GeneralDisorder

Thanks to the efforts of Qman, and Ezap, and all the other Hatch patrol people that helped pull me out, bailed water from the cab, towed my car, and replaced my clutch.... I'm finally back home! The cause of the clutch failure was interesting indeed. The clutch was a 2WD, but in this case, that alone was not enough to kill it. At some point in time, before I got the car, the OEM clutch was replaced with an LUK clutch and pressure plate. These pressure plates (at least the 2WD ones), have a slightly different design where the spring "fingers" are mounted to the plate. The metal there makes a U shape, and covers part of the spring. When I went into the water, the bell housing filled with water and debris (the situation was excerbated by the fact that Qman had just driven though ahead of me, and stirred up a bunch of crap in the water...). This debris was cought in the U shaped cavity in the pressure plate making it impossible for the clutch to engage. It was stuck in a depressed state, and no amount of water or cleaner would have been able to remove it. Thus the car was rendered unmoveable :temper: GD

In all honesty, I think I would have made it through that hole, if the clutch hadn't COMPLETELY died right in the middle of it. I'm still stuck here at Qman's - we'll put in a clutch so I can get home tommarow. Our best guess at this time is that the clutch spring dampeners (rubber apparently), failed on contact with the cold water, and left me with no spring pressure to engage the clutch. I didn't burn the clutch up, but I'm sure it was hot going into the puddle. The clutch was a 2WD clutch, and that was probably it's downfall. Ah well, I needed to put in a 4WD clutch anyway. Too bad I had to inconvenience Qman, and so many others to help pull me out and swap in a clutch. The clutch is so dead, that it won't move under it's own power AT ALL. Had to be towed the 75 odd miles to Qman's place. Oh - Qman wishes it to be known that HE wasn't waiting for a tow truck - I was. His Brat left under it's own power - the tow truck followed. Indeed - he pulled me into town so the truck could meet us. GD

Loved the look of those sedans - really cool. Wish they still made em. GD

NO! Regular oil isn't designed for the pressure the gears will subject it too. Try Redline brand of gear oil. It's expensive, but they it's awsome stuff, and maybe they have a low temp version or something. You musn't use regular oil tho, or your tranny will be rather pissed. GD

Indeed they can be welded - I have a welder friend, and I spoke to him about this very thing once. He said he used to do it all the time back in the day. There is some specific chemical they pour into the tank to nuetralize the gas vapor so as not to cause an explosion. I can't recall what he said they use... but maybe a little google searching could find that info.... He was also not very optimiztic about being able to get that chemical - it might be something that is controlled these days. Like mercury is now. But maybe they have something new that does the same job.... GD

Grab the XT6 - awsome ride. XT's are a dime a dozen, but the XT6 is more rare. GD

Aren't you the one that Ken said he knew? With all the parts? Got any Brat parts? I could use a rear bumper and some rear mudflaps if you got some.... GD

You should be able to use any Gen 2 body axle. IE - 80-84 everything but Brat's - 82-87 Brats, and 85-89 hatch's too. Don't know about shocks - your rears can be replaced with just about any shocks of the same size - can't get much height that way unless you go with longer shocks, and ratchet up the torsion bar. (can get as much as 3" this way - that's how the rear of mine is lifted). On the front, your original struts should be adjustable - but if you adjust them up, watch your tires, as it will throw the camber off. But most aftermarket ones are not - I *think* monroe might make adjustable ones - I know the KYB's aren't, so stay away from them. GD

Maybe you got an internally regulated alt, and I think for 81, you need an externally regulated one. GD

Flo - not all stock exhaust hs 2 cats - my 84 4WD exhaust has just one. the 2WD had two tho. GD

You know - if you were here on the left coast, you would have people knocking down your door to help. And imagine all the soobs you would have in your shop...... GD

Check out that crazy "Safari" engine - those are dual port heads, and some wicked looking dual carbs on dual manifolds! And that's one MOTHER of an alternator on it too - right in the center, between the carbs. Amazing stuff. Most of that JDM stuff went through the system long ago I'm afraid, or is a museum peice in Japan somewhere. Don't see a lot of EA81's comming in from engine importers - too old. GD

They came from another brand of car - the Peugeot - specifically, the 504 and 505 models. These are the only cars we know about (besides some ATV's), that share our bolt pattern. They can be hard to find in some area's of the country. Out here there not too difficult to come by, but you do have to look around. Board members are a good resource. I personally go with the toyota 6 lug steels myself - I can get em everywhere for $15 used, or $25 new. They come in white and black, and any width you could want - 6", 7", 8" and up... GD

I'll be at Zap's around 9 AM - I've got several around here. I'll bring one with me. .....that is, if'n a EA81 pin will work for you car? GD

Well - at leats it's good for a laugh! That's the funniest thing I've heard all day! LOL. GD

YAY! SPFI will be rockin - the car has much rust he says, and so I'll probably part it out. He bought the car as an engine donor for his daily driver a couple years back, but never got around to swapping the engines, and eventually sold the car he was going to swap it into. Apparenly it ran and drove when he bought it, but hasn't been started for a couple years. Hopefully I can get it running to determine the condition of the drivetrain, then I'll part the thing out. I may keep the SPFI and all it's componenets for a swap into my Brat - SFPI powered EA81 for my Brat! Awsome! GD

Will it be a carb or SPFI? I thought I heard that the carbs went out after 87?? GD

Ok - someone is gving me an 88 DL wagon. It hasn't run in 2 years, and is from NY, so is pretty rusty he says. Here's what I know: 1988 DL Wagon, 4WD, Stick shift Now he doesn't understand D/R or any of that, and I don't have any pictures or anything, so I figured I would ask - does anyone know, given the above info, what the transmission would likely be? Would it be a 4WD Pushbutton, or a D/R tranny? Oh - and would it have a carb, or SPFI? I know there's a bunch of you EA82 types out there that would know this stuff..... Thanks, GD

D/R is "Dual Range" - means the 4WD can be in Hi or Lo ranges. Lo range sets all the gears lower, so you can go through really nasty stuff, and climb things easier at a slow speed. Doesn't sound like you care about that tho - get a legacy, you'll be much happier. GD

It doesn't sound like you want something for off-road, so I would say get a legacy wagon.... unless you are looking for 4WD rather than AWD. In that case, go for a D/R later 80's wagon. If you want something easier to work on, then a 83 or 84 D/R wagon would be good - alrhough, comming from and 87, you probably won't like the 83/84, and neither will your wife. They are a little bit more "primitive". I personally have a thing for the EA81 cars, but not everyone likes them. Most people with EA82's seem happy, even though there is the timing belt maintenance. GD

Your engine is in the 80 - 90 HP range stock. If you have anything wrong with it, that goes down. It's very possible that you are down to 50 HP or so if you have low compression, or a weak carb - maybe a plugged cat.... Get a better flowing muffler - that can help. GD

Actually it's a Gen 2 spoiler - just like the one on my wagon.... Your wagon would be Gen 3 I guess. GD

hass - the 80 wagon, is a Gen 2 car - they are talking about Gen 1's here - specifically a Gen 1 Brat - completely different car. GD

you can put it in any EA81 car - the possible exception to that being the 81 Brat GL - hard to say without seeing one of those - maybe, but you would have to find the right rack... Any other EA81 is simple - but you do have to change the engine cross-member out along with the steering rack, and some linkage components. Of course the pump and lines as well. But it's all mechanical - there's no electrical stuff to mess with. GD