Plumcracked Posted July 17, 2004 Share Posted July 17, 2004 I'm curious as to what everyone has to say about each of these. Which is the most durable/reliable, or anything on them in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craven Posted July 17, 2004 Share Posted July 17, 2004 I'm curious as to what everyone has to say about each of these. Which is the most durable/reliable, or anything on them in general.Do a search, there was tread that asked the same question a few weeks back, with a lot of info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WJM Posted July 17, 2004 Share Posted July 17, 2004 EA81: 1781 CC OHV Single cam 2 valves per cylinder pushrod engine.. Simple and easy to maintain....will run forever if maintained correctly. Power is not so much....turbo version was avalible....but even it was only around 94 hp or so IIRC...I hear that you have to adjust the valves on some early EA81s...some later ones, or some that came with automatic trans later on had hyd. lifters and you did not ahve to adjust it. I would not choose this engine because of the valve adjustment issue, the carb system, the lack of real flow in and out of the heads, and its a pushrod engine...i dont really like those. I would choose this engine because its a peice of history, it would be cool, you can build a potent off roading engine with the right parts, and it will run forever. EA82: 1781 CC, Dual cam, SOHC, 2 valves per cylinder, hydrualic valve lash adjuster engine. Twin timing belts. T belt drives oil pump and dizzy. And engine that came is all kinds of different configurations. Two different carb setups, Single port (or throttle body injection) fuel injection, Mult Port Fuel injection, and MPFI+TURBO. You could get a 136 HP version of this engine from the factory over seas....but here it is rated at 97 HP for the MPFI N/A, and 105-115 for the turbo. Carb and SPFI are around the same...somewhere between 85 and 95 hp. I would not choose this engine because it "tends to eat hadgaskets, chew up timing belts, is unreliable, over heats, carbs never work right, the SPFI/MPFI is a PITA to troubleshoot and is not worth fixing, the silly thing is turbocharged, oh look - its OHC, TWO different cams too! Too many things to go wrong....oh the turbo crapped out, and the bearigns got wiped out...etc" I would choose this engine because....if you change, or have the timing belts changed every 52,000-60,000 miles it will run forever. Change the oil too. The SPFI version is would out a doubt the most reliable and rock hard tuffest engine Ive ever seen/abused/drove into the ground (and it rose back up!!) the MPFI N/A version I imagine is the same way...ive not owned one. The Carbs Ive not owned either, but hear they are a pain stock if something goes wrong..... Definalty, you cant go wrong with a SPFI EA82. What can go wrong is if you but an EA82 TURBO, and use some crappy regualr oil, fram filters, 87 octane fuel and drive it. It will blow up. Ive done it. EA82T is the most capable engine SUBARU had made...well, gotta hand that official title over to the EJ engines now...but this one comes in 2nd place. Its CLOSED deck (as well as ALL EAxx engines, except for some REALLY early ones that we never did get) and appears to be medium pressure cast....that translates into a STIFF block that can withhold high amounts of internal stress...read: POWER. Just run mobil 1 10w30 synthetic in it, keep the engine cool, invest in a recurculation valve for the turbo, use 93 fuel in it and bump the timing....and just drive it as hard as you want. Id take an EA82T over anything any day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted July 17, 2004 Share Posted July 17, 2004 Wut? Which is betteh? Thems fight'n words! Who cares! Drive whichever one you like. They all have fualts they all have perks. I like my EA82 SPFI becuase its Fuel Inected, high compression, eficcient, and SIMPLE. People like what they like and defend it with honor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkster58 Posted July 17, 2004 Share Posted July 17, 2004 i agree i just got back from rapid city,s.d. did over 3500k in the hornet/iam at 214k ..just keep the sucker clean and changed like a baby and she'll run forever....well sort of ..lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subGSR Posted July 17, 2004 Share Posted July 17, 2004 To be honest the ea81 is probabaly the most reliable and strongest subaru motor to date.Not wanting to sound like I am putting done other sub motors but this is a fact.Ea82 engines are also great motors but were more complex.With simplicity you get reliability and that is where the ea81 wins hands down. It may be down on power and an old engine but they just keep going. Kevin I'm curious as to what everyone has to say about each of these. Which is the most durable/reliable, or anything on them in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUBARU3 Posted July 17, 2004 Share Posted July 17, 2004 I agree and side with the EA 81 too. I have 4 cars with EA 71s, essentially the same engine and they are literally indestructable! Todd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam N.D.J. Posted July 17, 2004 Share Posted July 17, 2004 I think this has been hashed out quite a bit lately. I do have to say, that I used to be the typical die hard "nothing is better than an EA81 guy" But after getting a couple OHC engines, I do have to say that the power is definatly a detirming factor. I have had an equal amount of basically the same problems with both my EA81/71 car and my EA82/ER27 ones. Only thing that you don't have to worry about with an EA81 is timing belts, but if you do regular mainenance, then you don't have to worry. And I've had about 10 times more headgasket failures with the 81 cars than with the 82's, it's all in how you keep up on them, if you give them hell and don't put any work back into them, then ya, they will die a horrible death, this goes for any engine, regardless of what it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archemitis Posted July 18, 2004 Share Posted July 18, 2004 ea82 power!_! that is all you will hear from me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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