GeneralDisorder

It got converted is what happened. '80 was three years before vented rotors came out. They had problems with them warping so when the car was still relatively new they were probably retro-fitted to it. The only thing that changes is the rotor, caliper, and bracket. GD

You need a steel punch to move the ring nut. The axle nut is simple if you have the VW tool. It's like $10 or less from any EMPI dealer. GD

I did the first couple without air tools. Really the only thing I use air tools for now is the ring nut because I have the impact socket for it. Otherwise it's all hand tools - beaters and pullers, etc. GD

Yeah - I routinely screw up that one. As Col. Frank Slade said - "because it's not important for me to get it right." Not in here anyway. I fixed it just for you Twitch. GD

Some people have fit 27's by bashing and cutting. Looks pretty silly and you have very minimal upward travel but it's been done. Lifts are pretty inexpensive these days. Save your pennies and do it right. GD

The sender wouldn't fling oil anywhere - nothing near to it that could catch and fling it. They just drip. Sounds like you are set then - just rip that sucker apart, replace some seals and the two pumps, and throw it back together. Should be able to do that in half a day. GD

There's no press required for any form of rear wheel bearing on an EA series. Just some careful work with a punch or a custom made driver tool. I've done half a dozen of them..... they don't fail very often and I've seen them make 300k without issue. You might consider just finding a good used trailing arm and swapping it in. The really useful tool is the ring nut socket. That's one I actually bought it's so useful. It removes the ring nut's without damaging them. If you use a punch to spin them out they are usually quite a mess afterwards. GD

It was late '83 that the rotor's changed to vented. All '82's should be solid. GD

Yeah - that's a call we can't make for you. I deal with things the same way - if it's not right I won't let it go out the door. Give the guy your honest opinion of it. Would YOU trust it on a 100+ mile trip? Also - it's a used car. You can only do so much and you can't see into the future. Anything could go wrong. He should know this. GD

At the bottom of my SPFI conversion document, there are links to the EA82 FSM sections dealing with the SPFI and all the diagnostic codes. Download them and you'll have all the information you need: http://home.comcast.net/~trilinear/EA81_SPFI.html GD

I would probably have measured the hole and the opened it up a bit with a proper sized drill bit. All these "new" replacement axles are made in China. Doesn't surprise me. I stick with the EMPI stuff personally, but it's not always the easiest for people to find. GD

EA81 head gaskets are simple, cute little things. Like working on a lawn-mower. If you learned how to walk and can form complete sentences..... you should do fine. GD

Have you ever done an EA82 timing belt before? It's about a 3 hour job if you have done it before and the belt covers are in place. Give yourself an afternoon if you have never done it before and make sure you have all the parts you need.... might want to just buy a new oil pump.... in case. GD

www.rockauto.com GD

Check the o-ring under the distributor block-off plate on the rear of the passenger side head. GD

Definitely sounds like a gen 1 carb. You might try asking in the Historic Forum for where people get kits for them. I've only ever rebuild the EA81 and EA82 Hitachi's (DCP 306's and DCZ 328's IIRC). GD

Most likely it's the front main seal then. That would throw a lot of oil - I've had them go out before. I sugest you just do a complete timing belt/water pump/front seal job on it. The kit's are gonzo cheap off ebay and it would be silly not to do everything while you are in there. Pull the oil pump as well and inspect it for damage - get a seal kit from the dealer.... sounds like you have a bit of lifter tick mixed in there as well so better safe on the pump and pump seals. When you do the water pump, also do the heater core bypass hose. It's a major biotch to get at if you have to change it later. GD

Only the '85/'86 EA82 disc will fit in the EA81 PP opening. It has to have the small, round center spring section to fit. The '87+ discs have a sqaured-off spring section that doesn't fit at all. GD

If the threads are good in the heads (if they aren't, heli-coil them), then this shouldn't be a problem. The trick is to have a good OEM gasket that has some "spring" to it, and to have either good lock washers or whiz-nuts that resist loosening. I would replace your gaskets with a dealer set, get some whiz-nuts in 10x1.25, and probably heli-coil the heads being that they have worked loose so many times. The Aluminium threads in the heads don't last long once the studs have been in/out a dozen times. GD

It's not a notice of service. It's telling you there is a problem with the EGR temp sensor or circuit. Being that the EGR is working we can assume that the temp sensor or the wiring to it is damaged or carbon has blocked up the EGR passage. The SPFI has no "service notification" functions whatsoever. It will tell you if there is a problem within it's limited capability to self-diagnose. Beyond that you are on your own for service. Your Brat is an EA81 with a carb. That's a completely different animal than a Loyale and the ECS light comes on every 60k miles to indicate that the EGR should be checked for proper operation. I don't know how much of a gimick this was "to get people to bring them in" or if it was some kind of mandate through the government. At any rate your Subaru "master" is correct - the three connectors will be around the steering column area two blue's and a green or two greens and a blue IIRC. Unplug the set that's connected and plug in whichever one fits the vacant plug. That will reset the light for another 60k. GD

Some are, and some are not. Being a Loyale it's probably the single peice unit that's sealed, yes. ....why would that matter for replacement? GD

Pull the crank pulley and timing belt covers and locate the exact source of the leak. Could be the front main seal or an oil pump seal. GD

Sounds like the old pump is just tired. Glad you figured out the problem and your tank isn't a rust ball - that would be a much worse problem to have to deal with. GD

You need to post in the wanted forum. GD

Gen 1/2 transmissions are mostly compatible. You have to change the switches so the wireing matches the car it's going into, and the Gen 2's have a different transfer case section that has mounting points for the exhaust hanger. I just put a '93 transmission into a '96 and had to fab a new exhaust hanger for the #2 cat section. Also the linkage is different - you have to use the linkage adaptor (the peice that's roll-pinned to the shift rod) from the car the linkage came from. These are manual transmissions I'm talking about. Also the driveline and rear diff are different. The driveline's rear flange is larger with a different bolt pattern than the Gen 1. Obviously the diff matches so the flange on the diff is different as well. The rear cover on the diff has longer studs as well. In order to swap diffs (early trans is 4.11) I had to transfer the input flange, rear cover, and change the spider gears in the carrier to the clip-in style for the '96 axles. GD