GeneralDisorder

Well - I had thought the same - but if that's the case, then why does the code only show up in D-Check? If that were the case then the ECU would pick it up in U-Check and light my CEL. The solenoid's ground is provided by the ECU on pin 5. That's how it energizes it. The solenoid get's ignition switched 12v, and the ECU uses the ground to open it. I wired it to unswitched 12v with a 20 amp fuse, and directly to pin 5 on the ECU - total wire length was about 12 inches. When the ECU is off, no ground exists so it's safe to use unswitched voltage to the resistor. The resistor does get warm when you turn the ignition on, and it takes a while for the code to come up - about a mile I would say. Nothing I have tried has stopped the code, so it's either a ground to the ECU or it's senseing the purge isn't openeing through other means. I am still skeptical about the "other means" possibility, but unlike MS, I can't just rife through the code and check 02 Sensor is new (BRAND new in fact - as in three days ago). Seems to function just fine. GD

Any thermostat for a small block chevy will work - same size, and you can get them in any temp you could want. I like a 180 or 190, but some people prefer the 170 in turbo's and such. GD

Drivers side strut. GD

So now I'm wondering.... Since the ECU obviously can tell the difference when the solenoid is open and when it's closed (MAF signal? Something must change anyway), I wonder if a clogged carbon canistor can cause an otherwise working solenoid to appear to stay in the closed position, and so the ECU see's no change when it opens? GD

You check the rear drums out? I've had the shoes/auto-adjusters explode inside the drum and jam the whole wheel. GD

I fixed the idle this morning. For some reason the idle air valve (not the solenoid) has a weak spring or something. I had changed it to one I cleaned (left it in carb cleaner overnight), and the idle would not adjust lower than about 1000 give or take. I swapped back to the old (and still dirty) unit and now it works fine. Idle is about 700, and everything seems to check out ok. I'm going to call it good enough and focus on aquiring the knowledge and parts for Mega-Squirt. To clarify, I only get the purge code in D-Check (Dealer Check) mode - that's when the test connectors are connected, and you run the test procedure (ignition on, full-throttle then back to half for 2 seconds, start engine and drive at greater than 5 MPH for at least one minutes, etc). It has never come on in normal U-Check without running the tests. After fixing the idle, I still get the code, but since it only comes on in D-Check I'm going to ignore it like a good consumer than doesn't see his CEL , enjoy the good running SPFI that I have now, and in the mean time plot it's downfall to Mega-Squirt. The thing I really don't like about the SPFI is that without the purge solenoid and it's carbon canistor, the thing just won't idle right. It's basically expecting a small vacuum leak through the (correct diameter) port of the carbon canistor. But here's the real crappy part - it opens and closes the purge solenoid every 1.5 seconds. There is no easy way to approximate this action and "fool" the ECU, so you either put up with a rough idle, or you leave the system in place and have to look at it, and deal with it's hoses, and solenoid. I chose the latter for now. I don't wish to try and fool the ECU when my time is better spent working towards MS. I think I may add a few more grounds to it just for kicks. I did the power/ground test at the ECU from the manual, and it all checks out, but that doesn't mean something isn't corroded or only partially broken. It's strange that I only get that one code, and not the code-salad that you would think I would get with a bad ground..... I'm beginning to hate this SPFI stuff almost as much as the Hitachi carbs.....*almost*. There will always be a special kind of hell for the Hitachi engineers it seems - their fuel injection sucks almost as bad as their carbs. In truth the same problems with the old Hitachi carbs are still a problem with the SPFI. The added complexity of the "emmissions" equipment makes the fuel and ignition algorithms in the ECU software overly complex. It muddy's up the water such that it's hard to pinpoint the exact component that's failing or out of range. In the world of "reliable" fuel systems, less really is more for this 80's stuff. The ECU's in the newer cars have become complex enough (faster processors, etc) that they are able to do much more diagnostic work and provide more accurate feedback to the mechanic. That, and the advent of water-proof under-hood connectors has helped a lot to prevent often difficult-to-find corrostion related problems, and ground issues of the past. GD

*some* dealer gaskets are best. Namely: Intake, Exhaust, oil pan, oil pump, and cam tower o-rings. The rest you can (and should IMO) get from Fel-Pro. They have superior head gaskets to the dealer. Anything else I didn't mention is inconsequencial, or can be made to work well with RTV. Aftermarket pan gaskets aren't made with quality cork - the shape of the EA series steel pan flange is such that inferior cork will be cut in half by the bolt ridge on the flange. Dealer gasket, and a coat of RTV all over it. GD

I point them towards the sky - or away from the ground if you prefer. I own two without covers, and have done timing belts/headgaskets on many more and left them off without any problems yet. If they are off by just one tooth it's pretty obvious - one tooth is a enough to make them visibly lean out of vertical. GD

Yes - at least with MS I could tune it how *I* want, not what subaru thinks the consumer would want. I really want the stupid thing to idle back *immediately* after I let off the throttle. That, more than anything bugs the hell out of me. I guess comming from carb land the SPFI is maddening to me because I have so little control over the system. I am reduced to a monkey throwing parts at a computer I can't configure, and don't even know the algorithms used in it's software. With MS, I'm sure I'll have a whole host of other problems to contend with, but at least it will have a minimal set of sensors, and everything else is software. Literally it's got a MAP (no MAF yay! ), coolant temp and intake air temp (same GM sensor for both - $8 each), TPS, and 02. It doesn't need anything else. And all the components are off-the shelf. I could even use a different throttle body for more low-end if I wanted. And of course no emissions systems of any kind. I AM going to MS, it's just a matter of money right now. Being unemployed sucks. GD

Just take the sprockets off and remove the rear's. You could leave them, but you'll be sorry you did later. The cam sprockets are easy to remove, and you really should replace the cam seals behind them anyway. GD

To get the WP off, you have to remove the center timing belt cover, and to do that, you have to remove the crank pulley at least. You might be able to get the water pump out without removing the belts, but I have a feeling not. Plan on taking it all off. GD

I've tried 2 ECU's, so I don't think the ECU is at fault. I *thought* the donor car I got this engine/manifold from was good, but it turned out that someone just did a really good job with some black paint over the CEL. GD

I've been wondering that myself, but without knowing the interation in the ECU software, I'm forced to rely on the ECU's diagnostic. I have a feeling it's related to not being able to lower the idle speed even with the IAC screw all the way in, and that could be the coolant thermo-sensor. But that's just a feeling. I've tried a number of thermo-sensors without any real change. I've actually replaced everything in the SPFI system at one point or another. I'm just starting to get it to behave, and this purge code comes up that I can't get rid of. I'm about to just build a mega-squirt and screw the subaru SPFI. I can do it for about $400. GD

No - your point as you presented it was totally valid, but I wanted to also point out that while a closed system can't *increase* it's energy, it's also true that it can't *not* decrease it either. It must decrease acording to law #2 (which really isn't a law, because it *could* be broken, it just never is in practice. It's one of the few [if not the only] laws of physics that's really a "statistical law" - it's not always true - just in the vast majority of cases). You lose most of the energy to friction and heat durring each conversion. GD

Oh yeah - I should qualify that statement a little more - all Hotwire MAF fuel injection distributors are the same. Including the 86 SPFI. Just don't grab anything that has a vac can on the side and you'll be ok. GD

Kinda close actually - she's an antique dealer. My old man refinishes furniture now that he's retired. GD

All the back-pressure you need is in the y-pipe. He asked about the rear section of the exhaust. You can go as large as you want behind the cross-over. GD

Which one is open? If it's the rear throttle, that's the secondary, and is operated with a cam setup from the front plate. It could be that the secondary plate's linkage hopped out of it's track and is jammed in the open posistion. You need to take the linkage apart and verify that it's even put together correctly. They have a number of little washers, and linkage bits - if all of those aren't installed in the right order or the right direction, it can cause the linkage to jam, or be too loose and have things not work correctly. As for something stuck *in* the throttle plate - if it's big enough to block the plate open, it's definately the LAST thing you want falling into the engine. If that's the kind of help your dad gives, tell him to go back to his easy-chair..... My pop's helped me to break a windsheild last time I asked for his help - told him to press gently, and he whacks it like a lumberjack . He sticks to wood-working, and I handle the metal stuff. GD

Pedal pulls cable, cable pulls throttle..... have you *tried* to look at the linkage even? How did you install the Weber in the first place?!? GD

I'm a generator mechanic, and I can tell you that the more times you convert from mechanical to electrical energy, the more you will lose. It's a basic principle of the universe called entropy (which is one aspect of the 2nd law of thermodynamics.... Daeron mentioned the 1st law, but the 2nd is the most important for this conversation). You will always expend more energy than you get back out. Converting from mechanical to electric, and then back to mechanical again is always going to be a loss. Better to just use the mechanical you already had - that's what the AC compressor is for. GD

I did that - that's why I put the resistor under the dash - to eliminate the harness, and minimize the wire length. GD

Ok - I'm throughly fed up with this purge solenoid code. Background: EA82 SPFI. Runs decent, no codes in U-Check. Idle is around 800 - 1000, and I can't get it any lower for some reason. D-Check pulls a code 35 within just a few minutes of driving. I've tried: New solenoid. 47 Ohm 10 watt resistor at the connector for the solenoid under the hood 47 Ohm 10 watt resistor under the dash on it's own power supply, routed directly to pin 5 at the ECU. 68 Ohm 10 watt resistor under the dash. I went back to a fully functional solenoid just a bit ago, and reinstalled the canister and hooked it all back in as stock. No love. I've got the code in every single situation I've tried so far with 2 different ECU's. Ignition on, not running I have 12.3 volts at the solenoid, running I have 13.4 at the solenoid. When I had the resistors in place, both under the hood and under the dash the resistor would heat up so I know current is going through it. I've tried clearing the codes, and when I put it in read mode I get the flashing CEL that tells me there aren't any stored. And it still comes back under D-Check. What gives? I'm getting just a little pissed off. GD

You really can't - it's an optical crank angle sensor. Generally unless the shaft bushings have play in them, it either works or it doesn't. All fuel injected EA82's use the exact same distributor. They may have different plugs but they are all the same. SPFI, MPFI, and Turbo are all identical units. Some have screw-on caps and some clip-on, but again - only cosmetic. If you swap the right harness or plug any of them will work. XT6 is of course the ER27, and would have a 6 cylinder distributor with 6 points on the cap. This will not work. GD

Check fuses, and the resistor block in the duct next to the fan. That's normal. The EGR light comes on every 60,000 miles via a timer in the speedometer. You plug/unplug that wire combination to make it go away after you have "checked" the operation of the EGR system Yes, the flapper valves are vacuum operated. The air noise you hear is the vacuum actuators. GD

Code 5 refers to Non California, Manual transmisson. You need to put the ECU into read mode with the white connectors under the hood to get the stored codes out. Being that it goes away after warmup - my check mark goes beside coolant temp sensor. GD