GeneralDisorder

While that is possible, I've had them actually rip out of the DOJ and start flopping around down there. Beleive me - this is bad. If you turn at full lock with it broken like that the chances are good it will rip the axle shaft out of one of the joints. GD

You *should* be using "Engine Assembly Lube" it's specially designed to disolve in oil. Other stuff will work, but may clog up your lifters - especially if you use "disc brake grease" which usually has moly in it. Engine assembly lube is a white lithium based grease. GD

As long as it came from another fuel injected EA82 it will work. SPFI, MPFI, even turbo all use the same crank angle sensor distributor. It's really a very simple device inside. Nothing like the carb units. Timing is really controlled by the ECU. You might have to change the plug on the end depending on what year it came from, but it *will* work little effort. GD

Ok - so to summarize (I'll update as people post): Engine serials / build dates: - EA81 799337 - 07/81 931272 - 01/82 009899 - 04/82 300305 - 05/83 460419 - 01/84 665918 - 11/84 809067 - 05/85 - EA82 000808 - 12/85 It would appear from the results so far (preliminary) that sometime in 1982, subaru had produced over 1,000,000 engines and had to start over from 0. This is a problem for ID'ing engines as the difference in the heads from 82 to 83 when the larger intake valve's came out isn't easy to spot. I don't have access to a pre-83 engine right now, or I would take the pictures myself. The difference is two 10mm bolts on the bottom of the heads - they bolt into the block. The 83-up engines do not have these.... now it gets sticky as the block may still have the holes but the heads do not. 83-up hydro lifter blocks do not have the holes, but the solid lifter's may. We need some detailed photo's here..... I'll make a new post asking for them. GD

You pulled BOTH of the adjustment bolts right? The EA82 has two mounting tabs. Get a good shop light or flashlight and take a look down there. You'll see it. Both are (should) be 10mm. GD

Well - actually the entire rear drive assembly is "along for the ride" at all times. Since the rear wheels are connected to the diff, and that to the driveshaft it's all spinning at all times. The disconnect is inside the transmission - all it does is disconnect the rear drive shaft from the engine. Make no mistake tho - everything that spins when the vehicle is in 4WD is also spinning in 2WD - it's just not "driven" When you put it in 4WD it actually places constant tension on the (potentially) loose u-joints or other problem area. This will tend to quiet the problem as the area in question will be in tension from both ends - from the wheels, and from being driven by the engine. So when in 4WD often I've seen bad u-joint quiet down a bit, and not vibrate nearly as much. GD

Well - I KNOW for certain that the EA81 4 speed 4WD and EA81 5 speed 2WD use the same clutch disc spline. In fact pre-83 they were the same clutch completely. In 83 they changed to a 225mm for the 4WD, but kept the same spline style and release bearing/fork setup. When the EA82 came out, from what I understand they did not change the 2WD trans at all. Being that it was already a 5 speed they just continued to use it as is. You can look on some parts web sites and compare the 2WD clutch for an 84 to that of say a 90 loyale. If they are the same part numbers (for the disc) then you'll know. GD

Coverlay used to make them for Gen 1's, but they are out of production. There's a couple on ebay right now. As far as I know they never made them for Gen 2's. But with the popularity of the Gen 2 Brat's growing, I wouldn't be surprised to eventually see them produced. With people already paying well over $5k for nice Brats I predict we will start to see restoration parts eventually. Just look at the old muscle cars, or old VW's. If there is a market for the car (and in the case of the Brat there's no denying the market is there) then it will happen. I would say in the next 10 years we will begin to see simple things like dash pads, carpet, headliners, and other interior bits. Probably also outside trim - perhaps the elusive tailgate trim, bumper skins, maybe some clear tail light lenses. The list really is not all that long, and it really only takes someone who works closely with reproductions, and knows the market exists. As for your dash right now - there are usually carpet dash covers for the Gen 2's availible on ebay for pretty cheap. Either that or find an uncracked used replacement dash and protect it like a second child.... GD

No - the 2WD has a different size clutch (and different flywheel). Should be a 200mm vs. the 4WD's 225mm. The input shaft splines are different on the trans side too. The 2WD 5 speed's remained nearly unchanged from the EA81 series, and as such inherited their 200mm 2WD clutch setup, while the 4WD moved on to a new bigger clutch in 83, and then when the 5 speed came out the pressure plate changed as the input shaft splines changed.... GD

One word: Butane. GD

Buy a fuel cell and keep it in the trunk. Summit racing has a 16 gallon for $160, or a 12 gallon for $99 http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=SUM%2D290102&N=115&autoview=sku GD

85 Brat: #809067, build date of 05/85 Block from my 84 wagon went to the recycle. something to do with the softball sized hole in it.... engine that's in it now is #410105 - strange thing tho - it's a hydro lifter block. If they were already in the 800,000's in 05/83, and 83 (automatic) was the first year for the hydro lifters..... this isn't adding up. Turbone said the engine came from like an 83 4WD Auto Sedan (or was it coupe?) he bought for parts.... Of my spare engines I can only get to one right now (garage is a mess!): hydro lifter, #651390. Uknown history. The EA82 in my sedan is #000808. 12/85. Wow - now that's a low number! Seems to indicate that subaru used a simple numerically increasing serial numbering system for them. One of these things is not like the other - NV Zeno - you should double check that engine. Does it have hydro lifters? The number seems to indicate a much later engine than 05/83. But I think more numbers are needed to give a good estimate. Maybe they started from 0 again with hydro engines GD

(I know - old thread - but you are still having the issue so....) Probably just a gunked up main jet or venturi in the carb. It's probably not a real clean spray pattern, and you might need a new gasket between the two carb halves - might be sucking air. Accelerator pump is only used when you are actively pushing down on the pedal. When the pedal is held still it's not used. Shouldn't be hard to clean it a little - just pop the top off the carb and spray all the passages with compressed air. Replace the top gasket and give it a go. Can also use the redneck trick and hold a rag over it while revved up to suck some of the crap out of the carb. GD

Don't need to take the ball-joint out. That's actually the reason I DONT take the ball joint out. Too much hassle. Disconnect the sway bar link, and the inner control arm bolt where it attaches to the engine cross member. Much easier. GD

Weird - my EA82 sedan did that the other morning. Wasn't a no start tho - it started and ran rough (somewhat unsual), and a HUGE cloud of white smoke/vapor poured out for a minute. I of course shut it down and drove my Brat that day instead assuming the hot weather the day before and large amount of AC usage had finally done in the HG at 220k miles. When I got home it started up and there was nothing. Runs fine, and no strange incidents since then. This was several weeks ago. I checked the coolant when I got home too - it took maybe a half a quart of water. I'm thinking intake manifold gaskets probably. I've got a weber on it, so carb base is new. I suspect it was just the angle I parked it at and one cylinder got a little water in it. Either that or it could be the rust hole in my trunk and the leaky trunk lid - perhaps I had a bunch of water that ran out onto my exhaust. Who knows - I care nothing about this car, and it's simply an experiment to see how many miles I can go on a car I've spent less than $500 on. $260 so far and over 9,000 miles. (I'm not counting the cost of the Weber, since of course I'll take that back off if the car goes away - different expense catagory much like oil and filters). GD

Unfortunately, there is *mostly* no way to tell if the engine has been replaced so we would have to go by what each person "thinks". But yes - with enough people, the statistical anomolies could be weeded out, and possibly we may discover the formula or pattern that fuji used for their serial numbers. Heck - I'm willing to get the numbers off mine.... probably want to make a new post or maybe a form page for users to fill out and just click a submit button. Pretty simple to do, it's just about finding the time. GD

I think I would have a look at the driveshaft u-joints. Have to unload the rear wheels (get them in the air) and then check for play in the shaft. I had a similar shaking with a bad u-joint in one of my shafts. If you can, jack each wheel up, and check carefully for play. Try to shake the wheel up and down and in/out as well. Also check the axle nuts to make sure they are tight, and that nothing is working loose. If something is wearing out the nut's can work loose and make even more noise as well as more damage. Your front end "creaking" sounds like possibly a strut top bearing. I've had one or two that would do that under full lock turns. Might be dry in there. I'm not sure these can be repaired (ie - bearing replaced) - may need to replace the whole strut top. As for a new vehicle - if you are seriously at the point where you cannot work on the Subaru yourself, it may be wise to find something else that can work for you. Especially if the mechnics in your area are just not up to working on it. Thing is - few cars are as simple as an EA series subaru, so I just can't understand why this mechnic cannot seem to get things right for you. GD

Nope. We can narrow it down with more info tho: 1. Check for gold sticker on the valve covers. If it has these (they indicate hydro lifters), it came from an 83/84 automatic, or 85-89 Brat or Hatchback (any trans). Between these engines (being the last of the EA81's built for our market), no differences exist. By this time focus was all on making the EA82 and later engines successful, and the EA81 was only put in value cars. Thus they are virtually identical. 2. If it does NOT have the stickers, then there are some differences in the castings of the large intake valve and small intake valve heads. Small intake valve heads have two 10mm bolts on the very bottom of the heads that later heads (and blocks) do not have. 3. Very, very ealy EA81's (1980 - *maybe* 81) had no (or at least very, very rare) options for AC, or power steering. So the crank pulley only has a single groove for the alternator belt. All later engines were equipped with the three groove pully for optional AC and power steering. 4. The brand of distrubutor (assuming it's original) can tell you if the car was 2WD or 4WD. ND disty on the 2WD, and Hitachi on the 4WD. Those are all the difference that *I* know of. I'm sure there are more obscure little differences that cropped up over the years. As far as figureing out what body type it came from - that's virtually impossible. Subaru prided themselves on makeing very few different parts for all the different models. If it could be the same, it was. This kept cost down. The serial number on the engine..... well it may be possible to cross-reference that info, but the data may not even be availible to US dealers. Might have to contact subaru of Japan for that sort of info. At any rate - there's no real point. They are all mostly the same. GD

Sure - any 5 speed, Dual Range 4WD trans setup is going to be identical. Doesn't matter what body it came from. You will find them in 85-89 EA82's. (looks just like a Loyale, but will be labeled a "GL" or "DL" or some derivitive of same). For lifting, and wheeling etc, you definately want "Four Wheel Drive" as opposed to "All Wheel Drive". And you want the transmission with the low range, refered to as the Dual Range, or just D/R. AWD is rare for the GL's, and isn't geared porperly for anything but street use. GD

They suck in Mud, and water. Good for sand, snow, etc. Useless for rock crawling, or racing (no good for high speed). And you need an almost limitless power pack to turn them effectively (V8's and V10's are good) Oh - by all means try it out - you'll need some investors to fork out the $25,000 for a set. The problem is they have very bad aproach angles to them. They are mostly designed to spread the weight of the vehicle on highly unstable sufaces. They are excelent for what they were designed for - snow mostly. Some folks use them in sand, but really that just chews the heck out of them. If this was such a great system, you would see the army putting them on H1's. Why do you suppose they got rid of the halftrack? Couple reasons - unreliable, too slow, too heavy, and just plain not as effective for varried terrain. Heck - even our armored personel carriers are wheeled now. We still have a few tracked small vehicles - mostly for arctic equipped units tho. (Tanks are another story - much like a dozer, 46 tons of DU plate and 150mm cannon are just too much for anything inflatable..... they aren't unstoppable - they get stuck quite a bit..... and BOY is that a mess ) GD

You'll need: Flywheel, clutch, and pressure plate (different size clutch for 4WD) Transmission Shifter linkage and interior consoles Driveshaft Gas tank (some 2WD's apparently already have the "dent" for the rear diff, but others don't - just depends on year I think). Rear diff, and diff hanger Rear trailing arms, brakes, axles, etc (basically the entire rear end) It's really easier to just buy a messed up donor car, as there are always little things you run into.... GD

Ya - it's cool - this IS a forum and all us gear heads are entitled to our (admittedly sometimes quirky) opinions. I use the 100k as a general rule for all subaru's. The EA81 and the Justy both share this common fault it seems - biggest downfall for those engines. With new oil pumps both will last 500k+. I agree that the EA82 is much better about this tho. I'm just so damn paranoid about oil pressure after losing the battle with my wagon's engine. I'm a pretty meticulous type, and to have basically caused the destruction of that engine causes me great pain. I did change the oil regularly (usually after each off-road trip). But I drowned the engine in swamp water at least 4 times, and who knows how much dust managed it's way into the crankcase on gravel roads those few summers.... the rat bastard digi-dash with no OP guage I blame for half of it. By the time the idiot light on the dash started flickering at idle it was too late.... I miss that engine - it was quite strong. GD

There are models of the EA82 carb that had the feedback computer, but most did not (same goes for the EA81 as I'm sure you know). Largely it was CA models, and 2WD's that got it. I have a sedan that *used* to have that setup. I gave a whirl at fixing it, but was confounded by a sensor that I can't find a good used replacement for, and the dealer wanted my soul.... unfortunately I already sold it to a Ford dealer a number of years back..... so yeah.... Anyway, I guess my point being that he may not have he ECU controlled carb - in fact most did not use this rather horrific configutation, and it seems that the ones that did have largely been shot full of holes somewhere on a logging road, left to die in a back yard, or have been eaten by other hungry feedback EA82's. Mine was about 60 seconds from going to the junk yard when I saved it with a Weber transplant. GD

Discount import around here has the OEM pumps (Parut) for like $60. Here's the deal - on the EA81 they DO need to be changed every 100k or so. On the EA82 only somtimes - but doing the pump on the EA82 is a 2 - 3 hour affair IF you have done it before (timing belts and all that junk - I'm talking WITH belt covers). Personally $60 is worth it if I don't have to tear into it a second time. Oil pressure is the most important fluid spec you need to care for - followed closely by coolant temp. Having already lost an engine (blown rod) to bad oil pressure, I just don't mess around with anything I'll be keeping and driving. All my rigs - both EA81's and my EA82 have new pumps, they also ALL have hydro lifters, and nary a tick to be found. GD

On the other hand, I've experienced some noticeable increase in vibration when installing very tight NEW axles. I get the GCK ones, and being brand new rather than rebuilt they sometimes seem to expose second order vibrations that were not there to begin with. In my case it was a combination of bad tranny mounts, and soggy engine mounts. The axles were so new they simply didn't absorb anything. It's a lot like your describe - vibration while accelerating only. Anyway - something to take a look at. Could also just be really crappy axle rebuilds. GD