thealleyboy

Hey Guys: I'm putting a new one on the road, and the alternator guage is showing inconsistant readings... The battery is known good, and the car hasn't failed to fire up yet. However (assuming that the guage is correct), the alternator is charging intermittantly; sometimes dead zero, and other times normal. Had Autozone test it, and they seem to think that the alternator is kicking out too much juice. Makes sense - except for the intermittant "normal" output. Swapping a different alt is no biggie, but this is still bugging me. I suspect a bad diode - yet the intermittant behavior isn't making any sense to me. Any theories?? thanks, John

Good commentary above... I've seen also seen these kinds of symptoms with a siezed tesioner/pully system. Need to get those covers off to diagnose this possibility, however. You should try to rule out the other causes first. good luck, John

I'd be curious to know how much backpressure was "engineered" into the design. I'm assuming that this was kept at the absolute minimum. Keep in mind that these motors were used in a variety of applications - including aviation. I doubt that Fuji intended for a lot of restriction at high altitudes. Probably to opposite... If anyone knows for certain, please share John

Mechanially, with the motor as a stand-alone component, the exhaust system is nothing more than an "add-on". However, for a number of reasons (including psychological) quieting things down a bit will give you more confidence as a driver when you really get on it. Excessive noise will discourage you from pushing the car to it's limit. You'll hold back even when there's no mechanical reason to do so. Theres a trade-off here, so you should be mindful of where you drive, and the kind of attention you are likely to attract. If you drive in a populous area you'll want a muffler for the simple fact that a loud car will get some unwelcome looks. Clueless cops thrive on this kind of nonsense. Simple rule of thumb in life: You don't want to open up a can of worms when you don't have to... good luck, John

As mentioned above, the only "correct" method is to remove the intake manifold. I wouldn't get too ambitious about getting the PCV out as it sits, as this is where you can cause additional damage in a hurry. Forget drilling or obliterating the old one. However, penetrant and heat might be worth a shot. The idea is to get the area surrounding the valve nice and hot - then soak it with PB or WD to unseize it from the opening. Then, if you can find a way to get some "bite" on the valve, you might be able to twist it out. You might be able to notch the inside edge enough to get a flat head screw driver or thin chisel on it. Good Luck, John

When I started getting into the EA82 series a few years back, people were making the same kinds of complaints about them: "OHC blow more head gaskets than OHV", "EA82's are unreliable P's-O-S", etc. Now as back then, it's all a matter of perpsective. The new gens are technically superior to the older models, but they have their "achilles heels" - just like any other make. The new gens are earlier in their life cycle, so any repairs & maintenance are going to seem a lot more serious and expensive compared to a well maintained EA82 on it's 3rd timing belt. The perception is that the older ones are more reliable, but in reality it's the maintenance that makes a car reliable. Also, the older models will appeal more to cheapskate derelicts who do their own work (and are less likely to get ripped off). It's easy to come to the conclusion that the new ones are lemons if you know nothing about them, and have to pay to have everything professionally done. Someday the Outbacks and Forresters will filter down to the bottom feeders, and all will be good again... John

I would just bypass the pulsator with a section of rubber hose. I have eliminated them before without adverse effects. If too much fuel gets pumped to the intake, it'll just be returned to the tank anyway. You might be able to vise grip the hose somewhere before the pulsator to slow down fuel leakage. If nothing else, get some cat litter on the ground to make the gas less flammable. good luck John

If I were you, I would rubber cap it at the tank until you can figure this all out. You may need a hose clamp too to keep the leakage of fuel at a minimum. What you are dealing with is very dangerous!! Trying to fab something on-the-spot, with gas dripping all around is a serious accident waiting to happen. Don't mess with it until you get the leak under control!! As far as a premanent fix, I would start with new hose & clamps at the tank, and work your way forward with fliter, pump etc until you can splice into solid metal fuel line. You do not have to use the original configuration- especially if it means spending $200+ for an OEM pump. You could pick up a universal-type aftermarket pump for under $50 that'll work fine, and I don't believe the fuel pressure damper is necessarily required on a non-OEM setup. Personally, I like to go with a custom setup anytime I have to mess around in that area of the car. The OEM pumps, mounting hardware and lines are prone to corrosion, so re-configuring the pump/filter/lines with low-cost components makes a lot of sense (IMO). Good luck, John

Leaks in that area can be kinda tricky to track down. The h20 pump and bypass hose are a couple of possibilities, but I wouldn't even think of replacing those unless you are 100% certain. The most thourough way to deal with leaks (IMO) is to start with a degreased engine. If you have never done this before, it is well worth the effort. You'll want to remove all splash pans, skid plate, etc for the intial cleaning at least. 2-3 cans of engine brite, a BBQ brush, and pressurized water will get the job done. Once your motor is cleaned up, you'll be able to track down the coolant leak - and probably some other leaks you didn't want to know about. The dies are helpful, but a clean engine bay is one of the best troubleshooting tools you can ever have in staying on top of problems that crop up under the hood. good luck, John

Jim: If you have an extra pipe that's off the car, you could take it in to a machine shop and grind that surface down perfectly smooth. Then, you can just have the exhaust shop swap those pipes out. I'm wondering though, if maybe you might have some warpage on the head itself. It would have to be pretty serious, as the gasket usually seals any slight irregularities. The exhaust guy should be able to tell (after he drops the pipe) by laying a straight edge across the ports. good luck, John

Another way to route that air filter is through the sidewall, and into the cavity under the fender. Iluvdrt and I fabbed that setup on his 86 turbo wagon when the filter wouldnt fit in the usual spot. Not nearly as difficult as you might think. We used a round hole saw to make a nice opening that looks completely stock. Turned out great, and she breathes a lot better according to Jason. There is also a removable splash guard under there that makes filter replacement very easy. Might be worth considering if you want the engine bay less cramped. good luck, John

My bad, NW...sorry TRX, your car sux!! Seriously, that car is the cream of the crop as far as EA82's go. Fuji threw everything off the shelf at that model. You are fortunate to have landed one that is largely intact, and I would be selective about altering it too drastically. It may be a collectable car in the very near future, as they are becoming quite rare. You might want to check with Soobscript (Ed) here in C-Bus. He did a complete teardown/rebuild on his 88 RX within the last half a year or so. I believe he was able to find some HP goodies for his rebuild, along with custom machine work. A true shame that the car was wrecked before he had a chance to enjoy all the hard work he put into it. good luck, John

Before you start sinking a lot of cash into modifications, you might want to check into the emissions standards in your area. Some of the obvious improvements you may want to attempt won't pass an E-inspection. As is the case with all EA82T's, squeezing a significant amount of HP's out of that motor will be difficult and expensive. As for as the stock setup, yours is one of the better models in the EA82 series. After giving it a good going over, you may decide you can live with the level of performance already there. XT's are light and aerodynamic and even simple stuff like upgraded ignition and tires will give the car a sportier feel. Easy to get pumped up about a car like that, but try to take it one step at a time... good luck, John

Dude has been on this Board less than a month and his mailbox is already full??? Geez, and I thought I was having trouble keeping up on my email When the derelicts come out of the woodwork to sell you stuff, it's a good sign John

Yeah, unfortunately regular mag lugnots won't work. I had a very bad experience as a result of using the wrong ones. Lost a front wheel at high speed and screwed up my front end. Don't even think of running those without OEMs. As far as sourceing them, used is your best bet - if you can find them. In my part of the country, Peugeots have been scarce for many years. In fact, a Peugeot-only mechanic in town could only get brand new OEM's from France. I was lucky to get a set from a Board member. If the sources above fall thru, try the buy-sell board. Like everything else, the guys out west have a lot more of this kinda stuff laying around. good luck, John

Good point. And remember, you can still incorporate this safety feature even if you choose to bypass the OEM wiring. John

I've done a couple of retrofits at the regular location (near gas tank), using round universal aftermarket pumps, and large conduit straps. Worked great!! I see no advantage in sticking with the OEM setup - especially if the original mounting plate is all corroded. I like the fact that the wiring, filter, and the rust-prone sections of the fuel lines are all in the same area making a custom setup easy . If you position it just right, it's pretty much inline from the tank to fuel lines, keeping the fuel pressure steady and strong. However, if your wiring is bad and you don't want to fool with troubleshooting it, relocating the pump against the firewall would make sense. You could configure the fuel circuit a number of ways at this location. The only downside I can think of is that the pump may not be as efficient so far away from the tank. I would probably keep a filter at the tank, and maybe add a second one in the engine bay. good luck, John

Miles: If you dont get situated any sooner, I do have those EA82 cores outside the garage under tarps. I'm sure there's enough there, and in my gasket box, to piece something together. Long way from VA to C-Bus though... Send me a PM if you need Ed's contact info, or if you want to stop by on your return trip. Good luck, John

Dragon: I've always thought Advance was the best of the discount suppliers as far as overall quality. I've bought stuff there with brands like "Midas" stamped on the box, and plenty of the high quality Japanese OEM parts for the same prices that the others charge for inferior Hong Kong goods. Being in logistics, is there any advice you can share on cutting thru the crap, and getting to the cream of the crop? Are there certain Advance warehouses that get more of the good OEM overstock parts? I mentioned a couple above that I have had good luck with. John

One of the things I like about Advance, is that their screw ups sometimes work to our advantage. For example, if you order a "rebuilt" 25 spline axle for a late 80's Turbo A/T model, they'll send brand new OEM type for same $69.99 price!! Not sure if this is the case all over the country, but I've gotten several in this area. For those in the midwest, ask that they order from the "Jeffersonville, OH", or "Buffalo NY" warehouse. I agree that you have to take the reigns anytime you deal with these types of places. The more you know about variations in models the better. The "Loyale" applications in their database replaced those of the older models, so selecting the Loyale part #'s are usually (but not always) a good bet for the more common stuff. John

Yes, if you are careful, you can intsall the new tie rod end in the exact same spot, and avoid the alignment. However, if you have trouble getting it apart, it's easy to lose track of "how many turns", or scuff up your markings. Then it becomes a crapshoot. But truthfully, the alignment is not overly critical - as long as it's in the ballpark. The tip on keeping spare rebuilt hubs is a good one. I started doing this after a long string of broken bolts, and other mishaps that always seem to slow down front end work. I actually press the axle (along with the bearing) and swap in the whole assembly. good luck, John

I don't think you'd want to go used on tie rod ends. It would be hard to find a used one with a good boot, and unfortunately, the boots are hard to find seperately. You could actually do those without a lot of dissasmbly. the hardest part is breaking up the nut and tie rod. Also, when you put it back together your alignment will likely be off (you'll need to take it to an alignment shop). That's why I usually do a good go-over whenever I'm doing front end work. The overall cost is lowest when you do everything in one shot. good luck, John

You might want to consider doing some other front end work while you have things apart. If the TR is damaged, it is possible that other parts are also damaged/worn out. If you haven't done brakes, bearings etc in a long while, here's a good opportunity. As far as difficulty, the more you tear into it, the easier it is to service each component. Of course, you'll have more overall time in an extensive front-end teardown. Also, unexpected mishaps like broken bolts may slow things down. Your decision should be based on how long you intend to keep the car. A little more time and effort now for preventative maintenance will pay dividends in the long run. This is labor-intensive work, and the parts are not overly expensive. If you can swing it, do the work and be done with it for 60k or more. good luck, John

This is a good point. Nicely painted wheels look pretty damn sporty, and also give that "old school" look, if you are into that sort of thing. To do it right, though, takes some effort and a little $$. I like to sandblast steels before painting. Dont start off with anything less than a good, non-warped, non-corroded set. Blast and paint both sides at each stage. They need primed with a rust inhibiting primer of course. A finish coat of black or alumnimun looks stock, but other colors (including body color) can give the car a totally different look. A clear coat is well worth the time effort and expense. Another paint possibility is powder coating. Dressing the wheels up with a subie centercap, new chome lugs, and maybe even a chrome beauty ring, can make these rims look totally sharp!! This is the look that will remind you of the Japanese cars of the late 70's early 80's. Much sportier (IMO) than those lame-rump roast hubcaps they used on the ea82 series. good luck, John

Jim: Sometimes that'll flash on when your coolant is low (causing the motor to run hotter than usual). If your coolant and oil are at the right level, I wouldn't worry too much about the idiot light. Just watch your temp and oil pressure guages. Not sure if a bad switch will trigger an intermitant dummy light flash. I'm thinking the switch is a "go, no-go" device. Either it works, or it doesn't. The broken wire/bad ground is more likely. good luck, John