rickyhils

Unknown rebuild. EA82 non turbo SPFI . Looks to have been sitting quite a few years. Assembly lube still in place, so never has been run. Older "Three Star" timing belts. Oil pump ok. Water pump ok. Looks like a knowledgable rebuild though. I just swapped it into my Loyale. Runs like crap. Compression [cold] #1 #3 #4 shows 125 to 135 psi. #2 shows ZERO compression. Cam lobe at closed still can blow air [hose into spark plug hole] out of exhaust manifold. I can readily remove LEFT cam carrier. And can readily remove LEFT head if it gets that far. I have some Marvel Mystery Oil laying around. ha ha ha ha. No, I won't be using THAT. Some testing showed that cylinder #2 Exhaust Valve is stuck open. Blowing into spark plug hole with a hose shows intake valve opens and closes. That's with cam lobe at max and then at 90 degrees [closed] . But exhaust valve shows no difference whether cam lobe max or at 90 degrees [should be closed by then] . ???

Bennie, I made a harmless error by assuming a bad starter when NO COMPRESSION showed when testing cylinder #3. Cylinders #1 #2 #4 showed 125 to 135 psi COLD. I was then going to test after running up to temp. So, starter is good, but maybe a stuck open valve on that $100 ancient rebuild. Tonight I will pop of the Left side valve cover and see.

IMPORTANT UPDATE ON MY 1991 LOYALE. As I just put a rebuilt engine in OF UNKNOWN HISTORY, I assumed that it was a reliable rebuild going by what it looked like. Bottom line is that #3 cylinder has ZERO compression. This engine has NEVER been run since rebuild, as ONLY assembly lube on cams and main bearings and ALL openings were temporarily sealed properly. I am suspecting a stuck open valve. I might pop off the cam cover, turn engine by hand and see what the valves do on cylinder #3 .

I am deleting my posting here. Reason is that another issue has preceded the starter motor symptom.

Step-a-toe re: Coolant leveling question...jack vehicle front up a foot higher at front - any change? I will try that and get back with the results. What happened yesterday is when I filled up the cold engine with coolant to the top of the radiator filler tube it then would then slowly run down to the bottom of the filler tube over a 5 minute time span. Then when I would start the car with the cap off, the coolant would quickly come to the top again. NOW - compare that to today where I filled the coolant to the very top of the radiator fill tube. I clamped off the hose going to the overflow recovery container for this test. After more than 1 hour the coolant has lowered only by 1/16th of an inch. Not withstanding any evaporation. Some have even made one corner of car highest point. Front left, to bleed air. So, maybe I have a little trapped air. I did make sure to squeeze all water hoses when first filling it up.

Yeah, measuring the bolts in my case was only for finding out how much muck might be at the bottom before going for a reliable final torque. And using some sticky tape at the end of a straw I was pulling out a few specs of a corroded bolt and even a bit or two of blue RTV. That RTV can be evil stuff when used in the wrong hands. ha ha

What Bennie said is correct. Getting enough torque was my concern. I always pre-test all fasteners like that to get a feel for them before I put them to use. Temporarily I just added two washers.

On a different matter. At the radiator filler tube , I see the coolant level very slowly dropping down until it is level with the throttle body, then it stays there. I am guessing that I may well have a bad throttle body gasket. The "horse shoe" rubber gasket? Thanks

Step-a-toe, Certainly shaved [surfaced] cylinder heads will alter the intake manifold Left/Right bolt alignment. That issue is not what I have. It turns out that an obstruction at the bottom of the bolt holes is preventing manifold bolts going in the final two turns. Manifold and bolts are ok. The acquired rebuilt long block has some corrosion debris at the very bottom of the holes. I am doing a workaround using two washers on each bolt. This rebuild looks competently done. I just want to get it running to see how if it holds up.

I am unable to fix those bolt holes. Will consider the approach on shortening the bolts. There are 13 or 14 threads in play as designed to hold the torque. If I then have only, say 11 or 12 threads, would that be enough to hold the clamping pressure needed? And, just so I can get this engine up and running to verify that the rebuild was ok, do I dare just adding two threads width of washers on the bolt heads? I know that is a mickey mouse work around. Then if engine is a winner I will cut the bolts by 3 to 4 mm.

idosubaru- I'll try to clean out debris . l'll put some PB blaster in there for while then use a soft metal rod to break loose any debri then blow in some brake cleaner. And, as we all have learned [hopefully not the hard way] to COVER UP OR PUT A RAG INTO THE CYLINDER HEAD INLET. It is painful to even imagine that somewhere sometime somebody had dropped a bolt in there. Doable to use a magnet for retrieval, but the REAL upset is if one is NOT SURE if anything actually fell in there. And, all you guys here are a great resource of knowledge and experience. Thanks a bunch.

Bennie , I hear you, mate. My thread chaser is home made using a bolt with a slot ground out at the "1 o'clock" position. I will cut off the end where the taper starts to make it a straight edge. I have an extra ea82 head to try it out on. Tightening one bolt down to where it first meets resistance has play in the manifold, so must be debris at bottom. And yes, that pipe that connects coolant to the heater from the top of the water pump. Those pipes get corroded just a bit. Will check that curved piece of short hose to the water pump. And I won't make the PITA mistake of not first getting that short EGR pipe in position before bolting down the manifold. Been there, done that. That's my Indian chauffeur - Ben Der Dun Dat.

The intake manifold and all six bolts are coming from the old engine [1991 Loyale] . 4 months ago I redid those manifold gaskets and all went well. FWIW- when I bought the rebuilt, the guy also gave me a box of a few extra parts which included a carb manifold. Does that offer any more clues?

Different bolt hole depths as pics show. The same bolt was hand tightened on both old engine and newly installed rebuilt. As a newby I am for sure overthinking this, as I don't want to mess anything up! A plastic straw inserted shows hole depths the same on the old and the rebuilt. I flushed out all holes with brake cleaner. All I can think of is that the threads furthest down on the rebuilt might be compromised. I did NOT want to thread chase the rebuilt beyond what seemed safe. I used a 3/8 drive with a light touch until it seemed to bottom out. Then I gave it another five or ten degrees max. This needs more research. * Other notable points - The history of this rebuild is unknown. I picked it up for $100 bucks as it had the signs of a quality rebuild. And I figured that even if the bottom end craps out [due to incorrect bore, wrong oil clearances, etc.] I still have two good rebuilt heads, good oil pump [not sure if new], new water pump, two sets of timing belts [ Three Star brand] and new OEM intake and exhaust gaskets. * By the looks of it this might have been rebuilt maybe 10 or more years ago, meaning that bottom end crank parts were still available. * Head gaskets definitely NOT Felpro perma torque, so I have a ground down 17 mm socket for re-torque after running up to temp. Rebuilder added some reddish brown gasket sealant at far ends of head gasket for maybe water area, well away from cylinder seal. That might be another sign of an experienced rebuilder. Not sure.

It appears that the intake manifold bolts will bottom out. I am installing a rebuilt EA82 and am meticulously researching each step. All I want is for all to go well. I have chased the intake bolt holes [as advised by General Disorder] and noting the depth. Adding in the thickness of OEM gaskets I see barely one or two bolt threads available before bolt bottoms out. That can't be right, can it? I don't believe that washers were used, but that might not be a bad idea.

We think it was that the oil was too low. But just for statistics, what is the highest mileage that you have seen from original crank bearings and rods?

Random Clacking sound is not like from ELAs . Piston or rod? Random clacking.mp3

The owner said the oil was not showing on the stick. The oil leaks had quickly escalated beyond what was the norm the past year or so. And after he added a quart an a half of oil the stick then read a whole inch ABOVE FULL. So seems like there would have been enough oil in there to protect the bearings. Assuming no overheating or low oil, do EA82 ever have pistons or rods just fail after 250k or 300k miles?

My friends GL had 360,000 miles on it. That EA82 non-turbo finally bit the dust. Probably had the usual reseals and perhaps head gaskets along the way. Not sure. He sent me audio of when it really turned for the worse. Sounds like could be bad piston and bad rods? Here is an audio mp3. Look for audio file attachment to hear. Bad EA82 GL non turbo.mp3

Gloyale helped me save my Loyale 12 years by showing how to change out main shaft front oil seal on FWD wagon 5spd trans. 150,000 miles later still running fine. Now I will take his advice on oil pan - no cork - just The Right Stuff. THANKS AGAIN.

loyalematt I am honored by your offer to possibly part with that fork. Will say this- Back in 2008 the front trans mainshaft seal and rear mainshaft bearing were causing gear oil leak and vibration. Original owner was very easy on the clutch so there was no opportunity to change out or spot the failing [crumbled] pilot bearing. My options were either send car to salvage yard or fix it myself. I fixed it myself while it sat for 3 months in my apartment car port. That was 125k miles ago. Car runs well @ 326k miles. I'm gonna drive at least till 400k as a local runner to work. Respectable interior. All glass is good. Only some minor dents in the body. New KYB struts. New radiator. Thanks

Mine is FWD. Not 4.

This is a dead platform I know. However . . . Can a Subaru release fork part # 30531AA111 (for 1991 Legacy) be substituted (or altered) to function in a 1991 (non-turbo) Loyale? I have yet to get in there to change the clutch and I am concerned with seeing way too much wear where the fork pivots. If cutting and/or welding needed I have local guys for that. Another possible concern is not to compromise any high carbon steel if it does get mig welded. (more likely to crack)

And will snap a few pix of what the "unnamed mystery rebuilder" did with the cylinder walls and pistons. Plan is to start it up within 2- 3 weeks. Prognosis looks to be that this is a $100 "find". Will keep fingers crossed and say three "Hail Mary"s . Will prime oil pump with drill socket and fill water pump from heater hose.

Going with Fel Pro 9392pt HGs. Since engine not yet installed. And I plan to use Permatex Ultra black for cam carriers. Fill slot [groove] and then medium bead. Push down and get bolts finger tight. Wait an hour and then torque to about 10 or 12 ft/lbs max.