Crabman

Hey, I'm going to recommend going the original restoration route on this one. It's 33 years old. Please don't frankenstein it. I have really good news too. There is currently on ebay, what I believe is a rebuilt EA63 (1400) engine, that is incorrectly listed as an EA71. Not only is it available, its a total steal. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=019&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=290213957841&rd=1 I almost hit the buy it now button for my '79 brat, till I realized those heads didn't look right (from mounting exhaust).

Thanks for the advice everyone. I hopped in the brat today on my lunch break, and took a closer look at the fuse box. Noticed some of that bluish green corrosion around the edges. I kind of rolled some of the fuses around in their contacts, and when I fired it up, the problem was gone. Next I need to see if I can duplicate this experiment while I am driving. Anyway, I think I am narrowing in on the problem. One day I am going to pull the dash out and I fear that I am going to find an electrical mess back there. I bought a new dash that only has a couple of hairline cracks (will need to paint it the right color too). I also have an NOS heater valve. If we get the heater cores special ordered, that's the last piece I'll need to justify opening her up from that end. Anyway Jon23, I see you changed your avatar. That little Brat looks sweet. Do you have better pictures? Best, Crabman

Thought I would run this by you guys to see if this has cropped up with you all before. Driving my '79 Brat the other day and the Charging Light comes on, the fuel gauge and the temp gauge both drop all the way down (even though there is plenty of fuel in the tank and the engine is obviously warm) So my first thought is that this is a fuse. But then later, charging light goes off, and the fuel and temp gauges resume their correct position. Looked the fuses over and they all look OK. Problem happened again today, and the car is driving fine, so I do believe that the alternator is charging the battery just fine. Though I haven't checked this for sure yet. I should also say that some time ago, my heater core sprang a leak. I bypassed it, but shortly after that, my dash interior lights quit. Anyway, my question, is the charging light and the fuel and temp gauges on the same circuit? Do you all think the problem is obvious, the wiring in the dash is probably a mess for the core leak? Thanks, Crabman

Yup I agree. Try some new gas first. My '79 sat for years and it ran awful. But a fresh tank of gas, and an adjustment to the timing, it was purring like kitten. Hey I also wanted to add that you've got those sweet bed rails. Those were a factory option as I understand it. I've never seen a set on a car in person, just in the old brochures.

You lucky son of a gun. You got a great project there. There are only so many of those left. I have a 79 as well and am trying to stock pile parts for a restoration. If I come across any extra stuff, I will be sure to email you. Nice score dude!!

Sorry I have to deviate from the thread for a moment. Jon - That dash is so beautiful. Why, _WHY_ did you have to post that pic? Now that I know a perfect one exists, I'll never be able to stop my quest. That dash belongs in a Museum!

Sorry. Guess I'm still showing my newbie status. :-\ . There I was thinking that Gen 2 meant the same thing as Stage 2. I'm a dummy. So yeah I have a '79 brat, so I need a Gen 1/Stage 2 core. And an extra, just because. I'm 100% behind making this happen. Who's in charge? What's it going to take? Thanks all, Crabman

Hey no offense anyone, but I was much more excited when this thread was about heater cores for Gen 1 vehicles. Does anyone have dimesions for that?? I'm under the impression that aftermarket heater cores are still findable for Gen 2 cars. Just check out ebay item numbers: 350030814985 150209680593 180174995838 I am pretty sure that all of these are incorrectly listed as being compatible with 80 and 81 brats. They do not look like this picture of a heater core pulled out of an 81 brat. The tubes are at different positions, in different angles. Furthermore, I find it hard to believe that a core would fit an 80 or 81 brat, but not a 78 or 79. Anyway, whats it going to take to get some gen 1 heater cores made?

Yes, this a very important thing to look into. Tired of having it bypassed and no heater. Count me in for a group order, I'll take 2. Or if somebody knows a pretty good replacement, please let us know the info. Does anyone have an old one laying around, that we can get the dimensions off of? That may be a big help. I always see this aftermarket one on ebay, but it seems likethis is for Gen 2, and I don't know if its interchangebale. Crabman

No I bought her that way. I love the color though. It looks great in pictures, but oh if you look at it close up, the paint job is so crappy. I bought the repop stripes for it, but I have not put them on yet because I know I am going to have to repaint one day. I love this thread! Lets see some more! We should put a calendar together! Crabman

Hey I'm sure that you know your stuff, but I had to post this. Are you sure that you need to put that rebuilt motor in, and a tune-up won't get you were you need to be? I still haven't done the valves in mine yet, but man after I got her properly tuned it was like night and day. She is a whole new car lately.

Beautiful Brats fellas! By the way, how do you get the big pictures in the thread? I only managed to paste a thumbnail?

You asked for it. Here's my baby.

Hey I have to add to this thread because I have been driving my '79 brat regularly, about 80 miles a day. Absolutely love it by the way, it gets so many looks and approving nods. But the clutch feels unlike any other and I wonder if it is going bad. I can't really get the car to 'lug'. If I'm going say 40, and I throw it into fourth and gas it, the engine seems to rev very high before the car feels like it catches up to itself. Kind of like the clutch is slipping. Is this normal? But I've been driving the care like that for a couple of months now and that's what confuses me. Because in my experience, if a clutch is going bad, it really doesn't take too long. And also in first gear, it doesn't seem to slip. If I'm in first and I gas it really hard and let out the clutch, I'll actually peel out, the clutch won't slip at all. Commetns? Opinions? Thanks in advance, Crabman

4 spd or 5 spd tranny?

Fellas there has to be something aftermarket that works fairly well. When I go to Kragen.com and search for a fuel pump for my car, it pulls up 4 aftermarket options. There's one from beck arnley, two from Carter, and one more from Master. Has anyone had experience with these?? Gen 1 soobs don't show up very often down here and if one did I don't have the space to keep a parts car around, Thanks for your help everyone. Cheers, Crabman

Have you got a part number for the stock one?? I see some subaru fuel pumps on ebay, but they are for Gen 2 brats. Would they still work?? Thanks for the help guys, Crabman

Hey everyone. Been a while since I've posted. Brat running really well. But there are always a coupleof things that I want to do to it. And one of those things is get a spare fuel pump. My spider sense are telling me that mine is not long for the world, and I want to have one to put behind the seat for when the end is nigh. They don't seem to be available. So what is everyone else using?? All replies are appreciated! Thanks, Crabman

If you decide to part one out, I'll take the intake manifold and vacuum control valve.

Thanks guys. Still running a bit lean. Think I am going to get her smogged with the EA71 hitachi, and then bolt on the EA81 carb. I'd love to try the weber out, but for now its a bit expensive and I have spent all my Brat money for the time being. Cheers, Crabman

Hey everyone. Well you know the old addage if it ain't broke don't fix it? It applies here. After installing a high performance ignition system (MSD-6A and Accel Super Coil), and a less restrictive exhaust on my '79 brat, she seems to be running lean, especially under load as evidenced by the pinging and detonation I experienced on the freeway this morning. It seems apparent to me that she is now starved for fuel, as I did not have this problem before the upgrades:-\ . Unfortunately I live in California and I can't stick a weber on it. I am left with the option of rejetting the hitachi carb. Anyone do this before? Should I step up the primary and the secondary main jets, or just the primary? I can't find a whole lot of info on the net about hitachi jets. Does anyone know where I can buy them? Also, my other option, I have a carb from a 1.8L soob. Mine's a 1.6L. Do you think swapping my stock carb for the 1.8L carb might fix the problem? All comments and advice welcome. Thanks, Crabman

Cool! I hope this fixes it for you. Start it up, pry off that little rubber cap on the valve, carefully, it's probably dry as heck. There is the tiniest little adjustment screw inside. I'd go a half turn counterclockwise. I knew that I had fixed the problem immediately, but I had to readjust adjust all the other stuff that I monkeyed around with (idle speed screw, mixture screw, timing, etc) while I was trouble shooting this problem. But now she just purrs. It's beautiful. Let me know how it goes! Crabman

No picture but its not hard to find on these simple engines if you have one. Follow the vacuum lines. I have seen at least one other thread here of someone that upgraded to a more powerful ignition coil and also developed strange idle problems. I couldn't believe it when I turned this tiny little screw a quarter turn (counterclockwise) and then just like that the problem went away. Of course I had to readjust my idle speed screw since I had backed the screw all the way out, but whatever. As stated in my thread, the biggest clue for me was this constant hissing sound coming from the carb when running. You can hear it best when you remove the air cleaner lid. Do you have the Idiots Guide book for old soobs? It has good info on trouble shooting. I never would have found it if it weren't for that book. Let me know what I can do to help.

Hey Ratindahat, I wanted to let you know that I just fixed my high idle problem on my '79 brat (EA71). I don't know if it relates to your soob. But after I upgraded the ignition system, it would idle too high even if I backed the idle speed screw all the way out. For more details check out my one man thread "Mysterious Idle Problem" in the historic forum. I finally found that the problem was related to the vacuum control valve, which is part of the coasting bypass system. I do not know if your engine is equipped with one or not. If so, let me know. I could walk you through it. A very simple adjustment made her run smooth as silk. My vacuum control valve is bolted to the left side of the intake manifold and has a small rubber cap and some hose connections. Heck by now, maybe you've resolved to just weberize it. Crabman

For informational purpose, I wanted to update this thread with what I found. Believe it or not, it took the smallest counterclockwise turn of the adjusting screw in the vacuum control valve to get her to return to idle properly. Now she is very well tuned, and returns to idle perfectly. The biggest clue was that during the high idle a non-stop hissing sound was coming from the carb. And I remembered reading about this hissing sound in the Idiots Guide, which pointed me to the vacuum control valve (a.k.a. decel valve). Now I am going to speculate here, so someone out there stop me if I am way off base. But you know this idle problem didn't happen until I upgraded the ignition system with an MSD 6A, Accel Super Coil, new 8 mm wires and plugs. Basically replacing the whole ignition system. Is it reasonable for me to postulate that the engine is running so much more efficiently now that it actually creates a stronger vacuum which resulted in the need to adjust the vacuum control valve? Damn, I'm glad I fixed this. I didn't know what was going on, I was considering rebuilding the car, or putting the old ignition system back on. Crabman