Someone had posted a question about towing with a Subaru wagon (something I am currently interested in) on a mailing list I subscribe to. I have posted the question and response below. Can anyone help me to understand the respondant's answer? I am very confused by how the intake design and the EGR affect engine performance when towing. It sounds like the engine retards timing when under load. I have read the response several times, but I'm just getting more confused. Anyone who can clarify this is my hero. Thanks.

 

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Re: towing with my 1986 GL wagon

Posted by: "bargd73" *********73@verizon.net bargd73

Wed Oct 3, 2007 1:30 pm (PST)

--- In subaru_18@yahoogrou ps.com, "elfdowney" wrote:

>

> hi all...

> anyone know the SAFE towing capacity for my 1986 GL Wagon(FWD, N/A,

> manuel trans)?

> anything I would need to beef-up to tow a #2000 trailer?

> thanx-in advance

> elf

>

 

I did find a bolt on hitch for that model.. I was going to use one

for light duty. Not for longer trips because of the restrictions

subaru built in to the ea engine, but if to change a few things...

The n/a intake is insane. Can't keep it cool enough (and that means

it is working the way subaru intended). The more load the engine, the

more the air cool for the engine is hot before it gets there! It is a

built in engine retarder. (No wonder they go twenty years).So that

means when putting too much on the old buggy, when it is needed most,

it retards itself. This is AFTER removing the even crazier EGR

valve.The fuel pump: if it is carbed is too small for longevity in

towing many miles. The spfi has that crazy hot maf, but there is ways

out of that and it has a decent fuel pump. I got an spfi intake cool

enough for the fuel return line to actually be used(that was a good

sign). But again, the engine retarded itself with the crazy intake

design, until I did my tricks to a lightweight hardly strained 2wd.

That was a fun car and made the ea82 very nice and quietly powerful

enough- just couldn't do heavy things with it.

There is mpfi heads for n/a, but there is something not strong with

the head itself. even Subaru replaces the casting entirely and does

not rebuild them I am assuming for this weak flawed reason, es

pecially with turbos.

BUT... and this is what I have always wanted to do, not just for

towing, but 10% grades for *miles* and loving it..

mpfi on a 9.0:1 simply in a wagon body. The XT was always fun and

no complaints with power with this setup by OEM, except for the ECU

and its functions being stupid ALot. So... return the mpfi heads to

carb cams, side draft a hacked carb on a spider intake, or a carb on

the mpfi double runner (weber) and go with it for all its worth. Or

find a way to hack the single runner intakes to get that godforsaken

insanely hot fluid out of the darn fuel/air path. Thinking of extra

cooling will not work. It will throw off a thermostat to the pint of

no open, and there you have it, the retarder of heat at you again (I

would not know how to balance that out after say a bigger radiator) I

am sure a 180 degree from an ea81 with a clean rad would helpo, but

you will encounter the infamous restriction- it seems to be

hopelessly built in, unless you want to hack with ingenuity.

I have thoroughly thought about this, and that is the answers. It is

a fantastically genioused econo engine, to heavy duty it would

require hacking. Intake seems to be the very very obvious problem.

Raising lift on cams is simple without changing them etc etc. That

darn intake has baffled me forever(pun intended).

You will notice in your search from this author that it says in red next to his sn "Disregard everything posted by this user". You shouldnt even read the stuff he has said.

OH MY. hahahhahahhaha :lol:

 

Yeah, that guy marches to the beat of his own drum. Ignore most everything he says.

 

His screen name on here is "B G D 7 3" with no spaces. His name is a swear word here...

Durania, this post was from a mail group not this forum

thus no warning.

 

Our boy does have some "issues"

do not pursue this any further or the post will be closed.

 

As for a semi-answer

I would up grade the brakes (from a turbo wagon maybe)

before the attempted tow job.

Or get a trailer with electric brakes and a Prodigy brake

controler.

That gave me a headache. There is a built in retarder, but its not under the hood of that car.

 

 

nipper

ouch.

I finally understand... Have been hearing of this for awhile now. Didn't really understand the WARNING, but now I do! WOW!

 

Anyway, I tow a 1500lb boat around w/ stock loyale (spfi manual). It isn't too bad. Just anticipate your stops if you can! I also towed a jeep cherokee home on a towbar (no tounge wieght). I kept it under 30 for safety, but a cherokee weighs a min. of 3200lbs.

I have a pipe bumper w/ a ball.

My trailer hitch:

 

http://home.comcast.net/~davidtief/hitch.html

 

Built almost 20 years ago.

So if I'm reading the NON-Insane response correctly....

 

WOW!!!

 

If guy had a 1990 E82 Turbo Automatic and could somehow find a way to get a little tow package added to the back of the old wagon.....it could pull a 14' boat with about a 90 and a full tank of fuel??????

Does that seem feasible?

If it has a 4speed automatic, probably. Three speed don't even bother.

I should have included in my other post.

 

I only have 3AT 4WD wagons. Max towing about 1000Lbs. Handles ok, yeah, it's slow, and you have to plan ahead for stopping, downshift (2), , no speeding, etc. Under 500, no big deal. I don't tow every day.

I can't comment on the auto, but if you have an older boat it should be fine. New boats just seem so dang heavy, don't they? I unbolted the rear bumper (inside the trunk box) and fab'ed a pipe bumper that slid right in place and bolted in like stock. Seems strong as any.