GeneralDisorder

I used that stuff on my Brat's bumper - after about 6 months it looked pretty bad again, and now after a year or more it's gone. And yes - I properly preped it - I scrubbed the hell out of it, and removed it from the car for the paint. Used a couple coats too. The stuff looks great till it fades out - which happens all too quickly I'm afraid. The Krylon "Fusion" for plastics works amazing - I painted the 4WD writeing on the Brat's mud flaps over a year ago, and the stuff looks like I did it yesterday. Really bonds itself to the plastic. I guess there is some chemical bond it creates. The pepper red color is spot on for the subaru red on mudflaps. They have black - I'll be using that stuff on my bumper next time, and probably all the side trim and stuff too. GD

It's not that difficult to troubleshoot - there really isn't much to the system. Some vacuum lines, and some electrical stuff. Get a haynes manual and start messing around. You have a crappy mechanic. GD

Same as the DGV series adaptor - $38 for the EA82, and $46 for the EA81. www.carbsunlimited.com 5200 is a DFV copy, with emmissions stuff. Stock they have a smaller primary and secondary venturi, but retain the DGV 32/36 base. Better than a Hitachi from a simplicity standpoint, but won't have any more power - the 5200 also has a vacuum secondary like the Hitachi, not the mechanical secondary like the DGV. All that junk makes it street legal unlike the DGV "off-road only" carbs most of us run (more power, less emmissions junk). GD

I'll give it a whirl - I can always get some ECU's at the junk yards around here - there were 30 EA82's at least at my local yard yesterday. Many or them SPFI. I have a friend who's an EE guy from way back - got his degree 15 years ago. I'll probably enlist his help with the hardware portions of it. He's a software engineer now, and we are both assembly nuts - if it's straight C it should be relatively easy to dissasemble, or I could just go through the assembly code line-by-line too. I'm sure it's a simple chip - probably something like the 6800 as you say - that would be a perfect chip for a small closed system like this. What would be neat is to rebuild the interface of the ECU for a serial or parrallel connection and run the whole software interface from a laptop. GD

Usually it's just the switch contacts. They can be dissasembled and cleaned. GD

Float level is off - is it running a Weber? My brand new Redline weber ($400!) would die on hard left turns. Float level was off from the factory in Mexico. Anyway, even the Hitachi can have the same problem. If the level of fuel in the float chamber isn't kept correct at all times, the fuel pressure pressure can drop or spike and cause the engine to die. GD

What will really blow your mind is there are no adjustments for rear wheel alignment on a Loyale. The rear has trailing arms, and they are bolted to the control arms, and the "tube" with 3 bolts. Generally if you are seeing strange tire wear in the rear it's because something back there is bent, or the wheel bearings are shot (this would make horrible noises, and probably fail quickly tho). I've seen plenty of bent rear control arms - usually from sliding into curbs and such. I don't know what that dealer did, but I wouldn't take it back there again. GD

Sounds like an IC heat failure. Something electronic is failing when it gets too hot. Driving for 25 miles then parking in the sun - highest temps are reached right after shutdown. After the tow it was cool again, so started up fine. That's my theory anyway. Probably next on the list would be the distributor itself - the crank angle sensor might be borked. GD

The EA81 hydro lifter engine in my Brat (original) will easily hit 7k, and sounds just fine. It will lose power after 5, but will rev right up past 7. I generally shift at 5.5 in it. It's getting fuel injection right now As for the EA82 tachs - it seems to depend on the engine. My 5 speed sedan redlines at 6. The SPFI 87 Auto coupe I have right now redlines at 6.5 on the dash, and the 90 loyale 5 speed pushbutton I parted a few weeks ago - it's dash says 6.5 also. I have to assume that carb was 6, and SPFI was 6.5 regardless of transmission. GD

Power steering is easy - you need the pump, bracket, lines, power steering rack, engine cross-member, and some parts of the u-joint assembly where it connects to the column. There's no electrical in the power steering at all, so it's a straight bolt in. The trick is finding an EA81 car with power steering - it was a rare option on only the top of the line GL's, never on Hatch's or Brat's, except the turbo Brat. GD

I did decide the disconnect the EGR and the Evap stuff. I left the solenoids in place to fool the ECU. I turned the IAC over, and bent the two vacuum supply lines to the side to clear the intake hose for it. I'll block them off as they supply the EGR and Evap that I already removed. GD

You'll find lots of empty connectors on subarus - options not equipped. Rather than make many wireing harnesses, they made only a few each year, and just left some stuff out. Makes it easy to add things you don't have.... sometimes. GD

I'm not asking how to reset the computer, I'm asking if the computer is hard coded to expect exhaust gas or not. And I need to know if turning the IAC upside down will affect it - doesn't seem to be oreintation dependant, but then I'm not totally familair with it's theory of operation either - I don't have an EA82 FSM. GD

Probably - just make sure you go tighter on the torque this time (maybe 60-70 instead of 50), and they may not last as long. But yes, they should still work assuming they haven't been damaged from the unclean block surface. If the graphite in them is really fubar, then get new ones. The Fel-Pro's are only like $18 each. Clean the block REALLY well - I like to use a razor blade and VERY SHORT applications of oven cleaner. The stuff is extremely powerfull, and will etch itself into the aluminium if you are not careful. Keep a bucket of water to rinse it away with frequently. GD

I haven't played much with the SPFI, and so I'm curious what experiences people have had with disconnecting the Evap purge, and EGR systems. I'll leave the solenoids in place for the computer.... I have done this plenty of times on carbed engines with no effect, but there's also no software interface there. Does anyone know or has anyone experienced strange behaviour from the computer if the pre-determined amount of exhuast gas is not present? Does it run too lean from the extra oxygen present in the intake charge? Or will the rest of the system (MAF, 02, etc) compensate by telling the computer it needs more fuel? Am I making this way to complex? I'm a software engineer, and I would break into the silly thing's ROM if I thought I would be able to do anything with it. Sadly I don't want to risk wrecking the only computer I have at the moment... (but it's tempting to think about trying - just to save out the fuel maps for later mega-squirt use). I also want to turn the IAC valve upside down so the solenoid is on the right side - this will help to clear the disty on the EA81 - any problem with that other than it's hose routing? I took it off, and it doesn't seem to be oreintation dependant as far as I can tell.... GD

Did you properly torque and replace the intake manifold gaskets? Serisouly tho - its sounds like you are getting compression into the cooling systems - did you clean the block surfaces carefully before installing the new H-gaskets? GD

By keeping the inverter transformers cooled, you can dramatically increase the duty cycle of the welder (the amount of time you can weld before the machine will automatically shut down to protect the electronics from overheat). GD

Compression isn't that great at the low speeds of the starter. But to answer your question, yes it can. I had .020 taken off the heads in my Brat. Runs like a champ. And they use the same starter for EA82 SPFI engines - they are 9.5:1 - stock EA81 is 8.5:1 (or is it 8.7? I can't remember anymore), and even milled I doubt you are more than 9:1 GD

Oh yeah - and while you are down there - check out my latest mod! http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=60992 GD

I didn't write that - McBrat did - he just used my picture (with my permission). I don't think the set screw method will wear out - it has positive contact with the shifting rod. The bolt method relies on the bolt being extremely tight, and trying to increase the friction between the shifter sleeve, and the transmission shift rod. Set screw will literally lock them together much like welding them. Welding would be the ultimate fix, but would be near impossible to undo if you ever wanted to take it apart again. The cross-section veiw that I drew only shows two set screws, but I would reccomend four or possibly six - two on each side, and either one on top and one on the bottom, or two on the bottom. This will give it 5 or 6 points for the set screw to "bite" into the metal of the shift rod and prevent it from moving even a little. The downfall to all the other methods is they increase the friction, but do not provide a way to keep the parts from moving and eventually wearing to the point where the friction needs to be increased yet again. All the parts are still smooth and slide against each other easily with the amount of force you can apply with a lever as long as the shifter is. Also - Mick failed to mention that when I did that bolt trick in the picture I didn't just use the stock size (12mm) bolt - I reamed it out to 3/8" and used a stainless steel grade 8 with lock washers and flat washers under that. Now mind you - the reason he didn't mention that, is that you HAVE to pull the transmisson to do this much extensive drilling - under the car it's near impossible.... maybe if you have a lift. Buying a new shifter is not the fix - in fact it's not even the shifter that is the problem - it's the shift rod inside the transmission - the hole for the roll pins (or bolts if you replace them) wears into an oval shape. This part requires partial dissasembly of the transmission to replace. GD

Take the manifold loose from the heads and it will be much easier. That's the EGR tube, and you *can* block it if you want - you'll need to take the fittings off and weld them and use them as plugs. Also - you will need to do a valve adjustment since you milled the heads. GD

LOL - that's a picture of MY transmission. I gave Mick permission to use it and he whited out the background. Overall, it works for a while, but then so did the original. Not a proper fix in my opinion. The method I detailed above should be a vast improvement. Here's the original (he modified it to show a few other mods): GD

It's R12, but you can use R134a - just replace the o-rings so it doesn't leak again, and buy a charge kit. GD

Oh yeah - I was thinking of the GFT coupe - we didn't get those. But still - nothing new out there - junk yards are your friend. Find a late model Brat with a nice dash. GD

Just takes some tweaking - mostly cam profiles and such. The aircraft guys run the EA81's at 8k all day long. GD