mandelbrotx

I'm just finishing up on my 05 forester's head job from a broken tooth idler (Also took out the belt and passenger side cam sprocket) . I got lucky and only bent the driver's side exhaust valves (yes, I check the rest of them). Your heads are probably fine, just need to get them machined and new valve guides in. Get an entire new kit for timing stuff, Head kit and head bolts. I found a few videos on youtube on how to do the entire job without pulling the engine and it seems to have worked out fine.

Good to know. The boots are still good, so I'll just pop it back in with some new goo, because. I plan on grabbing a salvage from Denver this spring or summer and doing a transplant so I can have a dual range 5 speed. Seems like a lot less headache to do a reshell than swap my auto for a manual.

Would you believe the boot is in still supple and free of cracks after 170k? I was shocked too.

I needed to replace my ball joints and tie rod ends, and decided that while I was there, I would do brakes and struts. I pulled the calipers, removed the tie rod from the spindle, removed the strut, and popped the ball joint from the control arm. I went to turn the spindle over to pull the old ball joint out and the entire axle pulled out from the inner cv leaving the female end of the axle on the dif and the boot on the axle. Is this normal?

I remember reading something a while back that you can pull your front axles and run it in 4wd. Is this true? I would rather just replace them, but I don't have the cash on hand to do that right now.

The factory carb on gen one brats are trash. If its not working you should get a weber. Here's one link

My 79 uses 170/70 r 13, and seems like I my speedo is accurate, however the trip counter is WAY off, if I drive around the block it says I've gone a mile. About the turning full left. I've noticed on my brat there is a mar on the wheel assembly that seems like it was made by the bolts that hold it to the cross member. I see it more on the left side than the right, but if I hard lock to the left I hear a pop when the bolts push under. About the fuel gauge, I don't trust mine at all. I filled the tank the other day (10.5 gal, and I was running on fumes) and when I started up it said I had 3/4 of a tank. every time I start it up it reads something different, however it seems like mine is always under what is in the tank.

I have a spare glove box strap and tan glove box door if you are interested.

did you get it figured out? if not I can go take some pictures of my 79. No dash right now.

Got it up again, the issue was a loose autochoke wire that shorted out a fuse I couldn't see last night killing the ignition. messing with my dizzy I put it in and was off a tooth, making it ping like crazy. Sounded like a bent valve, but a quick tooth pick in #1 and found out the marks on my flywheel are off about 15 Degrees. Ugly runs like a champ again. Thanks for all the advise and offers of help, but this time it was user error. A lesson I won't soon forget.

No, still in the same spot. Thanks for the offer, but I've got another rig to tow it in the morning.

Thanks for the quick responses all. I'm going to see if I can find a new dizzy tomorrow. Is there someway I can test my ignition box with a multi tool?

no air filter atm, can't find the gasket for it. I just pulled the dizzy due to no spark on my plug when I tested for fire. anything I should be looking for?

All I did was put it in second and give it gas, I do know I'm getting fuel to the float, air isn't an issue and I think I'm getting fire because it started when I popped the clutch, but I don't know how much. I checked all my plug wires and cap and rotor, all I can think of is a stripped dizzy, but then why would it start when I popped the clutch?

A few minutes ago I was taking the brat for a quick test drive, I turned to go up a hill and heard a small 'clunk' and the engine died. I attempted to restart it and it would turn over, but would not start. I managed to get it turned around and headed downhill and popped the clutch and it started and I put it into nutral, I had to keep pumping the gas to keep it going but it was very weak, as I got to the end of the hill and it stopped rolling it died. It is parked in a 2minute zone and I really need to know what broke so I can get it out without getting towed.