Andy FitzGibbon

I've searched and read through many posts on TOD and HLAs, but am going to lay my specific symptoms out here in case someone has any ideas. The car is an '85 GL with a Weber. Body has 132K miles, and the engine has less (I don't know the exact mileage of this engine, just have a receipt for when the original was replaced with a "low-mileage engine" at 93K). The engine is very clean inside, very little carbon build up and virtually no oil sludge in the heads or cam cases. Last fall I took it apart to do head gaskets. At the same time I did oil pump seals, camshaft seals, cam carrier o-rings, cam case o-rings (metal reinforced), timing belts, ect. The main seals were not leaking, so I left them alone. The HLAs seemed to pump up OK and the oil pump dimensions were within spec. The oil pan has no major leaks so I didn't mess with it either. The engine runs great now. The only oil leaks are very slight and are coming from either the cam seals or cam carrier o-rings (eBay parts, now I know better). Not enough to even mark the pavement, just a film of oil on the front corners of the valve covers. The lifters still tick intermittently. Once warmed up, it only seems to happen in the 3000-4000 RPM range, when "crusing" at 35-45 mph with not much engine load. The noise will go in and out, ie. it will clatter for 10 seconds, then clear up, then 30 seconds later will do it again. It's random, and doesn't seem to be effected by anything. Accelerating and loading the engine generally makes it go away. It doesn't make noise at idle, and as far as I can tell doesn't do it at highway speed either. I'm running Bosch oil filters and various brands of 10W-30 (just put Valvoline in). Been changing it frequently to clear out crap from the head gasket job. Tried running some ATF through with the oil for a couple hundred miles, which came out pretty black (probably crap in the oil pan) but didn't really make any difference in the noise. Any ideas and comments are appreciated- I know the lifter noise doesn't hurt anything, but it's annoying. I'm thinking of replacing the oil pump at some point. Andy

Probably your biggest mileage suck is the 3 speed automatic. Those transmissions don't have an overdrive gear, and the engine really has to scream to keep them at highway speed. Combine that with the inherent MPG losses of any older automatic and it equates to significantly worse mileage than the 5 speed manual transmission. I've never owned an automatic EA82 but others can chime in about what kind of mileage they get. For 5 speeds, I used to get 29-32 on the highway in my SPFI Loyale and currently get 27-30 in my GL with a Weber carb. Andy

Are you sure he's looking at the head gasket seams (the seams between the heads and the block), and not the cam case seams (between the heads and cam cases)? I would expect oil leaks at the cam case seams a lot sooner than at the head gasket. Either way, as long as your oil and water levels are staying constant and you aren't getting any mixing of the two, I'd leave it as is. A little bit of dripping oil isn't going to hurt anything. Andy

The read connectors aren't connected. The CEL is not on during normal driving. The only reason I am messing with it is that I was surprised that it didn't turn on when I connected the test connector to do the timing. I will mess with it more when I get home. I will have to pull it outside and let it warm up (big hole in the exhaust, don't want to smoke out the upstairs tenants). Thanks, Andy

This is what I thought, but I wasn't sure. Thanks for confirming. Andy

Pulse generator tests OK, as does the relay. The next step is to test voltage to the pulse amplifier, but I won't have time to tear the glove box out again until next week. Any ideas are still welcome. Thanks, Andy

Tried it again- with the test connector plugged in the fuel pump cycles constantly, but the CEL does not flash (just stays solid like any other time the key is turned to the "on" position). Andy

The '89 FSM says that, when timing the engine (SPFI or MPFI), you must make sure the idle switch is on- but they don't tell you where it is. I'm assuming it's part of the throttle position sensor. Is this correct? Thanks, Andy

That's the one I plugged in, the one under the ECU. I did hear the fuel pump cycling differently than usual with the key on, but I don't remember seeing the CEL flashing. Maybe I just didn't notice it. I will try again and see if I get anything. Thanks, Andy

The pulse generator is adjusted correctly and should work fine, but it's possible that it's gone bad. I found another flow chart that has a test procedure for it, which I will try. I am running two belts. I suppose it's possible that it's low on freon, but there are no leaks that I know of.. something to check, though. Doug, thanks for the parts offer. I will update when I get another chance to work on it. Thanks for all the replies, Andy

Where's the green test connector on an '87 GL 10 turbo? It's not under the hood like my later cars. I found a green plug under the ECU that I thought was it, but when I connect it the check engine light does not come on like the FSM says it will. Thanks, Andy

The car is a 1985 GL wagon with a Weber and Hitachi A/C. Over the winter (the car was in storage from November-March) the A/C died. The compressor clutch doesn't engage when the A/C switch is depressed. I followed the "Compressor Clutch Diagnoses" flow chart in the 1989 FSM (section 4-7, page 63). The clutch did engage when I shorted the red/black wire on the A/C relay to ground, as the chart says to do. I worked my way through the chart and eventually came to the last box, "replace thermostat". I pulled the A/C thermostat out of my Loyale, which was blowing cold when it was parked (that was over a year ago). Did not install it into the evaporator box of the GL, but hooked up the leads to see if it worked. And... nothing. Anybody have any good ideas about where to go next? Thanks, Andy

Yes, they will interchange. I put an '85 bumper on the front of a '92 Loyale once. Andy

Additionally, two belts are needed because of the poor belt wrap on some of the accessory pulleys, due to the path of the belt. Depending if you have Panasonic or Hitachi A/C, either the alternator or the A/C compressor pulley has barely any belt contact if one belt is used. Andy

AA doesn't use the strut bottom lift any more, I don't think. They do the top like everybody else. Andy

Not true. One belt or two won't make any difference to the bearings. The reason for the two belts is for the A/C compressor. Andy

True2blue hasn't mentioned that his wagon is lifted and has (I think) 27" tires, which is the big reason that he can't make it up hills in 4th gear. Probably no mods he can do to the stock engine are going to change that, but it can certainly be improved on. I agree that bottom end can be improved on these engines. My '85 wagon has a Weber carb and a straight through exhaust (muffler only, no cat), and it is definitely a little more torquey than all the SPFI engines I have ever driven. Andy

If you want to go fast, get something other than an EA82 engine. They are pretty limited in terms of getting much more power out of them. Andy

If the valve stem seals dried out from sitting they could be letting oil (small amounts) into the cylinders. If that's the case it will probably clear up with use. Keep an eye on all fluids, though. Probably not a bad idea to change the oil. Andy

Doesn't AA have an EA with an STI engine and 33" boggers? As I recall, he blew out a bunch of axles and a diff on the maiden voyage, but the D/R held up. Haven't heard anything about it since then. Andy

The heads are the same for both sides, so one drain will be towards the front and the other will be towards the rear. They are non-allen hex-headed plugs (like the oil pan drain plug). The plugs with the recessed hex (allen) are not the drain plugs, they are access plugs for (if I remember right) wrist pin removal. Andy

If there is a cemetery monument company nearby they will sometimes blast stuff for you. They use pretty agressive sand, so there will be a definite texture when they're done. Andy

Aren't all the EJ dual range transmissions FT4WD with a center diff? That wouldn't be so great for an off road buggy. You'd be better off with an EA d/r transmission and an EJ engine adapter plate. Andy

Good to hear your perspective, never having owned a 2.5. Each engine has it's own set of problems, and I don't think either one would be a good choice for someone who isn't mechanically inclined, particularly if they don't know how to recognize the signs of a HG letting go. Looks like we scared the OP off, but he's never answered why he wants to drive his Tacoma on the road and a Subaru off road. Andy

Agreed- I never said they were bad engines. I like the ones I've driven. But, if the OP has no mechanical experience and doesn't work on his own stuff, he probably doesn't know how to look for signs of weather the HGs have been replaced or not. That might make a 2.5 a bad choice for him. Chux, out of curiosity, any reason the EJ25 would be better than the EA82 (other than the obvious power issue)? Andy