Hey everyone. I recently picked up an old VW based kitcar that is subaru powered. I figured  out it is a ea82 but that's about it. It is missing the radiator cap but after trying 2 I still can't find one to fitfiNny ideas?I dont even know is its a subaru radiator. Anyway to tell? Also it has an awful exhaust leak. Any idea what the part number is for the gasket. 

This is my first subaru. What are some other things I should be looking out for? 

 

Thanks

 

Does not look like any Subaru radiator I have seen.  But I have not seen all of them.

 

I had a feeling it was not. The big question is what the hell is it from lol. Would be a lot easier finding a radiator cap than needing to replace the radiator because I can't find a cap. 

Are these engines pretty much the same from year to year? Because I have no clue what it originally came out of I do not really have a reference in regards to a year or model to get parts. 

 

Thanks 

Looks like the AFM is the "flapper" style.  Was only used in the 85/86/87 models. Also can tell if it is from one of these years is to look at the thermostat housing. 

 

Fairly sure the distributor changed in 1988.

 

Cylinder heads the weak link. 3 versions used over the years. Early version tended to crack. 

Edited July 27, 20187 yr by john in KY

2 hours ago, john in KY said:

Looks like the AFM is the "flapper" style.  Was only used in the 85/86/87 models. Also can tell if it is from one of these years is to look at the thermostat housing. 

 

Fairly sure the distributor changed in 1988.

 

Cylinder heads the weak link. 3 versions used over the years. Early version tended to crack. 

Interesting info. I will get some better pics of the engine later today. Maybe it will tell a bit more. 

I'm going to need exhaust gaskets and such so I am trying to narrow down the best I can what year /model it is 

 

Thanks 

This engine has the dual port heads. Engine offered from 85 to 1990. Exhaust gaskets the same for all years. Any model with the turbo option, no difference. Thinking I may even have a set in the garage.

Cool. Thanks for the help. 

Here are a few more pics of the car if anyone is interested .  

what. in. the. world. is. that!

 

looks like a Lotus from the front and some sort of 80's Ferrari from the rear, except they shrunk everything down.

Edited July 27, 20187 yr by Subasaurus

15 minutes ago, Subasaurus said:

what. in. the. world. is. that!

 

looks like a Lotus from the front and some sort of 80's Ferrari from the rear, except they shrunk everything down.

It is called an Invader gt. Was built in the late 60s into the 70s. To be honest didn't really buy it for the body . Mainly because it had a solid chassis and the subi swap. 

7 hours ago, john in KY said:

Looks like the AFM is the "flapper" style.  Was only used in the 85/86/87 models. Also can tell if it is from one of these years is to look at the thermostat housing. 

 

Fairly sure the distributor changed in 1988.

 

Cylinder heads the weak link. 3 versions used over the years. Early version tended to crack. 

Here is the thermostat housing and a few others 

Look for German made cars for the radiator source.  Not Japanese. 

27 minutes ago, DaveT said:

Look for German made cars for the radiator source.  Not Japanese. 

I think it will be easier to just put another radiator in it 

Thermostat housing confirms the engine is in the 85 to 87 range. 

Edited July 27, 20187 yr by john in KY

Yes, a newer different radiator might be a good idea.  For all we know, the one in it may be NLA. 

Here in Oz the Series one with flapper AFM really only known as 85 86 model. Notice someone deleted Subaru 4WD from the ,"intercooler". I thought turbo exhaust gasket between head and header were different in their construction and materials. More detail in wrapping metal around gasket rather than something cookie cut from a sheet of stuff

Surely you can pull the radiator and seek out specialist radiator guys for the cap.?

13 minutes ago, jono said:

Here in Oz the Series one with flapper AFM really only known as 85 86 model. Notice someone deleted Subaru 4WD from the ,"intercooler". I thought turbo exhaust gasket between head and header were different in their construction and materials. More detail in wrapping metal around gasket rather than something cookie cut from a sheet of stuff

Surely you can pull the radiator and seek out specialist radiator guys for the cap.?

Yeah im sure I can pull out the radiator and find some sort of marking on it, or take it to an "expert".

 

Part of the fun with these things is figuring out what everything is lol 

Looks like it would take a standard cap for either a 90's era Subaru or Honda or Possibly Toyota. Really hard to tell and basically pointless because.....

It's plastic and obviously quite old so it's garbage. Useful lifespan on plastic radiator tanks is 8-10 years. Hit up a radiator shop and have one built to those dimensions from aluminium. Problem solved. Have the inlet and outlet moved so you can use some off-the-shelf Subaru hoses instead of that corrugated disaster it's got going on. 

Sadly that is the absolute worst engine Subaru ever made, and a flapper-MAF version at that. Extremely distasteful. That thing looks like a great way to look awesome while being broken down with a cracked head in a cloud of steam. Break out the bathing suits and you can film hot bodies covered in glycol steam on the side of the road with the "trunk" up pouring Fiji water down it's fill hole. Point is - you DO NOT want to overheat that abortion.

In any case plan for an engine swap to something newer. 

GD

34 minutes ago, GeneralDisorder said:

Looks like it would take a standard cap for either a 90's era Subaru or Honda or Possibly Toyota. Really hard to tell and basically pointless because.....

It's plastic and obviously quite old so it's garbage. Useful lifespan on plastic radiator tanks is 8-10 years. Hit up a radiator shop and have one built to those dimensions from aluminium. Problem solved. Have the inlet and outlet moved so you can use some off-the-shelf Subaru hoses instead of that corrugated disaster it's got going on. 

Sadly that is the absolute worst engine Subaru ever made, and a flapper-MAF version at that. Extremely distasteful. That thing looks like a great way to look awesome while being broken down with a cracked head in a cloud of steam. Break out the bathing suits and you can film hot bodies covered in glycol steam on the side of the road with the "trunk" up pouring Fiji water down it's fill hole. Point is - you DO NOT want to overheat that abortion.

In any case plan for an engine swap to something newer. 

GD

Thanks!