So i bought an 81 hatch ea81 4 speed manual 4x4 with 139000 miles yesterday. I drove it an hour home no problems. Today i go to fire it up and is smokes a little from the exhaust. I popped the radiator cap. Its gurgling water. Pretty bad. Also smoking and smells like fuel. Theres no water oil mixing. The car never over heats. The plugs are dry and clean. Also the rubber tube that comes from the passenger side head into the air cleaner is sputtering water and steam. My guess is head gaskets. Any ideas?? Also the car has sat for a year and a half before i bought it. Put a new battery and fresh fuel and it started right up.

Steam out of a radiator, does not mean anything because we don't know how warm the car was when you popped the cap.  Ordinarily, if it is warmed up, the coolant explodes out of the radiator and scalds your face.  Most people only do that once.  The vehicle may have had oil drain into the cylinder area through either the rings or the cylinder head gasket.  Cylinder head bolts can be retightened in order to clear up some problems.  Run it awhile to see whether the oil gets burned up from coating the cylinders/piston area.  139,000 miles is low.  It should be barely broken in.

i put compressed air into the cly at tdc with the crank locked and watch to see if bubbles in the rad if so headgasket taste the stuff coming out the vent if sweet headgasket

I popped the cap before the car warmed up. When i got it off it gurgled out till i couldnt see any water. It had the steam the entire time. The car ran for about 20 minutes and the needle on the gauge was about a quarter the way up the gauge. The radiator had the smell of gas. Like someone pourd gas in it. Ill have to fill it with coolant and do the taste test.

Thanks guys

Edited March 10, 201313 yr by 91 subaru

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=2758484&cc=1267927

What does everyone think about these?

Dont bother.

 

Go with Felpro perma-torque gaskets. 

Make shure you surface heads !

Dont bother.

 

Go with Felpro perma-torque gaskets. 

 

 

Make shure you surface heads !

 

+1.  use the Fel Pro permatorque head gaskets, that's what nearly every one on here uses.

don't replace head bolts, use Subaru intake manifold gaskets and thermostat (or the stant XACTA tstat).

 

sounds like headgaskets but if that engine is like the EA82, they have a coolant crossover pipe which can leak coolant into the intake manifold and get into the cylinders that way.

+1 subaru intake gaskets have to use them or problems

I had the intake gasket problem on my loyale. The loyale didnt put out as much smoke thru the exhuast as the dl does. I guess ill do the intake gaskets and see what happens. Anyone know a round about price on the oem intake gaskets?

I figured id throw in a few pics. I havent taken pics of the inside yet.

Intake gaskets are $4 each.  You need 2.  My Subaru dealer is 80 miles away... they ship alot of parts to me.

I just picked up an '83 Hatchie last month.  I like the stick you use for the lift supports.  I found some at RockAuto for $13.  No more stick for me.

Intake gaskets are $4 each.  You need 2.  My Subaru dealer is 80 miles away... they ship alot of parts to me.

I just picked up an '83 Hatchie last month.  I like the stick you use for the lift supports.  I found some at RockAuto for $13.  No more stick for me.

Ha! The stick was a temporary part. I was cleaning stuff out of the back. Came with four extra tires on the stock wheels. It was on the back.

rdweninger, i forgot to ask. Is there a website you use to order parts?

My Hatchie came with a 2x2 stick.  My '85 wagon came with a mop with handle.  My other '85 wagon came with a broken off metal broom handle.

I use Rockauto.com for alot of my parts.   They are great on prices.   Thing is, watchout for the shipping charges.  When you place an item in your shopping cart... other items that ship from the same location (they have serveral) will show a 'truck' icon and may have text stating so.

   Sometimes it takes me 2-3 days to place my order.   I try to think of everything I may need in the near future.   NGK spark plugs for $1.58, Wiper Blades, light bulbs (check em all), disty cap/rotor, brake pads/shoes, brake springs, v-belts $3, ball joints, tie rod ends.  

  Take some time going thru the parts listed for your vehicle.   Then run out and check the condition of those parts on your vehicle.

Use this code

1284260310449590  Code for Discount – In the How did you hear about us? field.  Will save you 5%.   Ship to a commercial address (your work, maybe).   FedX rates are cheaper that way.   

Hope this helps... Ron W.

Rockauto just posted over on the For Sale board.

5% Discount Code: CA84365C7640   Expires on 6/30/2013.
 

For some reason i cant multiquote. Anyway great info guys. Where does everyone suggest for oem gaskets?

the dealership.

the dealership.

Thanks...

Dont bother.

 

Go with Felpro perma-torque gaskets. 

The victor gaskets are a higher quality gasket. I would use them. I cound never find them these days.

 

Victor also supplies the graphite faced metal intake and exhaust gaskets

Edited March 16, 201313 yr by MilesFox

So the graphite intake gaskets are what i want

The victor gaskets are a higher quality gasket. I would use them. I cound never find them these days.

 

Says who?

 

The Felpro Permatorque headgaskets are a proven gasket.  Im sure Victor makes a great gasket but to claim it is BETTER would imply that the Felpro have failure problems, in which they do not.

 

Have you EVER seen a felpro permatorque gasket failure on a EA81?

Edited March 16, 201313 yr by Idasho

I think Pep Boys, O Rileys, etc have a way to check the coolant for exh. gas reidue etc. You mite ck. with them first. Luck, Steve.

I think Pep Boys, O Rileys, etc have a way to check the coolant for exh. gas reidue etc. You mite ck. with them first. Luck, Steve.

thanks. Ill try that out