NorthWet

Done. I hope something that we talked about will help. If it makes you feel any better (misery loves company), check out WJM's thread about detonation with his Outback.

I was thinking something like preignition, too, but figured WJM had the right parts in it. One normal-ish run, and things go south with the engine hot.

HOLY CR*P! Doesn't look like it is just "light detonation"... Have you tried it open-loop, or can't you realistically do this on late models? Maybe try a differenct ECU? That is quite a drop-off.

Its pretty typical for late-model engines to be set up so that there is light detonation at WOT. Sort of an indication that the engine is walking the tightrope between greatest efficiency (of some type) and engine death. Sort of like speeding doesn't kill you every time, just when you do it too much and something else goes wrong. "Detonation doesn't kill engines. People kill engines."

The anti-diesel solenoid (and electric choke) should just be controlled by power from the igniton switch, possibly with a relay but probably not. I couldn't find a wiring diagram for anything near an 87 EA81, but my 1981 FSM suggests that there are inline fuses for both the electric choke and the ADS; it also suggests that the two share a connector, but not necessarily a power wire. Were there 2 wires at the connector that you tested, and did you test from wire to ground? Again, I am looking at diagrams for an MY81...

Let me know what you need and I will get the pics of my 87 t-wagon. Is your AC "factory" (alternator outboard of compressor) or "dealer" (alt inboard of compressor)? I will go snap some pics of cable routing.

Have a fun and safe trip. If you need any help closer to this coast (like Western MT and westward), give a holler.

For decades, I drove I-5 between SF-area and Seattle-area, and it was pretty much taken for granted that there would be at least 5 major construction project on I-5 along the way during the good-weather months. Winter trips were always faster, even with bad weather...

ABSOLUTELY a good piece of information!!! :) I just take it as a fact of life. I had meant for it to be info for out-of-area people, but I see how it might sound hostile towards you; NOT my intent. I will go back and try to make my post a little more friendly.

"Where is everyone?" They are going to the place you left; going to WCSS7!!!

It is Washington... ... it is Summer... ... they are doing road work on ALL of the roads!!! Very good point, soobmater. For those coming from out of area: Expect roadwork delays on all major highways in the PNW during the Summer. *edit - above was edited to coverup my lack of social skills. My apologies to soobmater . end edit*

AFAIK, all of the webers have a different base mounting pattern from the Hitachis, so you need an adapter. There are different configurations for Webers, and I do not recall what model designation is preferred (as to do with things like throttle-cable mounting/position and such). For "cheap", you might consider the Holley/Weber 5200 that came on Ford 4's and V6's of the 70's and 80's (maybe 90's???). Some people have expressed negative feelings about them, but they seemed pretty decent, at least when near-new. Something else to look at is carbs from Nissans. I have not checked their bolt pattern, but I believe that they are the same as our Hitachis. The one that came on my 1980 Nissan Z20 crate engine seemed pretty good, and helped develop some pretty good power and driveability. (Overall, a better driving experience than my dual Weber 40DCOEs.)

Are you talking about it being an odd size for bolts??? If so, not around here. :-\

I have not gone as far west as Forks on 101, but in general it is a well-traveled, good condition 2-lane. It handles all of the commercial travel on the north of the Olympic Peninsula. "All" means a lot of logging trucks, so watch out for them. Lots of RV traffic, boats, trailers; should be no problem. If this were Winter I would warn you to watch for salmon swimming across the roadway near Brinnon (kind of due west from me, across the Hood Canal, on the Oly-Pen).

Toothed belts really don't stretch enough to significantly affect your timing etc. They CAN stretch enough to affect their proper tensioning. On an EA82 (haven't heard the EJ22 yet), a loose tensioner can let the belt make a whirring/buzzing noise, loudness can depend on how loose and how noisey the rest of the engine is. My GL-10's belt could be heard distinctly from 2500 rpm up, even during freeway driving. I wasn't sure what it was until I retensioned the belts and it went away.

Oddcomp, that is the way of the world unless you are rich. You are either making money and have no time to spend it, or have loads of time and no money to have fun. The solution, of course, is to be rich. If you can't get that RX going in time, maybe I can loan you a wagon. Sort of like yours, except that it runs!!!

Last time I got a heli-coil single-size kit (a year ago?) it was only about $20. Do you have the install tool, or did you just buy a package of coils? 11mm x 1.25 might be a better choice then 7/16th inch. Approx same size as 7/16ths, same size and pitch as head bolts, and keeps it metric (I hate mixed-standard vehicles).

Convert to SPFI. Some judicious JY spending should get you the parts for not too much. With all due respect to Brian, and disclosing that I have not personally tried and compared on the soob's Hitachi: This "trick" has been a hot rod favorite for decades, and has generally been debunked as not really working. Unless the vacuum-secondary actuation was improperly setup by the manufacturer, it will open the secondary when the engine is ready for it (which is the purpose of vac-secs). Converting to manual, the secondary can open before the engine is ready to handle the airflow, causing the air velocity to drop, resulting in drop-off of fuel flow through the discharge tubes and fuel falling out of suspension in the manifold. The result is a bogging (flat-spot), followed by the airflow/engine recovering and developing power again. What the driver feels is a jerk and then resumed power, and thinks that is a surge of power. (Sort of like the theme park rides that make you feel like you are accelerating while the room actually stays mounted to the floor.) Holley on their carburetors with manual secondaries deals with this problem by putting an accelerator pump in the secondaries ("double pumpers") to enrichen the mixture. If you want the perception of power, anything that increases perceived engine noise and "feel" will do that. If you have high grade ignition components, going to same-function-but-fancy stuff will not increase power. If you want real power, it is a little more complicated and sophisticated. Calebz said it very well...

I plan on being there Saturday and Sunday. I work Friday evening. My wife might come down for a day, but she is not really a car person. 35 miles from home... how can I NOT come?

The one that is not running? Sure... "no problems"!!! :lol:

Rodding is not financially feasable on the composite radiators that came standard in most of these vehicles. And rodding just as often turns a plugged radiator into a leaky radiator.

Wraps and coatings will not do the same job as the heat shielding. It is designed to keep fingers from getting burned and wires/hoses/rubber/plastic from getting degraded by the heat. The air gap and its metallic properties are important for it to do this. That being said, much of the EA82T's shielding seems to be for consumer protection, and to minimize the risk of an underhood fire in case something burnable (paper, loose wiring, etc) ends up where it shouldn't. I would make sure that there is air-gap metallic shielding protecting things like the axle boot, the spare tire, and any hoses and wires that you may have running in proximity to the pipes. I have run mine without most of its upper shielding for several years. It makes maintenace a lot easier, and I learned years ago on motorcycles how hot exhaust pipes can get so I am careful about not touching them.

"Crank away"??? Are you talking about applying pressure on a breaker bar (auto-tranny, the engine will just spin), or crank the starter (manual, the car will leap forward)? I have done the breaker bar and starter, but always felt nervous about it; not really a safe way to do it. I like the 2 bolts and the crowbar as a brace. I really like the 1/2" impact wrench.

Hadn't heard the refrigerator reference before. Must REALLY be a cultural barrier! (I have a van that I call "The Whale". It is 24' long and white, sort of like Moby wongleflute. Well, it used to be white; moss grows quickly here, and not just on the north side of trees.)

Nice placement of vehicles on that "family portrait". I wish that I could arrange my cars to screen my work area... ...but then, I wish I had a real work area. Engine hoists don't roll well on crushed rock and mud. BTW, nice car. Does it have a big wing on it? I keep trying to talk my wife into letting me put a "Superbird" wing on her wagon, but she is somewhat resistive.