ihscout54

Thank you for the replies. I cant find any mention of the use of sealant in any posts, infact most state to install them dry. I plan to order some fel-pro H.G.s, and compare them to the B/A's. Fel-pro h.g.'s brag about being able to "seal minor imperfections". Probably only the spec'd .05mm but it makes me feel better reading it. Im not sure how I feel about having the heads machined w/valves intact, Ive never had that done befor, and am worried about metal shavings etc. I might take them over to a shop and have them inspected. One of the block mating surfaces has some rusty gaskety residue around the top studs, cleaning that should be fun.

My "new" '84 hatch w/EA71 is getting the head gaskets replaced. Motors out heads are off, everything is looking good. My top concern is that Im pretty sure the motor has been overheated more than once. (fan was frighteningly rigged + pothead P.O.) Ive checked the heads and block and cannot find an obvious leak area, and they seem to check out with a metal ruler and feeler gauge. I was only getting compression in the coolant (no white smoke or milky oil). Should I go through the hassle of having them surfaced, or are these usually good to go? Do you guys have any advice for cleaning up the block surface with the studs intact? Any one here have experience with beck/arnley head gasket kits? I orderd one from rockauto, cheap close out, and now Im rethinking that decision. I already have OEM intake gaskets, as they are no good in aftermarket form, but perhapse the head gaskets will be good? Last, when I was looking up the head bolt loosening sequince I noticed the manual is mentioning use of "genuine Subaru head gasket sealer". Never used it befor, and couldnt find any info on it in searches. Is this info out of date?

I have had alot of problems with the passenger side assembly tearing boots. Ive replaced several under warranty and with out, some shimmy and click right out of the box. Even now my brat is rolling with a torn outer boot, it only had about 200 miles on it when it went (my cars arent lifted). Its common knowledge here that aftermarket axles are not reliable, just do a search and you will find lots of info. Im going to give MWE axles a try next time since they seem to be whats recomended around here.

Detailed answer is in the USRM http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=49918

In case you havent solved this, or for any other searchers out there, they/it will be buried under the dash on the drivers side. My '82 brat has 2 of the small, round, 2 wire canister units. They are behind the fuse panel and above the hood release bracket. My '84 hatch has one box like unit w/3 wires attached to the left side of the pedal bracket. Finding them is a little tricky the first time and the manual dosnt offer much help. Im also not sure which models or years dictated what style flasher you will have, my guess is the dual flahsers were ('80-82) and the single ('83-up), but it I guess could be a 2wd vs 4wd thing, brat vs hatch, etc.

Its a breather line and needs to be open.

3rd eye gettin dirty.

Thank you for the replies. I may just have to wait a bit to get it home. Tow vehicle isnt an issue I have a couple full size 8 cyls to choose from. The issue is how to hook up a tow bar, or where to get a dolly. This was where I was at. Im sure I could rig something up, but it would take some engineering due to the way the "bumper shocks" are mounted. Also it has occured to me there may be an issue of all four on the ground w/no registration and insurance. The car is in Vegas and since the economy has gotten so bad there people are leaving in droves. Many u-hauls dont have a dolly, or trailer available. The ones that do want top $$ for them. In fact the quoted price for the same trip reversed (to Vegas, instead of from) is well under half the price.

Ive just bought an 84 DL hatch 4 spd 2wd. U-hauls dolly prices have gotten a bit outa reality, I own a universal tow bar lights and chains, and it seems as though flat towing for 200 miles should be OK. Problem... Where to attach the tow bar.... One of the lower tow hooks is damaged/bent, and the bumper is a bit thin + looks to have the "crash dampener" attachment setup (not sure Im not with the car and only glanced at it). Any thoughts or experiences are appriciated.

I assumed you had checked the intake gaskets... After replacing them. You did say you swapped the SPFI... I asked several times what you were considering "spfi"and you said the whole thing. SPFI swap is a common term around here and it lead me to belive you swapped the whole entire system (manifold and all). Im still not sure what part you are calling SPFI. Must be the throttle body assembly (though I asked that). Looks like hes still missing the point

Those are not regulators, they are dampeners. The pressure regulator is on the TB where the fuel lines connect. Have you checked for codes? Im going to say the same things again, have you tested the CTS (coolant temp sender) with an ohm meter?

Agreed... Nice catch, people plug the 2 diagnostic connectors together thinking they should be connected. Hence if the green ones are connected the white ones may be too...

My understanding of it is that the SPFI (single port fuel injection) is a labeling for the system as a whole. When you say youve "swapped" it are you saying the whole system or just the injector? It sounds like you know what your doing, but now frustrated. DONT give in to throwing parts... test them! Do you have access to the factory service manual and a digital ohm meter? The manual has excellent trouble trees and what youre gunna need to do is "follow the tree" There is a link on here to the manual if not. Ill gladly find it for you, if needed. This system is designed to run at a specific pressure. Weather or not the fuel pump, pumps fuel you need to check the fuel pressure. I belive it should be 21 psi, SOME ONE CORRECT ME IF IM WRONG! Its a PITA to do since theres no port inline, but you need to rule out a faulty pressure regulator, fuel filter, plugged return line, a weak pump etc. Your symptoms could be a plugged return line, especially if youve swapped out the entire SPFI system. Another thought....Hows the fuel? Bad fuel can do some wild things as well.

Im assuming this is a EA82 car. What do you mean by spfi, -throttle body assy? Have you tested the CTS & TPS with an ohm meter. What about the IAC valve? A fuel pressure test needs to be high on the list as well. Are you running the car with the intake boot/MAF/air filter box dissasembled in any way? The MAF is very sensitive and may cause similar symptoms if its not getting proper air flow across its elements while the vehicle is running.

You could get away with using 1 bigger fan, but I would replace the wiring from the battery to the relay, the relay to the fan, and the relay itself. Use the gauge wiring recomended by the mfgr of the fan. There are fans out there that draw less than 10 amps. If your in to junkyards that could work too. A setup from an A/C car might be ideal (2 fans). But just beware the stock setup on my car wont allow both fans to run wile the headlights are on. Im sure theres a reason for this :-\

I think the weird flashes you are seeing are normal (from the ECU LED). Thats why the light is coverd up. Its the O2 sensor monitor, once the O2s is heated up and in circuit that lamp flashes its activity. Not sure what it means, but my car does it too. I bet some one here will tell us. Make sure your test connectors are unplugged.

Have you let it warm up? Its going to be alot more "cold-blooded" now that you have removed the stove pipe. Did this just start acting up? Could be alot of things really. Vac leaks: you need to check for broken hoses, plastic connectors and around the carb. Accelerator pump: either the pump might be empty or just not sealing enough to squirt gas, look down the carb and pump the accelerator linkage too see if its squirting gas. Could be other carb issues, is this carb a feedback unit? Timing is another thought...

Dave, are you talking about TIMS? I used to work there when it was Hyundai Isuzu. Last I heard a Subaru franchise replaced Isuzu when when Isuzu went under. If the parts manager is still the same, he is the only one to talk too. His name is Ed, he's great. They've had some pretty worthless people in there over the years, and if they are busy in the shop they will blow you off on the phone especially for something that might require pulling a book out for. If you could get the subaru part # that would solve their need to flip pages.

Yes, theres a couple bulbs in there and they are on the same harness. Perhapse they came unplugged, or just burnt out. Not hard to replace, but you will have to pull the panel.

Ive been looking for engine options for my BRAT for a couple years. It seams like theres really only 2 good options for most of us: Rebuild the EA81 (if you can find the parts) or find an EJ. I had seen the page I posted a while ago and did some resurch on it. I found that sawp to be unrealistic for me to do. Those engines seem even harder to find than ours. I would only consider this if I had an extra Subaru to do it too and alot of time. If you can get the whole setup cheap (I would take the whole drive train, radiator and all accys) that would rock, if not dont waiste your time. Take photos of the setup too, befor you yank. Better yet get the whole car. Wankels are pretty decent but different units. As stated you may loose some economy but you WILL gain in high rpm action. It wont be easier to find parts, and wont give you any real durabilty gains as these motors have their own set of weaknesses. Fun unuiqe project, but alot of work. Read that site I posted it had a few details about the swap. If you get some pics post em' up, Ide like to see it.

Ive seen this on the web befor, I wonder if its the same car? Sure would Be sad if it was. http://cp_www.tripob.com/rotary/pg04.htm

'82 and up clusters will have the VSS. It seems like few 82-84 clusters had the spot cut for the ECS light. Anything later should be ok. Im not sure how plug and play swapping to a later cluster will be, but if you have come this far in your swap this should be a minor thing to solve. Ide like to say the "pins" all stayed the same, but Im not sure. Some one out there has swapped clusters and will know.

I suppose it all has to do w/the music you listen too. Some light jazz or piano ballad might sound crappy. I rarely notice any background noise w/ipod volume at max. I just decided that being perfect on this mod was pointless (that, and I didnt figure it out after 20 mins of messin). The 198x dual knob factory Subaru-Clarion deck isnt putting out the sounds my Kenwood in my Frontier is. And its just not going too. I have accepted this trade off for keeping my dash stock. If something cheap can be done without extra holes being poked in the dash for switches, Im all in. Otherwise what ive got works pretty well. Im watchin' to see what you guys come up with. BTW the 5 pin DIN was used on older keyboards. You can get cables pretty cheaply at Radio Shack if needed. Or at the J-yard.

I did something similar on my car. On the EA81's the deck and head are separate units joined by 2 DIN cables (one male one female) coming out the back of the units. I used the cable from the tape deck and soldered a 3.5mm jack on to the end. I never solved the switching between tape over-ride and radio. I just plug in the I-pod and turn the dial till theres no station and little noise. Usually all the way to the 108+ side on FM. Works great, though sometimes I will get some noise, but its faint. The only thing I wish Ide have done was to set it up w/ charger and ipod plug. I dont recall which wires were what, but I belive it was standard DIN.

Do you have a digital volt meter? You must have one to properly diag this issue. I think you already cleaned this didnt you? Its on the front of the throttle body and has 2 - 5/8" black hoses: one on the bottom and one on the side. If you havent cleaned it then you need too, and replace the o-rings while your at it. There are great pics of it in the manual, and a locations guide too. I will warn you though; that code is to be expected as the idle was malfunctioning. Just because you get a code doesnt mean its that part thats causing the issue. Odds are good that your O2 sensor code is related to what ever is causing the problem. Something is throwing off the ECM's abillity to controll the idle in all conditions. This ECM is fairly primitave it cannot tell you everything, but its not totally retarded either. So test befor you chuck. You might go to the Junk Yard and get another IAC to clean and replace yours with to fully rule it out. *there is a test procedure in the manual too* . No supprise about the egr solenoid code, I doubt that has anything to do with this. But you do want to fix it. Also did you confirm the CEL bulb was inop in the dash?