GeneralDisorder

If you actually called for a price you would be surprised to find they are rather affordable. All gen II Brat's use the same light, the lenses are still availible, and that's about the only place you'll find them. Think - before you speak. And when you need parts - try the wanted section (after you call the dealer). And I don't have a club. Don't want one either. I don't like people. GD

I have got into the habit on the EA's of going to 55 Ft/lbs final torque so as not to require a retorque later - plus I use the Fel-Pro perma-torques as they are cheaper and designed not to require it in the first place. This has worked well for me and others around here plus if you go a bit higher you don't run as much risk of the wrench being off a few pounds light because even if it is you are still on the heavy side. For reference, 47 lbs is extremely light for head torque. Most engines are well over 100 including the EJ's.... so emperical evidence sugests it's perfectly safe and good insurance if you don't plan on doing the retorque. GD

I would trust EMPI before I trusted A1. They have always been shady and there's been many regrettable stories about their axles on here over the years. The EMPI stuff looks better than the GCK stuff did IMO. Sounds like the price difference is negligible - i paid $58 each for the EMPI's. GD

Dealership. GD

Not the same as an EA81 pump. Completely different in fact. GD

I don't know if the relay is at fault here but it's definitely something to check into. Is your wagon left hand drive or right? It should be under the steering column if it's LHD like the US. Otherwise I'm not sure if it's RHD. I would unplug the relays one at a time till you find the two for the headlights and then swap them with each other. If the problem changes sides then you have a bad relay. GD

Yep - those would be gaskets for a DCZ-328-XX carb - the EA82's had larger Hitachi's with different bolt patterns. GD

The kits are for all Hitachi's in the model range. As far as I know, all the kits I've seen were generic with respect to model number - they usually list them as pertaining to a range of models. Last one I bought was $30 and had parts to fit all DCP-306-XX models (your carb is one of these). Feedback has NOTHING to do with the kit. As far as that goes a feedback carb is identical to a non-feedback except for jetting and how it's hooked up with the metereing port's when you install it in the car. And you need to be ordering kits for an '84 wagon - the Brat ran into the EA82 era and you are likely to get EA82 parts if you don't order for an '84 model year. GD

Any EMPI dealer - mostly VW speed shops. Just lookup the part number on EMPI's web catalog before you go in as most of them are stupid about anything that's not VW and I imagine that a lot of them have no idea EMPI has a line of axles for other makes/models. GD

That looks like the stop light checker - perhaps they moved them there in '85.... I could swear they were behind a panel in the bed though. Anyway it looks very much like it. GD

That's typical of loose timing belts. Sometimes the timing jumps around, and sometimes it doesn't. Just the nature of harmonics and rubber. That's exactly what the 87 coupe I have did - till I did a timing belt job. Tried everything - even suspected the automatic tranny. Had it flushed and I adjusted the bands etc. It was the valve timing all along. The skinny EA82 belts are stretchy enough as it is - throw in some slop (they don't have hydraulic tensioners, so as the belts age and stretch they just get loose) and you have seriously random timing. GD

Not a critical fastener requireing a torque value. Put them on with a 1/4" drive ratchet - tighten them in a star pattern. They are small, and you would need an inch-pounds torque wrench to even attempt to torque them. It's just not needed for that application. Tight enough not to leak, 1/4 turn before it breaks, etc. GD

They do appear to be gone. Try ordering some EMPI axles instead. They seem just as good and likely better than the GCK's. I put two on my hatch and at $58 each brand new they are cheaper than the GCK's as well. The quality appears to be excelent and EMPI has a good reputation in the VW aftermarket. GD

As mentioned, Brat's (all EA81's really) are 4WD. It should also be explained that there are THREE systems out there, not two. 1. 4WD. Just like a truck. 50/50 split power transfer. Do not use on hard surfaces as you will get torque bind. 2. Full-Time 4WD (FT4WD). Center mechanical differential. Some can be locked - when they are see #1. 3. All-Wheel-Drive (AWD). Uses a center viscous coupler. Thus *some* power transfers to all wheels (even when one is in the air), but the coupler allows a certain amount of slip. Automatic versions of AWD can be locked with modification. Your brother's 93 legacy is of the AWD variety - not the FT4WD variety. there is a difference. GD

1. The EA82's aren't powerful to begin with. 90 HP in throttle-body injection trim as your's is. 2. That said, they aren't particularly scary to drive - even at a mere 90 HP they generally go pretty well except on long steep grades. Shifting near or at redline is not generally a problem for them and can improve the feel of driving them a bit. 3. Strange things are afoot with your timing indeed. "24 degrees retarded" likely would not run at all, or very, very poorly if it did. Stock timing for the SPFI (throttle body injection) EA82 is 20 degrees BTDC. 24 degrees of additional retard would put it at 44 degrees BTDC - I highly doubt the thing would run at all although I've never tried. 4. The hesitation could be several things. But it you are not receiving any kind of malfunction codes from the computer, and with the timing anticts that seem to be occuring I would be highly suspect of the valve timing itself. It could be anything ranging from a loose belt to the crank belt sprockets being on in the wrong order or a combination of these or other ailments. I have personally experienced a highly annoying hesitation on an SPFI EA82 that didn't resolve itself till the belt actually snapped and I installed new one's - hesitation magically gone due to new, tight, properly installed belts. One of the drawbacks of buying old cars with unknown maintenance. So.... with all that layed out I would be very temped to remove the outer belt covers to inspect the timing and check the condition of the belts and their tension. It's a relatively simple procedure that shouldnt take more than about 30 minutes - maybe a bit more if you have never done it. GD

Depends entirely on how much you want to cut. People have run 27" swampers with no lift at all. 2" isn't worth the effort in my opinion. The differences between a 2" and a 4" are so minimal as to make the 2" of dubious value. The difference is the cost of the steel if you do it right, and that amounts to *maybe* $50 - probably more like $25 and that's a stretch. GD

Pull the caliper off and plug the line going to it - either using a valve so you can bleed it or just bleed it by cracking the plug. At any rate one front brake and two rear's will stop you just fine. Just don't do anything stupid and watch the brake steer. GD

If you removed the tie-rod end to do this, then you changed the alignment. You'll have to align it yourself or have a shop do it. GD

Probably not, but the way it's mounted looks cheesy. And even though it has to be welded, the EA82T rear sway is going to be cheaper. I'm sure either would work, but the way the EA82T bar functions makes more sense to me and it was designed for the same type of trailing arm setup. GD

That's the "pitching stopper". Get a die and run the threads down farther on the rod, then cut it in the middle and weld a section of a bolt into it to extend it. Or make a new one from some flat bar - I would turn the mounting hole 90 degrees and make a new "rod" from a couple lengths of flat bar in a T arrangement for strength. GD

EA81 and EA82 front wheel bearings are identical. They are both 6207 C3's, and either axle will fit either knuckle just like it's supposed to be there. The difference is mainly the length and the sizes of the joints. GD

EA82 turbo rear sway bars fit better but you have to weld the brackets to the control arms after you cut them off the turbo control arms. The fit is as close to stock as you can get though. GD

No - EA82 axles are too long. The transmission type has less to do with it than the track width of the body. EA81 axles are shorter. GD

85 through 87 4WD's were carbed. 2WD's, late 87's, and everything after 87 was SPFI, MPFI, or Turbo. I could weld an extension to one for you, sure.... but I did it to an EA82 (that I don't own anymore), so I would need accurate dimensions of what you need exactly. PM me and we can discuss it. GD