GeneralDisorder

EA81 Hitachi is a 26/30 (DCP-306 series). EA82 is a 28/32 (DCP-328 series). Different base. Cut your own from a roll of gasket paper. Cheaper too. GD

Should make less noise when properly adjusted, but more than a hydraulic lash adjuster equipped engine. The adjustment procedure is simple - requireing only a feeler guage, 6, 10, and 12mm wrenches. You remove the rocker covers, rotate the engine to TDC for each cylinder and adjust the valves for that cylinder. Takes about 20 minutes start to finish. As far as who to have do it - I wouldn't trust any shop to adjust valves. Dealerships rarely have any more experience than you do, and most shops that know anything about non-hydraulic valve systems are too concerned with hot-rods and would laugh at your subie. Besides that it's such a simple procedure there's no need to have a shop do it. The adjustment is required every 15,000 miles. If allowed to go too long, you risk bending a push-rod, or wearing out a rocker (maybe breaking one), etc. GD

While that might seem to be true, you have to realize that *most* problems that result in slight decreases in compression at 200 RPM (testing speed) do almost nothing at actual engine running speeds of thousands of RPM's. This is why we keep repeating that the testing NUMBER's do not matter. It's the percentage difference that matters. Anything above about 75 psi per cylinder should run fine. Lower compression ratios, testing insturmentation, testing parameters, starter speed, etc all work against comparing your numbers with anyone else. A proper leakdown test would be needed to tell ANYTHING about the engine's state of wear. The fact that your numbers are all pretty close would tend to indicate that your engine is in GOOD general mechanical shape. You simply cannot draw any other conclusions from a simple compression other than that. You have 4 cylinders, and any problems that would cause loss in mileage would tend to NOT occur in all 4. You would generally have 1 or two cylinders showing bad readings - if that were the case you would then go ahead with a leak-down to verify the exact nature of the problem. GD

Some are, and some aren't - by that I mean the fitment of the cap, and if there is even still a rubber seal under it. Remember you are dealing with a 15 to 20 year old car. Most likely the cap/rotor has been replaced several times, and probably not with OEM parts. If you get a new rubber seal, and a quality cap you shouldn't have any trouble unless you blast a lot of water through the vent hole on top. There's a reason they make rubber booties for toy's and baja VW's and stuff. Been meaning to try and cram a Hitachi distributor onto on of the VW distributor booties that EMPI makes. They are like $20. GD

Water got into the crank angle sensor of the distributor probably. It's very sensitive as the slots on the disc are small, and the infra-red emitter will be refracted by the tinyest drop of water. Keeping a can of WD40 around to dry out distributor components is a good idea. You can also cover the distributor with a common rubber surgical glove, poke the wires through the fingers, and put a rubber band around the wrist area to cover the whole unit. GD

Yeah - freezing the bearings will cause them to contract ever so slightly. Helps getting them installed. Pack them first, then freeze them in a zip-lock. You can also heat up the hub with a propane torch (mapp gas works well), for further ease of install. This is common practice in the bearing industry with the assembly of new electric motors, ect. Just DO NOT dowse the thing in water to cool it. Allow it to air-cool. GD

Jim has pointed out that *some* of the DFV/5200's have the same size venturi. Some also do not - but I beleive that's mostly the 5200's equipped on some of the Ford's. Caboobaroo bought one at a swap meet that we compared side by side with a DGV, and it definately had smaller venturi's. In all cases is seems the air horns and float/chamber are smaller. In the case of the one's I have, it's difficult to tell without pulling out the calipers on it (were talking a matter of just 1mm in some cases). But really the DFV, and (especially) 5200's are questionable at best. Stick with a good DGV from Jim and you'll be better off. *edit* Interestingly, it appears they were availible in three different venturi sizes (which radically effects the CFM) - here's the low-down: 330 CFM 26mm primary venturi: 270 CFM 23mm primary venturi: 235 CFM (1979-82 Fords) This is all from the Wiki page on the "32/36": http://wiki.datsun1200.com/index.php/Weber_32/36_Carburetor It should probably be noted that the EA81/EA82 is only capable of about 200 CFM, and that would be a 8,000 RPM. The larger barrels and the progressive linkage help tremendously with low-end torque however. It's important to realize that there won't be any appreciable gain in high-end with any Weber over the stock Hitachi. Your top speed is going to be the same either way unless you have a modified engine capable of using the improved CFM. There is also a Holley 6200 that was a electronic feedback version of the 5200. Looks can be deceiving - just cause it looks like a Weber, may not mean it's going to give you the same results as a shiny new DGV. GD

Thanks for the info Jim. I'll add what I know about the "Holley/Weber". First, it's a licensed "copy" of the Weber 32/36 DFV, which is *sort of* a mirror image of the DGV, but they really share very few parts in common besides jets, and some internal bits like the float, etc. Second, the licensed versions of the carb have problems - as Jim pointed out the linkage, and cable mounts are wrong, and not easily replaced. They are also fitted for most of the same emmissions requirements as the Hitachi - makeing them more complex. Third, (and there's several people on here that can back this up), the DFV/5200's casting has smaller venturi's. The base of the carb is the same size, as are the throttle plates, but the venturi's are not. Just take a look at the difference between the DGV choke plates, and the 5200 choke plates - thus the DFV/5200 does not have the same flow as the DGV. This also has the unfortunate side effect that the typical DGV jetting will not work on the DFV/5200. It will require different sized jets to accomidate the smaller flow of the venturi's. The catch being that the jetting needed is NOT DOCUMENTED. So you have to buy a jet ket, and mess around with it to tune the engine properly. Here's some quick comparison shots (this is a REAL DFV, but I have a holley 5200 also, and it's identical): Notice how small the puny DFV/5200 choke plates are compared the gapeing maw of the DGV . And notice the venturi sizes, and the overall larger construction of the DGV on the right. This is why the price of the DGV is higher - they are NOT street legal (not DOT approved), and so you will rarely find them in junk yards. If you do find one it's usually old and worn out, or it's something that was put on by a previous owner. GD

Looks like a fine specimen to me. It couldn't have found a better home I'm sure. More of these guys need to be saved - I see them fairly often at the yards sadly. GD

There's no real tricks to it. You remove the timing belts, and take out the 4 or 5 10mm bolts that hold the pump to the block. There's two seals on the pump, you clean the mating surfaces and reinstall. Takes about the same time as any other timing belt removal type job (front main, water pump, cam seals, etc) - about 2 to 3 hours if you have the covers in place, and about 20 minutes if you don't. GD

Turbo engines don't show as high on the values due to their lower compression. Those numbers don't look that bad. They are even and that's all that matters as different test methods can affect the results to quite a large degree. GD

We're talking about REAR axles here. Why anyone that owns enough tools to remove a rear axle from the car would bother having someone else rebuild them is beyond me. They are simple, and the joint components are easily obtained for much, much less than the cost to have them rebuilt. GD

Please - quote this "law" of your's. Here - I'll go first: "Congress shall make NO LAW ... abridging the freedom of speech" --Constitution of the United States. Empty threats of forcing your stupidity on others using cops with guns (ie: makeing it the law to disagree with you, and to do it in my own choice of words) is lame. If you don't like what I think of your ideas.... well here's another quote for ya: "It is best to keep your mouth shut and be presumed ignorant than to open it and remove all doubt." --Samuel Clemens. You sir, have already removed all doubt. GD

Yeah - I think I have some normal EA81 drivelines. But it's not going to be cheaper. They aren't going to reuse the tubing. They will use new tubing and balance it properly, etc. Seems the going rate is around $100 to $150. GD

You two are buying different axles. They are out of EA82 axles, but they have plenty of EA81 axles. GD

EA81's never had two-peice drivelines. That was an EA82 thing. Your's already has the two peice because someone put in a 5 speed. As does my Brat. But no EA81 (hatch or otherwise) came with a 2 peice stock. The Hatch is the only EA series soob that has a different wheelbase. It's shorter making the stock single peice too short for a 5 speed, and the EA82 two-peice too long. I've never tried an EA81 (non hatch) single peice against a hatch with a 5 speed, but I suspect it will be just a tad too long or short. So that if you want a 5 with Hatch, it's custom driveline time. Good times on the Hatch. They are fun. GD

The bearings last so long, and are so cheap, that this is really acedemic. If they are properly installed, any problems are going to come from the SEALS, not the grease. pumping more grease in isn't going to help when your contamination comes largely from poor seals. Since the axle must be removed to install the inner seal, you may as well replace the seals, and pump grease in with a needle. And if you're not a complete cheap-skate, you should spend the $22 and replace the bearings too. It's not difficult - especially if you prep the bearings in the freezer the night before. If you pump grease into the chamber with a zerk, it's not going to have any expansion room, and will push out of the seals when heated (remember how close we are to the brake rotors). The grease will pickup contaminates, and then as it cools will be sucked back into the bearings. Not to mention you could easily find yourself with greasy brake pads. But more than anything, the effort isn't worth the return. It *sounds* like a good idea till you realize how easy it is to change the bearings, and how cheap they are. GD

I don't have trouble with the EA82's either - but the EA81's are not quite as big. And sometimes a nicer seat isn't a bad thing either. GD

You just unbolt it - there's two bolts inside the filler area that hold the hinge on. GD

EA81's have a single peice driveline, so you just lengthen the original. No need to use the two-peice. GD

Yeah - they don't even begin to report till about 550 degrees. That's actually the reason the O2 is so close to the cat - the cat gets very hot, and helps to heat it faster, and to retain that heat under long periods of idleing. A lot of engines will cool down to the point that the O2 will stop reporting under idle, so they use the 3 or 4 wire heated units. They will start to report at lower temps, but are NOT accurate. Thus your strange readings till it's all completely warm. If you want accurate readings at lower temps you need a heated unit. GD

The O2 does not begin reporting at all until it reaches a certain temp. So when you first start it, what it's showing is not accurate. GD

Makes perfect sense - the EA82T makes more efficient power at higher RPM. And it needs all the help it can get I guess you could swap the gearset with a regular D/R. GD

Actually, you have an EA71. The EA81 is the 1.8, but without the "cam belts" The EA82 is a good little engine. Either one is fine. I'm running mostly EA82's now for "street", and hold my EA81's back for off-road only. The lifter ticking is largely related to poor maintenance, and it's not so much the pump, as it is the pump gasket. They cost about $3, and can easily be done when the timing belts are done. The EA71/EA81 on the other hand *almost always* requires a NEW pump about every 100,000 miles. The pumps actually wear out, and oil pressure drops. They are easy to change though. The EA71 is about 65 HP, the EA81 is 74, and the EA82 is 84. So you are on the lower end of the power spectrum, but the EA71 is a good engine. There's really not a lot of bad things to say about any of them other than the EA82 is by far the most complex to work on of the 3. Once you are used to it, it's really no big deal though. Biggest thing to watch on your EA71 is the oil pressure. Anything below 15 psi hot idle, and it's time for a new pump, new sender, or both. GD

For less than $400 you can buy the tools and parts and have that thing installed in a day - two tops. Most of the people on this board are capable of doing or have done a HG on an EA at one time or another. That's just the type of advise you are going to get around here. You are far, far better off learning something, and doing the job yourself than getting into some unknown vehicle. Don't be such a Nancy - get your hands dirty. If you can take it apart enough to ship the peices to people, then you can put a HG in it. Besides that, I guarantee you will never get $500 from the parts of a DL. No one wants push button tranny's. You might get a few bucks for the fuel injection, but that's about it. $200 tops and WAY, WAY more of your time spent removing, packing and shipping. It's just not worth it. Us Subaru owners are not rich people, and for the majority of us, unless the part is rare, or hard to get in our area, we prefer going to a local yard where we have a large selection, and avoid shipping. Do the right thing - both for your wallet, and for you own peice of mind. You have a nice low mileage fuel injected EA82 there - all it needs it about $150 worth of parts, and weekend of your time. You won't find much sympathy for a situation like that unless both your legs are broken. GD