GeneralDisorder

XT's are lighter by a goodly amount. The XT, being a sports car, would also have some other differences I'm sure. Maybe even a more effecient torqe converter. Those wagons are heavy, and not designed for speed - aerodynamics count for something too. It's the whole package you have to consider, not just the tranny. Not to mention everyones opinion of "fast" or "zippy" is different. The XT will even *seem* faster since your closer to the ground. GD

The tap-tap-tap you hear is most likely the hydro lifters. They aren't getting enough oil pressure. This is quite common. Doesn't hurt anything - just makes noise. The car won't be a speed demon. And the Auto's are renown for have next to no power. With an 90 HP engine (in good tune), and the inneficient tourqe converter, you have maybe a 25 HP car. I recently had a 78 wagon with a 63 HP EA71, and a 3 spd auto. That car couldn't get out of it's own way with a running start! But it did do 80 on the freeway, so if you get your carb tuned right, it will be fine. Also - with 70k on it, the cat's should be just fine. You need a carb tune - probably a rebuild for it to pass emmisions. The Hitachi's are notorious for that... 20 degrees sounds a bit much.... I should think around 10 would be normal.... unless this is a turbo car?? As for overheating - bad juju - headgaskets will let go if you do that too often. Maybe your radiator needs replacing. GD

That's great because isuzu impulses were crap mechanically, and are often found in the JY - not on the road. Looks good. GD

It's been done already - the rims aren't strong enough - they bend very easy. Also - Stockton wheel will make you whatever you like. Another thing - one small correction: On the Chevy rims it's easier to just drill the rim. But the hub/rim debate has gone on before around here, and there's really no right/wrong to it. But everyone agrees that drilling the rims is less work. GD

I will continue to contradict anything that I think needs it. I have what I believe to be better information, and if anyone would like to dispute it, I will gladly accept corrections. But I will NOT retract what I've said. False or misleading information should be corrected when possible - that's what this board is all about. Matt's information is incomplete at best, and I treated it as such. He simply used an unfortunate choice of words like "need" and "you have to" etc. Nothing is set in stone, and if I had my car to do all over again, I could have saved myself a couple thousand dollars if I had known some of this stuff..... As Austin has said - Qman is the one who has done the most of these in this thread. His method is the one I am sugesting also (correct me if I'm wrong here Ken). It's also the cheapest - using mostly used parts or parts already present on your car. GD

Yes - I have a hookup with a machinist. He's using the old steering wheels and building off them. They will be CNC machined. He's making two for me now - they will be available soon - and yes, pics probably next week sometime. Initially he's making two, more if the need is there. All the money goes to him - I'm not making a profit here. GD

Don't worry - I've got some on the way. Price to board members will be $35 + shipping..... these are custom machined from aluminium. GD

Matt is a newbie to this stuff (not saying that I'm an old hand either, but I do know a couple things) - and he's giving out information that is neither accurate or cheap. $268 without a clutch or tranny?!?!? That's insane, and I want this person who is asking questions to know that it can be done for WAY less. Almost nothing beyond the cost of the tranny and driveline in fact - unless you need someone to do the little bit of welding on the carrier bearing tabs. Even that shouldn't amount to more than 20 minutes of work - $50 at the most. The weber's are all the same - you want a 32/36 DGEV (electric choke model of the DGV line). Same thing commonly used on a VW. You just need the proper adaptor to fit the Hitachi EA81 manifold. I wouldn't reccomend the Kit - get a used rebuilt carb, or rebuild one yourself, and buy the adaptor and the air filter seperate. You will save a bunch of money over the Kit - which comes with crappy instructions, the wrong air filter for a non-lifted car, and no linkage kit. There was a post last week by a place in Canada that said he could do a "custom" kit for like $325 shipped, with the carb you want (basically your choice of choke types), the adaptor, linkage kit, and the air filter size of your choice. Way better deal in my opinion if you really must have a new carb. GD

Gee.... that sounds familair..... LOL GD

Just an FYI - double check your codes with another chart..... I know there's some online somewhere - or maybe someone can look these up in the FSM. The haynes manuals and the chiltons seem to be wrong in many cases. One chart I had told me that my model code was a bad ignition module.... GD

Yeah - you can. Just get some non air EA82 struts and install them. From what I understand this isn't a huge job - just a strut change. Might want to get the EA82 adjustable rear struts. Just telling you that because most of the EA82's I've seen don't have them, so you have to look around a bit for them. Take a look at the mounting points and make sure they are the same - save you a trip back to the JY that way - just in case. A LOT of people do this - I have heard it jacks the back up a bit higher than normal.... GD

Matt - 1. people use the EA82 flywheel so you can get the better clutch setup - or even the XT6 setup. Something you wouldn't understand since you have small tires. The timing marks can be transfered over to the new flywheel - you just have to plan ahead. 2. You don't NEED Jerry's kit for the install. His kit ALLOWS you to use the stock levers. It can be done just fine using the EA82 linkage. Your 4WD lever will just move is all. 3. His kit is designed for 4WD manual cars - not just Brat's. Your's was an auto - thus the needed changes. Austins was a single range EA71 - thus his needed changes as well. Floorpan sheet metal is different for almost every year/transmission, so minor asjustements are pretty much the norm for any sort of tranny swapping action. Also - the 5 speed will not change your gearing appreciably. It gives you more gears, but in the same range. 5th gear on a 5 speed will be almost the same as 4th gear on a 4 speed. Your "redlining" in 4th will just be "redlining" in 5th. And if you lift it with big tires, you'll not be using 5th much at all - likewise, you'll not be using 4th on the 4 speed. (unless you have an 81/82 D/R with the lower gearing....). However - if a lift is in your future, then you WANT a 5 speed or an 81/82 D/R because you'll at least have 4 useable gears that way. The 81/82 is nice since it's a direct bolt in. The 5 speed requires considerably more work, but yeilds a slightly lower 4WD low range for the effort, and about the same gearing results - just with an unused 5th gear. GD

NOT all EA81's use the same cam. the hydro lifter engines are different as they have different valves - thus an 83 or 84 non-hydro engine will have a different cam than an 83 / 84 turbo. On top of that, the Brat has yet another cam..... there's actually a BUNCH of cams for the EA81's - depending on year, hydro lifters, and turbo. Even the performance cams from Delta are different if you intend to put them in a hydro or a non-hydro... you have to tell them which you want. GD

Cheapest fix - get another car - use that one for parts. EA82's are so damn common that doing extensive rust repair is a waste of time. If it's really that rusty, then likely it's not worth more than a couple hundred in parts..... do you really want to spend that kind of effort on a car worth less than your shirt? GD

Incidentally - ALL the hitachi's I have looked at have worn throttle shafts, but it doesn't seem to affect them much. The one I just rebuilt and installed on my Brat wiggles quite a bit, and came from a car with 189k on it. Runs PERFECTLY. Also - if that really is your problem, then might I sugest giving CCR a call. They sell "throttle bases" with new shafts for $40 plus a core. All you would have to do is bolt on your existing carb to the throttle base, and send the old one back to them. The throttle base itself is iron, and the shaft is Brass, so just a new shaft is all you really need...... I still think this isn't your problem tho. What are your symptoms? GD

Engine swap is easy. 1. Drain and remove the radiator. 2. Disconnect all electrical connections - alternator, distributor, and anything else you have (A/C, etc) 3. Disconnect the throttle cable. 4. Remove the starter from the bell houseing, and set it in the spare tire area. 5. Disconnect the Y pipe from the heads. 6. Undo the two engine mounts from the cross-member. Leave the mounts on the engine tho. 7. Disconnect the pitching stopper from the firewall side. 8. Remove the rest of the engine to tranny bolts and nuts. 9. Put a jack under the tranny, and lift it about 2" off the cross-member, and support it with a jack-stand. 10. Get a friend and each of you grab a valve cover and hoist the engine out of there. You could use a picker, or a chain and a 2x4 also.... Installation is the reverse pretty much.

Ah - and for good measure - here's a pic of mine - freshly coated with mud: GD

I would think that it would be best to use the MPFI components from an EA82T - using the injectors and manifold from the EA81T, and making sure the sensors were proper. From what I understand the ECU system on the EA81T is the same as the one in the early EA82T's..... did they have N/A MPFI's in 85 or 86? That would be the way to go if you could find one. GD

Ah yes! It was quite a nice day. Although very long for me and Bugaru (4 hours each way). Really was a great day for me - got to try out my new welded diff, and got new front and rear bumpers from Soobme. I'll be sure to post detailed pics when I get them painted, but for now, these will have to do: http://usmb.net/gallery/album174 Met a lot of people in person that I had only talked to on the board - always a good thing. GD

That all depends on who's property it is..... basically if it's not mine, then I don't give a damn. GD

So how do Chevron's group II oils stack up to other major brands - specifically Castrol GTX 20w50? My thinking being along the lines of Exxon in that Castrol really shouldn't be calling it synthetic if it isn't..... so maybe I would do better to support Chevron and use their 20w50 non-synth. I'm not a synth user, so I would like to hear your opinion on it. Although - I can imagine that if the presentation was put on by Chevron, then they probably made their junk out to be the bees knees..... but it sounds like you've done your fair share of research into this topic.... something I have no desire to do being just a simple software engineer, and far removed from the world of oil analysis.... any direction or background you could give would be much appreciated GD

http://www.ccrengines.com/roobuilders/ GD

Hhhmmm - never did like the yellow look anyway. Methinks I'll get an MSD. GD

Cali hiway patrol has a lamborghini - seized it in a drug bust. Pretty sure your STi would get walked on. GD

The VR is inside the alt, so if it's bad, then time for a new alt. The dash guages are notoriously inaccurate, so get a multimeter out, and do a real test. Also tes for AC comming off the alt, as this is a good indication the VR is going out (bad diod's cause AC...). GD