howpow

Hi nipper. No I haven't stripped the threads yet and yes the spanner is a brake line spanner as you describe. I'm not sure if we have Nut Buster out here in Australia but I'll ask around. There is probably something similar available. Thanks

Hi folks. I recently tackled what I thought would be a simple job, refurbish the brake master cylinder, but I soon discovered that I couldn't undo the two brake pipes. Bought a special spanner made for the job, still no movement. Plan 'B' was to remove the pipes at the bronze/brass block mounted on the bulkhead. I managed to loosen them a bit but after about half a turn they just locked up again. I had to cut the pipes to remove the master cylinder which has now been refurbished and would like to get the remaining pipes out of the distribution block. A friend has suggested cutting the pipes just above the the nut which would allow a socket and some brute force to be used, I'm worried that might destroy the threads in the block and then I would be in real trouble. Any suggestions welcome. I'm sure that I'm not the first person to have this problem. :-\

Interesting isn't it. I am now an 'expert' at doing something I will probably never have to do again. Ah well, such is life.

Good news. Radio is back in and working perfectly. I managed to plug the two aerials in without extensions. Anyhow thanks to all who helped. Howard

Hi to all. I was wondering if anyone knows whether the EA82T piston is a separate casting or is it simply an EA82 piston with a dish machined into the crown. The reason I ask is because I have an EA71 engine fitted with EA63 GSR heads. Even after relieving the heads a bit the compression is still too high. I was hoping to machine a dish in the pistons to lower the comp ratio but am unsure if the crown thickness is sufficient to handle it safely. I know I can use 82T Pistons but was hoping to avoid the expense (assuming I can get them at all in Australia) :-\ Thanks

Hi grossgary. Thanks for your help in this thread. I had thought of getting a couple of extension antenna leads made up unless I can get some fairly short ones. I'll check the shops. Thanks again to all who contributed.

Hi NorthWet, yes they are the antenna wires. I was able to reach in around the radio and remove them with a smooth pull. Mind you the corresponsing male and female sockets are almost inaccesible, so I'm not sure how I am going to plug them in again when the radio goes back in. Anyhow I'll worry about that another day, at least the radio/casette is now out.

Hello again folks. Well as suggested I just kept pulling on the radio and eventually out it came. I was able to remove the main loom plug but I still have two dark grey or black thick wires going into the bottom let hand corner of the radio and they don't appear to have a plug that I can undo. Being in Australia the car is right hand drive but i suspect the radio layout is the same. Any help re these two wires will be much appreciated. Thanks, Howard

Thanks for the replies. I have removed the clock panel and undone the 2 vertical screws as explained by grossgary. The radio appears to be coming up against a hard stop but I will recheck. I am away interstate this weekend so I'll have to try during next week. I'll let you know how I go. I'll try to incllude a photo as well.

Hi Folks. I need some more help. My XT Turbo came with the radio on the bottom section and a casette deck attached on top. I have followed grossgary's info and am able to pull the assembly out about 4 inches but no futher. Do I have to remove the trim and if so what is the best way of tackling it as I understand they can be very brittle. Do I need to remove the centre console and if I do will this help give me access. It feels as if it is coming up against a stop of some kind. Any help will be much appreciated.

Thanks for the replies folks. I guess I was hoping that they might just bolt up. I guess the best option would be and EJ22 complete with it's own 2wd transmission. Thanks again.

Hi . I have a 1987 XT Turbo with the Manual 5 speed 2wd gearbox. I was wondering what is involved in mating a EJ22 to this gearbox (if possible). Any info would be appreciated. Sorry I posted this and couldn't find it so I posted again.

Hello all. I have an 87 xt turbo (vortex) and was wondering what is required to mate an EJ22 engine to the 5 speed 2wd manual gearbox. Any help will be much appreciated. :-\

Hi grossgary. Thanks very much for the info and the link. I'll check it out at the weekend, but looking at it it makes sense. Thanks again.

Hi Folks. The radio in my 87 XT Turbo (Vortex) has died. The facia panel looks like it needs to be removed forward from the radio. Has anyone removed this little panel and if so could you please tell me how. I have levered it lightly from the open end but don'd want to risk breaking it. :-\ Thanks in advance.

Is the oil pressure light coming on? If not it is probably not the oil pump. Could one of the spark plugs have worked its way loose, this could account for the hissing and rough running.

Thanks subiemech85. Yes it is quite large, would probably do the job nicely. I'm wondering if an EA71 piston could be safely machined to this depth. I looked on Ebay but no EA82T Pistons at the moment. Being in Australia make freight an issue as well. I'll have to check out a few wreckers.

Thanks subiemech85, I hadn't thought of that, the penny hadn't dropped that the bore in these two engines is the same, could be the way to go. You don't happen to know the cc capacity of the recess in the turbo piston do you?

Hi Crazyeights. Thanks for the info. That being the case do you know if they are different castings or is the EA81 piston simply a shaved EA71 piston?

Hi fellow enthusiasts. I have a 1976 GF 1600 with Twin Port 1350 GSR Heads. The heads have been opened up a bit but the compression is still too high. After reading some threads here am I right in thinking that changing to EA81 pistons would help. My pistons are flat, are the EA81s dished or shorter. any thoughts would be appreciated.

Hi kiwi subbie. I have one of each but I wan't to keep one (I don't mind which) and as I made the offer to Leeroy first I'll need to wait and see if he wants one. I haven't seen them for a while but I'll have a look for them in the next day or so. If Leeroy doesn't need one then your next on the list.

Repaired the cracked armrests on my '87 XT Turbo.

Hi Leeroy. So, you have have all the old Subies in Oz I know of the rust problem, my friend with the GSR did a lot of fibregassing around that area to keep the water out. I've been OK in that repect because when I bought the car in 1980 I tackled all the vulnerable areas with liberal amounts of fishoil. It smelt pretty bad for a while but achieved the desired result. The only rust I have is under the back seat on the drivers side and that was only because the plastic skin under the trim panel got torn in an accident and the panel beaters didn't bother to replace it, so the water was able to flow in. Anyhow good luck with your project. BTW I have a couple of GSR badges kicking around somewhere if you are need one.

Hi Kiwi Subbie. I was in NZ some years back and was amazed at the car models you have there compared to Australia. We never got the Vortex 6 and only imported about 800 XT/Vortexs between '85 to '89. A friend of mine had a GSR which was a great little car but it was stolen and crashed. Anyhow good to see a true enthusiast in my part of the world.

Hi jturley. I don't know how many are left in the US but here in Australia mine is the only one I've seen for 7 or 8 years. I saw a '77 Wagon a few years ago and a 73? GSR at a wreckers a few years back but that's about it. I also have an '87 XT Turbo (Vortex) coupe and they are also getting very thin on the ground. It's nice to see people at this message board keeping some of them going for posterity.