Yo'J Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 I need someone to hold my hand on this. I've never had a ea81 head off. Kind of exciting. I have a 87 hydro lifter motor w/140k on it that hasn't overheated bad yet and I need the car fast. Fel pro gaskets are on order. I know I'll need a special socket or spacers for tightening but I'm more worried about the adjustments to the rocker assemblies. Can I just take the whole assmy. off in one piece? If I need resurfacing, to what spec do I reset the valve rockers? Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 The procedure for the hydro's is pretty simple. You turn it over till the valve is closed, tighten the adjuster a couple turns past zero-point, wait 5 minutes or so and then back it off till its just barely tight. Use the same procedure you would for a SBC. It's not difficult. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skishop69 Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 Not to start a pissing contest, but I've been building performance SB Chevs for 20 years, and that's not the procedure for them. It's tighten down the rocker until the vertical play is removed from the pushrod, then turn the rocker nut one full turn. No waiting. And that turn varies based on cam grind and valve springs. I don't know what it is for the Subies as I've never had to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 Either method would work. You just don't want the lifter at the end of it's travel - you want it slightly compressed. The FSM on the EA81's has a procedure that is similar to what I mentioned - compressing them and waiting for a bit..... GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skishop69 Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 Agreed. The adjustment should put it in the middle of the travel. As far as waiting 5 min for the lifter to bleed down (because that's what's happening while you wait), everything I've ever read says intentionally bleeding down a lifter can shorten it's life and cause damage on start up. I'm curious as to why you would wait for it to bleed down? If you're trying to relive some of the lifter to pushrod pressure, I would think the full two turns would do that. Once you release the rocker nut, the internal spring in the lifter is going to push it back up but at a slower rate. I'm just trying to work through the logistics of this version of adjusting, as I've never come across it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 I did adjustments on the hydro's in my EA81's before I ever touched a SBC (have one now in my '69 truck) and thus that's how I've been doing them. My 350 sat for many years and has a ton of miles on it (but runs alright and seems in decent shape considering) and when I did an adjustment on it I just did it using the Subaru method. Works fine. I'm not entirely sure of the logic - probably to bleed out the squishyness (air) and make sure you are adjusting the lifter with only oil in it..... that's my assumption anyway. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yo'J Posted December 3, 2010 Author Share Posted December 3, 2010 :drunk:Mmmm! Big Wood fest... I pulled the motor today, I'll update cuz Im a pushrod noob. At least I got a free workshop table. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yo'J Posted December 4, 2010 Author Share Posted December 4, 2010 Got the heads back from the machine shop today. The haynes manual says to apply sealant to the head gaskets. Do I use that recommended stuff on the permatorque gaskets? Dealer if so? I'm almost all clean and ready to assemble. I got one window of good weather this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted December 4, 2010 Share Posted December 4, 2010 No sealant on Subaru head gaskets. EVER. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted December 4, 2010 Share Posted December 4, 2010 No sealant on Subaru head gaskets. EVER. GD +1....or intake gaskets for that matter. Both are to be treated with the same amount of prep and care installing and you shouldnt have a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted December 4, 2010 Share Posted December 4, 2010 I don't know of ANY Subaru gasket that requires additional application of sealant. They either use sealant or a gasket - never both. Though I do apply RTV to the old cork stuff as it keeps it from absorbing oil. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yo'J Posted December 4, 2010 Author Share Posted December 4, 2010 I thought it was strange that the haynes manual calls for it. I don't remember seeing it called for for the ea82 motor and definitely not for the ej. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted December 4, 2010 Share Posted December 4, 2010 I think what they are trying to say is "use any sealant called for by the maker of the gasket". Which on the case of Subaru and the felpro gaskets - means use nothing. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yo'J Posted December 4, 2010 Author Share Posted December 4, 2010 So, I've adjusted the valves using the sequence from htkysa and I noticed some of the rockers have different tensions. In adjustment position, some are move able with your fingers some are tight. They all look like they are screwed in to the same or similar depth but intake#4, which is tight but almost out to the end of its travel. Since this set of heads has been to the shop, should I run the car to fill the valves with oil, to then, bleed them out and do a proper adjustment in something like 300miles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yo'J Posted December 5, 2010 Author Share Posted December 5, 2010 (edited) Speaking of, htkysa has directions that are completely different from all of yours. His are 1.5 turns counter after you reach freeplay. Page 443. Whats the sequence you all are referring to? Edited December 5, 2010 by Yo'J ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yo'J Posted December 5, 2010 Author Share Posted December 5, 2010 I'd love a response on this.....I have aluminum pushrods with steel caps and valvecovers with a "do not adjust" sticker. In one of GDs posts there is a claim that hydros have one piece solid pushrods. Someone also has done a hg job on this motor before and left a few marks on the block. I was hoping I was first. Should I be concerned..? Do I just have fake covers? I was thinking about this adjustment thing all night. Is the same adjustment sequence for solid lifter motors "1324" applicable in the hydro sequence which it calls in the htkysa to use a "stage 1 then a stage 2" order. I just want to doublecheck my work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 (edited) Aluminium push-rods with steel caps are for solid lifter engines. Without pulling the oil pan and checking the actual lifters I'm not sure you will be able to verify hydro vs. solid if you think the push-rods were changed out. Sounds like it has some mismatched parts though - be that valve covers or push-rods I don't know. Valve adjustment is done with the valve unloaded. Pull both covers and then just proceed with each cylinder in sequence - leave your ratchet handle and socket on the crank so you can spin it as you go. That's how I do the EA81's - better than jumping back and forth and possibly miss something. GD Edited December 5, 2010 by GeneralDisorder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yo'J Posted December 5, 2010 Author Share Posted December 5, 2010 I just yanked a solid lifter motor cover off and the pushrods in it have big caps on the ends. In the (supposed) hydro the pushrods have little balls pressed into the tips, so I think I answered my own question on that. They are aluminum though. I thought the firing order would yield the same results, I just don't know about cam differences. I still got a little bit of play in some rocker arms, Just a little bit of movement from the motor side of the pushrod. That will even itself out right? I just re tried adjusting intake#4 and maybe I didn't let it bleed out all the way, this time it set itself into a similar position as the rest, not adjusted all the way out to the end of its adjustment like before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 Just get em as close as you can and then readjust after running it for a bit. Your lifters could be deflated from sitting, etc. Incidentally - the hydro's rob power. If you want performance swap the hydro lifters for solids (they are accesible from under the oil pan) and readjust to solid lifter clearances. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yo'J Posted December 5, 2010 Author Share Posted December 5, 2010 Well, I was just looking at this old 82' ea81 thinking I might just clean it up too. Its got 235k on it, but $150 in head work and gaskets might just keep it on the road for a bit longer and I would love to have a good spare. I don't know if it would be worth any more of a rebuild, it always had low comp in cylinder#1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 Don't do head-work to the '82 heads - they have smaller intake valves so will not flow as well. Get a set of '83+ large-valve heads. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yo'J Posted December 5, 2010 Author Share Posted December 5, 2010 (edited) I'll see what I can find. I have a stripped intake bolt on each anyway. Is there a difference in the head, between the two? Besides the large vs. small valve. ( heck with my luck I'd find two different heads.) Thanks for the help, BTW! Edited December 5, 2010 by Yo'J stripped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yo'J Posted December 5, 2010 Author Share Posted December 5, 2010 Its in, a little noisey from #1, but I didn't warm it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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