regularman

You might try just reversing the heater hoses for a while and then draining the system and refilling it. This has worked for me on a few other cars.

Ok, so I need to find the flywheel for an ea81 automatic tranmission. So is flexplate the proper name for this then? I have to go junk yarding then. Anything else I should pick up while I'm out there.? I am gonna scrap the old wagon, but before I do I will keep the transaxle and rearend and axle shafts(those aren't that old on the front). I live in the Southeast in the mountains of NC so if anybody needs some old wagon parts, let me know. I'll end up keeping a bunch of ************ I will never use. I always do, but I have to quit collecting cars. I have an MG and a Kia sportage already torn apart in my garage LOL.

Is this a common carb? I mean I used to be into the Ford Pinto business years ago and I have a bunch of those old webber carbs.

Parts car is a MT 4 speed.

Is there anything I can do on the cheap to the Ea81 while its out to give a little more power?

Like I needed another one. I just bought a 1989 Subaru RX from my nephew. It has all the bells and wistles and the body and interior are in great shape. Its an automatic. I got it cheap because the motor has blown 3 head gaskets on the passenger side and has other issues(threads for head bolts stripped out, etc.). Right now I have a 1982 GL wagon with the EA81 in it and it runs decent but the body is rusting apart. I plan on taking the ea81 out of the wagon and going through it a bit and then sticking it in the RX. My questions are many, but from some that I asked earlier the job can be done. How much horsepower will be lost going from a turbo ea82 to a carbureted Ea81? I just want the car to drive, not to race around in. Will it still do ok on gas? The old wagon is a 4 speed and its not real good on gas. Anyways this is my plan. Any advise? I don't want to put a lot of money into this car, but I would like to keep a subaru 4x4 as nothing compares to one in winter driving.

Thanks skip. I checked it out and it looks like the rocker panels and quarter panels are NLA Although the wheel arches are. I might try and break some metal for the rocker panels myself and I know I dould make soemthing for the rear QP. It just means more time and I'm not sure I wnat to fool with it.

the lower sills for my 82 wagon? They are completely rusted away. I have thought of keeping this car if I could find some new panels for it. I have a welder and A grinder.

Ok, guys thanks for the suggestions. I'm gonna check the electrical stuff and the valve lash this week end. Hopefully that will solve it, but I seem to remember already doing this a few years back when I parked it and it didn't help. I remember thinking it was a valve problem. If I do norrw it down to one cylinder and have to pull that head off. Is it a big pain to do? I would thing the EA81 would be easier with pushrods and no belt. I may do a compression check and look for it that way. I'm still thinking valve. I had another car that missed until it got some rpms up and it was a cracked exhaust valve. At high rpms the cylinder would hit because the pressure did not have time to leak by the crack. I might just drive it like it is for a while. It would be better than my little ranger pickup I have now. Its horrible in bad weather, so light in the rear.

I take it you are talking about the EA82 motor, when you say this.

So its just that the bolt holes are bigger on the EA82 flex plate then? I have a lot of stuff so I can probably make that work then. The old 4 speed in the wagon was really low geared for the highway. I think the auto is higher and might give better milage as well. Thanks for all the info guys. I haven't even given much thought to the electrical part yet. I know I will have to put the older fuel pump on it too. This going to be a spring project. I have had the old wagon setting around for years and was going to junk it, but last week we wrecked our other 4wd car(rollover on black ice)and so I am in the process of putting the wagon back on the road. I am just trying to figure out what I am going to do with it. I have alwaya thought the that old wagon was the best vehicle I have ever owned for traveling in the ice and snow. I need a good winter car here in the mountains of Western North Carolina. I am hoping that the RX will do just as well when I get this swap done. I have one more question. The E81 motor isn't exactly perfect. It starts ok and leaks no oil and doesn't smoke or anything, but it seems to have a kind of miss at an idle and on up to about 2000 rpms, the it revs up fine. I have checked all the plugs and stuff and they seem to be getting fire and its hard to tell with that engine even when I unplug one spark plug boot at a time while its running. It makes it kind of a pain in the rump roast on take off. Do you guys think it might be a valve problem?

Well, there has been all kinds of problems with threads stripping out in the block and I think the head on the passenger side has a problem. The wagon that I have with the E81 in it is a 4 speed manual. So I need to find an E81 flexpalte for it to bolt up then.

Hey, thanks. it looks like I gotta plan now. Its a cool little car and the body is in good shape. I just want it for basic winter time transport and don't really need the extra HP from a turbo. He wants $200 dollar for it from me and I think I'll buy it.

Hello, this is my first post. My nephew has an 89 Subaru RX (turbo) automatic AWD EA82 motor, the motor has all kinds of problems and the head had been put back on 3 times and its blown another had gasket. IMHO, the motor is trashed and I don't want to fool with it. I have an 82 Subaru wagon with the EA81 motor in it that runs like a champ but the car is eat up with rust in the back end. My question is this. Will the EA81 motor bolt up to the lat EA82 transmission. They look real similar, but I don't want to even start on it unless it will fit. I would appreciate any info you folks can give me.