GeneralDisorder

That's known as a "locking thermostat". They lock in the open position when they overheat. Not really cool IMO, because then you are forced to replace the thing when you have a little cooling system problem. It is unfortunately impossible for any thermostat to fail open when it's cold. If the unit will not open in the first place, it cannot fail "open". GD

On a whim (and since they were still sitting on the stove) when I came inside I decided to boil the two failed units again. After getting to a rolling boil (so about 100 celcius) each of them opened about 1/8". Now they are both 88 celcius units, so I consider this a fail. The working unit opened completely before I even got the pot to a rolling boil. They are not frozen from lack of lube or anything like that - their temp has gone way up. What's inside one of these things? I think I'm going to die-grind one open and seen the innards.... GD

Looks like they are putting the engine IN - looks aweful shiny to be pulling out, and the series of pics is going the wrong way for that too. GD

They made them for 2 years, and the EA81T is not a bad engine at all. It doesn't have the propensity for eating head gaskets that the EA82T does. The auto tranny could be better, but that can be swapped to a 5 speed relatively easily. I had an 84 turbo with 180,000 miles on it before the transmission went, and it still ran great. GD

No problems with your shortblock - should be almost identical actually. Same pistons or very close I think. Valve interferance isn't possible... the only difference in the cams is the durration - lift is the same. GD

This is more a theory question, but I've noticed that I have an extremely high thermostat failure rate - most especially when they have sat unused for a period of time. Example: I got a 93 Loyale and drove it home about two weeks ago. Running temp was perfect - about 1/4 on the guage, and it ran beutiful all the way home some 20 miles. Now mind you this engine had NOT run for over a year. Early last week I pulled the engine - drained the coolant of course and the thermostat was exposed to the air. It was without coolant for approximately one week and some change. I just filled it up and started it in it's new home tonight and it promptly overheated. I pulled the thermostat, as well as another I had in the garage and yet another from my running (but not currently driving) lifted wagon and set to work boiling them all on the stove. The control (from my wagon) opened perfectly and the other two remained stubbornly closed. I can open them a bit by hand so they are not stuck or anything..... what gives? Why when exposed to a little air for a short time after being succesfully used do they fail like that. The three I tested are composed of one OEM from the dealer, and two aftermarket ones. The OEM was one of the ones that didn't open, and I've had other OEM ones fail like that as well. But then this aftermarket one didn't fare much better so it seems to be common. GD

No - those are the cam towers. You need the MPFI heads, manifold, cams (you actually DON'T need the towers), ECU, Fuel pump, and complete engine and ECU wiring harness. GD

FWIW, I just did HG's on an EA82 carb, and it blew on the disty side - #4 cylinder. Same situation - combustion chamber to adjacent water passage. But the HG's had 226k on them - clearly original by the looks of things. The datsun engines are cast iron block are they not? That's got to make some difference in the design of things. I'm not sure that's a totally fair comparison. Metal expansion rates, and other factors I imagine. I'm no engineer tho. GD

The water jacket in the head is weak, but with proper management and exhuast temperature sensors, and cylinder head temp sensors it wouldn't be a real issue. The mating surfaces are fine - the bolts are the weak part. Can't torque them enough. Need some good studs, but at $700 for a custom ARP set, no one is jumping up to grab them. And the mating surface sealing issues largley go aways if you o-ring the block. Then you can just use standard head gaskets. The block o-rings are like a magic bullet for this whole gasket/sealing issue. But still have to work on the bolts/studs, and decent pistons. GD

People have tried copper, and failed. They are notorious for sealing issues. The one thing that no one has tried (that I know of) that seems to be the best option, is to o-ring the block. That along with some serious hardcore pistons, high quality head studs, and fuel management would likely do the trick. Subaru got the EA82T to push 175 HP for the rally spec version. They had all the parts availible to do it. I've seen some scans of the parts listings, and parts of the assembly instructions for them. GD

No - the CAS in the disty isn't telling the ECU to fire. But all this started after his stereo got stolen right? I say fried ECU - they will be destroyed within a few seconds if the polarity is accidentally reversed on them. GD

Situations can arise. If you NEED to roll backwards to escape a bad angle or are teetering on the edge of a roll-over the HH can prevent you from backing off quickly - releaseing the clutch will power you forward, so now you are really in a bad situation. Can't go forward, can't go backward... Not cool. And frankly if you know how to drive a clutch, it's just an extra bit of junk to break. Not to mention the same effect can be had with your hand brake. It's a cute selling feature to get some low income kid to learn a stick.... buy our stick, it will be easy to learn to drive, and you will save a couple grand not buying brand X's automatic.... GD

Being that the *normal* EA82T's blow head gaskets if you so much as look at them cross-eyed, the extra combustion pressures of a 9.5:1 turbo motor are going to be extremely hardcore on the gaskets. I definately wouldn't go over stock boost, and I might reconfigure for 4 or 5 lbs instead of 7. A lot of the aftermarket supercharge kits for various NA engines put out around 4 lbs. I remember my friends Audi was that way - you can get a blower kit for it ($3500 ), and it adds around 75 HP to his engine on 4 lbs boost. Did you use the OEM gaskets or the Fel-Pro's? GD

Yes - on the HH equipped vehicles the return spring is the HH unit/cable. On the DL's without the HH, there was a beefy return spring, and the hole is there to mount it on the clutch fork of the HH vehicles too. If you do not want the HH you can just remove the cable completely and put the spring on instead. It's actually quite a dangerous feature off-road so that's what I've done with my wagon. The unit is still there, but without it's cable the unit's own return spring prevents it from activating so it does not cause any problems just hanging out there unused. GD

Portland auto wrecking out in NW portland is ok sometimes - they often have full sets of rims/tires for sale reasonable. Talk to the fat older guy - he'll usually give you a good deal. They don't have set "price list" so it's a bargain/haggle yard. The u-pull-it's are good for parts you need NOW, and are reasonably expected to be there. Went there yesterday for an alternator bracket to use an EA82 without PS or AC, and got one for $3. I've not seen a lot of rims there, and the idiots unmount EVERYTHING, so you have to buy the rims and tires seperate, and then have them mounted, etc. I have a set of 5 "X" style alloys complete with center caps if you are interested. They need a good cleaning, but nothing that some castrol super clean won't take care of. GD

(slaps forehead) Man - someone PLEASE post the HTKYSA for him. I've lost the PDF..... GD

I had an 84 DL parts car with 316k on it when I got it. Coverted it to 2WD (I needed the 4WD parts), and last I knew my friend gave it to his niece who needed a car at around 360k. Original engine - actaully has a LOT of power, due to carbon build up in the cylinders. Cant set the timing over 5 or 6 degrees or it will ping up a hill. GD

Always liked the SX4's - I've seen some pics.... there's a few rock crawling type SX4's out there. Complete with spoiler! With some mods you can more or less fit up a whole cherokee setup in them. But of course.... still a jeep/chrysler product. "used to be a jeep thing, but all that s#@t broke". Or my favorite from the show this year "I got your jeep thing, now it burns when I pee". GD

OR GD

They wouldn't have stretched enough to make it run like that. You have some other problem. Pull both belts off and do the timing procedure top to bottom over again and only then do the disty. GD

This one looks kinda ugly on the outside, but it must not have been touched much because inside it's nearly pristeen. Works great, and it's actually pretty bright. That could be the lamp I put in it. It's nice and shiny inside and I didn't even have to clean the contacts. It didn't have a lamp in it at all, which I found a little strange, but hey - can't be too picky. The grounding issue is easily solved with a little cleaning of the metal contacts. You are right tho, it's pretty primitively designed so corrosion is something that will always have to be dealt with. A little careful cleaning and a coat of dielectric grease can do wonders. GD

Wild AC current and over voltage output. Not good for the battery. Replace your alt NOW. GD

Sure - but even here on the west coast they are starting to become scarce. Remember the last year for our EA81's was 89, and that was only for the hatchback of which not many were sold. 87 for the Brat. For off-road I run nothing but the EA81. But for street the EA82 (non-turbo) is really a decent engine. The belts are not much hassle with the covers off. Plus the few extra HP is nice, and they rev a little higher. All that together with their dime-a-dozen quality right now makes for a winning combo for cheap transportation around here. I value my EA81's highly - I've got four engines in various states, and ALL of them will run again eventually. Hell - I just ordered a Delta cam for one. But all that's not stopping me from taking advantage of sub-$100 vehicles. GD

Definately. MC always wants bleeding it seems if the level goes down too far. The rear discs are nice, but a well adjusted set of drums does very well too. The biggest difference for the EA81's is the disc's are self-adjusting. Now they did make self adjusting drums too for the later EA82's, and the adjusters should fit without any trouble. The discs are great - set of pads, and forget about them for another 50,000 miles. Self adjusting drums are ok, but I've had a few catostrophically fail and lock the wheel up when the shoes get worn out.... the non-self adjusting style SUCK cause they are out of adjustment 90% of the time. GD

Your alternator is dead. The recifier is allowing AC current out. The dash lights aren't expecting current flow in the opposite direction, so they are flashing. GD