 The entire EA82 intake manifold will bolt right on the EA81. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru_dude Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Alright, starting to take it apart tonight. Is it worth getting the heads planed/shaved while I have them off? Also, as far as the carb goes, there's a (32/36 dgev?) weber on my current ea82. I was planning on just swapping that over. Will that be a direct fit onto the ea81 intake mani? Like he said ^ the intake in the car will bolt right onto the motor. I think you'll need to run extra wire to reach the disty too... and I honestly wouldn't even bother removing the heads. If it was an EA82 yeah, but that's really your own personal call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ystrdyisgone Posted September 3, 2012 Author Share Posted September 3, 2012 (edited) Well how about that.. haha this whole swap just got 5 times easier. Thanks guys. About the heads.. like I said earlier, I don't have access to a good shop, cherry picker, etc.. So my thought was just reseal as much as possible while the engine is out, so I won't have to pull it back out down the road when/if something goes. Logically it makes sense, but if you guys who know your ea81s say I don't have to, I am willing to listen to reason/experience. Edited September 3, 2012 by ystrdyisgone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru_dude Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 Well how about that.. haha this whole swap just got 5 times easier. Thanks guys. About the heads.. like I said earlier, I don't have access to a good shop, cherry picker, etc.. So my thought was just reseal as much as possible while the engine is out, so I won't have to pull it back out down the road when/if something goes. Logically it makes sense, but if you guys who know your ea81s say I don't have to, I am willing to listen to reason/experience. The only reason the headgaskets would ever go is if it gets overheated and warps them. If your cooling system is up to snuff (NEW water pump, new Subaru thermostat, new heater hoses, new radiator hoses, new whatever other coolant hoses I'm forgetting), then the original headgaskets would be fine. Definitely seal the valve covers and oil pump while it's out though. Rear main may be alright, but that's a fairly cheap seal. Might wanna do it anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ystrdyisgone Posted September 4, 2012 Author Share Posted September 4, 2012 (edited) So I took the heads off tonight, there was some oil residue on the block around the head gaskets. So I went for it. Gaskets are fine, but there was obviously some sort of leakage going on. The oil pump... is so damn stuck on there... I hit it with some PB blaster, hopefully that will do the trick. If the engine does indeed have only 80000 miles, should I still be getting a new water pump, and maybe a new oil pump? The rear main seal: The engine currently has bellhousing, flywheel and clutch still attached. I'm guessing I would have to remove all of these to get at the rear main? edit-ignore last question.. did some reading Edited September 4, 2012 by ystrdyisgone nooob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subruise Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 yes get new pumps, its been sitting so at least reseal them. i dunno how to deconstruct a water pump yet tho. new ones are cheap security Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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