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Rebuild carb, weber, or other?


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1981 GL wagon with an EA81 engine and the original hitachi carb in it. I definitely have some leaks throughout the carb and am having consistent issues because of it. None are significant yet, but I want to take care of it before it gets bad. I need to do something about it, but I'm not sure what route to take. Should I try to rebuild the carb, or just replace it, and if I replace it, what should I replace it with? A weber or a 3rd party carb from national carburetors or something like that. I don't have experience doing any of these things, but I feel like I can figure it out and I'm wondering what the best option would be with both $ and time in mind.

 

Basically, what is the least of a pain in the rump roast to do myself and wouldn't cost too much, but would ensure that the car runs properly in terms of the carb for a long time?

 

Thanks!

 

 

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If it helps, I did not say rump roast. The system corrected it for me. I have never/will never use "rump roast" in the place of butt in a sentence. Would love some help on this, if nothing more than the "look two posts down for the same question dummy" that I feel like I deserve for this post.

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IF you have little/no experience with carbs, I would recommend that you play around with more simple carbs before attempting to rebuild the hitachi.   Hitachis are devilishly complicated (they get easier the more you take them apart, but the first time you take it apart you are going to be like: what the h***??) and are very sensitive. The optimal thing to do for your engine would be a Weber 32/36 carb and adapter plate. I see them regularly for about $300. You may be able to find one at reduced price or used for cheaper, but that seems to be the average that I have seen them at.They are spendy, but from what I hear, WELL worth it.  I have no experiance with them, but im sure the weber swap has been covered a bazillion times here on the forums. If you want to try to rebuild your hitachi, wait a few days. Im gonna be doing a little "documentary" and DIY video for how to rebuild hitachis as well as diagnose common Hitachi probs. I just need a few days to get it filmed & edited. 

Edited by Sapper 157
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Now that you say that I'm leaning more towards the $300 "optimal thing for my engine" option. $300 seems a small price to pay to get this growing problem out of the way without pulling my hair out over the  "what the f@$& are all these pieces and where do they go?!" scenario that I've seen many times on this site. Although I won't be doing any of this til at least next week so I'd really like to see the diy video when you're finished with it. Send me the link if you wouldn't mind when its done. Maybe I'll change my mind and have a go at rebuilding the hitachi and saving a few bucks.

 

I'm assuming the adapter plate is included with the carb if you buy off weber directly? Thanks for the input.

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rump roast, haha had to try it. I was totally wondering why everyone here was so lame! Now I know.

 

Ive rebuilt a couple hitachis, Now I have a rule: if the car runs good I keep it, if it doesnt I throw the hitachi away and go SPFI. Check your throttle shafts for play if you have any its garbage. The weber is better in some ways and for the cost of a rebuilt hitachi its a much better value. Buy the kit and dont waiste your time with the holley 52XX or any used crap on Ebay. Trus me. Even pro rebuilt carbs are often nothing but problems.

Doesnt USMB have weber kits for sale? No matter they are widely available.

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Get a used weber 32/36. I picked up 2 for $40 and only had to swap out some jets. Same thing with another set two for $180, one was brand new and the other was used. You can buy the jet kits from a auto parts store or ebay for around $60. I picked out one on ebay that had 17 different jets because i'm putting them on ea81's and ej22's and need the selection.

Edited by turbosubarubrat
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Doesnt USMB have weber kits for sale? No matter they are widely available.

Yes. http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/store/product/55-redline-weber-3236-carb-upgrade-kit-dgev-electric-choke-ea81-or-ea71-pn-k730/

 

If you're gonna buy new, buy it from here. As Turbo Subaru Brat stated, you can find them cheaper used. But is would seem ihscout54 would disagree about buying used. I see a potential forum war in our future...  :popcorn:  :popcorn:  :popcorn:

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No wars, my post is 100% opinion based due to my personal experiances and my current situation. I have not been as lucky as turbobrat, IIRC he is the weber swap guru here and posts info and pics on the subject regularly. I dont do alot of webers. The few "rebuildable" cores Ive gotten off ebay (motorcraft 2150s) were a joke. Throttle shaft surfaces toast jets stripped or missing, and stripped screws. Granted they were like 10 bux shipped. If the O.P. Wants to get his car on the road then buying new will save alot of time and energy.

My life has changed alot with a young child, plus a daughter (my wife), full time job and side jobs. I have a different view on things now. My time is so limited and I have a million projects. Saving 120 bux by scanning and bidding on ebay just to have to do the same scanning and bidding for a rebuild kit is almost a waist. "Oh I need different jets and oh wait the adaptor I just got in the mail (ive been waiting 2 weeks for) is for an EA82"....

Ive spent alot of time trying to find a way around the hitachi carbs on these cars and only 2 things have actually worked. SPFI swap and a new webber kit.

Of corse every ones situation is different, the O.P. might be short on cash and have lots of time.

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No wars, my post is 100% opinion based due to my personal experiances and my current situation. I have not been as lucky as turbobrat, IIRC he is the weber swap guru here and posts info and pics on the subject regularly. I dont do alot of webers. The few "rebuildable" cores Ive gotten off ebay (motorcraft 2150s) were a joke. Throttle shaft surfaces toast jets stripped or missing, and stripped screws. Granted they were like 10 bux shipped. If the O.P. Wants to get his car on the road then buying new will save alot of time and energy.

My life has changed alot with a young child, plus a daughter (my wife), full time job and side jobs. I have a different view on things now. My time is so limited and I have a million projects. Saving 120 bux by scanning and bidding on ebay just to have to do the same scanning and bidding for a rebuild kit is almost a waist. "Oh I need different jets and oh wait the adaptor I just got in the mail (ive been waiting 2 weeks for) is for an EA82"....

Ive spent alot of time trying to find a way around the hitachi carbs on these cars and only 2 things have actually worked. SPFI swap and a new webber kit.

Of corse every ones situation is different, the O.P. might be short on cash and have lots of time.

More time than money is right being in high school. I just build my own adapters out of steel at home or if i have time at school i could probably make one on a bigger mill. I've been thinking about buying a tig welder or a spool gun for my mig so i would be able to weld aluminum.

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Thanks for the input everyone. I'm gonna go with buying the weber new to give myself a little piece of mind cause you never know what youre going to get used and I dont feel like I have the experience to troubleshoot a million problems if something goes wrong. I have plenty of time right now, and $300 isnt that much to pay knowing its gonna work better/be easier to work with. I'm all about saving time and energy and I can relate with not wanting to deal with the "scanning and bidding" and "Oh I need different jets and oh wait the adaptor I just got in the mail is..." that ihscout54 talks about. We'll see how it goes.

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Might want to check on the jetting and resurch befor you buy. Often carbs dont work as a bolt on and go mod. As you probably know jetting will vary according to engine condition and altitude. I seem to recall only needing to change the idle jet on mine. There are tons of posts with pics on the weber install. Once installed you will be pleased wirh the results.

Edited by ihscout54
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Get a used weber 32/36. I picked up 2 for $40 and only had to swap out some jets. Same thing with another set two for $180, one was brand new and the other was used. You can buy the jet kits from a auto parts store or ebay for around $60. I picked out one on ebay that had 17 different jets because i'm putting them on ea81's and ej22's and need the selection.

 

You don't happen to have a good one and an adapter plate that you'd want to sell, do you? If there's a reasonably plug-and-play option I think I may rather do that than try to rebuild the Hitachi.

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be cautious with weber conversions, check your local emissions laws.  they are not legal in many states/cities/areas.  I have a couple of them and run them happily, but I dont have to emission my rig at all. 

 

as long as your hitachi throttle shafts are tight and good then the carb is rebuildable.  if the shaft has too much play then its largely junk. 

 

+1 on loving the weber, just make sure you can license your car afterword.

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There is a visual inspection befor the sniffer gets slipped in. They are looking at like gas cap condition, complete/correct underhood systems, vacuum routing, CEL function etc. They dont turn screws, so fooling them by using a factory air cleaner and leaving all doodads intact will allow it too pass their quick once over. They probably have software with generic specs and vacuum diagrams that tell them what to look for. It will depend on the inspector, how busy he is or how much he cares. Perhaps how strict his regulations are. Since I havent had to pass one in 10 years, my advice may be obsolete.

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All the deq's i've gone to only put the tester in the pipe and look for a cat. Webers are legal in oregon. They start asking questions when you go through deq with a 4 cylinder toyota pickup thats lifted with a chevy 350 and no cats. My friend did that and it got red flagged. If worst comes to worst you can always transfer the plates off your other car onto it for $6 at DMV. The tags and registration goes with the plates so when ever the tags expire thats how long your good to go if your vehicle can't pass deq.

Edited by turbosubarubrat
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Wait, so I could transfer plates from my newer car, and then just put it through DEQ to get new plates for it? That's a good loophole to know about. 

 

So if Webers are legal in Oregon, I'll repost my original question: any chance you have a working spare that you want to sell?  :)

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Wait, so I could transfer plates from my newer car, and then just put it through DEQ to get new plates for it? That's a good loophole to know about. 

 

So if Webers are legal in Oregon, I'll repost my original question: any chance you have a working spare that you want to sell?  :)

Yes you can transfer the plates off your newer car and put them on the wagon. If you only have two cars i would run your newer car through deq first to get the pass slip to bring into dmv. I don't have any extra's besides a 32/32 needing parts and a 38/38 with jets for 2.6 motor. I haven't bought a adapter since i just make my own on a milling machine.

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