Break me in .. new owner of an 82 GL

[labatt13]

Some of you from NASIOC may know me from me recent posts from the "old school" forum. Well I was posting about GLs and there was one I have been seeing around town and as fate would have it I ran up yesterday morning to leave a not on the guy's car in regards to purchasing it and he called me by end day and stated he was just aboutto junk it since he got a new car.

 

So Later today I will pick it up. He told me it needs a clutch/clutch cable,ball joint and rear window.

 

So once I get it I want to dive ina nd start working on things. I would like to know some of the things that tend to go out at this age. Granted I have not went over to see what is fairly new. My plan is changing parts that are just old and don't really need changing yet so I can be on the safe side. My intentions are for the fall/winter so I really want to get it in best shape for than. If you guys would help me please tell me:

 

1)What parts tend to go the most and what goes about this age (aprox 160k)

2)What would areas would you suggest I checky closely for wear/damage.

 

My next area I would like to work on would be major upgrades. I start a little bit of talk on NASIOC on a turbo engine. To my understanding there is a Chaser in Canada that had one that will fit up as well as a later year (GL or DL?) that will as well.

 

1)Are these engines the same as the Chaser?

2)If these engines are differnt is one a simple bolt in?

3)Will old motor mounts work or will new mounts from the turbo model fit to the exsisting chasis (82GL)?

4)Is there any hard fabracation I will have to do?

5)How does the trans hold up to a turbo engine?

 

Sorry I am not yet familar with the engine codes and years. Is there a list or can someone give me a quick break down on this.

 

The GL I am getting has a light bar in the front I was curious to know of all the extras Subaru offered for the early GLs,Brats etc.

 

Also I was looking in the gallery and saw someone's GL with a nice safari style roof rack. Does anyone know which ones fit or the dimensions people used. I won't be able to measure the car until tonight so if you don't know off hand I will post later. The roof racks I saw online were:

http://www.everythingsuv.com/surco_safari_roof_racks-esuv.asp

 

Which seem nice and lightweight but still would love to hear feedback on these or any others you may have used.

 

 

Next I was considering upgrading the interior granted I can find an interior to purchase. Long ago one of my first cars was a DL or GL? I remember it was a grey sedan with charchol colored interior. It had a digital dash. Has anyone fitted any of the newer dash boards in an older model? Also how hard is fitting some imprea seats? I have a spare set from my 93 wagon.

 

The owner did not want to pay 300 for a new rear window and he had a friend with a race car who had lexan and so he made a lexan window. Which is fine by me but I would like to seal it. Is there any painless way of doing this? I see on race cars they rivit them but thats it. Maybe rivets and silicon?

 

OK I will leave this at that since no one is probally reading this far lol. Anyway thanks for any and all help. If anyone is in New England drop me a line.

[GeneralDisorder]

160k? That's pretty low on the EA81 spectrum.

 

Parts that fail? Surely you jest..... axles *maybe* but only because the rubber in the boots is old. Ball joint - again old rubber on the boots. The stock Hitachi (or perhaps carter/weber) carbs are some of the worst/most complex known to man... as luck would have it they usually run ok with the exception of the choke/cold starting, and are easily replaced with a real Weber or (my favorite) SPFI from the later GL/Loyale line.

 

Biggest issue by far in your area is going to be rust. Other than that you need to watch your oil pressure. If not kept in check, the engine will suffer main bearing and rod bearing failure easily. 160k is about perfect for a new oil pump and seals. They are cheap ~$65, and only four bolts on the front of the engine. Well worth the investment and 30 minutes it takes to change one. Change the sending unit if it's leaking, and it's a good idea to take a real pressure reading with a mechnical shop guage to verify.

 

1) The "chaser" is the canadian name given to the EA81 Hatchback.... you canadian or something?? Anyway, yes - same engine. No "chaser" (or any EA81 Hatch) ever came with an EA81T stock. The EA81 Turbo is rare - it came in ONLY the Brat, Wagon, and Coupe, and only for two years - 83, and 84. There was exactly two EA81T hatch's made - both for the movie cannon ball run. One was destroyed, and the other is in the possesion of some automotive education institute in WA state. What you probably heard about was a member here on the board (rguyver) that put a turbo and SPFI on his "chaser" hatch. It had NOS and second injector at one point too, but the engine was a stock EA81 with 8.7:1 compression.

 

2) Engines that will "bolt in" - EA81, and EA82, and turbo versions of same, but a LOT more work is involved for turbo's.

 

3) Engine mounts? Well the EA81 and EA82 use the same mounts, and are similar to the EJ mounts - the EJ22 will fit in the chassis by slotting the holes in the engine cross-member about 3/4" outward - but it will NOT bolt to the transmission without an adaptor plate. Not sure what you mean by "turbo mounts" as far as I know there is no such animal.

 

4) Fabrication? Well depends on what you are doing I guess. I'm still not clear on what you want...

 

5) The EA81 trans isn't meant for anything over 100 HP really. They are good transmissions, but if you start putting too much torque through them stuff will break. The reverse gears are known to snap with too much power.... but the 5 spd from the EA82 will go in without a lot of trouble and they are more rugged. The race versions of the EA82T were around 170 HP

 

Extras.... look at the brochure scans on this site.

 

No idea on the safari racks - everyone that has one on this site that I know of either built their own, or had another member build it for them.

 

Newer dash - not possible without major work and probably have to be custom or from something other than a subaru. All newer models are wider. Impreza seats are easy - really ANY seat you can imagine is possible. Usually some fabing/welding is involved. I have late 80's Isuzu Impulse seats in my Brat - very simple almost bolt in with those, but they are notoriously difficult to find. I have legacy seats in my lifted wagon - comfy.

 

I would find another hatch with the correct window in it. Lexan is a pain unless you are racing and absolutely have to use it for regs.

 

GD

[75subie]

your only real good place for parts here on the north east is Harry's u pull it in Hazelton PA. they will have your back window, and some of the other things you need. there was 5 hatchbacks there last week.

 

-Jon

[Numbchux]

for the roof rack, you can use any Thule, Yakima or similar gutter-mount setup for the crossbars, and then that safari rack would work. otherwise TWE fabrications does a great job (his member name here is Soobme, and has made a post or 2 in the vender forum...check it out)

[timpappas]

echoing 75's reply on harry's...don't let the witch that checks you out bust your bizzals. i was going to fight, but i wanted my wagon wheels too much to leave them there...she busted me over 3 tires that were on them, which i won't use. i should have hacksawed them off before i went to pay...they will have most of what you are looking for. a nice outing.

[moosens]

Harry's and some of the other smaller yards in PA.Well,after Harry's they're ALL smaller.

 

Might try F & S in Waterbury,CT but they're often expensive.Save you a longer drive though.

 

If you want to head in the other direction contact "junkyardGabe" who helps run a yard in Lisbon Falls/Freeport Maine right near L.L.Bean and crap the ladies love,outlet stores 'n bead shops 'n stuff.Good run to keep women happy while you hustle some parts.Contact him,he'll let you know what he has.Search members above.

 

Hate to tell you this but you and a lot of other people missed tons of EA81 stuff I tossed out and gave away.There's some pockets of older Subarus up here,but few and far between.

 

We have an '82 GLF registered right now.Turns 25 in January!Already passed emissions for the last time it needs to,walks into "Antique" status soon,like yours. "Bucky92" will be taking it over into the Classic era.

[75subie]

yea, Junkyardgabe is also a good one. last time i was up there he had 3 brats, 3 hatchbacks, and one hatchback was still restorable. 1 of the brats was pretty well rusted, but untouched.

[jeep5.9litre]

Ahhh. i forgot that the 82 im getting will be an antique soon....

[labatt13]

So how about I got a complete e82 turbo wagon or the like would this be the best way to do the swap? Would I still need to fab anything? Or would the donar car have everything?

 

For the dash I wanted was from a 84 GL Sedan. This would fit right?

 

As I am getting familar with all the years and parts available given a particular year I thin keverything I waant is from an 84 well I guess the turbo is any e82 turbo and I would do the trans as well. I figure I would keep it stock.

 

I was thinking on going after a grey interior which I knew 84 GL sedans had but I guess sedan door paels would not match so I think I will just try to source the damaged interior parts and stick with the same color. I have a tan plaid but the vynal seems to have dried than cracked real bad. Is this very common? Should I try to source old seats or just have them redone?

 

 

160k? That's pretty low on the EA81 spectrum.

 

Parts that fail? Surely you jest..... axles *maybe* but only because the rubber in the boots is old. Ball joint - again old rubber on the boots. The stock Hitachi (or perhaps carter/weber) carbs are some of the worst/most complex known to man... as luck would have it they usually run ok with the exception of the choke/cold starting, and are easily replaced with a real Weber or (my favorite) SPFI from the later GL/Loyale line.

 

Biggest issue by far in your area is going to be rust. Other than that you need to watch your oil pressure. If not kept in check, the engine will suffer main bearing and rod bearing failure easily. 160k is about perfect for a new oil pump and seals. They are cheap ~$65, and only four bolts on the front of the engine. Well worth the investment and 30 minutes it takes to change one. Change the sending unit if it's leaking, and it's a good idea to take a real pressure reading with a mechnical shop guage to verify.

 

1) The "chaser" is the canadian name given to the EA81 Hatchback.... you canadian or something?? Anyway, yes - same engine. No "chaser" (or any EA81 Hatch) ever came with an EA81T stock. The EA81 Turbo is rare - it came in ONLY the Brat, Wagon, and Coupe, and only for two years - 83, and 84. There was exactly two EA81T hatch's made - both for the movie cannon ball run. One was destroyed, and the other is in the possesion of some automotive education institute in WA state. What you probably heard about was a member here on the board (rguyver) that put a turbo and SPFI on his "chaser" hatch. It had NOS and second injector at one point too, but the engine was a stock EA81 with 8.7:1 compression.

 

2) Engines that will "bolt in" - EA81, and EA82, and turbo versions of same, but a LOT more work is involved for turbo's.

 

3) Engine mounts? Well the EA81 and EA82 use the same mounts, and are similar to the EJ mounts - the EJ22 will fit in the chassis by slotting the holes in the engine cross-member about 3/4" outward - but it will NOT bolt to the transmission without an adaptor plate. Not sure what you mean by "turbo mounts" as far as I know there is no such animal.

 

4) Fabrication? Well depends on what you are doing I guess. I'm still not clear on what you want...

 

5) The EA81 trans isn't meant for anything over 100 HP really. They are good transmissions, but if you start putting too much torque through them stuff will break. The reverse gears are known to snap with too much power.... but the 5 spd from the EA82 will go in without a lot of trouble and they are more rugged. The race versions of the EA82T were around 170 HP

 

Extras.... look at the brochure scans on this site.

 

No idea on the safari racks - everyone that has one on this site that I know of either built their own, or had another member build it for them.

 

Newer dash - not possible without major work and probably have to be custom or from something other than a subaru. All newer models are wider. Impreza seats are easy - really ANY seat you can imagine is possible. Usually some fabing/welding is involved. I have late 80's Isuzu Impulse seats in my Brat - very simple almost bolt in with those, but they are notoriously difficult to find. I have legacy seats in my lifted wagon - comfy.

 

I would find another hatch with the correct window in it. Lexan is a pain unless you are racing and absolutely have to use it for regs.

 

GD

[GeneralDisorder]

EA82T would fit.... barely, you'll have to move the hill holder, and actually mating the engine up to the trans requires you first pull the distributor.... and doing any sort of real service would (pulling the valve cover, etc) would pretty much mean yanking the engine back out. Once it's in, there's only about 1/4" between the valve covers and the frame rail, and if the engine mounts are bad it will smack the frame every time you rev it.... exhaust would be interesting as the EA81 engine cross-member isn't curved right for the up and down pipes to the turbo, and the EA82 cross-member is too wide.

 

But the EA82T is a crap engine. They blow head gaskets if you look at them cross-eyed, crack heads, produce terrible power unless under boost, and even then it's only about 20 HP more than an NA EA82. With only a few mods, a built EA81 can match the EA82T in peak HP, and eclipse it in torque. Plus the added wireing complexity, and the turbo exhaust you would have to fab..... totally not worth the time or effort as it takes less of both to install an EJ22. You'll have a bulletproof engine, more simplified wireing, easier time with the exhuast, and 20 - 25 more HP without a turbo. It's a no-brainer really.

 

Dash will fit - any EA81 body car will fit. Should be the same dash you have tho, so unless it's really horribly cracked, and you are putting in a pristeen one, it's really not usually worth the 6-8 hours it takes to swap em (no joke on the 6-8 hours).

 

Recovered upolstery is a rip off unless you are restoreing it. Get some mazda protege seats - I hear they bolt in easy.

 

GD

[labatt13]

Thanks for all the info.

 

The other day I saw some site selling adapters for the currenttrans to an EJ series motor. Has anyone dropped an EJ in an EA body as of yet? I assume the pipig would be an issue if I started to dream about a legacy turbo I think was out in 90-92 year range?

 

Is the size of a 2.5 much larger than a 2.2? Also Is the EA82 trans a better choice for a more powerful engine? Will the EA82 trans require a different drive shaft? I am guessing the trans from an EJ series is to large and would require a shortend drive shaft?

 

Now back to the 2.2 would it kill either trans EA81 or EA82? I am not sure the HP/Torq but guessing 120-130 range?

 

Also what is the weight of the EA81 hatch? I would imagine the hatch with a 2.2/2.5 would really pull.

 

EA82T would fit.... barely, you'll have to move the hill holder, and actually mating the engine up to the trans requires you first pull the distributor.... and doing any sort of real service would (pulling the valve cover, etc) would pretty much mean yanking the engine back out. Once it's in, there's only about 1/4" between the valve covers and the frame rail, and if the engine mounts are bad it will smack the frame every time you rev it.... exhaust would be interesting as the EA81 engine cross-member isn't curved right for the up and down pipes to the turbo, and the EA82 cross-member is too wide.

 

But the EA82T is a crap engine. They blow head gaskets if you look at them cross-eyed, crack heads, produce terrible power unless under boost, and even then it's only about 20 HP more than an NA EA82. With only a few mods, a built EA81 can match the EA82T in peak HP, and eclipse it in torque. Plus the added wireing complexity, and the turbo exhaust you would have to fab..... totally not worth the time or effort as it takes less of both to install an EJ22. You'll have a bulletproof engine, more simplified wireing, easier time with the exhuast, and 20 - 25 more HP without a turbo. It's a no-brainer really.

 

Dash will fit - any EA81 body car will fit. Should be the same dash you have tho, so unless it's really horribly cracked, and you are putting in a pristeen one, it's really not usually worth the 6-8 hours it takes to swap em (no joke on the 6-8 hours).

 

Recovered upolstery is a rip off unless you are restoreing it. Get some mazda protege seats - I hear they bolt in easy.

 

GD

[daeron]

the digital gauge cluster is too much headache to swap in, or out.. its nowhere NEAR a simple bolt-on, and almost definitely not worth it.. unfortunately you wont find much help, most of the ppl whove done it have been of the sort that was beyond help.. (i mean of course that they were ace technicians who could figure out most things by themselves.. not beyond help in any other sense :- )

[GeneralDisorder]

Depends on what you want this thing for....

 

(my opinions, others differ perhaps)

 

1. Hardcore off road: Built EA81 + 5 speed D/R + Lift, tranfer case, etc. You can get a lot more crazy depending on your skill level with a welder. It's all about gearing and torque here. The EA81 is a beutiful engine for this - no timing belts, simple and easy to repair, and easily capable of 100 HP or more. Remember - older jeeps, samuri's etc are running around 60 - 70 HP.

 

2. Mild off-road: Aggressive tires.

 

3. Rally-cross: EJ22, RX 5 speed FT4WD (AWD) Dual Range, XT6 suspension bits, big sway bars, adjustable camber plates, roll-cage. You can get crazy here too.

 

4. Hardcore street: EJ22T Block, EJ20T heads (or 2.5 DOHC heads if you are really crazy), EJ series trans, LSD, XT6/Impreza hybrid suspension etc, etc. Note that going this route you will spend thousands of $$$, have tons of custom work done. But it's a cool learning exprience. Buy something else as a DD cause it will take a year or two to finish. Scary fast (well under 4.5 seconds 0-60), and probably not too safe.

 

5. Mild street: EJ22 or EJ22T wholesale swap (trans and all). 135 HP, and 160 HP respectively. Very decently fast really as the hatch is light. The straight EJ22 is more than capable of propelling a hatch far beyond it's braking capability.

 

Just some off-the-cuff opinions on what would be a good start. Notice how the only engines worth even looking at are what you already have, and various iterations of the EJ20 or EJ22? EJ25's are breakable, and the first gen ones have serious head gasket issues. The 4 speed and 5 speed Dual Range both suffer from a weak reverse gear that is partially a result of worn shift linkages. Making the 4 speed usually the worse of the two as it has horrible linkage. The reverse on both doesn't always fully engage, and the uneven wear pattern causes failure of the gear teeth - usually right when you really would like to use it . Not good for high performance applications...

 

GD