Twitch de la Brat

@Loyale 2.7 Turbo, unfortunately I've never run across that particular additive in the store I work for, or at least not visibly. I'll do some looking around to see who uses it in the US. Ehhh, depends on what oil you're already putting in it. If you're running a diesel oil in it, its probably overkill. If you're running the cheapest oil you can get your hands on, it'll probably help. From what I understand about zinc, is it slowly galvanizes the surface of the metal to reduce the overall friction, or so the theory goes. It may help disperse any static as well, but that's something I'll have to dig into deeper. I would think a solid ground strap would fix the static problem Twitch

Mumble grumble, *jealousy* grumble, grrrrr I looked at some more potential candidates for my new car when I get my settlement. Found a few lookers and some rebuilt cars for dirt cheap. (12k for a 2012 Fozzy) But still waiting for the "right" one to catch my eye. Come on turbo baja with a 5 speed, come on down for $10K... Twitch

Well, since I get paid to peddle this stuff, I have a pretty good idea what is crap and what is good. If it has PTFE in it, run like hell. Teflon has no business being in your engine. I've heard of people using ProLong, but honestly, unless they have legitimate test reports, I would call BS. There are only 3 "add and drive" oil products I've ever heard of doing diddly in your engine: 1. Seafoam, if you've never heard of it, do some digging on this site. And if you hate it and it "ruined" your engine, you probably used it wrong. 2. Marvel Mystery Oil, was actually originally designed as a lightweight oil, but the original application evaporated out from under it, so it became an additive for engine oils to increase lubricity at lower temps (aka: get rid of that initial startup tick). 3. Lucas Oil Stabilizer, and the only thing it does is make the oil thicker and increase its elasticity. Good for slight leaks, sometimes. Twitch

My only argument is that you need to be aware of the oil spec for your region. Running 20w50 is fine for Honduras, but may not be the best choice for North Dakota in December. You have to buy your oil based on your operating temps. 10w30 is pretty much fine for anywhere in the continental US that varies in temps from 0-100*F But if you consistently experience temperatures above 70, then switching to a thicker (higher number, aka: more viscous) oil wouldn't probably be a bad idea. It you live in a place that rarely sees temps over 70, then using a thinner oil may help you on cold mornings from hearing that dreaded lifter tap. Buying a synthetic oil that covers a wider temp range (5w40 vs 10w30) will help if you experience large temp swings on top of being more refined and thinner in general. Twitch PS: There are certain temp ranges suggested for every oil weight, but you need to take into consideration the original spec and wear range of the engine. Putting 0w20 in a 300k engine will probably have a bad ending.

Brain, I love your fab skills. And I'm still waiting for that buggy to be finished Anyway, Love your new toy project and will definitely be following this. Can't wait for the first startup/driving video. Twitch

Oh how I have missed that EA81 noise. Which reminds me, I need to start the BRAT fairly soon. Dig the snow off of it and fire it up just for the sake of scaring the hell out of the neighbors. Anyway, Idasho, you reminded me I need to keep my EA81's. There is no replacement for the visceral feel of an EA81. Twitch PS: Haven't been able to do a whole lot to the cars as of late, but that will change soon enough...

Sounds like a fun sleeping dragon project Twitch

Sounds like ignition. I would pull the cap and check for burnt contacts as well as pull plugs after it starts to buck to see which cylinder is misfiring. Twitch

If you ever come to need a new exhaust and want to up the "oomph" factor, I did some major calculations (I think I even still have my notes) but going with 1 3/4" dual piping with a crossover gives you some extra torque and opens up the midrange. Mine was ridiculously loud with just glasspacks, (no cat), but it sounded SWEET. Just ask the WCSS 13 mudpit crowd I recommend putting some decent mufflers on to tone it down and keep the police off you, but keep it free flowing. You'd be amazed at how much extra power you can extract from that EA81. Twitch

My mechanic got the rear bearing done, rear brakes still sound awful and the engine decided to shred something inside. 308k and its gone from nickel and dime to all out dollar ripping. But there's too much into the car to let it die now. Twitch

Thankfully they ended up having insurance. But the insurance adjuster doesn't know what its like to pour your life into a vehicle. So I had to go to a lawyer :-\ I'll keep y'all updated. Twitch

I stared at it. I swept some snow off of it. I cried a little bit inside. Twitch

I believe there is a thread in the offroad section that covers your question. Twitch

This is one of those heavily asked questions. A little searching and a little reading will take you far. As for this one, I'll toss you a freebie. Only other manufacturer that used the 4x140 bolt pattern was Pugeot, specifically on the 504 and 505 models. Good luck hunting some of those down with proper fitting lugnuts (yes, you need the factory Pugeot Lugnuts to make most of the wheels work, and yes, luckily enough the thread size and pitch is the same). Anyway, welcome to the forum, take care of your new baby. I'll be ressurecting my 85 in the future. Twitch

A quick discourse on Subaru Drivetrains. All EA stuff (Loyale, GL, XT, RX) from 1981 to 1994 (last year of the loyale) is swappable. You just need to match turbo vs non-turbo. There may be a few oddballs here and there, but they're very rare to come across. As long as its EA81/82 it'll cross over. The first gen Legacy stuff is a little different, but most of the diff stuff is the same, or similar enough it can be made to work with little effort. So, as for your question of will this diff fit here and that diff fit there, as long as you match turbo with non-turbo and keep track of your diff ratios and generations, you'll be fine. A little searching goes a long way, plus there are several FAQ's located through the forum that deserve some reading. Twitch

Don't forget to cinch it down tighter than a rubber belt. They don't grab quite as well and will need extra tension to keep everything working as it should. Twitch

If you snag an agricultural belt that's the right length, it might last longer. They tolerate off kilter applications much better than a regular rubber belt. And not to sounds like a broken record, but your local farm and feed store should have LED marker lights that are quite easy to plunk in. The reflector portion adds a bit of safety too. I'll pop a picture up of my BRAT's setup if I can find one. Twitch

Mine isn't capabable of being straightened out. The subframe behind the cab buckled and the cab is so tweaked the doors will probably never open again. But by no means am I giving up on it. It will totally different than everyone remembers when I'm done though. Twitch

He was driving without a license, without proof of insurance and without sobriety And idk if I'll find another. It was my baby. I've poured my soul into it over the last 4 years. And a side note, if you look you can see an outline of a toolbox sitting in the back seat on the driver's side. That box had been sitting right in front of the tailgate before the accident. Had I not had my seats in I probably would have taken a fully loaded toolbox to the back of the head. My baby did its job and saved me. Had I been in anything smaller or worse designed I may not have been walking away from that accident. Twitch

Good idea. The guy that hit me didn't have a license or proof of insurance. I may have to use my uninsured driver insurance to cover my medical bills and and to get me another car. And if all else fails I'm going to a lawyer. Twitch

Got rear ended in my baby I fear she may never be drivable again. I'm dealing with some back pain and a sore head from hitting it when I got hit, but otherwise I'm ok. Twitch

Same problem only I've already rebuilt/reinforced my pedal box. I really don't want to snap my new clutch cable (3rd one from having a collapsing pedal box) and I'm getting sick of grinding every gear. Continuing to adjust but I'm running out of cable. I've run all the standard diagnostic stuff to see if I can kill it but it just comes back after every adjustment. My setup is a tad different than stock though, I'm rolling with an 85 5sp d/r, EA82 flywheel machined to XT6 specs with an XT6 clutch. I've noticed some odd seepage of goop around the bellhousing seams, so it makes me wonder if my clutch is coming apart :-/ Any thoughts? Twitch

They're not that tough to deal with And with that info, this could be interesting. Hmmmm... Twitch