Hi all, I'm new here, this is my first post.

I'm looking for some help with an ea81 engine. I've built a trike using this engine and I'm trying to sort out the ignition. I bought an electronic ignition kit for the hitachi ditsy which is the one I though I had but the black timing ring won't fit over the rotor shaft! I was wondering if that was any sure way to tell if it is a hitachi??

Cheers

Tim

If I recall 4WD EA81 models had hitachi and 2wd something else. Do you know if your donor car was 4wd?

I have absolutely no idea what the engine came out of, it was a non runner when I bought it, I've taken the egr off and put a 32/36 Weber on an ea82 I let manifold but I'm stuck with this problem now! I have noticed it had a ballast on the coil if that's any help?

So, it originally had points?

post a photo or two

EA81 distributors are already factory electronic.

 

GD

Yea it has points, the horseshoe shaped ones. I will post some pictures when I go down to my lock up later.

Then it's either not an EA81 or not an EA81 distributor. Just get a factory EA81 distributor.

 

GD

It's definatly an ea81 engine as its cast into the block, how do I add pics?

This is it

Early EA71 distributors were non electronic like that. Someone probably swapped it. Just get the correct distributor and it will be electronic.

 

GD

Ah right, thanks for the help! It's going to be a bitch finding one in the U.K.!

Well, I'd just rock the points for now! Just keep an eye out for a Hitachi distributor. The Nippondenso ones, (normally found on FWD models) have a bad habit of winking out with no warning and leaving you walking... don't ask me how I know!

Once upon a time, I adapted a 4-cylinder motorcycle electronic ignition into one of those distributors, and used motorcycle coils too, no distributor cap!

EA81 distributors are already factory electronic.

 

GD

My '84 Brumby with EA81 has points and ballast resistor and it's a local car serviced in town - and they said it always had points.

For you Aus. and UK folks.... I have no idea what Subaru sent you. But here in the US there was never a points based distributor used on an EA81. In fact the late 70's EA71's were electronic also. I think you have to go back to about 76 or 77 to find a points based distributor.

 

They may have done this to compete with the big three on marketing wank. GM had electronic "HEI" ignition in all passenger cars by about 74/75 or so. Having the ability to publish bullet point comparisons in their marketing materials was important in our market. Probably couldn't build enough of them to roll it out into every market.

 

GD