GeneralDisorder

If you buy a new cable from the dealer (I don't reccomend aftermarket for these) then you will get all that hardware you lost for the cable end with your purchase. The HH cable.... do you have the "cylinder" and the adjuster nut etc or is it just a bare threaded end (looks that way)? You will have to find all that hardware at the junk yard in order to use it if you don't have it. The HH is also the return spring for the clutch fork so if you *dont'* use it you really should install a return spring in it's place. GD

Can you think of a better place to keep a spare plug wire GD

Hard to tell - depends on the conditions where you drive. If it was improperly routed over the steering column or heater core hoses it can fail prematurely. etc....yes they do get heavy before breaking - that's a sign that the cable is binding in it's sheath due to lack of lubrication. GD

Yeah - I end up with lots of spare parts from stuff - parted out cars, junk yard runs, etc, and my dad (he's retired) built a whole bunch of shelves in my shed from the leftover scrap of a garden "cottage" he built for my mom. And I have a whole bunch of those plastic tote containers I got at an estate sale for like $1 each. It just needs to be put together..... GD

Are you sure it's not just a bent valve, etc? A head job would be cheaper than a new engine..... unless it punched a hole in a piston or broke a valve off and rammed it up and down in the cylinder a few times...... GD

Probably best to just leave it stock. The engine is an EA71.... what we refer to as a "top mount starter" due to the bell-housing design. If you were to change the engine at a later date (EA81, EJ, etc) then the transmission would also have to be changed as the top-mount-starter bell-housing is not compatible with anything made after the EA71 engine. 80/81 models are problematic for ever "converting" to another engine or even fuel injection - there's issues with them not having a speed sensor in the cluster as well as not having a fuel return line with the engine-bay mounted fuel pump. It can be done but it's more work. They also have externally regulated alternators which are a pain unless properly converted to internal (there's a few posts on that). It's a cool collectible though. I always tell people to stick to the '82 and newer EA81's because they are more modern in some very critical ways. GD

We are probably going to reuse your seals. If we need some we can get them. Discount Import Parts is open tomorrow. I've got all that handled so don't worry about parts, etc. GD

I don't believe either has been an issue that I have heard of. GD

Buy a new one. I've seen plenty of them break. Not worth saving $10. GD

What year is it? 1600 does not tell us much. They used that engine from '75 to '89 in one thing or another. Being a wagon it's got to be a '75 to '81 but that still doesn't narrow down which one we are talking about...... GD

That does not apply to EA81's and in any case it's not a PITA - it's very simple actually. I've done quite a few EA82 Weber's with PS and it's the sum total of one extra step to peen a dent in the PS reservior and throw some black paint on it. Nothing to it. GD

Saturday sounds like a good plan. My other half works from noon till 7 that day so we should have a good stretch. You organize my shed and help out, etc - I'll take care of the wheel bearings and/or whatever else is going on with those front-end noises. I know a thing or two about bearings and most important - where to buy them on the discount . Your money is no good here - I just need your time and your effort. I don't have enough hours in the day or hands to keep all the balls in the air with GD

Feeler gauge and a wrench - pretty simple valve adjustment on those. You just set the clearance between the rocker and the valve stem (with the valve unloaded) and lock the adjuster with the jam nut. 8 thou on the intake and 10 on the exhaust. GD

Cool - when can you start? I'm in the garage the next three days for sure. Hopefully wrenching on an OBW if I can get my cylinder heads back from the machine shop black hole they fell into Otherwise it's cleaning and organizing and probably some cutting and welding on my new shop table . GD

And I can change EA front wheel bearings in my sleep.... drunk. Takes me about 1/2 hour per side.... give or take..... you have to be one with the force. You will learn. I will teach you. GD

Maybe we can work something out for a trade. You help me around the shop - you learn some stuff - and I'll get you setup with wheel bearings or axles or whatever. I need my shed reorganized What do you think? (yes I'm serious ). GD

Needle nose vice grips are invaluable for pinching off lines. You can pinch the line between two quarters if you don't want to mess with soft-grips or tape, etc. GD

'82 *should* have the bolt holes for the power steering brackets if it's the original engine. '82 was the first year it was offered and I've seen them stock with it. Personally I don't like them without the PS - off road is a pain in the rump roast without it. The wheel jerks too much. GD

And what makes you think there's a right-side-up to a sealed cartridge filter? It's designed to be installed exactly as you have done (as long as you followed the arrows on the filter for inlet and outlet). In other words it doesn't matter in the slightest. EA carb fuel pressure is 1.5 to 2.5 psi. GD

Yeah - I wouldn't worry about them. It looks worse than it really is. Clean it off with brake clean and monitor it. Rear main looks good. I see no reason to change that. GD

It changes the caster of the wheel. That changes the tendancy to return to center after turning.... or not. Power steering/4WD changes how the car handles so they have two settings for the strut top. GD

You realize this requires a custom adaptor plate and flywheel right? '87 tranny has no neutral switch..... GD

A Brat isn't going to have anything in the way of an ECU and not much in the way of wireing, etc. For anything newer (that's worth the effort) you would need to switch to fuel injection and yes an ECU and associated wireing, etc would have to be added. It's no small job. Alternatively you could build up the EA81 - you will have to tear the engine down to replace the cam and pistons (for higher comp.), and do some head work to open up the flow. 100 HP is easily done on your stock engine. You probably are looking at around $1000 to $1500 to build up the EA81. If you are into the swap idea you could get an EJ22 donor car - usually in the $500 range - then do some maintenance items, reseal, and get an adaptor plate and flywheel, etc. You are still looking at about $1000 to $1500 but you will get 135 HP for your trouble. GD

DOHC = Yes. SOHC = No. If it's a DOHC I urge you to also do a valve adjustment if one has never been done. And yes stem seals are not a bad idea and you might as well lap the valves while you are at it. GD

It would probably be around $50 to $100 for me to get you one from a yard depending on what they charge me, etc. I have to pull it to inspect the joints and I won't buy a questionable one so I might have to pull more than one..... Then just shipping which shouldn't be too bad as you say. GD