pyromanic

Hey guys, tell something please, am I only suposed to have headlights when the engine is running? I ask because thats how it is. '85 wagon, EA82, tranny swap from AT to 5spDR If this is correct, I don't think I like it. My guess is something wrong. Pyro

I really think most parts houses have roles of the stuff in different thickneses and compositions for different applications. I keep both the papery/cardboard looking stuff as well as neoprene on hand. Try napa, bet they have both. Pyro

You may know this already, but in case y ou don't thought I'd mention that gaskets are real easy to make. I buy ready made whenever possible of course, but in a pinch, buy a sheet of gasket materieal (it comes in rolls, should be able to buy as much as y ou want) lay it over the surface to be sealed, take the flat of a ball peen hammer and tap around both the inside and outside sharp edges, then use the ball to tap around the edges of the bolt holes. It takes a little practice, but I've been doing this since I was a kid, it works and makes almost perfect gaskets once you get the knack. I ALWAYS carry a small roll of gasket material and sealer (permatex or RV silicone) in my toolbox in all my rigs, just in case. Obviously it's easyier to just buy a gasket, but sometimes they are not availiable, or when your in the field, it's a good trick to know. Good luck and hope this helps Pyro

So of course my 85 wagon has adjustable front (are these coilovers or strutts?) Anyway, they are adjustable. And of course, bringing them up from the lowest position affects alighnment. My question is this: Specifically in what way? I'm trying to visualize if it affect castor, cambor, or toe, or some of each. Can't get my minds eye to see it properly, but I suspect it will only affect camber/castor, not toe. I get toe in and toe out. But I can't remember which is castor which is castor. Tips appreciated. Pyro

Well, uh, thats----------thats inconvienient. I'm new to Soobs, sort of, and the further I get into them, the more shall we say...idiosynchrosies, (sp) I find. Mechanically speaking, these cars are somewhat odd. It's as though Fuji's engeneers were quite adept at "thinking outside the box" it seems. Oh well. Keeps things interesting. Pyro

My 85 NA EA82 seems to run and drive fine......but on cold start up, the fast idle is way too fast. I hav'nt let it run by itself long enough to find out if it steps down on it's own, cause it's too fast, always slap the accelerator, then it steps down fine. What different kinds of things might be causing this? Thanks Pyro

Nevermind, I got it. And sorry for posting the question before searching. There was plenty of info in the search. Backed up hard, stomped on pedal a few times. Pedal came right up. Problem now is I feel a bit of shimmy or pulsing so to speak when braking hard. I HOPE it will even out with use. I figur ig it just crap on the drums or disks from disuse, will get better. But if somethings bent, Pyro

So I swapped fron calipers on my 85 wagon when I did the tranny swap cause the originals needed rebuilt. Donor cars were good to go. We bled and bled and bled. Helped a bunch, but still very mushy pedal. They work, but not like they should. I'm sure we got all the air out. My buddy says I need to adjust the rear shoes. I'm used to a slot in the backing plate, reach in with a flat screw driver and turn a star cam thingy till they just begin to rub, then back off a bit, maybe 1/4 turn. I can't find a slot. Hayes manul talks about an adjuster sticking out from the backing plate, but thats not there. What am I missing. There is a very small oval hole back there, with a rubber plug in it. Is that it? Thanks, Pyro

Thanks, that worked. I wanted the axles off the donor car for spares. Splines had a nice even coat of rust. I'll try some penetrating oil next time. I figure that rears last quite a bit longer than fronts. What with the rear being rusted in like that I'm wonder could those be original? Twenty years? Doesn't seem possible. The '86 has well over 200 thou. Anyway, got it off. Ruined the grease slinger, but oh well. Pyro

Hey dragonwingsubaru, what do you mean by custom spit hood, and shaved emblems? I'm still learning the difference between stuff like coilovers and strutts! I'll get there eventually. Pyro

On an EA 82, how many miles of oil leak-free driving may be expected from a re-seal? Pyro

On two cars that is. Both donor car and (86) and restoration project car (85) when I did the final diff swap for the tranny swap the left rear axels would not come off the wheel stub. I had no problem getting them loose from the diff on both sides, and both cars right rear axels came clear out for me, no prob. Whats up with this. I new at wrenching on Soobs. I took a large brass punch and smacked the crap out of them with a BFH but no luck on the left. Worked fine everywhere else. I have not tried letting penitrating oil yet. Doubt that I can get it to work into the rusty dry splines. By the way, that is my guess. Rusty and dry. Every place where old oil leaks have kept things messy, things slipped right apart. For some reason both cars have dry oil free drivers side rear wheel to axle joints. And they are both froze on. Ideas? Pyro

Hey, is it safe to assume that since my 85 is 20 years old, and visibly sagging in the rear I think, that it would be ok to take the rear strutts up one notch? (I see that they are still on the lowest setting.) Which was Fuji thinking when they made them adjustable. To accomadate heavier loads, or to be adjusted for wear and time? Or something else I'm missing? And lastly, does adjusting the rear struts up affect fron castor, camber, or steering in any way? (I get that keeping the rear axles straighter makes them last longer) Thanks Pyro

definitly tranny cooler. ignore them. you do not need to cap them off. pyro

I just logged in to post back here with a desision, and the thread just above this thread is titled "Is it worth it?" They're talking about something completely different, but that's what my descision is based on. The answer is "no". It's NOT woth it. The stress. The niggling little wondering, what if? (actually, I know what if, and it's pretty unacceptabley expensive) Just to save a couple hundred. My peace of mind is worth more than that. Now if my back were against the wall, and I was unable to obtain the lein satisfaction paper work, then that might be different. Probably would infact. But thats not the case. Damn, I do think to much. Any way, I know I'm just talking to myself now, but it helps me think. Thanks for all the ideas folks. Appreciated. Pyro

But now that I've had some time to think, I been thinking HYPOTHETICALLY, since my donor car, the '86 already HAS a "totaled, recontructed title, was like that when I got it, and now with two years of registration, already paid for, title in my name, clear and such, well, uh, well, hypothecialy---------uh----- Yes, the vin is on the firewall under the hood. Large and deep too. Passenger side. One tag drivers side door. And of course the dash board tag too. No others I can see. Nothing in wheel wells, I'd be suprised. Covered with dirt anyhow. I better quit thinking now. Lost title is 55. plus transfer. then two years registration. Bet I spend two hundred when I go. Ouch. I think hypothetically, I'll shut up now. Pyro

I made the call downt o Texas, and I am in luck. They mailed out the "satisfaction of lein" yesterday. Apparently she HAD paid it off, (so my apoligies for my mistaken assumption), but since the car was "broke", didn't run, wasn't going to get fixed any time soon, (this would have been sometime between '98 and 2000) she never took HER copy of "satisfation of lein" down to Oregon DMV and aquired a clear title. She in fact, probably DID have a title at some point (in reality, MUST have had), and of course it carried "security interest holder" on it. So I'm guessing she didn't lie. On the other hand, she might have. Will never know, don't care. Those felonies, I like to keep to a minimum. Whew. Yupper, I'm an idiot. I'll never start working on another car untill the title is clear. Pyro

Those are both considerations that I have, well, considered. However, as they say, it aint over 'till the fat-------well, you know. There is still hope. I think the fact that the finance company which carried the loan and title has since changed hands is a factor in my favor. I seemed to be hearing between the lines, (from the loan officer of the new owners of the company) that this has been long since written off. I mean, DMV didn't even have a good address on the lein holder, as technically, they don't exist anymore. I had to do some research. In other words, DMV hold the ONLY record of this. (which is bad in way, but good in another) I'm to call them today and find out. (the loan company) We'll see. Pyro

I need to vent. I'm so PO'd to be so dumb. My stupidity may cost me my car. So my mailman has to come down our rural lane on occasion to deliver packages that don't fit in the box up at pavement. Nice guy. I like him. Known him as an aquaintence for 10 years. So he sees a beat the heck 86 GL wagon in my drive. I tell I picked it up for 100 bucks. It runs but needs an overhaul, and the 5sp DR is just about worn out. Got a bunch of body damage too. He says he knows where a rebuilt EA 82 is, in his sisters 85. Same car, but Auto. Same color too. Story was, she delivers mail too. Used the 85 for her job. Engine blew. Dumped 1800 bucks into that engine. Then Tranny went. Spent money on Tranny. Worked for a couple months. Then Tranny goes again. So she's fed up. Buys a new Samuri or something. Parks the 85 Soob. It sits for 5 years. With 12000 miles on an EA 82. So I meet her, she seems nice and honest and all that. (she did seem nervous, but I thought it was cause she is non-mechanical, feels her car is worth what shes got into it) I get her down to 300 bucks. She says her Mom did something with the title, she cant find it. Mom has passed away. Who knows. (in oregon, lost title is easy, done it half a dozen times, pay your money, no sweat usually, never had a problem) So I buy this car. The body and chasis is in way better shape than my 86 and there is visual evidence of recemt major engine work visible, so I restore the mail ladies 85. Slap in JY 5 sp. Clean everything up. Use the 86 for parts like crossmember, rear diff, better power stearing pump, drive line, heater blower used the Non air alternator bracket, cause I dumped the dead compressor. Swapped front brakes, cause they were way better. Took a few weeks. Maybe a couple more hundred. New tires. Came out great. Runs like a champ. No leaks. Heck, I'm ready for a lift. Go down to DMV yesterday, with all paper work, Bill of Sale, (thank god I wasn't too dumb to get that sighned!!) mail ladies 2000 registration, and my check book of course. Well. She never had the title. Theres a lein. DMV's computor says contact this finance company in Texas, get a signature on this "satisfaction of lein" paper. Like I said, she was acting kind of nervous, but I figured it was cause she had so much dough into that engine. But nope. It's cause she a damn lier and a criminal. This is fraud. (and I'm an idiot to do all this work before finding out if it had a clear title) I Google "Olympic Finance" in bum-%&^$*! Texas. I get back "Something Else Finance, formorly known as Olympic Finance. Oh crap, this is going to be a nightmare. I call "Something Else" Lady says--------------, well, to make a too long story shorter, after being transfered umpteen times, and an hour later, maybe, MAYBE since the company has changed hands, they will send me a "Satifaction of lein" paper. I'm supposed to call back today. I don't even know how much dough she owed them. I haven't even got the balls to tell my wife about this. Our couch is not comforatable to sleep on. God I hate liars. Idiots too. Thanks for listening. I feel a little better. Please take pity on an idiot and wish me luck. Pyro

Well dang, I was gonna order one today. Intended to slam it on my Visa. So how longs it gonna be fore I can can get a 3x3 for a '85 wagon? But most importanly, Thank you for your service. Pyro

I have two junk yard 5sp DR's, one in my rig (it works ok but high miles) the other needs synchros bad. I'm wondering, can new synchros be installed? My best friend and mechanic insists he can rebuild any tranny, has done many, both auto and manual, but never worked on Soobs. Are parts even availiable? I wonder if he can really handle it? Are they very different from other Manual trans? I think all it needs are seals and synchros. Anybody know what it takes to freshen these units? I know, I know. Just run junk yard trans. But I want the dependebility of newly rebuilt, if it is possible. Pyro

Yes you can. I did on my 85. I don't know if your 88 has a two piece shaft with a carrier bearing or not. If it does, pull the back part, the one that comes out of the rear diff. If you pull the short part that comes out of the trans, the trans will leak. Hope this helps. Pyro

The squeals and power loss and other I don't know nothing, but here what I was always told about knocks. If it's a knock that occurs on start up, engine cold, and it goes away when the engine warms up, piston slap or worn wrist pin. Knock that begins a car warms up, gets louder untill operating temp, main or ros bearing. We are talking knock, right? Not tick, or tap, or rattle, or clatter. Knock. Pyro

I just now finally went after the heater problem. All you guys really help me know where to start and what to expect. Here is what I found. Blower motor is dead. Does nothing with known power source. Replaced with one from donor car. (works) Coils in resistor pack were multi broken, crumbly. Replace with from same car. Heater works great now! Thanks guys!! Pyro, All thats left is headlights. One worked when I started the resurection. Now none. Tested a plug today, no juice. Will look at fuses tomarrow. I'll post a seperate thread if I get stuck.

I don't get trying to clean these older manual trans with Riselone and stuff. Like has been said, cutting is all that is in them. Flushing with gear oil is good though. I know that later model MT's are designated to run on ATF. But I'd personally be scared to try that with these 1/2 worn out MT's. Seems to me that heavier (only a little) might be better than lighter. ATF seems (to me) WAY to light. I want CUSHIONING in there. Something to take up the slack that has been created by wear. Sounds like synthetic is the best bet, but I wonder how much difference it will really make with a 1/2 worn out tranny. I put redline in one that was REALLY notchy. Felt like a new trans for a 1/2 a day. Then back to nearly shot. Can these be rebuilt? Junk yard tranny are a crapshoot at best. (unless it's from a low milage wreck, and those are hard to find I think) Are parts availiable for the older MT's? Pyro