My 1985 GL started blowing blue smoke out the back as I was driving on the highway the other day. I pulled over and had it towed to my mechanic. He took a look at it and pronounced it to be a serious engine issue -- either a valve blew, or the rings.

 

I received this car as payment for work done for a former professor, who was the original owner. After retiring in the late eighties, she only drove it about 3,000 miles a year. It had 42,000 miles on it in 2010. I've put 50,000 on it.

 

Unfortunately, she also only did one oil change a year as well. And she smoked. I've had the transmission rebuilt, new pieces crafted and welded on (it has a good frame), and finally got the smoke smell out of the car. It has been very high maintenance. It still needs a new radiator and a new exhaust.

 

So, should I sell it to the scrap yard, as my mechanic would want me to do?

 

 

 

 

 

If it were mine, with little to no rust, I'd swap the engine and get a new radiator. Keeping the cooling system in top shape is the most important thing to do to avoid blown headgaskets. 100,000 miles is broken in to me.

agree, don't junk it, sucks that a 92,000mile engine to the trash, but everything else on the vehicle is still good, slap another engine in it, and dont let the crusher eat it!!

 

find another wagon and use that one as parts is another option.

 

im pretty sure you don't want $150 for your wagon. thats what the junkyard will give you.

Edited May 29, 201510 yr by Subasaurus

If your Subaru still moves on its own and is Driveable, then allow me to contradict your Mechanic, because there is a Chance, small chance, that the culprit of those clouds of smoke, are the Valve seals; because the Early editions of the EA82, had an all-rubber seals that fails like that, while the newer editions, came with valve seals that featured a metallic inner core, much stronger and durable.

 

If the subie still moves and drives, but blowin' such Cloud of Smoke, there is a chance that only will need an engine reseal to be good to go for another decade; those seals must be available at the Subaru Dealer.

 

After all, 1985 is an Early edition, of a good Old school Subaru.

 

Kind Regards.

When it started to blow the smoke, did you just do a long sweeping curve on an on-ramp getting on the highway?

I forgot about that! If it only happens on curves, there is a mod that fixes it.

I forgot about that! If it only happens on curves, there is a mod that fixes it.

 

 

Didn't hit me at first either. But after rereading the opening post a bit later, it was like "D'OH!"

Well, if the case is that simple, then the Fix mentioned in the above posts,

 

has been described, with photos and also a downloadable .pdf file,

 

in post Nº 27 of the following thread: ~► http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/114260-oil-catch-can-in-ea82/?p=1030760

 

Kind Regards.

your mechanic would not be the first to fall for the thing that can happen to EA82 carbed to blow smoke coz it is sucking it from somewhere, to then suggest a rering, then discover is same upon rebuild because some vacuum? hose has come off or blocked up. I am sure it is not just the PCV air filter mesh in the air box that is the cause. Certain it is in the myriad of pollution hoses that is the fix. My bet is the old girl would pass a comp test and a cylinder leakage test...and now you say is only on sweeping turns ?? How hard does it go ??

 

Hang on, what is a transmission in US English ? I can't believe a stick shift manual box of gears would need a rebuild in such a short drive distance, so must be the three speed automatic self shifter that may have needed a rebuild due to all internal rubber seals turning hard ?? If it is an automatic, they also have an actuator on the right hand side, screwed in just above the pan line, more front end on the side - vac line goes to inlet manifold to supply manifold vacuum to aid shift patterns. If the diafragem in the solenoidy thing breaks, auto trans fluid will suck up into intake and get burnt in combustion causing smoke ......

Edited May 31, 201510 yr by jono

You guys who are talking about the sweeping turns are thinking of the SPFI engine which wasn't made in 1985. 

 

Start with the PCV and hoses, and go from there.  There are so many possible culprits that I'm not even going to speculate.

 

Emily

Emily is correct about the SPFI sweeping turn smoke thing. SPFI is what I know best.

You guys who are talking about the sweeping turns are thinking of the SPFI engine which wasn't made in 1985. 

 

Start with the PCV and hoses, and go from there.  There are so many possible culprits that I'm not even going to speculate.

 

Emily

I;m not. Never seen an spfi in Oz. Had similar familial experience here with carbed EA82, rebuilt and still smoker until something else was a sorted.

You guys who are talking about the sweeping turns are thinking of the SPFI engine which wasn't made in 1985. 

 

Start with the PCV and hoses, and go from there.  There are so many possible culprits that I'm not even going to speculate.

 

Emily

My dad bought a 85 auto 2wd ea82 for my sister. It came with spfi and all the California bs emissions.

Could be a sticky ring or valve.   Add a quart of Rislone or ATF to oil... run for 10-15 minutes.  Change oil and filter.

Drive it ... Check oil

Do not scrap it .... but I get the feeling you might have already.