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81 Brat got the Weber blues


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   OK I'll keep this simple as I can. I got a long overdue vacation, so we go home. My Brat was looking sad with foot tall weeds all around her, i drug it up the the garage, and threw a charger on the battery and a couple gallons of fresh gas in the tank. pulled the plugs and gave a few squirts of marvel mystery oil in cylinders. 30 minutes bumped the starter and fired right up yea, I'm thinking quick oil change and air the tires and off to the woods we go with a cooler of beer and a tent. Well the Brat decided a tantrum was in order as soon as I bumped the skinny pedal of high idle she died. I've been fighting this dang cr*ptachi carb for ever. SOOOO change fuel filters, pull carb clean the snot out and re-installed,  pull, clean, repeat. Now she won't start at all! Later that night in a whiskey bent rage pulled carby and threw it over my fence, got on flea-bay and ordered a Weber (this part was a blur to be honest) it arrived red label express to my house much to my surprise and the not so happy look on the misses face. Note to self: never order parts while 3.5 sheets to the wind! The shipping was pricey to say the least. But on with the drama, I was out the door to do the transplant. Neighbor stopped by to see if I needed/wanted the carb I threw in his yard. I meant to throw it over the south fence into the abyss of weeds never to be seen again. I told him to throw it in the scrap pile for me, as I didn't want to taint myself with touching it again.        

   Swap went easy as pie (so I was thinking) plugging off now un-needed vac lines and such. well the moment off truth start up.  Started, ran like a hit and miss engine . OK checked and adjusted timing, and vacuum leaks, ect.  Now I notice she is running hot not pegged but 3/4 up there grabbed the hose and cool the radiator to get temp down shut her off. What now I'm thinking! My wife brings me out a Michelada and a sandwich, she is a very forgiving woman. Back to Brat opened the radiator cap and low water. Great head gasket my brain screams (that's how I got her from PO with blown gaskets) My uncle stopped over, he has been a subie addict since they started importing them (he is 80 and you should see his mint hatch) asked if I got a good seal on the manifold gasket? Umm yea, well maybe< I pull off the carb and look at the gasket it looked like it sealed put it back together and started her up. Here is where you think all is good right, no. running even rougher I'm pulling plug wires one at a time to see where the dead cylinders are. 2 and 4 and suddenly noticed I'm i a cloud of steam from the exhaust. Light bulb, no seal on manifold. Shut her down walked away in disgust, ended up hanging out with my uncle and a bottle of Wisers. 

   Over the next couple of days tried to get a good seal on manifold but, no. I looked at my order and it said EA81 adapter. I have read "the Weber thread" and searched. Do I need a EA82 manifold? What is a good fix to delete the open water jacket? Does it still need to circulate through? Or can I fill it with epoxy? I didn't want to go through the expense of Tig welding, and machine work but what ever. 

   Vacation over running all over  the country now, but starting a new project in LA, unfortunately not Lower Alabama but the other one. I am going to tow Brat down there with me so I can keep wrenching and hopefully drive her again. Sorry no current photos phone took a dump and deleted all. Thanks for the venue to vent, and ask questions, and the support of this community to keep these awesome sometimes un-cooperating vehicles alive.  

   

 

 

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Don't need the Ea82 mani. I filled mine in with JB weld. Works fine. You do have the adapter plate?

Thanks for the reply jonas Yes I have the adapter plate. Checked the flatness of the manifold, its Good. JB weld, I was worried the fluid still needed to flow from side to side.

Thanks I've read it EA82 It is a little different, but good information here. I still wasn't able to get shellack to work and asked if I had to go to the pains of tig welding this thing up. Loyale did an amazing job documenting his. Thanks for that. 

I drilled and tapped that water port for a pipe plug, then used a 2 part epoxy over that. So far, so good.

Great idea spazomatic this will be my next attempt at a fix. This will let the water still flow in the right locations , I hope? I am going to go home in a few weeks to gather my family Brat included to come back to LA I have the next year to work on it. I will post photos and update this thread. 

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Update. I drilled and tapped the water jacket pipe plug with two part epoxy I am not getting a drop of water through there anymore. So upon further searching 2 and 4 head gasket is leaking. I must have did something wrong when I changed them its been 3 years with no trouble. So enough crying, I got a motor from mcgarvey2001 Cool guy by the way. Motor cleaned and ready to swap I will rebuild my stock one in due time. Getting ready to go south for the winter so I will post pics when I can. 

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Some types of Head Gaskets, needs the Heads to be Retorqued after certain amount of Miles...

 

Maybe you forgot to do that...

 

Kind Regards.

You are probably right I drove it about 1000 miles and she sat all last winter. So plan b I pulled the motor yesterday and she now has a transplant. I have to get oil and antifreeze and a few odds and ends that will have to wait till we get to Cali my wife is towing her with the Baja ill get pics when we are traveling.

cleanup

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pull the motor Idaho style my accomplice Uncle Lyle

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took a break and went fishing Steelhead

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Levi shows up everyone with a 30 inch native

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90% done 

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