GeneralDisorder

I've got the SPFI on my EA81 working quite well.... except the idle. The idle quality is not good enough for me. There is a slight miss at idle that I can't get rid of - it idles about 800, and the tach moves around slightly - about 50 RPM one way or the other when the missing is occuring. This miss was not present with the Weber - nothing else on the engine has changed. Here's a list of stuff I've done: - Fuel pressure is 20 psi. Tried another regulator as well - no change. All dampeners are in place, and I've tried two different fuel pumps. Fuel filter is new. - New coil, plugs, and wires. Tried changing the ignitor, noise condensor, and alternator (EA82) - no change. - IAC clean and shiny - I have two, and both operate perfectly (I took them off to watch their operation). I soaked both in carb cleaner for 24 hours - they might as well be new now. - Removed and cleaned entire throttle body - tried a different TPS, and a different injector. Took the injector filter off and cleaned that. Reset all TPS adjustments to factory, and verified operation of the idle switch. With the MAF disconnected I can see the spray pattern of the injector is good. - Cleaned entire PCV system, checked for vac leaks on entire engine with carb cleaner, and I've permanently disconnected the EGR, and EVAP systems - no possiblity of a leak there. - New cone air filter, and I've tried about 4 or 5 MAF's. Each MAF acts a little different, and I usually have to adjust the idle speed for each one, but the miss is still there, and it's there even with the MAF completely unplugged. - Tested, and tried at least 4 different CTS's - all seem to do their job of idleing down properly. Again miss is there without the CTS plugged in too. - Unplugged the 02 - didn't make a bit of difference - miss is still there. - I've rewired everything under the sun - the whole ECU is now supplied directly with a 10 guage from the battery - fused and relayed off the ignition switch. - Vacuum test shows ~21 in/hg at idle - it does fluctuate rapidly (needle is blurry it's so fast) about 1 - 1.5 in/hg, but it did that before with the Weber as well - I think it's probably a valve seat or something. I'm nearing my breaking point here. I've been working on this problem for a week, and haven't got anywhere. The idle quality isn't much better than it was when I first started the engine after the SPFI swap. I've done a ton of work and troubleshooting with almost no gain. When I went up to work on Jerry's hatch, once the problem was figured out (fuel pump wireing) the engine started right up and idled back to a perfect 700 RPM smooth idle. What am I doing wrong? I haven't replaced the PCV valve yet..... I feel vacuum when I pull the hose - maybe I should get an OEM one? I kinda doubt that's it, but I'm running out of things to replace here.... The MAF does change things a bit.... I've been replacing just the sensor not the whole casing and all - could I have a problem there? I cleaned the thing out really well with brake cleaner, and from what I can see inside of it looks clean.... GD

About the same as 205/75R14's in diameter, but not width. The Interco Swampers aren't labeled that way - they label the actual size. And I think the Interco's are the only ones I know of that are 8.5" wide...... definately not a 75 for width. My MT's are 215/75R15's, and they are about 28.5", and around 7" wide. GD

They will fit in the back just fine, and I'm not sure, but I think you can make them fit in the front with a little grinding on the caliper.... but yeah - definately not a bolt on for the front. GD

We got rear discs on every turbo model - not just the RX.... and there was a LOT of turbo's over here. Pretty much anything that's over 10 years old is u-pull-it fodder out here. mostly the EJ's that I see are wrecked - but they were very popular, so many, many were sold.... and subseqently wrecked. GD

coat the v-cover gaskets in RTV to prevent them from soaking up oil - the cork will retain it's springyness, and not get hard and leak so quick. Also replace the rubber grommet washers under the two bolts or they will leak as well. GD

Sure - weight of the vehicle was too much for the wimpy little stock axles. The more you weight, the more torque is required to haul your fat behind over an obsticle. That's simple physics. IF you want to do extreme things with a stock subaru suspension and diffs, you need more gearing (ie - t-case), and you need to drastically reduce weight. The real enemy is mass - which if you check on the math is really just a function of speed - the faster you go, the more mass you have due to your velocity. Thus my assertion that what matters is gearing (to slow down) and wieght (to further reduce mass). I welcome you to defeat my logic..... The other option is gearing, and heavier suspension components. That's far more difficult to accomplish unless you go solid axle. To me that's just admitting defeat (no offense to those that have done it - it's just not for me). The way of the future is independant suspension - GM proved it with the H1. I happen to like the idea, and eventually I'll find a way to build what I want. GD

Incorrect - the differences are in the BLOCK, lifters, and entire valve train (including the cam). The heads, and rest of the internals are the only parts the solid and hydro engines share. The block is cast differently to allow removal of the lifters from below with the oil pan removed. Solid lifter blocks are cast in such a way that the lifters cannot be removed without splitting the block. You definately have a solid lifter block by the push rods. Easiest way to tell since you have it apart is to see if you can pull a lifter. If you can't then it's solid. Now - as for gaskets. The subaru stuff is outdated. Get the Fel-Pro perma torques - 20 years have seen a good deal of improvement in HG technology, and retorqueing heads is not something anyone loves. Also the gasket sets you get from the dealer ARE 20 years old - they have been sitting on a shelf for that long - not cool. Gaskets to buy *individually* from the dealership to augment crappy ones in the Fel-Pro kit: - Oil pan gasket - Intake manifold gaskets - Thermostat housing gasket - EGR gasket (if you are using the EGR - I do not) - Carb base gaskets - Oil pump seal kit (I'm very paranoid about this one) Ed - the difference that you notice is the difference between "large" intake valve heads, and "small" intake valve heads. 83 and 84 manual transmission EA81's came with large valve heads, and solid lifters so the valve cover test is inconclusive. GD

I wouldn't think shipping would be much over $100 - $150 - that's still a considerable savings over $500 a set. You OZ folks must not have got many in the first place eh? Or are your laws such that used brakes need special testing or something? We are filthy with them here - so many they end up crushing most sets cause we don't pull them.... GD

I've NEVER worn out a rear joint. I've broken some off-road, but that was before I started using EA82 DOJ's. That said....... It's very difficult to say how long a joint will last - at the stock angles the rear axles tend to last the lifetime of the vehicle and then some. On an off-road vehicle, the problem you run into is that the joint will only wear to a point, and then it will shatter into several peices. The problem is not just a matter of angle. It's angle, speed, and weight forces that all come together to wear out or sometimes just break the joint. A 28" tire spinning in the air at max travel that comes down to a sudden stop on a rock puts unbeleivable strain on the joint. The larger the angle, the more "leverage" the wheel has to break the joint cup. Think of trying to twist a 1/4" thick bolt held in a vice - if all you have is a screwdriver, you can't apply enough force by hand, or probably even by drill to break the bolt head off. Now if you use a lever - say a 12" breaker bar - you can easily break the bolt in half. Same situation with axles - the farther the travel goes off-center the higher the force magnification - till the forces involved are absolutely rediculous - enough to not only break the axle, but twist the stub right out of the diff, and I've even seen diff hangers ripped loose from the uni-body.... General rule is that speed is your enemy - gearing and weight are where all the gains are to be had on a subaru drivetrain. GD

Lots of wrecked 80's cars hit the yards with nearly new tires - happens a lot. Same with batteries. I get batteries for $15 with a used exchange. Our yards pick out the good tires and put them on a rack inside the office according to size. So no sorting through dumpsters full of bald junk.... And they keep good matching sets together which is nice. GD

Actually - the reason a lot of us have that "look" is because rather than doing any blocks in the rear, we have just ratcheted down the torsion bar (EA81), or added strut extensions to reset the trailing arm lower. Since the trailing arms pivot point is not moved (nor is the diff or diff hanger - everything is still bolted to the unibody with NO blocks), the wheel swings down and forward as part of it's normal travel. When the suspension compresses, the wheel swings up and back into the wheel well. It does not affect travel or performance in any way - just looks different to the uninitiated. With 28" tires, I have over 15" under my rear diff, and with EA82 axle joints, I have the axle travel to use it too. GD

I just get used snow tires at the junk yards around here for $5 each. Cost's me $10 each to have the dang things mounted/balanced - I need a tire mounting machine. You would be surprised how many cars go to the scrap yard with $200 - $500 in tires left on them. I routinely pick up almost new looking sets for $40 (matching sets mind you), and individual tires are usually $5 or $10 if they are really nice. GD

Holy crap - you mean steel wagon wheels are worth that much? Gawd I must have $1k worth of those crappy things. I guess out in the rust belt they are hard to find? Every other soob I see has a clean set out here... GD

Buy a turbo car. The swap is not worth the trouble. Among other things, you would have to swap: Engine cross member (to clear the turbo exhaust) Exhaust manifold - at least back to the mid-pipe Entire fuel system - pump and lines as carb system is not designed for 40 psi Engine computer, and all associated wireing (really need a donor car's wireing harness for all that) All that for like 20 HP (under boost) is not worth the effort. Swap an EJ22 in there. Less work, more HP (135 - no turbo), and donor legacy's are getting aweful cheap anymore. Add to that the EA82T's are just not that reliable - really a troublesome engine compared to the EJ22. GD

1. You can adjust EA81 hydro lifters. The FSM has the procedure. 2. You do not have to split the case to remove them - just drop the oil pan. As for the intake - it will be the same, and the 82 carb will be the same size (probably less complex too), so no win there. Unless the 82 has the single barell carter weber. The 86 would have the Hitachi. Either way your best option is a Weber 32/36 DGV, or Fuel Injection. GD

McBrat makes them. GD

I beleive the original sources may be from an experimental aircraft site that last time I checked wasn't online anymore..... that's why it's only the engine sections. EA81 is/was very popular for that purpose, and explains the reason they don't need the rest of the FSM. GD

They work at any angle - they lock from speed of pull - as I said they get rusty inside. I spent a couple hours ressurecting a set I got from another board member. Orginally they came with little leatherette "Booties" with strings on the bottom that you tied up to prevent water entrance when not in use. Of course everyone lost them..... But your jump seat set isn't complete without the booties GD

Sounds like a bad rebuild - might have forgot the plastic check ball on the accelerator pump. That will cause the flat spot you describe. As for the idle, I would say the choke is set too light, and is pulling off to fast. The choke is something you have to adjust for your altitute, and temp conditions, so not neccesarily the job of the rebuilder. For what you paid for that rebuilt Hicrappy (I'm betting), you could get the fuel injection from an EA82..... or a Weber. More power, and easier to work on (in both cases). GD

Actually - those are standard military "marker" lights. Nearly every military (and thus the H1) vehicle has them. I've worked on one or two as well GD

They get rusty inside - take the rubber cover off and start lubeing. GD

I'm with Ed - I've replaced more ign. switches than I can even remember. Right at the pink connector the white wire will actually turn brown, and the pink plastic will melt. It's a mess. Aftermarket stereo and alarm installs often tap this wire for a fuse holder to get battery power for doo-dads. This causes even more problems as the wire gets chewed up and gets even hotter while in use. If the whole thing is wasted, you can hunt for one at a junk yard.... note that as far as the wires themselves go, an EA82 connector and wires will work - maybe even the switch itself, but I can't recall. Just chop the connector and about 6" of wire on either side of it. Solder and heat shrink it in rather than butt-connectors. I HATE butt connectors. They are soooo ugly and really don't do a decent job of contact with the wires. GD

If you are planning to use the long block for your carbed vehicle, that really won't work either - as mentioned you need single port heads to run the carb manifold, and the engine is 7.7:1 compression - the carb engine needs to be 9.0:1 compression. It will have no power, and use a suck load of gas even if you change the heads (and you mentioned that yours might be cracked. And have you investigated the possibility that the head gaskets are just blown? Carb EA82's almost never crack heads, and I've personally never seen or heard of a cracked block in any subaru. GD

yes GD

under the drivers side dash - black, square box - looks like a flasher. Probably mounted to something - look around the hood release cable area. GD