ferox

Hey texasjack, I wrote this wrong. Sorry it should be that the rotor will be pointing directly at the electrode in the cap at 8 degrees BTDC and moving past the electrode at 0 degrees BTDC. I had someone talking at me when I was typing and should have paid more attention. Last night laying in bed for some reason it popped up in my brain that I might have wrote it wrong...funny how the mind works sometimes. You probably figured it out intuitively, but I hope I didn't cause you any vexations.

Yeah that's usually a timing issue. If your timing is set at 8 degrees BTDC, then I think Storydude1 is probably correct or it's at least a disty issue. If you pull and re-install your distributor, just remember the rotor will be pointing directly at the electrode in the cap at 0 degrees BTDC and will be moving past the electrode at 8 degrees BTDC. Also, verify that the vacuum advance is connected to ported vacuum.

Do you mean gas shoots out the top of the carb?

Isn't there some weird switch or button in the late 80's wagons that does this? I think I have read about others having this problem and if I am not mistaken the button/switch thing is on the steering column or thereabouts. I don't do ea82, so hopefully someone will chime in with more direct experience, but I would hate for you to tear too much apart and fiddle with it if all it is, is a dimmer switch thingy.

Fyi, you have to bolt brackets to the bumper of the towed vehicle to use that tow bar. I use a couple bungees on the steering wheel whenever I use mine.

+1 although I do understand the Weber thing. I just rebuilt my Hitachi and I am getting over 31 mpg with good power and that's on an ea81 with 291k. I also installed a new vapor canister which I think is contributing to the fuel efficiency and a super steady idle. I think most people are running with an old vapor canister that has a leaky valve so they have a vacuum leak. When they switch to a Weber they delete the canister, so the Hitachi/Weber comparison isn't exactly straight-across. Benjamachine if you keep the charc. can. I recommend installing a new one. I used one for a '91 Jeep Grand Wagoneer. They are twice a big as the stock Subie one, but they are only $30 at Rockauto. Living in Telluride, you will never get very good mileage and the Weber is probably better for that elevation. I've installed two Webers so far...one on an ea81 and one on my Jeep. In both cases I used the Hitachi throttle lever and fuel inlet-and-return fitting on the Weber will great success. I am not sure if it matters, but I have always installed the fuel fitting with the fuel return on top. Also, I resurface all the base-adapter plate-manifold surfaces the way it's described in GDs thread about DIY head resurfacing. For the manifold and the base of the carb, I remove the studs and use a machinists block as a sanding block. It really makes a big difference in sealing the base, just make sure you get all the grit out.

I agree it's looking pretty awesome, but you can't say it works until you have built one, installed it in a lifted wheeler, and 'froaded and the crap out of it for many miles.

^^What they said. For future reference if you want to patent something you will need a working prototype. You will need to hire a patent attorney. There is no way to make it happen fast. At a minimum it will cost approximately $5,000. There is a book called "How to Patent it Yourself", but I think it is better used to educate yourself before hiring a patent attorney. Getting a patent these days is a rather arduous process, and there are so many patents out there now that review takes a very long time and chances are that someone may have a similar idea already patented. As far as patent infringement on what you have done already, you might want to get one built and tested until it's worthy, then post or offer the program file to anyone for free. Then you are not selling a product. Anyone can make a one-off from your program and if they want to hire you to make one for them, then you are providing services instead of a product.

The Haynes repair manual found at many auto parts stores has a decent (numbered) step by step for the Hitachi. It's not good for much else, but it goes into detail on the carb rebuild section. I always tell people on their first rebuild, tape each part to a sheet of cardboard or paper with transparent tape as you remove it, and write the part name and step in the rebuild process next to it. Reassembly is basically reverse of disassembly, so if everything is laid out consecutively and labeled it makes reassembly very easy. Getting the float needle seat out of the choke body can be difficult. Use a large screw extractor and it will come out very easily. I just rebuilt the one on my '81 hatch and replaced the vapor canister, and I am now getting over 30 mpg. Good Luck

I mistakenly pointed you toward a 4WD 5MT. You don't need the conversion kit for a 2WD 5MT. The 2WD manual transmissions are all 5 speeds, so all you need to find is a manual trans. for an ea81. The transmission cross member is probably different between the auto and 5MT and obviously the center console portion where the gear selector comes through the floor. You will probably have to figure out the correct wiring connections to things like the neutral safety switch and hook them up to the corresponding switches/sensors on the 5MT, but that should not be very difficult. You will also need the MT pedal assembly and bracketry for the clutch cable. All of these things should bolt in for the most part. Hopefully someone who has done the switch can chime in with more details.

My parents have a 2011 CVT Legacy. They love it. They have driven it to the Dakotas, Death Valley, Mexico, etc,... They get between 31-36 mpg. The only thing my dad has said negatively is that he can hear the CVT noise, but it's not too bad. It might just be that it's a different sound than a regular automatic, so he's not used to it.

I drive an '81 4WD Hatch (w/ 290k) with Hitachi carb & 4MT trans., so it's similar weight-wise to your 2WD wagon. I get 25-29 mpg and up to 31 mpg if I really pay attention to my driving. As others have mentioned it probably has a lot to do with your auto trans. If you do some research on the D/R 5 spd swap you'll find that you will want to talk to Brastrus1 for his conversion kit. It's a worthy swap if you are mechanically inclined, otherwise you will probably have to get used to the 22-24 mpgs. An SPFI conversion would also be worthy, and can be done in California legally.

I find most of the vacuum leaks are at the carb itself instead of the lines. Did you keep the orifice restrictor in the choke pull off vac line? Do you know if the carb has it ever been rebuilt? Definitely verify the timing, even if it hasn't been adjusted for a while doesn't mean it was correct.

Have you verified that the secondary circuit is in fact opening? If it idles a little high and not much has been done to the engine, then you likely have a vacuum leak. That may or may not be the problem in question, but it will make a difference since the secondary butterfly and timing advance actuate with vacuum diaphrams.

Did they do a compression test or any other form of investigation? Did they change the coolant and if not, do you see or smell gas in the radiator? Seems like a lot of work without further verification of the problem.

I don't think digital calipers are accurate enough, especially if you are planning on eventually selling these. If you are taking classes at Mount Hood you could probably go over to Clackamas CC and use their optical comparator. Get a hold of Bob Delgatto there, he's super cool and helpful.

How much gear oil came out of your transmission? It's always a good rule to check how much oil (gear, motor, or ATF) you've drained before refilling, especially if the car is somewhat new to you. It can give you a ballpark volume for refilling since you never get it drained completely, and also gives you a chance to see what's in the "bottoms" that came out of whatever you're draining.

No

Yeah, when I recently did the HGs on my '81 the valves were insanely chunked up. I was surprised it ran, let alone ran well. I changed out the intake valve seals, which will help, but the exhaust valves don't have seals. Unless you get new valve guides and valves, I think it's inevitable that there will be some excess carbon build-up over time.

One thing you might do while you have the heads off is clean the egr tube, the metal one that goes from the head to the intake, and clean the egr valve itself. They can get carboned up pretty thick sometimes.

You can still get these new. Last time I checked, the cheapest I found was $110 online. I opted for a junkyard unit that looked good, meaning, it did not show any signs of coolant residue on the outside. If it were gear oil you would smell it, but you said it did not smell. Did it remove the paint off of your ecu box?

The most probable source of anti-freeze on the driver's side floorboards is actually the control valve under the kick panel near the accelerator pedal. It's a set of two metal tubes. When you turn your temperature selector from cold to hot on the climate control it opens this valve to allow coolant to flow through the heater core. They are known common sources of leakage. I would check there before pulling your dash for the core replacement. They oil you see looks like the same stuff I have found on every ea81 under the dash. I assumed it was the old style of dielectric grease. I have never found out for sure. I recently pulled the instrument cluster from my '81 and cleaned a bunch of that stuff out of there. Check some of your connectors to see if it's in there too. I always found some in the pink connectors for the ignition switch, but if you are driving an ea82 they might not be pink. BTW what vehicle are we talking about?

How are the connections at the exhaust flanges? and the condition of the exhaust gaskets?

Was the valve lash adjusted after engine reassembly? What is the timing set at?

That's pretty much what I figured. The newer Imprezas don't show up in the yards as much as the Legacys. People tend to hold onto them more I guess, so we might have a while to wait. My brother is really getting into his new Sube, so he might kick down the cash for aftermarket stuff or used resale.