GeneralDisorder

This has been a debate for many years here. If you search you will find about one post a month asking the same questions and bringing up the same concerns. Points against: 1. Without the covers, debris can snap the belts. A dropped shop rag while the engine is running will snap them instantly. 2. Lack of protection from grit and weathering could shorten their life. Points for: 1. They often break upon removal, are not easy to find in good used condition, and aren't cheap new. 2. Without the covers a belt replacement takes 15 minutes and requires only a 12mm deep socket and whatever your setup requires to remove the accessory belts. With the covers it's about 2 hours due to removing the covers and crank pulley - not to mention the extra tools required to do this. 3. The belts don't last very long anyway, and aren't particularly expensive to have an extra set on hand. 4. Oil and the acidifying gasses dissolved in it are not kind to rubber. Removing the covers allows dust, dirt, and oil to drain away and be cleaned off regularly. 5. The engine is non-interferance and thus will not be damaged in any way if (when) they break. 6. Without the covers, maintaining the proper tension on the belts is quite simple and it's easy to visually inspect the tension, wear, and listen to each of the tensioner and idler bearings for potential problems. 7. Any leaks on the front of the engine become trivial to diagnose. Without the covers you can easily see where leaks are eminating from - water pump, oil pump, front main and cam seals are all much more accisible. 8. Water pump replacement becomes much easier. ..... In summary I always point out that trading 15 minutes on a road-side repair vs. having to tow the vehicle and spending 2 hours doing it when they inevitably fail anyway is worthwhile IMO. I also feel that people who don't agree with that should probably not be driving an EA82 in the first place as it obviously won't meet their requirements for reliability. If you don't have the tools and knowledge to do a timing belt you should go buy something with a warantee and have roadside assistance added to your insurance.... and probably ask your mommy for your blanky. GD

I doubt your timing is off, but try this method instead: 1. Drivers side cam mark straight up. 2. Passenger side cam mark straight down. 3. Install both belts. Make sure to compensate for where the tension will be applied to the belt and be sure to have any slack at the tensioning point. 4. Position the #1 cylinder at TDC on the comp. stroke using your finger over the plug hole while you rotate the engine. 5. Rotate the crank BACK to 20 degrees BTDC. 6. Install distributor such that the rotor is pointing at the plug tower you wish to be #1 (it doesn't matter which one you choose). 7. Install wires counter-clockwise in the order 1,3,2,4 starting with the one you picked in step 6. GD

It's not easy to properly fill the coolant in the EA82's. Because you have had the engine out several times I am leaning toward there being air pockets that you have not bled out of the system. This will cause overheating. Try filling the radiator on a slant with the cap pointing uphill and the rest of the car sloped down. Massage the upper and lower radiator hoses and run the engine with the cap off while you do it. Keep filling till it won't take another drop. Drive it around a bit till it's at operating temp then repeat the procedure again when it's cooled off. EA82's do not have a water valve on the heater core. Those went out with the EA81's. The core is always in the cooling system and the air is simply directed through or around the core. GD

The top one on the left, and the middle one on the right are manifold gaskets. Both are inferior types but the top left one at least has a combustion seal ring. The others are for the mid-pipe to exhaust pipe flange mating right before the rear axle. It's not as critical that they have the seal ring in them but all the OEM one's do. The OEM gaskets are best and they are similar to the bottom right style - graphite/metal with a seal ring. GD

Yeah they were designed to do that. The ECU is using the VSS to indicate the vehicle is still moving and runs the idle high to prevent wear to the clutch. It won't idle back till you come to a stop. GD

It got hacked but nothing was really lost. You need to change your user config to display all posts instead of just recent posts. Of course if you search it will search everything regardless of your topic display settings. GD

May not be a rebuild problem (probably isn't). It's likely just jetted way too rich. Find out what your jets are, and in the future note that this is exactly why you should do your own rebuilds of things like carbs that have to be carefully setup for each vehicle.... or buy new one's that are already setup for you. Very often with old Weber's it's cheaper in the end to just buy a new one or the whole kit from redline after you pay for the lost time and hair. GD

We have given you the common failure items. Beyond that we aren't there and can't hold your hand. I sugest you do all the maintenance items mentioned and then start driving it. It's an old car - it cannot be made new again and it's going to do what it wants. It will jerk you around. It will frustrate you at times. You WILL have to repair things. Live with it. If you have to ask you probably shouldn't be doing it. That's about as simple as automotive electrical gets. You have an existing electrical fan 12" away from where you would like to put another one..... it shouldn't be difficult for you to copy the example that you already have. It's also much better if you use the search function as that topic has been covered dozens of times and there is more information availible than you will ever get by asking as dozens of people have received dozens of different responses by skilled board members over many years. That's your call. Some people find it invaluable, other's don't care. It can be cheap to fix if you can work on refrigeration systems or know someone that can. It can be very expensive if you don't. If you like. It will run fine with just one. Remember to replace it when it's old and/or worn. GD

Do it yourself for a couple hundred. Learn something. Be self sufficient. Etc. Or drop in a used 2.2L instead. They didn't suffer from these problems. GD

All you have to do is a bit of machining on the SPFI distributor. Take the escort drive end and splice it to the shaft of the SPFI distributor then TIG on the mounting ears and lower housing from the escort unit. Can't be all that difficult. A bit of cutting and pasting, some TIG, and maybe a little lathe work to true up the shaft but really not difficult at all. You would have to adapt the SPFI throttle body to the EJ manifold. Again probably some TIG welding and/or adaptor plate making involved. But easily done in an afternoon I would think. Not a bad idea really - retains the stock wiring which is always nice. I think the SPFI computer should have the overhead needed to handle the extra 20 odd HP. GD

Depends on which you are doing. The EA81's are pop-in, while the EA82's are glue-in. Either are pretty easy. I did an EA82 one using the rolled butyl commonly availible at your auto parts house. It's getting the old one out without making a mess, and the prep work that's tricky. If you prep it right and use the butyl stuff properly I can't ever see it leaking again. The stuff is pretty disgustingly sticky. The EA81 pop-in style are easier as there is much less prep work involved. You just cut the old gasket, make sure your surfaces are clean, and pop the new one in using a bit of cord in the groove. GD

That worked fine for my install, but to have truly accurate proportioning would require an adjustable valve. They aren't real expensive from Summit, etc. GD

Commuting is fine if you don't mind 74 HP or you are planning a Legacy engine swap. They aren't well suited to hauling..... first you have to understand that they aren't "trucks" at all. They are 100% identical to an EA81 Subaru wagon of the same vintage with respect to suspension and hauling capabilities. That includes an 800 lb max load rating including passengers. I have transported other Subaru engines without problem (Aluminum) and other light things, but it didn't like transporting a Hyundai 2.5L (mitsubishi. cast iron block), and transporting a Honda Magna 500cc motorcycle wasn't fun either. The bed is little more than 5 feet long... hauling anything real long is basically impossible. It's also difficult to justify using them as dump-haulers when you consider their collectible value and current going prices on ebay and other places. A decent Brat will set you back $3k to $5k, with pristine examples commanding closer to $10k. They don't get spectacular mileage (all are 4WD, so around 27 max). Brat specific parts are rare, aftermarket non-existent. Currently it can take many years to completely restore one. Perhaps in the future some of that will get easier as more people with the desire and the funds can sink money into aftermarket for restoration. It is difficult to source even simple things like door seals and windshield gaskets etc.... Gen 1's ('77 to '81) are smaller, and less desirable. '82 is a weird transition year but other than a lot of small changes it is basically similar to 83+. '83 to '87 are near identical. The body's tend to have rust issues in the eastern states especially around the wheel wells in the bed. Other than that they are just as reliable as any other EA81 4WD. Which is to say they are VERY reliable with only a few minor problems that are easily fixed. The carbs are crap but can be upgraded to fuel injection or a Weber, and the 4 speed transmissions do suffer from some linkage and syncro issues. Those can also be upgraded to the later EA82 5 speed's. Doesn't sound like it's really the right choice for what you want though. GD

Air shocks are better, and you don't want firm for the trail - you want soft to conform to the terrain. All wheels down gives max traction. Too firm and you'll have two up all the time. GD

It's a 60k mile interval that triggers the light. You reset it by swapping some single-wire, two-pin connectors under the kick-panel. I believe two are green and one is blue. You disconnect the pair that are connected (whatever pair that is) and connect the other pair instead. So if you have green/green connected now with a lone blue, you disconnect the greens and plug whichever one fits into the blue. If it's already plugged into the blue you swap it back. It will then trip again in another 60k. It's got nothing at all to do with the ECU. It's merely a maintenance reminder to remove, clean, and reinstall the EGR valve. GD

The key is that most folks swap out the discs on a vehicle that had poorly functioning drums, or drums that weren't functioning at all (frozen adjusters, etc). If you repair the drums to the point that they function as designed (new drums, new shoes, new cylinders) then there is very little performance difference. The disc's are awesome if you install a proportioning valve along with them. If you don't they are great right up till you try a panic stop on a slick surface. The rear end will pass you. Not really as cool as it sounds and it doesn't sound all that cool either. GD

The dealership is quite reasonable on parts. I buy almost all my parts exclusively from them. Some of the online dealers are about 10 to 15 percent cheaper than local dealers. subaruparts.com, subarupartsforyou.com, 1stsubaruparts.com, etc. For the EA82 timing belts I buy the "kits" on ebay. Timing belt/rubber technology has come a long way but unfortunately the EA82 is very hard on it's timing belt arrangement (two separate belts, with tight turns and non-hydraulic tensioners ). The ebay kits last as long as any belt will last and even though the idler and tensioners are probably using cheap bearings they last the required amount of time till the next belt interval without problem as the interval's are so short. Plus the savings are pretty hefty. About $65 for the kit on ebay or closer to $200 from the dealer. The oil and water pumps can sometimes be sourced from Atsugi (the OEM manufacturer), but if you can't get them from the dealer. I don't trust aftermarket at all on this stuff. Gaskets and seals are best bought at the dealer as many aftermarket are severely inferior and the ones that aren't don't warrant a seperate trip as the cost savings amounts to a few 10's of dollars at the most between them all. GD

Do everything I suggest above as a precaution. You don't want to be stranded for a broken timing belt. There is a transfer case of sorts, but it's part of the transmission. It's known as a transaxle. It's easier if you just go look under the car and see for yourself. The portion that would be called the transfer case on a normal 4WD setup is called the "extension housing" and because of the way the Subaru transaxle works internally it's not a gear reduction transfer case like you are thinking. The gear reduction for high/low is done at the input shaft at the front of the transmission, not in the transfer case. There doesn't need to be a "transfer case" as there is no need to transfer power back to the front wheels - the front wheels are powered from half-shafts that emanate from the sides of the transaxle. It's the same setup as the VW beetle turned backwards with an output for a tail-shaft, and the same system that Audi uses. GD

They aren't very particular with regard to fluid. Transmission (transaxle) and diffs are 75w90 gear oil - any mid-range brand will do. Transfer case is part of the transaxle so it shares gear oil with the transmission and front diff. Coolant is the green stuff in the required ratio for your climate (brand really doesn't matter - just change it bi-annually and use distilled water). Power steering is Dexron ATF (again - any cheap brand will do). Brake fluid is just plain old DOT 3 - any brand is fine just change it bi-annually when you do the coolant. I run chevron 10w30 in all my engines. It's high quality, and it's cheap at Costco. Changed regularly with a top-grade filter (WIX/Napa/OEM) you will get just as many miles from the engine as anyone else. Don't go with a higher viscosity or a "high mileage" type oil because you think it's an "old" engine. The tolerances are VERY close in these and 10w30 is the right choice. Push in the clutch and shift. Just don't do it while turning sharply at speed. It is 4WD not AWD so you can't turn sharp corners on dry surfaces while in 4WD - it will bind as there is no center differential. While you are doing your fluids do the timing belt, tensioners, idler, water pump, front main and cam seals, and reseal the oil pump. If it's got over 200k on it just replace the oil pump. Timing belt is called for every 60k and they have a high likelyhood of not making it to 50k. Oil pressure should be 20 psi or higher at idle/operating temp. Change the thermostat and radiator cap and check/replace the cooling system hoses including the heater core hoses. These engines do NOT like being overheated and you'll be kicking yourself when you overheat due to a split OEM heater core hose that's 21 years old. GD

Rear discs help to stiffen up a mushy pedal and they eliminate the need for manual brake adjustment. However they are not an "upgrade" that will help you stop faster with a larger engine. Rear brakes only account for 25% of overall braking so assuming the rear discs are 50% better than properly adjusted drums (that's likely a vast overestimate) you are only going to get an additional 12.5% braking power. Coupled with the fact that you probably aren't going to install, test, and adjust a proper proportioning valve they may actually be MORE dangerous for high speed braking than the drums were - rear brake lockup while the fronts are still rolling is SCARY. The rear brake conversion is nice from a maintenance standpoint. It's great for lifted rigs that won't see more than 55 or 60 MPH and helps to control larger tires, and it makes for a nice pedal feel and less nose-dive when doing everyday braking operations. It is NOT a replacement for proper brakes (IE 5 lug swap) when adding HP. GD

I always do them in the car unless I have reason to suspect the rear main seal or the clutch needs work. Then I pull them because I own a cherry picker, but if I didn't I would do the clutch in the car as well (pull engine forward). If it came down to needing a rear main I would probably pull it if I had to rent a picker or ask a friend for help and use a 4x4 and a chain. There's plenty of room for the job. You will want a 10mm ratcheting box wrench for the valve cover bolts - about $10 at Sears. Buy or put on your christmas llist a nice set of 15 degree reversible ratcheting box's from SK if you don't already own a set. GD

Well - if you can get them cheap then do an EJ22 swap from a legacy. The biggest drawback to the EA82 chassis is the engine - underpowered, poor timing belt arrangement, etc. The 3AT transmission makes a good boat anchor so if you do plan to keep it then swapping it out would be an excellent idea. $500 sounds reasonable by US prices including all parts but then I never pay to have work done. Here I could do the entire job for half that including all parts. $150 for a used tranny, $75 for a new clutch, and another $25 for misc. parts like the pedal assembly. GD

You clearly have issues related to the front-end swap. The voltmeter is probably corrosion on the back of the cluster as I mentioned on your board. The rest of the stuff is going to be a real pain to track down. The differences between the vehicle harness that the front end came from and the Brat's harness may be part of the problem but I would need to look at the car. I doubt you have a "problem" so much as you have an incorrect conversion. Does the brake lamp warning also illuminate when you remove a bulb and apply the brakes? GD

You need to clean all the PCV hoses, and replace the PCV filter in the air-box. Replacing the valve alone will not cure the problem. GD

You could have had a nice early 90's Legacy for what you are looking at spending on this thing. Unless you have specific plans that necessitate the EA dual range transmission's then I would sell it and look for a 90-94 Legacy. GD