Snowman

Just turn it into a convertable, Smoky and the Bandit style!

(Insert all profanities known to man here) THEM! Anybody that doesn't give you and your car the respect they deserve is too ignorant and worried about their own image to care about. At some point in time, everybody on this board has probably been laughed at or whatever because "it's an old subaru", and should we care? Especially considering how capable our vehicles can be, heck no! I drive my car because I like it and it's fun. I don't drive it because other people said that it would be cool.

That's fascinating! I'm definitely going to keep watching that.

I just bought a 2-row radiator for an RX/turbo car from radiator.com. They listed around $125, but gave it to me for $100. They would probably give that deal again, but I'm not sure. Shipping to Alaska was $25 extra. The radiator was a good quality unit, and Roxanne runs cool as a cuke' now. I also called 1stsubaruparts.com, and the reason it's so expensive is that they no longer sell a direct replacement radiator for that car. It's some retrofit kit that includes some other stuff.

Since you can run an N/A shortblock with turbo heads, the gaskets should be the same.

Actually, Autolite plugs are pretty decent. That's what we run in all of our gas-powered vehicles at work. I still like running NGK's in Japanese vehicles though. NGK: Japanese Cars Bosch: European Cars Autolite: American Cars Champion: Lawn mowers

Well, all I know is that the roads were covered in ice, snow, and all kinds of crap last night, and my 86 Subaru WASTED EVERYTHING! FOUR WHEEL DRIFTS THROUGH CORNERS, YEAH!

Anybody know why they made it different? There must be reason, otherwise they would save money by making it a common part. Any ideas?

I think the issues with copper HG's might have been due to improper sealant or something. Also, copper gaskets generally require more torque, and I wouldn't want to do that without going to head studs, which is major $$$. Remember, WJM ran his 9.5:1 turbo motor for 20,000 miles without any HG problems (he used SOA gaskets). I think the factory ones are probably pretty good.

Subaru Styles, I think we might be pretty close to tied for worst picture of an EA82 engine!

The price you quoted for HG's is good, but I would personally never use anything besides SOA gaskets for those and the intake manifold, which can be had from 1stsubaruparts for just a few dollars more.

That's an interesting thought. Just might work.

1stsubaruparts.com Call them rather than ordering online. Use ONLY subaru headgaskets and intake manifold gaskets. As was mentioned, replace the cam carrier O-rings. Use Permatex Anaerobic Sealant to seal between the cam carriers and heads. Since you've got the cam carriers off, you should do the cam seals since they are prone to leakage. Also, remember to get rocker cover gaskets.

Hey Austin, if you go through with this conversion, maybe you could write up a section for the conversion manual for EA81-specific things that have to be done.

NGK all the way. That's what was used when the engineers were designing the engine.

You mentioned the possibility of timing being too retarded. When I first started up my engine after rebuilding it, the timing was a tooth advanced and it ran like crap, similar to but not quite as bad as you describe. I'd verify correct timing before doing too much else. The float setting procedure should be a service manual. I'm not sure if generic ones would have it though.

Have you verified fuel pressure and volume, as well as proper float travel?

Just get a cheap Fluke knock-off multimeter that has a temp probe function.

THAT PICTURE ROCKS!

Do a search for WRX intercoolers. Many people have put on a WRX intercooler, and it seems to be about the right size and design for the EA82T. Garner, Calebz, Subarutex, and WJM just to name a few. I don't know what the difference is between that and an STI one, though I assume the STI is larger.

Does anybody know if they made the 3-door in 1985? I'm not positive which model the car is, as Subaru produced what we here refer to as the hatchback from 1980-1989 (I think) as well as a different car that is often called a hatchback for a few years later on. They have different body styles and powertrains, which makes engine swaps a different story for each rig. You can tell the difference very easily by the engine code, which is stamped on the front of the block in the middle. If it says EA81, then it's a hatchback, and if it says EA82, it's a 3-door. For a hatchback, you can swap in the turbo version of that EA81 engine from a station wagon, sedan, or brat relatively easily. It is also possible to swap in the later EA82 turbo engine, but it is wider and you have to sort of shoehorn it in a bit. It has been done many times though. If it's a 3-door, an EA82 turbo engine can be swapped in with ease.

I don't know any slang names for it. Permatex does make a product called "Aviation Form-A-Gasket" that works really well for coating cork and paper gaskets. It seals well and is really easy to clean off the next time.

I really don't like the idea of extended drain intervals when using higher quality oils. It's not the oil itself that breaks down. Yes, better additives do help, but they are still not perfect. You need to change the oil often to get the carbon out, as well as the acid that's created by blowby gasses. Mobil 1 doesn't yet commit to extended drain intervals, and no engine manufacturers do. If you do run longer intervals, it is imperative to send out a sample for analysis at the regular interval to see if any crud is in there. Bypass filters are also virtually a necessity. It doesn't hurt anything to change the oil more often. I run Mobil 1 full synthetic and factory filters in mine and change every 2500-4000 miles depending on use (when it's cold, the oil carbons up quickly) because I know that my engine is better protected that way.

Permatex Anaerobic Sealant is what I've been told to use by an old mechanic who is now an auto professor at my school. I have used it with tremendous success on case halves and cam towers. Ultra black is basically RTV, right? There are two problems with that type of sealant. First, it doesn't seem to hold up as well over time. Second, there are inevitably going to be little blobs of extra sealant around the mating surface. These can also end up inside the oil passages. These blobs can break off and clog things up, as I've been told by another long-time mechanic. The anaerobic sealant sets up only on the mating surface itself, and any extra stuff remains oil soluble and washes away.

I remember seeing that one on Reuters. Some Palestinian leader was driving around and his car got blown up.