GeneralDisorder

Not as easy as you might think to swap the dash. The wireing is quite different, and all the sending units (even the one in the gas tank) are different. Over here we have 100% 4WD Brats... and quite a few of our wagons were as well. Really too bad you didn't get the t-tops - that is the one feature that distinquised the Brat over here from all the other small import trucks. Datsun, Toyota, etc. GD

4th in yours is the same as 5th - so you will gain little, except at lower speeds, and for passing etc. GD

There is a metal ring on the back of the trailing arm spindle housing that is punched into the slot of the ring nut - keeping it from spinning free. I think you'll get the idea if you look at closer.... you'll probably have to remove the lower shock mount to get the axle off. That's usually how it is on unlifted rigs. GD

Fuel filter(s)? The primary and secondary jets are not used when idleing - that's the idle circuit, which is regulated by the mixture screw on the bottom of the front of the carb (might have a roll pin blocking access to it). Try removing that, and blasting some carb cleaner down there, and cleaning the screw. Check the operation of your choke too - maybe it's not getting power? Also - non-subaru PCV valves have been said to be not of the highest quality. The usual complaint is oil consumption tho - not rought idle. I've had vacuum leaks eminate from the carbon canistor before - try spraying around there too. I really beleive you have a vacuum problem - if you can't find the leak by spraying around, try removing the vac lines from the manifold one by one and plugging them with your finger.... Stuck open EGR valve? Just some thoughts as they occured to me..... GD

Probably not - snap-on I think makes one.... It's a wise investment if you plan to own soobs far into the future, but I've done several rear's without one. Generally I use a cold chisel to unstake them, and get them started turning. You could also make your own if you had access to a torch, a welder, and some proper sized tubing. GD

Contrary to what most people think, there really is not any emmissions equipment on there that will reduce your power. The vacuum lines are largely for the evap system (to catch fuel vapors that evaporate on hot day with the car not running - eg: in a parking lot). The only real emmissions bit is the air injection system, which unlike a smog pump, does not use engine power. It runs from the exhaust pulses. To answer your question, yes it can be done. You just have to know what each thing does, and why it's there. Once you know that it's easy to decide if it's ok to be removed or not. The Hitachi really doesn't have anything more than a Weber that it truely "needs" to run correctly - except the vacuum choke pull-off. The Hitachi is actually quite a good carb, and really not much different than a weber except for beign smaller, and having a vacuum secondary. The engine can be stripped down just like it can with a Weber. None of this applies if you have a feedback carb - that's a different ball game. GD

Hhhhmmm - sounds like you may have created a vacuum leak when you were in there changing the PCV valve. That would cause your rough idle. Spray around with carb cleaner and see if you can locate the leak while it's running. The lights I would attribute to a slow/rough idle not running the alternator fast enough..... It's possible that the jet is clogged, but not very likely if you haven't had the carb open for some reason. If that is the case, then you will need to remove the carb, and pull the jets out. They are on the bottom of the float bowl - there's a couple of brass plugs with a metal clip on them..... removing those will give access to the jets. GD

Well - since the word filter jacked up your post, all I can tell you is that it's a 1.8 station wagon. Why does it matter if it's a GL or not? I'm confused.... GD

They gave you an EA82 3 door caliper. Go back and tell them you have an 84 Hatch. GD

Depends on what you are doing with it, but basically the EA82 has more moving parts, and more stuff to break. Because of this situation, it's also more time consuming to work on. It's timing belts were improperly designed - lasting no more than 60k miles generally. They also have issues with their hydraulic lifters that EA81 hydro's don't have, and because of the bulky design, have trouble keeping head gaskets and heads due to heat. The clear choice for an off-roader is the EA81, but for a street ride an EA82 could be acceptable (although not my choice for that either.... an EJ22 would be my choice). GD

Yes in both cases with some swapping of clutch parts, but putting an EA82 in a Brat is tight. Especially around the HH (disty on the EA82), and the frame rails are about 1/8" from the valve covers, and might hit occasionally. GD

He means 7-7/8", and 8-7/8", or more accurately, 200mm and 225mm (cmon guys - subarus are metric!). :-p As far as the clutch thing goes - I couldn't really tell the difference with stock tires... but with 28" mudders the 200mm will slip badly. GD

Completely wrong. Rear's are not like fronts. There is only a single sealed bearing in the rear. The axles unpin from both sides (diff and trailing arm), and then you have to unstake and remove a BIG nut on the backside of the spindle housing. After this, you can pound the spindle out from the outside, and then the bearing as well. Sometimes they come out together. Cheapest I have found rear bearings was Autozone (timkin I think) for about $50 each.... expensive buggers. EA82 4WD rear wheel bearings are the same. GD

You don't turn the pin - you turn the nut. 21mm thin open end wrench. GD

Just to clarify some of the above - turbo's didn't exist in 82, and ALL the EA81 turbo's came with automatics, so there shouldn't be much confusion there. EA82 turbo's either came with a 5 speed, or an auto. In short, no 4 speed trans EVER came attached to a turbo. GD

Any 4 speed D/R car is the same tranny. So any GL model from 81-84, and hatchbacks from 81-89, and Brats from 81-87. HOWEVER. The 82 you have has different gearing than other years. Only the 81 and 82 4 speeds had the lower 3rd and 4th. They changed to a higher 3rd and 4th gear for better fuel mileage in 83. Either one will work fine, but just so you know that 3 and 4 will change RPM wise if you go with a later trans. 5 speed is possible - 85-89 4WD EA82's have them, but you need the driveline to go with it, and the EA82 clutch+flywheel as well. Also the linkage will require some modification. Stay away from the turbo 5 speeds, as they have a different spline count for the front axles, and you would need custom axles made for those. GD

Just so you know, Brats are only rated at 800 lbs including passengers and cargo. Much over that, and you risk breaking a torsion bar. Also - don't EVER put anything on top of the bed chrome (especially the tailgate), as it's very flimsy, and rather difficult to find. The rhino stuff seems to be the most durrable, but they charge a ton for it on Brats since their drop down screen system doesn't work for us. The rear of the cab is problematic for it. GD

Yeah - I really am dissatisfied with all the aftermarket thermostats I've used. In the specific case of EA81's, the subaru design seems to be quite different than what most of the aftermarket ones consider "replacements". They just don't flow as well, and the parts look wimpy. Glad to hear it was a cheap fix for you. People on here are quick to tell you to replace the radiator when that often is not the problem. I suppose they live in an area that has lots of corrosion, but for a lot of us, the stock radiators will last the lifetime of the vehicle if the coolant is just changed once in a while. GD

An 88 with a digi-dash? Now that's interesting. We stopped receiving digi's for EA81's in 84. My 84 wagon has one - one of the few that is still working correctly as they seem to be fairly unreliable. Also means that it's a GL without the t-tops. Only GL style dashes would have a digi-dash. You got 2WD Brats too? We never got a 2WD Brat here.... Very interesting. GD

No GD

Hot wire goes to the plug that the Hitachi was connected to. Test the plug to see which one is not. Several of them should be with the key on. GD

Check your fuses too. GD

Philbin can rebuild the one you have. They put new rubber in them. As for finding one - junk yard I guess. GD

170 is not healthy. Cooler is not better, as your oil will not reach it's proper viscosity rating, and the metals in the engine will not fully expand to their operating state. The stock thermostat is set to open at 195 degrees, and the engine should run at a constant temp of at least 200-210 degrees. GD

Yeah - some of them are. Then there's ones like my Brat - must have been built on a Monday. Only has 130k, and took 5 trys to get through emmissions. I've replaced the carb, the y-pipe, the muffler, and now the rest of the exhuast has to go as it has holes too. At some point in it's life it was broken into (shattered glass in the doors), and the alarm system was installed incorrectly screwing up the wireing to this day. There is still an intermittant short in one of the tail lights that I can't find, there's water+oil goo in the drivers valve cover, and I have to top up the coolant once a month. Besides all that it got t-boned before I bought it so it needs body work on the drivers side of the bed, and they replaced the bumper with an ugly hitch. My wagon has 164k, and I think the only major problem I've had was the disty bushing. Other than that - even after numerous trips off road, it's still in top running order. The poor thing has just been abused I suppose, but at least it will still be worth more than I have into it when the restoration is done. GD