iluvdrt

my 5 speed DR has whined pretty loud on several long uphill grades. I over filled it with about 1/2 pint of Lucas oil. It still has normal gear whine but it isn't anything like it has been.

I ordered some from Subarugenuineparts.com a few month ago. Came in no problems.

Might need to use a small chisel if the notches are bugered up in the same manner that you would have used a punch.

Are you going on the MtnRoo Bald Mountain trip? Anyways, run down to NAPA or Auto zone and see if they have a 4WD hub socket with the little splines in it. The splines can be modified to fit into the lockring and unscrew it. I have also seen people take flat steel and cut it to fin into the grooves of the lock ring and then use that flat stock to turn the nut. I think Nico did this but he welded it to a socket. Feel free to hit me up on FB, maybe we can figure something out that's not as slow as waiting on responses from a forum

Well I haven't seen a rebuild kit. It only has 1 bearing in it, and the outer seals are literally the boots. There is a nut by the where the steering linkage goes that you unscrew and that acts as a tensioner. I just took the steering shaft out, cleaned everything and repacked that bearing. Put it all back together and adjusted the tension with that nut and it was good. Its actually very easy to repair one of these.

My struts were already new, so they came with perch. I just replaced the top hats and got KYB's because they came with a bearing and not a bushing. I also used EA82 wagon springs on the front with EA82 top hats.. Just had to dremel the strut rod hole in them round to fit the EA81 strut. Got a way better spring rate, and a tad bit of lift without using the adjusters on the spring perch.

Did that fix it?

I just used a new EA81 stock new radiator. Has worked fine.

Why are you changing the old rack anyways? You can clean them and rebuild them very easy. There is nothing to them, and if its loose they can be adjusted.

Mine was doing this and it ended up being the spring rotating in the perch and not rotating back. The bushings for the strut mount were garbage and binding the spring. New KYB mounts with bearing plates solved it.

Assuming I still have my Brat (not totaled out by some douche hitting me), Im going to chalk this up to FY19's build list. I have to fix my front up first. Tired of shitty axles, brakes, bearings, shocks, etc.

The rear R160 can be changed out. WRX diffs for example are cheap, as is any Subaru XXX that uses a R160. Torsion bars can be made by swayaway, and in fact Ill be getting some soon. The stub axles in the hub for a VW are completely different than an EA81 and way stronger. Also, they can still be purchased new, in all sorts of different strength configurations. There are VW's literally putting down 400-500 HP with the set up I posted above. I don't think stub axles are an issue for them. For a long(er) travel suspension that will nearly be indestructible and resemble the stock set up, other than cost, I don't see a down side. It achieves 10x more than anything else, and maintains an extensive aftermarket.

Are the bushings for the radius arms good? The radius arm is what sets the castor up on these cars and if its bent or the bushings are bad it will make a tire sit in or out of the wheel well.

Just curious if anyone has ever used VW trailing arms on an EA81 chassis so that Porsche 930 CV axles, better brakes, endless after market support, better shocks, etc has ever been attempted. It looks to me like the trailing arm mounting tabs on the torsion bar tube would have to be modified, and possible the bolt holes for the torsion bar plate. Than using Subagears R160 flanges you can convert the rear diff to be able to use Porsche 930 rebuild able CV's which also offer A LOT more flex. The whole kit would allow you to run way better brakes with after market options, 5x100 wheels, way better shock options using a bar pin eliminator kit at the stock sock mount (Ranchos suck!!), and potentially better torsion bars from sway away. My estimates are at $1500 for the conversion minus fab work (Which I can do myself). So realistically $2000. I think, after I get front done with EJ hubs/axles/custom LCA's, and coilovers from Subieworks this year, calendar year 19's tax return might go to this conversion.

The Brat does have fresh air. 2 actually. My 82 has a fresh air vent by the clock (Unrelated to HVAC though) AND the HVAC is always on fresh air unless you put it to AC recirculate (If equipped) as denoted in my OP. Which you also confirmed by saying "The system is always open to outside air"....Outside air IS fresh air lol. The system being "Open to outside air" is the fresh air option. Yes, even new cars do DO this. I have a 2005 OBS, a 2015 XV, and a 2017 BRZ that all "leak" hot air while driving with the fans turned off but the temperature set to hot. The 1996 Crown Vic that I commute into work with also does this. And while your diagnostic method is OK, revving the engine actually drops vacuum in the manifold unless it is hooked to the distributor advance port under the carb which is a ported vacuum port. Any other port on the carb or intake manifold looses vacuum when revving, and is less during operation when compared to idling or decelerating. The Vacuum pod located under the dash hooks to the right side of the intake manifold right on top, which is not a ported vacuum port. The pod is there to store a vacuum so that when operating the engine (when there is no vacuum in the manifold) and the selector is moved, there is still enough vacuum to change the air selector flap, as well as told hold the flap there when operating the motor. The temperature setting is not controlled by vacuum. It is cable operated and operates a blend door which resides over the heater core. This blend door directs the air coming from the air source ( which is controlled by the mode lever which is operated by the aforementioned vacuum servo) through or around the heater core or a combination of the two depending on where the temperature setting is. Only the fresh air/recirculation settings are operated by vacuum. Recirculation does not pull outside air in, it recirculates the existing air already in the cabin. If he has his settings to recirculation, the fan off, and is still getting air blowing through the vents, than yes, the vacuum servo or vacuum pod has failed and is no longer retaining vacuum. So once he downshifts and gives it the beans, the engine looses vacuum, and the recirculation door return spring opens the door to outside air. When cruising or idling the engine gains vacuum, which pulls the door shut thus stopping the air. If he is cruising in the heat mode (which is fresh air) ambient air will continue to blow across the heater core as described earlier. OP, the outside air door is on the right side of your HVAC unit behind the passenger foot well tray and radio trim. You can see it kind of operate when the truck is idling by selecting heat or max AC recirc. To test the vacuum pod (Located behind the glove box) simply unplug each end from the vacuum tube. If you can blow air through both sides than it is no longer functional by holding vacuum.

Thanks brother!! You have a pretty sweet wagon yourself!

With the fan off and moving at a good pace it will circulate air though the vents as it is forced air from the outside. Going up a hill your speed decreases and thus isn't moving as much air across the heater core. All cars, even new ones, do this when the "fresh air" selector mode is selected because the air intake for the heater is directly under the windshield cowl. If you don't want the residual air circulation either move the selector lever from Heat to Max AC (recirculation), or turn your temperature knob to cold (which will still circulate cooler air).

Just buy a new one off of RockAuto. I just bought one about 6 months ago and it has worked flawlessly. Think it cost $140, even came with inner tie rod ends.

Nice, more EJ22 peeps in SoCal.

So awesome. I am glad you found our group on Facebook as well.

FWIW I actually bought one of these about a month ago. I love it!

RAD I am in Oceanside and have rebuilt EA81 with Weber 32/36 that's been jetted and tuned with a MSD 6AL ignition system, Holley FPR, Redline fuel pump and Magnaflow header. Those parts alone were $1000 new and maybe got me close to $100 hp. My EJ22 swap is 100x better than that motor, but did take me a bit of time to figure out. To think an EA81 is a capable, easy to find parts for as an EJ, or even remotely comparable is crazy lol. Look, its a cool little motor, but when it actually goes you're going to spend more money rebuilding the 80hp EA81 than you would just doing a swap. Ill tell you what, $650 and you can have my EA81 with all of the goods already tuned for SoCal and be on your way to building a "beast" lol.

The rears are no longer sold. You have to source them used and rebuild them. You can use the inner boots from the front axles.

Have you checked the fan relays and fuse?

I am using an interface module from small cars.com that simulates the sensors voltage to the ECU so that the ECU thinks those sensors are still there. These swaps in finding out are much more common in the VW world and so they have a very well documented wiring section with all of the same issues we have. The difference is that they have developed aftermarket solutions to a lot of the common problems we just ignore or work around.