GeneralDisorder

I milled the heads, so I had to adjust the valves - I have the procedure for it, and I've followed it as well as I was able, but two of the valves on each side (#1 intake, #3 exhaust, #2 intake, and #4 exhaust) feel "spongy" is the best way I can describe it. When there is no load on the valve (valve closed) I can compress the spring in the lifter and get about 1/8" of play between the rocker arm and the valve. The other valves are always rock hard. It's seems strange to me that it's symetrical in this way, and why should those valves be different? Did the bleed-down procedure (I waited the full 15 minutes) not work on the other valves, or am I doing something wrong? Will the "spongy" ones pump up when I prime the oil system by dead cranking the engine after assembly? Any assistance or experience would be appreciated...... GD

Anyone who can measure the distance from the wrist pin to the top of the piston? I would like to figure out the exact increase in compression that EA71 or EA82 SPFI pistons would give when installed into an EA81. GD

I see - you're talking about me going to .035.... there is plenty of metal to grind away a 35 thousandths shelf so it would line up again. Easy enough to do. GD

No issues. I just tried it, and the size of the intake holes are large enough to cover .020 - at least that part worked out well. BTW - the FSM says .020 is the maximum you can remove, so it makes sense that the manifold fits - it was designed that way. The question is how did Subaru arrive at that figure? Was that the maximum you could do and still fit the manifold, or was there some other more mechanical reason for picking that number? If ovaling out the manifold holes was all that was needed, .035 would give me close to 9.5 compression without the need for piston replacement. Hhhhmmm.... GD

Yes - too high and the crank will beat it into a foam. Foam does not lubricate.... GD

I wanted to document before and after cleaning - I degreased them myself, so I wanted a side by side of one clean and one not. They are both clean now - and one is installed. Hydro lifter adjustment on EA81's is interesting..... GD

After trying to locate the coolant leak in my Brat, I ended up removeing both heads looking for the leak, and found that both heads were warped more than 3 times the allowed limit. So off to be resurfaced they went - had .020 milled off them (max allowed). So according to my calculations, that will raise my compression from 8.7 to 9.12...... When I build my hign output EA81, taking .020 off the heads, and finding pistons that are .015 taller will get me to 9.5.... GD

Less advance = lower emmissions. So they had the advance cut off under a certain temp (on some years and models, but not all. MANY systems were employed - some even had electronic timers and stuff associated with em). Anyway - feel free to bypass it and run a new line directly to the carb. That's what I did anyway. Basically a cold cylinder wall causes condensation to form and since liquid gasoline doesn't burn it gets shot right out the exhaust. Keeping the advance low causes the cylinder to get hotter due to compression and helps to reduce this effect. There's some other principles involved, but that's a start for you. GD

Yep - you need the engine cross-member from a PS equiped car if you are looking for a bolt-on. A regular cross-member might be modified to work, but I'm not the one to ask on that account - ask Mudrat - he might know. *edit* Mudrats says no - can't do it (well - not easily anyway). GD

I must concur that I have always been happy with MSD products. And they are that pretty red color.... not much more expensive than the accel.... Gd

Yeah - this is a good point - they are cheap so you can't expect a really excelent product. I personally run a 20 year old stock coil, so I have no troubles at all. Hehe. GD

Front's are easy - Autozone sells GCK brand axles (brand NEW, not remaned) for $90 with no core charge. Rears are a pain, but I think if I called around I could get rebuild parts fairly reasonable. It's just that I keep breaking them. Probably going to convert to a VW vanagon rear axle setup at some point. Then I can use Porche CV's.... GD

Coolant into the exhaust you say? Sounds like a cracked head to me..... have the heads pressure tested just to be sure. They are very prone to cracking, and especially in the exhaust area's. Even if it IS the block, still have the heads checked as they are notorious for cracks, and it would be a pitty to not find out till after assembly. GD

The clutch is what I consider a "wear item", and considering what I've punished my clutch with on my wagon ('82 4 speed D/R), I would say that the EA81 4WD clutch (post '82) is nothing short of amazing. I've been off-road countless times now with a *used* clutch that was givin to me by Qman when I blew up the 2WD clutch that I shouldn't have been off-roading with in the first place. No, the clutch (if driven with any sense at all) is not a weak link in my opinion, but it will of course wear out faster with big tires, and hard off-road use. I doubt I'll get more than 20,000 from this one. At least they are way easy to change. Takes a couple hours. Good time to check the rear main seal too. I collect junk yard clutches now - $10 for a clutch disc - and often I find them with more than 50% left on em. Especially the 2WD variety. And as stated above, the EA82 4WD clutch is the same, and the yards are just littered with them. Can't say as much for the axles, which are getting hard to find in the yards. GD

Built EA81's are cool, but 15 lbs of boost on a stock EA81 is not going to be easy.... gonna be tought to keep it in head gaskets I would think. It does only have 8.7:1 compression tho. GD

The struts don't swap (without the knuckles), and to fit the knuckles you need the lower control arms from an EA82.... but they are longer, and you will have to weld the control arm mount to the cross-member after cutting the old mounts out. Miles Fox has done it - might ask him about it. Also - because of the difference in width, the strut tops will be at the wrong angle for proper alignment, so you will have to come up with some form of camber adjustment for the strut top.... GD

Axles - then rear differential stub axles - then probably third gear syncro's. Might explode a reverse gear if you put enough power to the pavement, but you would need something over 200 HP to do that I'm guessing. After many hard miles, the bottom ends on the EA81's go out, and usually end in a thrown rod..... but that takes MANY HARD miles. Like over 300k usually. Bad cooling systems are common in non-western states, and usually result in blown HG's and warped heads (mine are at the head shop right now being decked from PO neglect - they were warped over three times the allowable limit. hehe). GD

Except Brat's didn't come out till 77 . 73 Coupe lets say..... GD

Higher voltage should have been taken into account when designing the product. GD

Maybe an MSD or Mallory coil? Accel has never impressed me personally, but it's just a feeling I have. I think the whole angle thing is BS - the stock ones are fine with horizontal, so unless Accel is skimping on the oil level, I don't see why that would make any difference. Bad design if it overheats at ANY angle I say. But if you have a warrantee..... maybe get a new one, and sell it on ebay. hehe. GD

Tis true what you say. GD

PS is AWESOME with a lift and big tires. I am way more manueverable with it, and quick corrections on the trail are easy, and I never have to have the wheel jerked out of my hands. Plus having the PS pump is good if you want to drive other things like hydraulic winch's and stuff... GD

Check the model number on the float bowl of the "EA81" carb you used. The model of an EA81 carb will be a DCP-306-??. The model on the EA82 carbs is DCZ-308-?? or DCZ-328-??. The "306", "308", and "328" indicate the size of the barrels. All EA81's thus have a 26/30, and the EA82's are 28/30, or 28/32...... GD

Well - if you are close to being due for timing belts, then I say do it yourself, and do the front main seal, water pump, timing belts and tensioners all at the same time since you have to get in there anyway. Timing belts need replacement every 60k or so on the EA82, so if you are within 20k of that mark, I would just do all of it and be done with it for another 60k. If you don't run into anything really hairy, you should be able to do all of it in an afternoon if you are experienced mechanically at all. Also - you should enquire as to how much extra having your mechanic do all that would run. As I said all that stuff is right there, and there really isn't a lot more dissasembly involved in doing all of it at once. Maybe he will cut you a deal, although at $350 for a friggin water pump I think you should find a new mechanic anyway. I know places that will do axles cheaper than that, and if he's done it before it should only take 1.5 - 2 hours to complete. That's some expensive shop time if you ask me. Most dealerships are under $100 an hour.... GD

I'm tempted to shut that stupid carb base coolant passage off once and for all with some JB weld.... and I may do that at some point. Right now I've got both heads almost off (drivers is off, passenger side is nearly there), and the gaskets are comming in a few days. I'm actually glad I'm doing this, as 20 years and 130k miles has taken it's toll on all the bolts and studs in the engine, and they are *just* getting to that point where it's dicey if they are comming out in one peice or not. This way I can lube everything up with anti-seize and not have to worry abour breaking them off next time I need to work on it. The passenger side head nearly didn't come off at all - the center stud I had to actually remove using two nuts synched down together as it's stuck in the head (but oddly, still turns) with carbon and rust built up. I'm hoping that this is because of a partially blown HG and my problems will be solved. The drivers side came off easily, and no evidence of leakage was found there. Maybe I'll never know where the leak is comming from, but I figure if I throw enough gaskets at it, I'll eventually come out on top. GD