Deener

These are 13's on my 93 Loyale that I just turned from white to black. I just got the center caps on too. I hope that it doesn't look too 'cheap'...

Well when I experienced this, mine was 70 at first then I tested it a few more times wet and the compression raised to around 110/120. Did you crank it for more than a couple seconds when trying? I would try it again very thoroughly just to be sure that you only get 90. If it doesn't raise much more than 90 with a wet test then you could have a bad/bent valve/stem/seal. Or maybe a combo of a little of both...ring and valve issues...(other board members opinions would be good here...) If you can, pull that head off and take it into a shop for a valve job (or depending on your abilities - clean it yourself) and they will tell you if its sealing or not. I had a valve grind done on one of my heads for 40 bux up here and that was with me pulling the head and dropping it off for the machine shop. With the head off you will be able to spot a ring problem. Here is the thread where the ring was failing, there should be photos attached: http://ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=121266 You can see a definite 'charring' of the piston right near the edge and a big scar on the piston sleeve right near the 'brim/lip'. Good luck and keep us posted!

I've had a bad ring before. It drove me crazy trying to diagnose it because it just didn't seem likely. A good way to tell if you have a bad ring is to do a wet compression test on the suspect cylinder. Just dump a tablespoon or so of oil into the cylinder and retest the compression. If the compression magically raises substantially versus the dry test number, then the oil you just poured in has sealed the cylinder where the ring couldn't and you will know the ring isn't holding the compression in.

+6 to no covers. I know of 5 Loyales (and 1 GL) that have all been coverless for well over a year now without any issue...and I drive over anything that I pretty much can...

Hey hey...I recently had the exact same problem just after I replaced my clutch in the 93 Loyale. I must have adjusted the clutch up and down twenty times before I realized that the sound was actually coming from the hill holder cable - the clip that snugs the HH cable to the metal bracket (firewall side I believe) was missing and the sound was extinguished the moment the clip was back in place. May not be your issue - but its something worth checking out.

Either/or. Someone could probably chime in about what is easiest. IIRC there has been mention that you can get enough room with the radiatior out to change a clutch (search the forum a bit for more details on that). Never personally tried it that way though. Seems logical though because whenever I pull or drop a motor back in, there's lots of room to swing with the rad out of the way.

Yes do it all at once. It also may be in your best interest to get the flywheel resurfaced since it is exposed during the job and any rough spots will increase clutch wear. The shop should know to just do it anyway. Clutch kits come with a throw out bearing, pilot bearing clutch disc and pressure plate. At least the 'Exedy' kits do (which seem to be pretty popular around here). If you plan on doing this yourself there are two things you need to know to order the kit - spline count for the input shaft (24...?) and disc size (probably 225mm - but double check for your exact year/engine). I am unsure of what a shop would quote you, but if it's any help it took me just under 4 hours to install the Exedy kit by myself. I don't have fancy tools, except for the engine hoist. Maybe there's a board member around you that would help you out for a better price than what a shop would charge...? Good luck.

+1 to GrossGarys advice regarding the intake gaskets (proceed with care, I've sheared a bolt myself), but there are also a couple of little tiny coolant hoses in that area that can develop pinhole leaks that you should be aware of because when they leak, they are notoriously hard to spot. I can't recall the diameter of the hoses but take a look for them, one is located directly under the thermostat housing. Spend a couple dollars on new clamps if you change out those little hoses. Good luck.

Yeah I think its my logic...13" rim to 15" rim in my head means bigger. I guess it really is all up to the tire and what tire options are available.

+1 to Grossgary's advice. Get yourself a proper diagnosis before making a decision. The problem description just doesn't line up with the quoted diagnosis at this point and the possibility remains that it still could be really minor. Post back your symptoms as best as you can describe them and you should have an accurate diagnoisis shortly thereafter.

Perfect, thanks for the info guys. I really appreciate the input. I need to be able to take her off road while maintaining the daily driver status. I will do some more research about maybe 14" pugs or the 5 lug swap instead of the 15's. Dean

Hi all, I am about to pick up some 15" pugs with 205/70 tires on them and I would like to fit them onto my 93 Loyale. I failed to answer these questions myself through searching the off road threads (amongst many others): Will I actually need a lift to get the 15's on? I do not want to do any cutting or bashing? With the 2" suspension lift I see conflicting opinions about axle wear (xmember rub and stress...?) without dropping the crossmember one inch. Will I really chew through axles without dropping the xmember? Or will it be ok? - Mostly a daily driver, occasional/light off roading on the weekends. If I do need a lift (which I think I do), I plan on doing the suspension lift and fabricating my own (6)x2" square blocks and (4)x4" flat bars. I found a diagram and a couple of pics of what I think I need, but I would like some clarification about the front block angles: I can't tell if I need TWO 15 degree angled pieces per side or if I just need ONE at the front of each tower? Since it will be a daily driver I am looking for nice camber/tire life. Again, sorry if these questions have been answered I just couldn't find the specifics. Dean

I've done 6 HG jobs on ea82's, all of which I have torqued to 55ft/lb. NONE of which have failed using the blue stripe Fel-Pro Permatorque gaskets...torque once...walk away. Not sure if I understand your issue and description completely but have you: - Checked intake gaskets and the intake? I swear that the OEM gaskets are better than aftermarket because the OEM's have a layer of metal in them, aftermarket are made of rubber from what I have seen. - How are the rings? Any blowby happenning? Compression numbers? I ended up having a serious ring issue once that APPEARED as a head gasket issue at first. It drove me nuts until I saw the wet vs. dry compression numbers were shockingly different. - Did the shop check your valves while they tested the head?

FYI I filled up with premium over the weekend and that fixed it immediately. It was 100% a fuel quality issue, I tested it very thoroughly. I had been running Mohawk 87 for a long time and it had only been the last few months that I noticed the rattle, so I thought it was a mechanical issue. Nope, wasn't lugging...it was just rattling. This engine has really tight and high compression since the rebuild, can't remember the exact numbers but they were all within 1-3 psi of each other. Absolutely. I won't put the engine back together without cleaning it. The pistons I used were in really good shape, no pits and barely any scorch marks (easy to clean even). When it went back together, any part I could reach got polished. Rob I don't know how to do a third quote but naw she wasn't running lean. Just needed a better fuel. Thanks for all the input guys! Dean

Hey Rob, Yeah the rad is perfect, new coolant, oem tstat, no leaks, perfect temp (never really raises above 1/4, if it does its ever so slight), fan comes on religiously. I am going to fill er up with the Chevron 94 (no ethanol) this weekend and see what happens. I don't think it's running lean, plugs (NGK) look nice. The ping isn't even that bad, but I notice it from time to time with low rpm uphill. I just want it to stay perfect. You haven't seen this Loyale, it's the flagship of my fleet! It doesn't have a lick of rust on it, runs wicked smooth and quiet, perfect interior, shiny engine bay (polished it up when I had it apart for the reseal), smells new inside still, all maintenance records up to about 18000k ago, including routine oil changes...

Since you have some results from your rad flush, it sounds like you might have partially cleared a blockage. Do you notice the temp increase up hills more than on the flats, or is it more at idle? Take note of the conditions that make the car hot if you can and post them back here. I would get it running cool, then worry about the pinging after that. Don't bother with a questionable rad cap, doing so will only leave you wondering if it works or not. You aren't losing any coolant, are you? When the car is cold pop the rad cap to check the level...

Cool, thanks guys. Will do!

Hey All, I am getting a little knocking/maybe a lifter type sound (?) when I am in low RPM up hills/under load in my 93 Loyale. I completely resealed this engine about 12000km ago and it runs really smooth and clean (proud of the zero leaks!!!), tune up parts are all still shiny new since the reseal and the engine still has less than 170k on it. I haven't actually tried anything yet, I am just putting out the feelers for some suggestions. She rattles sometimes even when it's a slight incline, but mostly on the lower end of the RPM's. Stomping on the throttle doesn't help either. Sometimes it seems fine though. Also seems to happen more when it's warm than cold. I have read the following possibilites but would like some EA82 opinions: - Timing issues (but mine is bang on with new tight belts - would retarding it help?). - Bad gas (I run the cheap octane all the time, from different stations doesn't seem to make a difference, haven't tried higher octane yet). - Dirty injector (intake looks sparkling clean). - Oil Starvation (rebuilt the oil pump while I was in there). - Plugged Air intake (brand new, clean filter in place, intake boot is clean). It's not the typical tick you'd get from 'air in the oil' type thing. It's a similar rattle sound that happens when a car 'deisels' after shutoff. Again, mostly only under a load/up hill but it seems to come and go... Dean Thoughts?

I managed to extract one of those little PITA's with heat, a left handed drill bit and some cutting oil. I swear by the left handed drill bit...hard to find (like only the high end tool stores have them around here) but they work a million times better than any 'screw extractor', just load it in the chuck and set the drill on reverse and with a good pilot hole, you are well on your way to glory. They chew up the bolt while applying the reverse motion and aren't brittle like screw extractors so they don't snap. Also note, I have been running one of my EA82's with 5 intake bolts, as the 6th one just refused to extract. For that one, I just made sure the 'nub' was gone/filed down and slapped the intake back on. It rattled a little for the first day or so without the 6th bolt but it settled right in quickly and runs perfect now, no vaccum or coolant leaks at all. It's not the ideal solution but that one has held for well over a year now...

You can do the HG's in the car, it's not that bad. The trickiest part is getting the lifters to stay in place while you mate the cam carrier to the head during installation. They fall off because there isn't much holding them on. If you are going to try it with the engine in the car, assembly lube works pretty good to hold them in place. You can jack one side of the car up (the side that you are working on) so the lifters can 'rest' instead of 'hang' in place. Alternately you can easily undo the two motor mounts, and the two tranny mounts (all 4 are 14mm) and jack the engine up bit to get more clearance if you like (watch the O2 sensor wire if you do). Make sure to clean off the heads and block really well. A nice wire brush, maybe a couple of them with some acetone (or solovent of choice) works good to get the little pieces. Other tips... - Make sure you have a reliable torque wrench. - Clean the bolt holes. - Check all of the bolt torque specs so you don't over tighten and break any bolts. - Clean and oil the head bolts before they go back in (wire wheel on a drill works nice here). - Felpro permatorque gaskets work nicely and only need to be torqued once to about 5-10 ft/lbs over spec. - Use permatex ultra-grey for cam carrier to head sealant. - When reinstalling the cams turn them so the timing hole on the sprockets go to 12 o-clock - that way the cam is in a neutral position, and you will be able to put the cams back on without scattering your lifters. - Might as well do the cam seals since the heads are off (on that note a valve job now could also be to your benefit). - New cam carrier o-rings are a must - part number 13089AA010 from the dealer for about 2 bucks each or so. You will need two. - Depending on the last time you did your exhaust gaskets you might want to replace them as well since the pipes are coming off. - Timing belts are coming off...how are yours lookin?

Yup the top one is a 'slide pin'. Just undo the bottom bolt, then swivel the whole caliper upwards, so it rotates on that top slide pin and once it (the caliper) has cleared the rotor, you will be able to 'slide it off' the pin. Sometime helps to release the bleeder valve here if its stuck, otherwise you might have to pry the caliper upwards with something. I find that with severely worn down pads releasing the bleeder valve helps a lot - but then you have to bleed if you do release the valve.

One of mine is done for too - small bumps/manhole covers makes a bang on one side in the rear but big speed bumps are smooth and quiet. I think the NEW bushings are dealer only...correct? And don't you have to buy the whole assembly?

Are you 100% sure that fuse #5 is good? (horn/hazzard fuse). I had fuse 5 prevent me from getting power to the ECU once. The cause of it was a short I had created while doing some work on my stereo, I left the little green wire touching the metal frame where the ashtray goes in. I would pop in a new fuse and it would almost blow instantly. Just something to triple check....because it's easy to overlook.

I think I have about 6 or 7 sets of timing belt covers now. If they come off I never put them back on. As per a Miles Fox recommendation, toss the covers. Without them you can do a timing belt job on the side of the road in minutes if needed - you wouldn't even have to take the crank pulley off. Heads gaskets are actually really simple on EA82's. I have done them with the engine in and out of the car (much easier out). Diagnose it fully before you spend the time and money though. Unexplained coolant loss, overheating, mayo under the oil cap and in the filler tube, excessive white smoke at startup are some of the symptoms I have seen. If you do the HG's...I have had good success with Fel-Pro permatorque gaskets as they don't need to be retorqued, just cranked up to 5-10ft/lbs over.

I had a toasted front diff once on an EA82. The symptoms before it completely ruptured were just that...it gave a high pitch whine that sounded very similar to what a remote control car sounds like when I drove. At the time I didn't know that the gear oil there was supposed to be clear/gold...mine was black. What color is your fluid? There's a little dipstick on the passenger side about 6 inches behind the bellhousing, kind of underneath the spare tire. Check it. If that fluid is not gold/clear and up to the correct fill level, then one of the bearings may have failed and when those bearings fail so does the front diff shortly thereafter. However, if the level and color looks decent, you may just have a bad CV axle as the previous posts suggest. Good luck!