azdave

Yes, I saw that comparison photo in your link before I ordered the module. I don't expect it to be a simple swap and likely use parts from both the bad and good TPS in my attempt to make it work. It is unfortunate that the base broke when you took it apart. I suspected that you had a crack already but hard to tell now. On fragile parts, I grind out any rivets with a Dremel tool and small stone tips. As you discovered, a drill bit expands the soft rivets as it goes through and cracks the hole quite easily. The black base material is likely phenolic (Baklite) which is great for high heat and chemical resistance but quite brittle at times.

I have a EA82 87 DL wagon and as noted, they have two different water pump pulley heights (because of A/C options). In my case, I found the pumps and shafts were actually the same parts between the two choices. The only difference is how far they press the pulley onto the shaft to create a long or short version. I got the long pump version before I discovered I needed the short, but was able to use a hydraulic press to push the pulley onto the shaft a little further and make it work, instead of doing an exchange through Rock Auto. If you can believe the images offered on Rock Auto, there does appear to be two different pulley choices in your application. One pulley looks like it is slightly deeper than the other so it might not be like mine where I could "fine tune" the pulley location on the shaft.

The ebay vendor just cancelled my order for the SERA484-10 TPS because it is out of stock. Looks like I'll have to order one shipped from New Jersey instead of California and wait an extra few days for it to get here.

I offered to help, not knowing your electronics skills but maybe you can figure it out with careful inspection. I would basically take it apart and find out if it failed due to a mechanical issue (like a hidden crack across the carbon path) or if it failed due to somehow suffering from an over-current condition. Your test results seem to indicate it failed in more than one way. I would be looking very closely for any hint of heat damage or circuit board burns. Also look for cold solder joints and micro cracks in any circuit traces. I will sometimes heat and cool a circuit to look for failures caused by expansion and contraction. You say you get no continuity on any of the pins after the new TPS failed. Using the diagrams immediately above as reference, it does not make sense that you read nothing across R-B, nor across R-G or G-B. One or two of those paths should still be reading some type of resistance whether the part overheated or cracked. Very unusual to read an open circuit on any combination across the R,G, or B wires. That would have to mean the carbon path failed as well as the wiper on the G-wire. The connection between the B-LG wires we don't care about right now because it is a simple on/off switch and you can physically see if that contact is working at idle. I had TPS issues when I first got my EA82 SPFI 87 wagon 3 years ago, but I was able to clean it up and make it work. I'm really temped to buy one of the cheap SERA484-10 TPS modules on Amazon, just to learn if it can be configured to work in our application. I see one example online where a person said it worked on their EA82 but yet another where they said it did not. I think I will order one and find out for myself. It would be good to know the answer and have a spare for myself if it is possible. I'm not concerned with connectors being plug-n-play of course. Update: I went ahead and ordered one of the SERA484-10 TPS modules off eBay and should have it by the weekend to check out.

I don't see what you could have done wrong if all your readings were as you say. It a simple potentiometer setup with an on/off switch on the side to let the ECU positively know when the throttle is in the full idle position. If you currently have no continuity between pins B&D, unlike when you tested it new, that would indicate that the carbon trace on the board had burned in half or was separated somehow. If you now connect the Ohm meter between pins B &C and then turn the shaft from stop to stop, do you ever measure anything but an open connection as the wiper sweeps around the carbon trace? The 5 volt signal should not be able to supply enough current to damage the sensor. Even if that supply wire measured 12 volts, it would barely generate 0.003 amps (0.04 watts) which should easily be handled by the carbon wiper. I don't know what kind of time schedule you are under but I can offer to bench test the TPS and see if I can determine what failed. Not much to lose except for the time to mail it back and forth and the postage cost. I myself would not risk another new TPS until I had a better idea what failed.

You will be perfectly fine.

I own multiple classics and rarely install extra gauges in any of them. I'll confirm the OEM gauges are operating normally and leave it at that. The KISS principle makes life much easier for me. I don't need to know the exact numbers, only that I'm in a normal range. Engine temperature is all I really monitor closely since I drive my wagon through the Phoenix summers with A/C always cranked to the max. I know from using an infrared gun that 3/4 needle sweep is normal in the summer and about 206F measured at the thermostat housing. In winter, the needle reads about half way and equates to around 190F. For oil pressure, I installed a temporary T with a mechanical gauge at the filter and after a good hot freeway trip with the engine at idle, I still have good pressure. When you have good oil pressure at hot idle, you will always have good oil pressure at any other engine temperature or RPM. Since I have an idiot light for oil pressure, I make sure the bulb is working as I start it each day. If I let the clutch out a little fast and almost kill the engine, I'll see the oil light flicker when the RPM's drop below spec. That's another confirmation that the oil pressure switch is working fine. For fuel pressure, I only check that if I install a new pump. Again, I have installed a temporary port under the hood and confirmed pressure is in spec. After that, I remove the gauge and forget about it.

I'll agree that extra data is fun to work with but constantly monitoring your fuel and coolant pressure in an EA82? I have the ultra basic (no tach) factory instrument package in my 87 DL 5-speed. The coolant temp gauge and the oil pressure idiot light are enough for me and got this wagon to 255K miles so far. Sometimes less is best for simplicity sake.

I could not tell you the part number as the sales history is gone now but it is the same type as listed by several eBay drop shippers that pretend to be legitimate parts houses. The radiator had plastic end tanks. Just be sure the radiator cap and filler neck pair together correctly. If the spring in the radiator cap can move a 1/2" when you push on it manually, then make sure when you install it that it isn't being pushed in any further than maybe 1/4". The relief spring needs room to move after the cap is in place and when pushing down and turning to install my cap, I didn't notice that the spring was fully compressed and therefore had no pressure relief at all. I had burped the system really well so with no air trapped in the system, the hydraulic pressure built quickly as the engine heated. If I'd had some big air bubbles in the system, I probably would have been fine.

My problem was a stupid radiator cap and how it fit (improperly) to the filler neck. The cap seemed to fit great when I installed it but unseen by me was the fact that when it was installed, the overflow relief spring was fully compressed and therefore, would not allow excess pressure to vent to the overflow bottle. It was basically a radiator cap with no safety relief whatsoever. I had just installed a new radiator, new cap, new clamps, all new hoses, new thermostat and new temp sensor but had to stay with the original heater core as it was not blocked and working fine until then. Guess which part split open when the coolant pressure was unable to vent? Note: I bought the radiator and cap from the same vendor who showed them as a correct fit but clearly they were wrong. Moral of the story here is to carefully check the fitment of your radiator cap to the filler neck. Half the stuff being sold online these days shows as "compatible" when it isn't and it cost me a heater core repair, which is a nightmare. After that mess, I got one of those radiator cap testers and confirmed that the cap released pressure properly. I also used a caliper to confirm the depth of the sealing ring within the radiator filler neck and compared it to the requirements of the radiator cap.

If it is off by as much as you say, I can't imagine it is going to "settle in". You likely got a set of struts that fit, but not a set that are proper. I had a similar thing happen with new front struts for my older Subie wagon. It raised the ride height noticeably and also gave me excess positive camber that could not be adjusted out. The seller assured me they were correct and he proved it by showing me some cross-reference chart online. The cross-reference chart was a no-name document from who knows where and showed that the same front struts would fit any of the three models for that year, even though the factory clearly made three different versions with different spring rates and ride heights to cover the available models that year.

Welcome back to USMB! I doubt I can help much with questions about your Outback but you never know. I DD a 87 DL wagon and also enjoy my 2003 WRX wagon so that is what I know best. No shame in your new car not being "new". I'll be 66 soon and have never owned a new car in my life and have no plans to ever make that mistake decision. The most I've ever spent on a vehicle was $9500 and only once have I ever bought a car from a dealer. Every other vehicle has come from a private party. The amount of money I have saved by avoiding depreciation and not being in debt constantly, has allowed me to enjoy owning multiple classic cars while on an average salary and being comfortably set up to retire at the end of this year.

My 87 DL wagon with a stock EA82 just popped on the CEL light upon first start today but went out about 100' down the road. I'm at roughly 254K miles. I haven't checked yet to see what code(s) are stored. I hope the light was one of those "service reminders" that really mean nothing. I have not tried to get the DL to pass Arizona emissions since I got it three years ago. I insure it as a classic vehicle instead and get an exemption. Once I put the full new exhaust and converters in place, I may try to run it though the DMV the test just to see if it will pass. It is $17 to have them sniff it and find out.

I have a 4-channel temp reader with a handful of 6' long thermocouples. I put the thermocouple touching the fitting and hold it in place with a One-Wrap style Velcro tie. If doing a driving test, I can temporarily route the wire into the interior past the door weatherstrip and monitor the temps while driving. I also have a set of those wireless A/C pressure gauges so I can watch the high and low side pressures while driving. Too much data probably, huh?

That is only true in a narrow range of ambient temperatures. For you to have read 65 PSI (assuming there was at least enough gas in the system to reach the saturation point) I'm guessing it was about 66F outside at the time you measured the inactive system pressure. You can find online gas/temp charts that show the relationship and values. Adding gas the way you did is a great way to sneak up on the proper fill if you don't know how much was in the system to begin with but don't be temped to "add just a little more". The compressor will cycle on and off for three reasons. Low gas charge, evaporator coil too cold or system overcharge. A compressor cycling because the evap coil temp is too low is the only time it is acceptable to routinely cycle. Cycling due to a low charge is not good because the refrigerant also carries the lubrication oil that the pump needs and an overcharge will wear out your pump and blow hoses. I fill my systems by monitoring the evap coil return line temperature too. When I know I am close to the proper fill, I watch the temp of the fat line leaving the evap coil. You put in a little gas and watch to see if the outlet line drops a few degrees accordingly. You do that a few times as long as the temps keep dropping a little each time. Once you add a little gas and the temp stops dropping, you know you have reached the point that the evap coil cannot boil off any further addition of refrigerant. It's a more nerdy way to do it but I'm in the SW desert and I need my cooling when it is 110 outside. I daily drive my 87 to work each day and driving home in the afternoon on the freeway really loads the system. Your low 30, high 150 readings sound about right for a properly charged system on a day that was in the 70's but you don't mention the ambient temps on the day you did the work. Sounds like you have it dialed in pretty well. Speaking of R134a, a local farm store had 16oz cans of R134 for $5 a can this weekend. I stocked up for sure.