88RxTuner
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Posts posted by 88RxTuner
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As for tips or tricks, there arent any.. it's pretty straightforward to TD04 and Top Mount the EA82.. but to put the TMIC in a fairly "stock" location, I did away with the BOV and fabbed a block off plate for like 69 cents, bacause the stock BOV interferes with the hood. No driveability problems to speak of, since the EA82T is non-BOV in the first place.. Does play some hell with your MAF due to the increased volume of the intake track, mostly I notice a little black smoke only between shifts.. If you mount the TD04 in close to the "Stock" location, you can use any WRX downpipe, too.. .the vertical drop is very close to the EA82 downpipe.
As far as suggestions, there's only 3 choices.. Leave it stock, take it up, or take it down!
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I know the front axles are different between the turbo/non turbo and also a/t and m/t... 23 spline or 25 spline.
Havent played with the rear in quite a while, cant remember if there's anything different about the REAR axle inboards.. turbo? Non-turbo? Spline count?
My rear axle crapped on me and I have 2 non turbo axles laying around that I could rebuild, cant seem to find a listing for turbo Rear axles..
Input? Advice? Thanks in advance.
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I love this forum for a number of reasons.. Firstly, the wealth of information. I'm not new to Subarus, but I learned very early in life that someone ALWAYS knows more than you about SOMETHING... More knowledge is better for everyone.
Second, I've noticed people (like me) dont get discredited for having a low post count. I try and only respond when I have something credible and VALID to add, and I appreciate the fact that most of the users here seem to have that attitude. I think it improves the quality of the network.
Other reasons include, but not limited to, friendly people, timely responses, and usually very reliable information, and the general feel of camaraderie... Who else would understand driving a 25 year old Station wagon that's rusting out top to bottom? Much less, Who'd think it's cool?!
Rock On, USMB...
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Yup, that looks just like mine, except mine's an 88, has white wagon spoke wheels on it, a hood scoop(with associated TMIC and turbo goodies) and a red stripe instead of the grey/blue one.
The dual trans came in a lot of the wagons, but to my recollection (and correct me if I'm wrong) ALL RX with manual transmission has the dual range ALL WHEEL DRIVE, not FOUR wheel drive, this unit is special and quite hard to find as only the RX and some XT6(I think) had the AWD unit with Diff Lock.
Fit and function is the same, except the 4wd D/R box has an option for front wheel drive, four wheel drive, or Low range four wheel drive. These will interchange with the AWD units, I believe. The gearing can be different, though, so be careful switching them around.( since the ft diff is part of the trans, a matching rear diff will have to be found)
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First break...Mom's 1987 GL Turbo, doing 4wd burnouts when I was 15... Grenaded the tranny... Amazingly, didnt break anything else. (it was previosly abused.)
Most memorable break... My wifes 88 RX, while we were dating.. She blew a head gasket, I fixed it for her, Then I popped the engine... Crapped a rod through the top @ about 8,000rpm. I was gonna fix it again, and her dad said no, he'd had enough of this juvenile delinquency and was not going to allow a "boyfriend" to abuse his daughter's property any more.. He then proceded to dig a large hole with his backhoe, plunged the bucket through the car, installed the car upside down in previously mentioned large hole, and covered it up... Sad, sad way to see an RX go away. <<< True story...
I have since found another Identical 88 RX, literally like 30 vin # off the first one, got it just for her cause she loved that car, and she didnt want it... so it's MINE now!!
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EA82t in the Wagons, Sedans, RX, and XT I'm pretty sure use the VF7.
It would be most cost effective to purchase a flange (see above) and have your local exhaust shop bend and weld a downpipe to match.
You'll be hard pressed to find another up-pipe in reasonably good shape, especially locally... Yours is rusted out, most of the rest of them in the area probably are too.
A competent exhaust shop should be able to cut the flanges off your up-pipe and fabricate a new one..
I have a matched up- and down-pipe for the VF7 in reasonably good shape, with good catalytic in the downpipe, if you're interested in paying a small price plus international shipping...
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My experience:
Been playing with Samurais for a number of years. Owned 3, built 8 for various goals.
With Subarus I also have a number of years of experience. Owned 4, never "built" any, except my current 88 RX.
My Opinion:
As stated earlier, it depends on what your ultimate goal is. Living in the desert, I came across situations in both the sammy and the suby that left me thinking, "I wish I had the other one..."
Fast driving on dirt roads, trails, etc.. Soobs rock. The independant suspension is soft enough to absorb most of the roughness, and lends a definite advantage in controlling the vehicle. Hill climbs are easier, if for no other reason than just more power. They land much nicer when you happen to get all 4 tires off the ground...
When it comes to real uneven terrain, rock trails, gnarly ruts, etc. the Sammy will win every time. The downside to the Sammy is high speed stability. I've laid over 2 of them, doing around 30mph through the desert, where a Suby would have slid a little or not lost it at all. Fast driving over washboard SUCKS in a sammy.. unless you have done a coil spring conversion, but that rules out the "cheap" side of building it. Sammy's rock in mud, and as stated earlier WILL float when set up right.. I know from experience. Zuks float on mud, jeeps and subarus sink when it's deeper than the rocker panels.. Period.
If you want a nice all around wheeler, build a Subaru. As long as you dont plan on throwing anything gnarly at it, like MOAB... or similar, and as long as you dont expect to go everywhere the solid axle guys do, then you will have a long enjoyable relationship with the Subaru.
If you plan on eventually hitting some hard stuff and for the most part NOT driving on the highway, really getting into wheeling and lifting and locking things, start with a zook.. they arent as expensive to build as people think, as long as you have more brains than money...
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Bucky, Basically I picked the motor up from my boss, who had it as a spare for his kid's XT6 which has subsequently found a new and hopefully better owner. While cleaning out the shop, he decided he didnt want it anymore, and being the junk collector I am I laid claim to it.. then the wheels started turning.
Thanks again, 2.7T.. it's nice dealing with someone who's been there and done that.
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Well, thanks for all the input, guys.. Yea, I realize there's gonna be hard times and some people have different opinions.. but all opinions are worth listening to at the very least.
Loyale2.7T... Thank you for the input, and the links. I would like to briefly pick your brain, in such issues as the radiator.. where did you relocate it to? I am A/C delete, moved the alt to where the compressor was, and was thinking I could remove the condenser and push a radiator forward, go electric thin fans and be ok with that.. Maybe use a WRX radiator/fans?
When it gets off the ground, this will be a LOW budget build, supporting my family comes first and that leaves little extra cash. However, I seem to have this knack for picking up someone else's "junk" for cheap, so we'll see how far that gets me with cheap parts.. It wont be perfect, and it wont be new, and I wont splurge on things like custom forged pistons or custom radiators.. but that's half the fun of things like this, how much can I really do for cheap? (not to mention I am inherently a cheap-*ss b*st*rd...) I dunno. Well see how the next few weeks go at collecting parts. I tore the ER27 down last week, and internally it's immaculate. Provided I can accumulate the proper bits and pieces, I think I'm gonna go ahead for the TT build.
** The heads have Small cracks between the valves... I've heard this is normal and I've heard this is NOT normal... Experience? I've done a ton of EA82, NA and Turbo, and they all seem to crack and run fine that way, never seen the ER27 heads before.
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It's almost always the lock cylinder assy that gets worn out.. Once you have a new lock cylinder, remove the shrouding from around the steering column, you should be able to figure out how to replace the lock cyl.
Some of them use a "break-away" style bolt that looks like it doesnt have a head. Use a chisel and hammer to break it loose, and it should be only finger tight from there. Either replace with the bolts that *should* come with the new lock cyl or use hex head bolts to save the next guy the trouble.
I wouldnt even bother with the locksmith.
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"Normal operating temp??" No such thing.. all depends on how the car is set up, how you drive it, whether your cooling system and gear oils are full or low, new or old fluids, etc...
Upper Radiator Hose: Generally around whatever your thermostat is. Too hot for a hose to handle is WAY too hot for the engine to handle.
Lower Radiator Hose: Generally slightly cooler. Should be about a 20deg. drop across the radiator, not necessarily at the hoses. More drop is better.
Front Transmission / Differential: Depends on how you drive it. Mine seems to usually run well under engine temp, and I beat the crap out of it. I also maintain it well, new fluids every 15,000 miles. Once again, cooler is better. Seals start to deteriorate immediately around 300deg.
Rear Differential: Depends on the abuse.. I've seen ONE get hot enough to melt the rubber mounting bushings, and that was due to mismatched tire sizes..I should think that after a bout of spirited driving it would be under 250degrees.
Brake Calipers: Should be kept under 300deg. due to the chance of boiling brake fluid out. This is up to the driver, and how he drives.
Brake Rotors: Are they glowing red? That's too hot. Anything less is "normal"... depending on how hard you stop, how often you stop, etc. Bear in mind brake pads start to vaporize around 600deg, depending on the compound.
As with anything, maintenance is the best thing you can do.
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Ditto.. My 88 RX Alt failed, half the dash lights came on.. Pretty much standard issue. I fixed mine good.. did a GM 140A alternator conversion.
+1 on double cking all your connections. +1 on verifying your battery BEFORE you install another alt.. and charge the battery for at least a few hours before you install the alt.. Undercharged batteries create a lot of stress on alternators, and lead to another failed alt.
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Firstly, put your carb back where it was, where the tuning guide says it should be.. If it ran fine like that 6 months ago, it should still run fine like that. Webers dont just 'stop working' unless something major goes wrong or they clog up...
The fact that starting fluid (ether) doesnt make it fire right away leads me to believe it's not a fueling problem, unless perhaps too much fuel? Does it smell like raw fuel when you are cranking it?
My FIRST step would be to check compression. If the engine is old and worn, low compression will prevent proper starting. Cranking for extended periods heats up the cylinder due to friction and compression. This little bit of heat may be all your engine needs to fire, leading to your long cranking time. CHECK YOUR COMPRESSION! Before you throw plugs, coil, etc. at it.
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One of the easiest upgrades to the charging system is to add separate power and grounds from the alternator to the battery.. one 10g wire from POS to the charge post on the alt., One ground from NEG to the alt housing or bracket.
Wont fix a deat alt, but will make your lights brighter...
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Got around to tearing down the ER27.. You all know I'm going for a turbo build, here's some more interesting thoughts...
It seems that the ER27 has a 3.62" bore. The WRX 2.0t also has a 3.62" bore. My friend and I were comparing things last night, and idea came up that it may be possible to drill the pin side of the rod to accept WRX pistons and wrist pins.. Doing more research tonight, I should be able to compare them side by side..
Thoughts on using the EJ20 pistons?
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How about rear disc hubs, such as on my RX..? Do you have a centering machine, or using the "drill through the wheel" approach?
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I came across an article in Mods re: using Miata struts to fit available coilovers... May be a good way to go. I was contemplating this for my 88 RX, an EA82 car... It may be possible to fit them to an EA81 car.
There's always the old "drill the hubs to 6 lug" trick...
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RE: Turbone's post re: ej20...
Thanks again, for the replies. Yes, I got this engine for free, it's in good mechanical condition but I'm going to freshen it up while it's easy to do..
The "Fun Factor" isnt such an issue to me, I know an EJ swap would be more powerful, more reliable, and probably easier... that's why I dont really want to do an EJ swap.. I've done my fair share of conversions, and it seems that everyone under the sun stuffs an EJ20 into their EA cars.. But, how often do you see a flat six, in anything but an XT6 or a porsche? I am considering this swap not for the available power, but because it's different. That said, I dont expect it to be easy, and I know already there's gonna be fab involved.. But, it should run better than the EA82, which I'm already estimating at around 170HP.. If I can get 200 HP and a little more torque, that plus the "OMG that's a flat six..." factor would make it worth it to me. Once again, I'm still only contemplating this swap, and will wait until the engine is built and running.. Thanks for your input, guys!! I'll keep you all posted.
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Thanks for all the input, guys..
I got the ER27 to the shop yesterday, tonight after working on everyone else's stuff for a living I'm gonna go work on my stuff for fun, hopefully tear it down to a bare block in one swoop..
We've come up with a preliminary goal.. to get this thing running on a stand, then work on making it go in my RX... Being that my RX is the daily driver, I cant justify having it down for an indeterminate time based solely on a whim...
Will keep you guys posted on how it's going.
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I have just acquired an ER27 Flat Six from the xt-6... It happened upon me in such a way that I could not help myself but wonder...
1. Will it fit in my 1988 RX?? I dont see why not, with some minor mods..
2. Can I keep my FT4wd DR trans? Once again, why not..?
3. Can I put EA82 turbo pistons and rods in it?
4. A pair of stock EA82 turbos on a 2.7L should be good for 12 psi and relatively low lag, right?
5. This should run better than my studded EA82/TD04/TMIC@10psi...Right?
These ponderings are of course based on the assumption that I will have to fabricate my entire intake and exhaust, and Engine management will be self-contained... i.e. SDS, MegaSquirt, Etc..
Thoughts, comments? Creative advice?
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Ditto on the Insert vs. HeliCoils. helicoils are good for somethings, but when it really matters, like head bolts or spark plugs, they are not recommended. Have the head R&R, have an insert installed from a reputable manufacturer such as Time-Sert, yea this is possible on a 2.5L... Single or Dual cam.
Properly done, it will actually be stronger than your aluminum threads in the head. key word there, PROPERLY done. Find someone who knows what he's doing.
Cheaper than a head, New heads with NO valves or springs run between 4-700 each... remans 3-600 loaded.
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Mine sprayed me about 4 minutes after I removed the filter... from the tank side of the hose. Suspect that's why it is recommended to remove fuel filler cap, to vent tank pressure so it doesnt spray you at random intervals....
Pretty straight forward, remove clamps, remove hoses, swap filters, and assemble... see above checklist.
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First, year, make, model? with or without Lockup converter?
If with lockup converter, which I didnt think the early 4eat had, suspect intermittently failing converter clutch solenoid.
If without lockup converter, suspect engine management out of whack or converter buggered.
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Had the same problem in my RX... only overheated under boost, and any amount of boost from 2psi up to 9 psi where I run it. Not loosing any coolant, No evidence at all of a head gasket failure, and only 10,000 mi. since head gaskets, water pump, oil pump, etc.
Had suspicions about the radiator, and installed new radiator. Seemed to help, but did not cure it.. So I'm in the process of swapping a WRX radiator and both electric cooling fans, using a relay and a cooling fan Switch (honda accord) to control them. My opinion is that it's better to improve than restore.
One idea I have, tap into your electric fan, if you have one, so you can manually turn it on.. otherwise, it only comes on with your a/c.. to the best of my knowledge. I have never had the elec. fan on my RX come on by itself only due to engine temp. but will come on w/ a/c activation.
Rear Axle Questions...
in Old Gen.: 80's GL/DL/XT/Loyales...
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Thanks for the input, guys.. .That just saved me lots of time and money trying to hunt down specific axles. I'm gonna clean up and re-grease and re-boot my other 2 axles then, and run with it..