GeneralDisorder

All EA81's came stock with 2 row radiators. They are amazing cooling units. Many folks have found them to be perfectly adequate for the EJ22, etc. I'm using my Brat's stock radiator (it's a new one - I replaced it a few years back) for the EA82 that's in it right now. GD

Aint that the retched truth! Neither are very good, but I took a look just to see cause I knew I had seen RTV in *something*. I keep ending up with haynes manuals from cars I've bought so I keep one in the bathroom, and another in the kitchen ya know. GD

Interestingly, the belts spin so fast that dirt, oil, rocks, etc don't stick. It all gets flung off. I've run for about 50,000 combined with no covers and never had any trouble except when I dropped that shop rag. It could arguably prevent premature failure because you can inspect the belts visually at each oil change, and it makes replacement of say a single squeeking tension really trivial. It's nice to be able to redo the belt tension each 10,000 miles as the belts stretch - hopefully it will lengthen their life as well. It's important to note that this is common practice with a lot of other brands too - a lot of VW owners do it too. Even if it shortened the life of the belt by 10,000 miles (which it doesn't as far as I can tell), I would still run without them just for the advantage of being able to replace them on the side of the road with only a 12mm deep socket and ratchet. 2 hours minimum with the covers, 20 minutes without. GD

You *can* repack the tensioner bearings - it's not impossible. It does take a grease gun and a needle fitting to pump the grease in. Unless I have another reason to pull the engine, I prefer to do belts (and head gaskets for that matter) in the car. I own a hoist but if you have a set of ratcheting wrenches you don't need to pull it. Definately pull the radiator to make room to work, and I sugest getting the front up on jack stands so you can get to the drivers side belt (and the oil pump) from underneath. Also if you leave the belt covers off, you can change the belt next time it breaks in about 20 minutes (not kidding) as there is no need to remove anything but the accesory belts. It also makes it a lot easier to check their tension, and to inspect things without them. And it really doesn't shorten their life - the consensus here on the board is that it's fine either way. Although I did drop a rag in there with it running and it snapped both belts instantly..... just don't do that and you'll be fine. GD

No-lookie like any anearobic stuff I've ever seen: http://www.threebond.co.jp/en/product/series/sealants/popup/1200/1215popup.html That dookie-lookin thing looks a lot like Ultra Grey to my eyes.... Additionally, my haynes manual say specifically "RTV". GD

Lube - lots of lube. Get a can of white lithium spray grease and go to town on the pivots and actuators in the door - then spray the windows rails, hinges, etc, etc, etc. Just spray anything that moves on the whole car with that stuff. It's great and water repellant too! GD

Yeah - it's the same idea. Just look for ones that don't have the "vent", or plug the vent with a cap or a bit of hose and a bolt. GD

You do have to be careful with the amount of RTV you use, that's true. But I've never had it leak when a proper, even bead was applied and allowed to cure before the engine was manhandled and started up. Neither have I had any break off in my oil. But that's also possible if you use too much. Anaerobic is just too bloody expensive to use where it's not needed IMO, and just as with RTV, a careful even bead must be applied to insure no leaks. For the reccord, the FSM calls for RTV. GD

NO. Anaerobic sealant is for use where no oxygen is present (that's the definition of anaerobic - it cures in the absence of oxygen), and for FLAT machined flange surfaces. Besides that it's 4 times as expensive and totally uneccesary. The factory used RTV, and took the time to put the groove there to hold it. Anaerobic is used between the block halves - not on the cam cases. GD

We should probably take this to PM land. PM sent. GD

RTV, and don't forget to replace the oil passage o-ring with one from the DEALER ONLY. It's not a normal o-ring, but a special metal-reinforced one that won't collapse under pressure. GD

Yeah - we're a pretty tight group here. If you really want to help me, give me a job :-p. I'm an unemployed software engineer, and I've done web development too - PHP, SQL, and even some XSLT . My specialty is heavily optimized x86 assembly, 3D Graphics, and C++, but give me a book and I can do anything. GD

It won't - none of the digi cars have senders. They have the idiot switch that closes at a specified pressure, which IIRC is the "stop at the nearest garage and inquire if they are equipped to shut down the communist gnome weapons factory in your crankshaft" pressure. GD

The typical definition of a seized engine is that it doesn't turn over at all. Usually that refers to the rings overheating (loss of oil), and bonding with the cylinder wall at high speed and temperature. Nasty. If it turns over it's not seized in any sense of the definition that I'm aware of. Unless as mentioned about it's the oil pump itself that seized. I haven't seen that myself, but the only way to check is going to be to tear it down and try to turn the pump pulley. I think that you will be fine - these engines are non-interference and it takes a lot to bring one down. I've ran them 2.5 - 3 quarts low on oil (blown cam seal), and I've ran them without any coolant at all in 90 degree weather (blown heater core hose - don't try that one), and I have never seized one. GD

http://users.adelphia.net/~davidtief/solenoid.html GD

+1. I remember them too GD

If you could still see oil on the dipstick then it was less than 2 quarts low. Probably not low enough to do any damage. Replace the belts - if it's more damage than just the belts you are looking at a new engine. It's not cost effective to rebuild them when cheap used engines are easily obtained. If that's what you need then you will already have new belts for your new (used) engine. GD

On of his fender flares would cost more than most of my car GD

No - if you block the carb intake, no vacuum will get to the carb to supply fuel. Air will be sucked through the leak, but the engine doesn't run on air alone, so it will die. Carb cleaner when it's sucked into the leak will cause the engine to speed up and smooth out slightly. GD

This will do it every time with ease: VW 36mm axle nut tool for older busses: http://www.bfyobsoleteparts.com/volkswagen/beetle/36mm-Rear-Axle-Nut-Removal-Tool-p-17.html GD

Well for the front there are two 22mm? nuts on each strut. Look at the bottom of the big spring, and you will see them on the lower spring perch. You can adjust these up with a big open end wrench but it will screw up your camber something aweful and you will tear through tires with quickness. I sugest you leave them at the stock lowest setting unless you have an off-road only rig or just really like buying tires. The rear has a single torsion tube assembly and there is one BIG adjusting bolt for both wheels. It's located on top of the center of the torsion tube, and you will have to crawl under the car to get at it. This will adjust both rear wheels up or down, and does not affect the camber in any way so feel free to adjust it all you want. It will look really funky with the a$$ end hanging way up in the air tho - beleive me I've tried it. Both of these adjustments are usually covered in rust/scale/underbody coating, and can be a real nasty biotch to work with. PB blaster, BFH, and lots of band aids for your knuckles. GD

A vacuum leak could cause some hard starting, yes. The engine will not want to run when cold with a vac leak. The ignition system can make it hard too. I would check the spark color out of the plugs when it's cold. If I were closer I would take a look at it. It's hard to diagnose stuff like this without being there. I've never personally had one that was *really* hard to start cold. I've had some that will sputter and die when cold unless you keep the RPM's up till it warms a bit, but not in recent years as I've become more adept at fixing stuff like that. It seems that no matter what you do with the Hitachi's they always have some problem. I've had them run as perfect as they were when new, only to have the float get stuck and strand me somewhere. I rebuilt that carb 7 times and it would work perfect for 2 or 3 months then one day the float would stick on it. Happened 5 or 6 times and I just got fed up and threw it in the trash. GD

Yeah - it is. I was just mentioning it for posterity I guess. I suppose it's due to flatter axle angles - both from the reduced stock ground clearance, and the longer axles. The joints themselves are virtually identical. The higher angles of the EA81's make them beasts off-road, but it doesn't do nice things to the axles. I've gone to using the GCK's in my EA81's as they are just amazingly well built with all new parts. GD

I've had quite a few do the "infinite resistance" thing on me. The wagon I just did an auto to manual swap on had both of them like that. The PO painted over the CEL with black nail polish. GD

I've noticed it depends on the model somewhat. The EA81's will destroy a joint (especially the DOJ's) real fast without a boot. The EA82's are much better. Both the inner boots on my sedan are shot, and I have no inclination of fixing them till the axles are completely wasted. Then I'll replaced them with GCK's. GD