LostWater

Just as the subject line says, I scored a 74 VW trasnporter with a EA-82 engine bolted to a kennedy adapter already in it. I have been planning on subifying one of my Westfalias for years now, and now I have the oppourtunity. The best thing... I only spent $300 for the whole shebang. The bus is just about rust free and the adapter alone would cost me $550. Of course I had to drive the 6 hiurs one way to get it and trailer it back, but that was little worry. In the next weeke or two I plan on pulling the engine out of it and the adapter and then selling the transporter body. I will take pics then. Regards, Mark

I went to near Nashville last month and scored a 74 VW bus that already had the conversion to subie power started on it. The bus already had a Kennedy Kit mounted with an EA-82 in place. My question is... I obviously want to use an EA-81 motor as I have a great running one sitting in the Gayrage as well as a weber carb for it. Are the bellhousing bolt patterns the same between EA-81 and EA-82? Thanks! Mark P.S., I also scored a VW shortened bus/trailer near Buffalo this past weekend. The Outback towed it all the way from Batavia to Christiansburg with no problems.

What a great Idea, I hadn't even thought of that. I just GAVE away a 3rd eye to the guy I sold my hatch to for no extra money I am now in the process of putting a EA-81 in my 74 baywindow westy.

Exactly what I was looking for! Thanks a bunch!

I was planning on pulling the manifold from a carb'd ea-82 wagon that I have on the farm and getting that cleaned up a little. It has bigger passages than the EA-81 manifold and it bolts right onto the EA-81 engine. So I will need a weber adapter to EA-82 carb manifold. Don't want to spend lots of money on a custom manifold for only 20 hp overall gain (stock type 4 VW is 67, I figure EA-81 with Weber and EA-82 manifold should get 85-95 hp) If I were putting the cash out for a EJ-25, then I would certainly spend more money on breathing.

Looks like I finally scored a VW bus with a kennedy adapter already on it. A few years ago I found a site that sold the Weber carb adapters seperately for like $35. What site is it? I have a great running EA-81 that I am going to put in my camper bus using this kit. I also have two weber carbs with plates for VW's, obviously, I need the plates for the subie motor. Still have many parts and cars if anybody interested. Mark LostWater@LostWater.com 74 Westfalia soon to be Busaru many subarus, some can be made drivers cheaply

Nobody have any ideas? Mark

My Drivers side rear strut is making alot of noise. I can grab the top of the car and shake just after I park and the strut creaks loudly the same as it does while driving down the road. My question is, has anyone replaced their rear struts recently? Is it a cartridge system? Does one need spring compressor to replace just the cartidge? Does one just but the whole shebang including spring? Any help would be most appreciated. Mark

I parked my tractor next to the Outback, thats the 1st problem. I lifted the bucket today because it has been cold and the hydraulics are docey when it is real cold, anyways, I lifted the loader a bit soI could load it on the trailer if needed. Something must have shifted and when the loader came down on its own (seals or valve must be leaking) it scraped the side of the bumper surround on the back left rear. It tore a hole in the surround and scratched it up. Here is my question, How does one get the bumper surround off? I know that the whole thing has to be replaced and I hope that I could find one at a Junkyard that was crashed in the front and use that one to replace mine. I do have full coverage insurance, but I am hoping to avoid a claim. Anyone want to clue me in? Thanks a bunch!

There likely was/is a rust ridge on it. The rotor/drum was off and laying under the car for almost a month in the front yard. I backed the adjusters completely, thinking the same thing. At the time, the e-brake was not engaged, but the cable could have locked in place? The emergency brake will lock up the other rear wheel and skid the car on gravel. Lube the backing plate? How and where could I have done that? I didn't do that cause I assumed that the backing plate has nothing to do with everything in place. Tell me more. I guess the next thing to do is to take it all back apart, take the rotor/drum back off, maybe get it turned? to get rid of the rust? Thanks a bunch for your reply. Any other ideas are most appreciated. Mark

I finally got my rear wheel bearing installed. I went ahead and bought a 12 ton press as the hubtamer c-tool I had made did not budge the bearing out. I removed the knuckle and took all the emergency brake hardware off, pushed the bearing out, pushed new bearing in, installed seals, pressed hub back in. I reinstalled the emergency brake hardware and when I went to put the rotor back on, I had to use a hammer to get it on. Now, it appears that the emergency brake on that side is dragging bad. I used the exploded diagram in the haynes manual to put the emergency brake stuff back together. The only place where there may be a problem is the "strut" bar that goes across between the shoes. On the shoe that has the emergency brake lever attached to it, I put the wider end of the strut on it, including the brake lever. It did not appear to go the other way, and it wouldn't have fit behind the hub otherwise. I am looking for any and as many ideas as can be had. The car has been in the front yard for a month and it is getting too cold to drive the VW Bus. Thanks, Mark

I am pretty sure that the c-clip is in front of the bearing after the hub comes out. This at least what the endwrench procedure talks about. The hub is sleeve that extends into and pressed into the bearing. Thanks for the help. Mark

Thanks for the tracings, I was able to get them off of the gallery. I printed them at original size, so hopefully I can make this piece. Otherwise, I will beat the crap out of it more. Thanks a bunch, I will be sure to post my results of this fabrication. Mark

If someone could trace the leverage adapter on the hubtamer for me, I could make that piece and save the expense of buying a $300 tool set. The Harbor Freight set has all the pieces neccessary save the leverage adapter. Those who have the hubtamer set will know what I am tlking about. It is the biggest piece in the set. It looks like Pac-man with a bent arm welded to the back face. It looks like it would be easy enough to trace, just lay down the face on a piece of paper, trace that, then turn it sideways with the flat face hanging off of a table and trace the bent arm. If someone could trace that and email me a scan of it, it would save so much work, much expense and contribute to good will. Or, they could put the tracings in the gallery. Please, please, please someone help me out!! Thanks, Mark LostWater@LostWater.com

Unfortunately, the harbor freight hubtamer copy does not appear to have the large adapter thingy that the screw would need to push against in order to use the screw to push the hub out. It looks like the pictures Ali posted used that method. Any other ideas? Thanks, Mark

I was thinking about that. If I took it all to a machine shop, the I would have to get an alignment, hence the desire for doing it on the car. Thanks for the suggestion. Anybody have any other ideas? Mark

The axle is totally out and loose. The rotor is off too. Even got the lateral link bolt out with no problems. The problem is trying to seperate the hub from the bearing. It is put together like this: Knuckle is bearing housing, bearings are pressed into that, then hub is pressed into bearings, the rotor goes over hub, the axle comes through all. I can't get the stinkin hub out, my arms hurt, I have blisters even wearing gloves. I am pretty frustrated. My dad thinks I should go get a bottle of Mapp gas as I tried propane and couldn't get it hot enough to do anything. Any other suggestions? Thanks Mark

Ok, I cut a piece of plate steel to mimic what the special hub puller would do. I drilled holes in it for the lugs and I drilled a hole in the center for the slide hammer to go through. It looks like it will function exactly as the "5 hole adapter" that SOA recommends in the endwrench article. I have been beating on it for two hours and it has not budged. Anybody have any ideas? Help! Mark

Doing the bearing job today. Don't have the proper socket for the rear axle nut. Is it a 32mm or 33mm? Also, how in the hell does one "unstake" (SOA word) the axle nut? It looks as if it is crimped on. Thanks for any and all help. Mark

From where and how much did you get you radiator? Is it custom made? two row? al or copper? How thick is it? What kind of fan are you using? Low profile or standard? Are you going to pull air through rad, or push air out through rad? I gather the fan is going to be on the inside facing the engine. Did you custom make an engine support crossmember? Someone else told me that they were just going to hang the engine off of the tranny with no additional support. I feel that an engine cross member is likely needed like what it is in the stock application. Did the kennedy kit come with good directions? Thanks for answering these questions. Mark

Do a whois on busaru.com and you will see what I will call my 73 Westaru when it is complete. Oh yeah, westaru.com too! Mark

Ali, Thanks so much for your post and the information. I looked at the OTC hub Tamer set and the one from Harbor Freight looks so similar and for so much less money. Also, will I need a ball joint press tool to push the lateral link bolts out as others have suggested? Do you by chance have the parts numbers for the bushings or the lateral link bolts? I may have those one hand because I bought this car out of Connecticult and the there is some corrosion on the exposed parts. Thanks again, Mark

This is great. If I ever sell my Hatch, I plan on buying the Kennedy kit for my 73 westy. I will put a great running ea-81 I have, with a weber and ea-82 manifold. 'Bout 85-90 hp then I figure, much better than 62 hp stock on a motor than weighs over 100 lbs more. Can you send some pics my way particularly of the modified engine crossmember? Did you use the Kennedy kit? Dis you get a rad made so that the hoses would be on the bottom so there would not be much flex needed? Plan on keeping the engine hatch on? I have seen one with the engine hatch replaced and it didn't look as good. Regards, Mark

Hey all, I was wondering if any special tools are needed for a rear wheel bearing replacement on my 97 Outback? I have reviewed other posts and read of something called a hub tamer. I googled that and it is a $300 tool set!! Is that waht everyone uses?? Is there a tool set that harbor freight sells that may fulfill the same function? The endwrench site also calls for a bearing puller. What is that and where can that be found? Thanks for any and all help! Mark

I'll get some pics of my 360 projects very soon. None started, but enough parts to complete at least one of each.