TomRhere

DO NOT MIX-N-MATCH YOUR BRAKE PARTS!!! You need to run the correct caliper for the type rotor your running. Solid rotor & solid caliper Vented rotor & vented caliper. If you run a sloid rotor with a vented caliper, you can and will chuck one of the brake pads out of the caliper.

The eveness of the compression numbers is good. The low reading isn't. With 117K on it, I wouldn't think rings or valve seats would be the cause, especially on all 4 cylinders. It is a possibility though. I'm thinking the T-belts are off a few teeth. That would definetly throw the compression numbers off.

You should unbolt the driveshaft from the rear diff and tie it off to the side, like to the exhaust pipe. You don't want to remove the DS from the trans, as you'd dump fluid. This is to tow-dolly one.

Nice!!! I would love to find one in that shape.

I have a solid lifter EA-81 with a manifold and modded disty from a carbed EA-82 on it. It be running a Weber. Main problem is clearence for the disty, there's a few things in the way in that area. I also had to mod the alt mount bracket some, but not real sure if it's needed for every engine. EA-82 lower radiator hose is a "trim-to-fit" for the upper hose. SPFI style EGR valve.

Yeah, Dawn works great. So does any brand of Baby Shampoo. For real nasty yuck, I'll wash my hands with ATF 1st, then hit the soap. The ATF will cut thru some nasty stuff, like the goo from an exploded axle boot, with ease.

I bought a set of loaded calipers from them for the '86 BRAT. Looks just like the ones you posted pic of. Measure the gap between the pads in the new ones. It should be much more than 1/2". Don't recall thickness of either solid or vented rotors right now. But the solid ones are like 3/8" or so, way less than the vented ones.

I recall reading of people finding the seal tape on the tail/brakelight housing being the source of their leak.

Agreed. The bushings on the shift linkages wearout, things get real sloppy then. Get it up on jackstands and take a look at it. Have someone move the shifter around for you while you're under there.

Beautiful! +1 on more pics of finished project....

Zip-ties work great for boot clamps....

Haven't done so myself... But have read of members on here taking them apart and cleaning them to get them working again. If, you have bad contacts in the switch(s), maybe taking parts out of the Blue one will get you fixed up.

Don't have wiring diagrams in front of me right now to look at the circuit. But,, Un-plugging the kick-down switch on the gas pedal should stop it from blowing the fuse.

The 2 by the coil may be for Air Conditioning Relays. The ones in the last pic may be for door speakers.

Get that alot driving my BRATs around here. Down to just one roadable one at the moment. But I have the only 3 BRATs within 50-60 + miles. Get alot of, "my (insert family member) had one of those". Love it! Always ask them "why'd they get rid of it?" Currently DDing my '85. Have an '82, and a rustedout '86, not really safe to drive anymore. Had another '86 what died from road cancer, and traded the '84 for the '88 XT6. Was a good trade in my opinion. Sadly, the XT6 died of road cancer also. Damned road salt!!!!!!!

Nice BRATs!!

Been chasing a frontend vibration on the '85 BRAT. Came and went depending what road/section of road I was on. Would literarly shake the steeringwheel out of my hand at times. Looked at all of the usual suspects, just didn't look at the tires themselves that hard. Until this last Wednesday. Found DS front and PS rear tires had broken belts. Bad wear marks on about 1/3rd of the tread area. Swapped DS rear to DS front, put a couple good tires on the rear. No more vibration.... No need for 4WD right now, so tire difference F/R ain't an issue. Going to do a 6-lug conversion on it. Get away from the 13" tires that are getting hard to find around here.

The mount "bushing" on the rear diff is not replacable, you have to swapout the "mount bracket" itself. Any EA81, EA82, or XT6 mount bracket will work. They are all the same. My '88 XT6 had the same stance as yours on the rear, it had the coilover swap done before I owned it. Was told to flip the top mount brackets for the rear shocks, and that would lower the rear a couple inches. Liking the new look of yours.....

http://www.mikeshoup.com/docs/fsm/EA81/

Yeah, a Light Tan, non-glossy look is what you want. Is the Black a dull Black or a shiney looking Black? Dull Black = rich condition. Shiney Black = oil burning. Ditto on the, make sure all of the ignition stuff is in good/new condition. Plugs, cap+rotor, wires. Also, insure that plug wires are in proper rotation on cap and cylinders.

Link to an EA81 FSM. http://www.mikeshoup.com/docs/fsm/EA81/ Much Thanks to Mike S. for having it up again...

I've done this by the following; remove drive belt, pull the return line off pump, letting that fluid drain into catch can, cap-off the line on the pump for the return line, fill resevoir with fresh fluid, spin the pump pulley, (I have a small 3/8 drive impact that works great for this), this will pump the fresh fluids thru the system. Be sure you have the free-end of the return line in a catch can. Keep the resevoir topped off with fluid as you're spinning the pulley. Be sure to crank the steeringwheel from lock to lock also. (I have vehicle on jackstands and just move the front tires with my foot to do this.) You can, leave the drive belt on the pump and run the engine to do this. BUT,,, you need to have an assistant to help keep the resevoir full, and to insure the return line stays in the catch can.

Pulled the tank to pump line off, and blew air back thru hoping to clean the pickup screen some. May have helped, as Son took it for a drive and actually was able to get it up to 55 MPH without issues. Still, the clear fuel filter I have under the hood is less than 1/4 full. I have it mounted so the "in" line is at the bottom, "out" is at the top. Thinking it should show more fuel in it sitting like that.??? We then set about seeing what was the issue with the DS rear door not wanting to open. Managed to pull the trim panel off without to much damage. Messed with the linkages for the latch, and got it to open. Did some adjusting and bending of the rods, door now opens from both sides.:] Hoping we have the drivability issue fixed. Much more to do on it. But that's all for another thread or 2, 3, 4, 5....

http://s29.photobucket.com/albums/c264/TomRhere/Radiator%20pics/ Link to pics. I have them in a zip file also, so I can send them thru email.

Definet fuel flow issue. I installed a clear fuel filter under the hood the other day. Yesterday, Chirstopher took the Wagon for a drive. When he came back, I popped the hood. Very little gas showing in the filter, was nearly full when I started the engine after installing the filter. So,,, either the pick-up screen is somewhat clogged, or I'm losing power to the pump somehow. I'll pull the tank line later, blow some air back thru it, see if that helps any. Not real sure what to do if it's electrical, but I'll figure something out.