l75eya

You know...I've never had that happen... Not once. And I've driven hundreds of thousands of miles with my battery in it's non-full upright seat-belted position. I've had tools short the battery out before...an errant wrench, an extension, whatever may have you. You know what happened? There was a spark. No fire, no explosion, no massively overwhelming dire situation of any kind really... Mind you, I'm not trying to negate the fact that there is a *chance* (albeit slight) that the gasses in the battery can build up around said battery and be ignited by such a spark. In which case, yes, there would be a big explosion and it would not be fun. However, that is not to say I will negate the fact that an engine can separate from a passing jet, and fall into my house. Both of these things are possible, but really, would you consider it a likely enough scenario to call somebody an idiot for not having their battery fastened properly? Give it a rest.

Okay, that got basically all bases covered for me. Just to reiterate and make sure I'm understanding the 'ticking' phenomenon properly, the ticking noise occurs when the lifter is not fully 'pumped up', if you will, with oil. When the lifter *is* filled with oil, it is working hydraulically, as it should, and is supplying constant pressure to the rocker arm. When the lifter experiences aeration of the oil within, that pressure is temporarily released, allowing the small piston in the lifter to recess slightly and thus whenever the valve is opened the rocker arm and the piston in the HLA come out of contact with eachother. When the valve returns to it's closed position, the rocker arm then smacks into the HLA piston, making a clacking noise. Thanks for the explanation GD. It's been bugging me for quite awhile now to understand exactly how these things work. It's hard to picture it and imagine the function based on a schematic or drawing. Whenever I get to a point where I'm actually working with these components tangibly, I'm sure I'd have figured it out. Thanks again:headbang:

Okay, yeah. That does help. It's a little hard to picture it working that way from that illustration (where in the picture it just appears to be floating just under the rocker arm). Alright so I can picture that, the tiny piston coming out of the HLA is constantly applying pressure to the rocker arm. To keep the gap in spec, you're talking about the gap between the rocker arm and the tip of the valve stem?

So I've just been moseying around in the FSM. I fixed ben's tick of death a couple of months ago by replacing the oil pump. When it was ticking I did my best to read through the boards and figure out what was wrong, and from what I gathered, what happens is the hydraulic valve lash adjusters don't get the amount of oil into them they need to function properly. What I'm trying to figure out, is exactly how this all works. I was wondering if somebody could try and explain it to me if you guys are bored lol. Here is a picture from the FSM Now I do know that the lobe on the cam spins against the rocker, and that pushes the valve in, opening the seal and allowing oxygen/gas/ in on the intake stroke and allows exhaust gases out on the exhaust stroke. The valves are closed during the combustion stroke. What I can't quite picture is how the lash adjuster functions. The valves stay closed through spring force, correct? What does the lash adjuster do, in what way does it push up against the rocker? Does it push up against the rocker? Just curious guys, I'd love to read an explanation if anybody has the time..

Just my 2 cents, I never drive my cars until they have warmed up, unless I'm in a real like emergency type hurry. My carbed 87 just won't drive until it's warm, it'll sputter and stall and buck me around unless I floor it, so I just start it up and let it fast idle around 1500 - 2000 RPM for about 5 to 10 minutes, and then it's good to go. Ben is fuel injected and he doesn't mind the cold too much, but even he will throw a fit if I drive him without warming up first. He takes much longer to warm up though, for whatever reason, but after about 10 to 15 minutes idling with him, he's ready for some 5,000 RPM highway drivin'

AH! I had forgotten about that O-ring. I haven't even looked at the pipe. That might be whats leaking. Thank you! Gonna go check that out

Hey peoples, I hope everybody's holidays were fun and filled with snow. Mine unfortunately weren't, so I haven't had chance to play in the white fluff yet. That being said though, bringing this back to the subject, poor Ben has yet another issue; he's leaking coolant. Slightly. I wanted to post this up because I have had a chance briefly to peek under the car and look around for a likely source, but I still haven't been able to narrow it down. I'm thinking maybe somebody here can cue in and perhaps point out something I haven't thought of as of yet. He is slowly dripping, and the drips are coming off of the very bottom (naturally) of the inner timing belt cover. One drip coming off at dead center, another drip slightly more towards the driver's side. While I was under the car I looked at the lower radiator hose and it is very old, but does not appear to be leaking at all. The upper hose looks fine as well. The trans lines, I can only see the upper line clearly and it looks okay as well. I figure it might be the water pump however I can see the weep hole from under the car and it doesn't appear to be leaking. If I figure correctly for drips coming from that location, there's only a couple viable possibilities, and that about covers all bases, does it not? Upper, lower, trans lines, and the pump. I am going to get new hoses (should I really go OEM for the hoses?) and put them in, the ones on there are 18 years old or so and look terrible so I figure even if that doesn't solve the problem, it is preventative. If that doesn't fix the leak, I guess my line of action after that should be the trans lines? Are those a bi*** to change? Do those even run coolant through them or do they run trans fluid? And then after that I guess ultimately it's time to do the water pump What do you guys think? Cheers!

Very interesting read, I have almost identical problem though I do get bearing squeal and grinding that comes and goes and sometimes varies between grinding/squealing only while accelerating (goes away while coasting) or the complete opposite of squealing/grinding only while coasting (goes away while braking/accelerating). Something has been up with my front left axle/bearings since I got this car. At one point I jacked up the car and had almost 1/4" of play laterally in the wheel. That's when I had the axle replaced and the bearings done. After a trip across the country I have the noise again that comes and goes. I have noticed the castlenut come loose once or twice and tightened it back up/ put a new cotterpin in but still the same symptoms. I'm just going to pull a whole knuckle out of a yard car one day and replace it, but for now, I just drive it. So long as it feels tight *shrugs*. Considering they're not too hard to get, maybe you'll want to just replace the whole knuckle as well to rule out all possible variables. Just my .02 Good luck! lol

Cheers to the same beers I'm cheering you with now! Chitty ftw!

I'm rather saddened to see that nowhere in this crisis breakdown were the words "Drank beer" after the words "get beer"

You know the ea82 might just be ticking it's tick. This is easily fixable and is caused by low oil pressure. If the "rod" you're talking about it have possibly been thrown is a "pushrod" as in a pushrod engine, you need not worry about that. I don't think any ea82s were OHV engines..

I stomp mine on and stomp em' off. Never had an issue. I literally stand on the wrench for a moment when tightening them up good and snug. However...I'm a little guy. I only weigh 145 pounds, so I'm guessing mine are torqued somewhere in the 90-100 lb range. Sucks you stripped them though. Just go get some new studs and new lugs. Car probably will have needed them by now anyway.

Yep yep. Took twenty minutes. It's the poor man's solution to a cracked/split axle boot. Backed the car onto ramps, went under there with some newspaper and plastic bags, wrapped the newspaper around the boot as tight as possible, duct tape it as tight as possible, more newspaper, more tape, then wrap a plastic bag around it as tight as possible and tape that up. It's sealed up pretty good now. Should make it through the rains that hit until I can fix it proper. Gotta be resourceful when you don't got the resources

About to go plastic bag my driver's side rear axle boot

Isn't it a bad idea to use 4wd in the rain? In my mind, I see going around a slight curve on the highway at 70 mph in rain a dangerous time to have all 4 wheels locked together.....

Or just be happy with your reliable, practical car, drive it like an old man, and it will last you a lifetime.

amen to that. That's been my solution before as well. Another quick fix was sunglasses and a hoodie when I temporarily had no sun visors. Either way just to be clear to the OP just trying to lighten the mood with some humor I hope you get your heater sorted out!

a very warm jacket.

Mine's bone stock and does the same thing. Reversing a couple of feet usually unbinds it right away..

Wipe the snow off. =P Idk is it different in your parts? It's so cold that cleared headlights that are on will still not overcome the cold and snow builds up again while you're driving? if so that's crazy cold lol, try keeping your high beams on

Vtec kicking in.

And this is precisely why our community here is the shi**. 'nuff said.

SPFI MPFI or carb? Does anybody know if these cars have ignitors? Had a similar problem with my brother's 1st gen Impreza and it was the ignitor..