So I have a problem on my hands, I picked up a nice 86 wagon d/r, $150. But the motor had been overheated to the point of melting timing belt covers, it had also blown a headgasket. I began to tear the engine down to replace the headgaskets and discovered a rocker arm had dislodged itself from place(lifter was super loose). I skeptically assembled the engine back together with fresh headgaskets and newer lifter, Got her timed up with the old belts and then she ran like a beast!...with no oil pressure. Said hell with it im driving you, hoping for a faulty guage. After a 20 min drive the driver side t-belt snapped, would oil pump seizure cause the belt to break, or the re-tensioning of old belts? First time I have done any engine work to that extent. Basically just want some opionions please=)

Well, you did a number of things wrong.

 

1. You should have had the heads milled to return them back to a flat mating surface. If the engine had been overheated enough to melt the covers, it certainly warped the heads.

2. You should have used new t-belts. Did you know how many miles were on the ones you re-used?

3. You should have but new seals in the oil pump. Not doing that could be why it seized.

4. Did you readjust the lifters after you re-installed the heads?

 

Now, go back and do it all over again.

I bet you do it right this time

No oil pressure is bad - though if it ran for 20 minutes then I doubt it had *no* oil pressure. Being it was severely overheated I would guess that it's got a failed sending unit and/or wireing to said unit.

 

Snapped t-belt.... well did you replace them? Could just have been ready to go. Inspect things closely - check that the oil pump turns, etc. Reseal it as Rob mentioned above.

 

Not sure what lifter adjustment Rob is refering to. I've not met the EA82 that had adjustable lifters and I wouldn't want to either considering where they are located and how much of a *************** it must be to adjust said units.

 

I wouldn't worry much about warped heads - they don't usually warp enough to matter and the book specs are overly cautious about it. On a non-turbo I would settle for no cracks and a decent surface finish. It's an EA82 - not a swiss watch.

 

GD

No oil pressure is bad - though if it ran for 20 minutes then I doubt it had *no* oil pressure. Being it was severely overheated I would guess that it's got a failed sending unit and/or wireing to said unit.

 

Snapped t-belt.... well did you replace them? Could just have been ready to go. Inspect things closely - check that the oil pump turns, etc. Reseal it as Rob mentioned above.

 

Not sure what lifter adjustment Rob is refering to. I've not met the EA82 that had adjustable lifters and I wouldn't want to either considering where they are located and how much of a *************** it must be to adjust said units.

 

I wouldn't worry much about warped heads - they don't usually warp enough to matter and the book specs are overly cautious about it. On a non-turbo I would settle for no cracks and a decent surface finish. It's an EA82 - not a swiss watch.

 

GD

 

What? You just posted about setting hydro lifters. EA81 and EA82 hydros are basically the same.

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showpost.php?p=975321&postcount=2

 

I began to tear the engine down to replace the headgaskets and discovered a rocker arm had dislodged itself from place(lifter was super loose). I skeptically assembled the engine back together with fresh headgaskets and newer lifter

 

Dont you think he should have adjusted the one he replaced at least?

 

And come on, the engine got hot enough to melt the timing belt covers.

You dont think that warped the heads?

There is no "adjustment" of EA82 valves. What would you adjust? There is no screw, no place to shim.

 

All Hydraulic. Period.

 

 

 

 

I'm betting the oil pump is trashed. Probably already was, and that's why you had dislodged rocker. No pressure = HLA collapse = looseness in valvetrain = bye bye rocker.

 

Might get by with a new oil pump if the block isn't too badly scored.

I have never milled any of my heads doing head gaskets and so far have had good luck.

 

the belts probably broke because they were old. If the tensioners didnt seize, then the belt probably just let go from having new tension on it. Just like old trailers with old tires. the tires are fine until you air them up to full pressure, and then they fail.

 

if the oil pump spins by hand, dont worry about it. Put on new belts and see what she does. Dontbe surprised if you get another 20,000 miles out of it as it is

 

oh, leave the covers off the timing belts. That way if you break one, you can change it off the side of the road in 20 min and keep going

What? You just posted about setting hydro lifters. EA81 and EA82 hydros are basically the same.

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showpost.php?p=975321&postcount=2

 

Rob - how many EA82T's did you build? Did you ever do a valve adjustment on one?

 

EA81 and EA82 hydro lifters are ENTIRELY different. Apples and Oranges.

 

GD

Thx guys, Im sure it had abit of oil pressure to get the lifters from tapping. And i can turn the oil pulley, however there are 2 spots where it slightly clicks or catches. The timing belts didnt look horrific, just figured they would last asleast 1k miles to test the engine out >.< Guess i should throw a set of new belts and see what that pump is doing. And as far as scoring, 3/4 cylinder walls have crosshatch, 1 is slightly scored, but has no depth. Im just a backyard teenage mechanic, trial and error I suppose.

oh, leave the covers off the timing belts. That way if you break one, you can change it off the side of the road in 20 min and keep going

 

She is going to be my snow and mud mobber, I have heard mud clump can dislodge the belts >.< anyone have experiance with that? Because im tired of taking those P.O.S plastic covers off

i run open belts all day long. Have been doing so for years. Have been baja'n snow, mud, water, tall weeds open belts. once had a rock spinning around on the belt, no problem.

 

all you would need is a a 22mm offset wrench and a deep 12mm socket and ratchet to change the timing belts anyway. remove the inside part of the overs behind the cam pulleys to make that easier.

 

go ahead and do the oil pump seals (there are 2) while you are there. do not torque the bolts too much, use a 1/4" dr. tool and only snug them and 1/8 turn. make sure it turns freely before torquing all of the bolts down.

get new belts. i've seen new belts snap in hundreds of miles when saturated with oil. with overheating, age, and probably oil too who knows what happened to it. someone on here probably has an old set to send you for a few dollars shipping, not like they're expensive though.

 

if the drivers side (side that belt broke) cam is seized then there's a cause of belt failure but i doubt you have that.

 

ebay kits include all new pulleys too and belts and for only $60. good deal if you want to keep this thing awhile.