Ross

You may want to try runngin without the knock sensor if everything else fails. If there is an intermitant fault in the knock control system, it may be fluctuating the timing as it idles. So, yes, you could unplug the knock sensor and reset your timing. I wouldn't suggest running it permenently like this though.

That is definitely a very high price for a gasket set. I'm getting most gaskets for a complete rebuild of my ea81t from archibalds subaru... Head gaskets...$30ea intake gaskets...about $5 ea Sump gasket....about $12 exhaust gaskets... about $5 ea And those are the expensive ones, the rest are mostly under $5. As for 14 inch wheels... they do exist, you just have to find some. I know someone who may want to sell some for the right price if your interseted..

Interesting thought. The seperate knock control unit used on all ea81t and '85 & '86 ea82t engines could easily be used to control such a set up. The knock control unit normally puts out a dv voltage of around 5v (i think), but when a knock is detected it increases this voltage slowly up to a max. of around 7v untill the knock stops. This usually changers when the ignition module pulses the coil (ie ignition timing). This voltage change could be used (probably with an op amp circuit, as im not sure how much current it will put out) to trigger a relay, or trigger an electronic control. How do injectors like 100% duty cycle? If its ok, your control circuit could just send a dc voltage to an injector mounted in the plenum.

There should be both a male and femal single wire green connector poking out of the wiring loom near where it connects to the computer.

very unlikely, if its burnig oil because of worn rings, valve seals etc it will usually just keep burning it, at a slightly increasing rate, while the performance of your engine will slowly drop off over a long period of time untill you say "this engine sucks" and you either burn it or fix it. Anyway, by the sound of things it seems much more likely that its due to your sump being over filled.

Plug in the green connerctor under the dash, take it for a drive and see if it will put out any codes - read them as soon as the ecs light comes on 'cos they will disappear. If there is no error that the computer can find, the check engine light will start flashing after driving for 5-10 mins. My ea81t has had its share of problems, in fact its in a million pieces in the garage at the moment - previous owner changed piston rings but left very bad bearings in it. After you have sorted teething problems out and start taking resonable care of it, it shoud be just as reliable as any other ea81 IMO.

Does the misfire/roughness occur when the engine is first started cold? If not, it may be an oxygen sensor prob.

When you changed plugs, did they all look the same, or were some blacker/greyer/whatever?

Dark blue looks good

Your car will run fine (probably better than ever) with no significant back pressure. The sensor in the cat is a temp sensor that tells you when your cat is overheating, so you don't really need it, especially if you have no cat.

Coolant supply is from the drain bung on the head via a hard line.

No one had troubles with ea81 hydraulic lifters?

Difflock, Difflock, Difflock! How many people here would not want a diff locker?

FSM is a Factory Service Manual. The turbo should not make a loud sound - sounds like it needs some work. I also don't know about your other prob.... I suggest you take out your spark plugs and examine them to find out if all cylinders are running bad or if its just some.... Just to clarify, if you start the car without letting it idle, it will run fine? So its fine untill you let it idle? Is that what your saying?

Over here the gas companies will give you an interest free loan to convert to lpg..... you should check out whether there is a similar scheme over there...

There will be more vacuum in the intake manifold than at the air cleaner (velocity effect).

I hope they do - my ea81t has three es81t injectors and one ea82t injector that i believe came from an rx.

At the front of the engine, between the 1-3 head and the distributor.

Are you going by the factory gauge? if so, i wouldn't trust it. Your overheating prob is most likely caused by your electric cooling fan not turning on. This is usually caused by the thermo switch in your radiator going bad, or it could be wiring or a bad fan motor.

errrhhh.... sounds like i really should find some hydraulic lifters. Do the ea81 hla's wear out much? I would rather pick up an engine with hla's in it than spend $500 for new hla's, but not if they are going to be worn out beyond use.

No one have any info on this subject? (or for that matter some lifters to sell to me..)

Get new ones, they are cheap anyway. You just need the two bearings and two seals per side. The inner and outer seals are the same. Your car is not an ea82. It could be an ea81 or ea71, is it 4wd? If it is its an ea81.

A drift will facilitate bearing remaval also.

Don't be scared - wheel bearings only occasionaly bite, and only when provoked. The tools you will need are: Ring/open end spanners or socket set (10, 12, 14, 17 & 32??mm). Short Piece of 4x2 timber hammer pin punch for inner cv pin Do a search and you will find many threads outlining the best way to do this - same method for your car as all ea81 and ea82 cars. The first time you do it it may take a whole afternoon, once you know what you're doing its much faster. Good luck, and have fun.

What kind of pickup do those early ignition modules use? I am not familiar with them, as in New Zealand they came with ignition points till later on.