I swapped out the ignition coil on my 85/86 GL Hatch and everything worked fine. I then went to a Pull-a-Part and got a 2wd distributor (I read this would have a more advanced firing curb) and I'm not sure how to install it or even if I got the right one. HELP! how do I know if I got the right distributor?

what year was the car you got the disty from? if it was an ea82 style car (block headlights, timing belts) then you got the wrong one, if it is out of an ea81 car with a simular nose to yours, you got the right one.

There is NO difference in advance curves. Wives tale....

 

Also the 2WD is more prone to bushing failure.... actually it's just not as tollerant of shaft play, but same effect. They do fit better with a Weber, but that's the only reason I use them.

 

GD

what year was the car you got the disty from? if it was an ea82 style car (block headlights, timing belts) then you got the wrong one, if it is out of an ea81 car with a simular nose to yours, you got the right one.[/quote

 

what do you mean by block headlights? the front end did look similar to mine but it was a fuel injected wagon. I haven't done enough research to know all of the cars and what is interchangeable. The disty was on the rear of the engine on the parts car and mine is on the front of the engine. mine also has a vac line running to the carb and the new one doesn't.

 

I am also confused with my rear suspension. I looked in a repair manual and it says the rear suspension shouldn't have a torsion bar after 84 but mine does and it is an 85 or 86.

Wrong distributor - you have an EA81, and you pulled an EA82. You would have to remove a mounting tab, and change the drive gear for it to even fit, and since you got it from a fuel injected car, it won't work at all being it's just a crank angle sensor and needs the fuel injection computer for spark control.

 

As for the suspension, you do have a torsion bar. The Hatchback, and Brat continued to be sold in the US till 89, and 87 respectively, but they are 100% '84 in design.

 

GD

Thanks. So, should the 2wd distributor look just like the one that is already in my car? Is there anyother way to distinguish between the 2wd disty and the 4wd disty besides which car you pull them from?

2WD will look very similar, but will be a Nippon Denso brand vs. the Hitachi used on the 4WD's.

 

But again, there is no difference in the advance curve, so unless you want one for some other reason, it's a moot point.

 

GD

I was reading the EA performance page linked from the offroad subaru page. Under the sub-heading, it says that the 2wd ditributors have a different advance curve and provide full advance sooner. Therefore gaining power on the bottom end. I am curious to know your opinion on this tech tip. I'm kind of annoyed that I went out and got one that turned out to be the wrong thing when even the right one won't change anything.

It's been discussed at length before. Use the search.

 

The factory service manuals show a single advance curve. I didn't write that "performance" page, but it's also VERY old, and quite frankly, wrong.

 

GD

It's been discussed at length before. Use the search.

 

The factory service manuals show a single advance curve. I didn't write that "performance" page, but it's also VERY old, and quite frankly, wrong.

 

GD

 

 

Thanks for the correction. I guess I'll take that back and get some other spare parts. Our Pull-a-Part doesn't do refunds but they will give store credit.