Alex C

Just two, Why?

Looks like she will remain so for a while. I got screwed by financial aide via and obscure side rule that isnt clearly mentioned. So the money I was expecting to pay rent and fix my car went the way of the dodo. When I have some free time I am going to start digging around and see if its just a freeze plug or if I really broke something badly. The good news is my new car is getting nearly 40mpg, and Im getting lots of practice using a manual. so I can drive ~290 miles for 20 bucks or less per week. The amazing thing is, I think the engineers who designed this car (97 saturn sl1) must have looked at the older subarus. The engine compartment is clean and organized, very easy designed in access (but you cant move the hood support). They even used a chain instead of a belt for the timing (no offense EA 82 and up guys and gals, I am an old smallblock and EA81 fan, i dont trust belts). Anyway, when I know more about my subaru I will let you all know. Alex

Thanks for the clarification Nug. Alex

Not worried, and yes, the old radials on airplanes were the original jug style motors. Thanks for the nice technical info. Yes, more breathing is far better than big bore, I was just trying to bring about a clearer definition on jugs/sleeves. The more I hear stroked and bored the more I hear about starter problems etc... If you want a reliable vehicle, worry about how it breathes, what the ignition is like, cooling. You can do a lot on performance with these factors. If you want an unreliable maintence track only vehicle and can afford it, go ahead and do a bore and/or stroke. I think the basic motors are pretty damn good, just need some simple mods to help them aspirate. If you know anyone with bored or especially stroked big inch motorcycle, ask them honestly how much up time they have. youd be surprised. The number one complaint from the big inch owners is starters and daily drivability. Sorry, I know motorcycles arent exactly subes, but they still share the same concept 4-cycle engine. Just saying a lesson should be taken from them. Alex

Just so you all know, jugs are more air cooled terminology than sleeves. motor with jugs will have cylinders that are bolted onto the crankcase. Because VW and Porsche are air cooled, they have these style of cylinders. I believe the corvair is the same way. Jugs will have the sleeve and the exterior all in one piece. Alex

Cant the sleeves be removed? Isnt that what SuBrat84 is asking? I have heard about people pulling the sleeves out and redoing them with larger ones. And not just on metric bikes and diesels. Anyone? Alex

Bump, Still looking for input on this? Alex

What optional things would you do? I plan on just redoing everything like a normal rebuild. But, I am thinking of what extra's I could do? I already have a torque cam. Balance the crank, rods, and pistons? grind the valves? New valve springs? Port the heads? I am planning on setting up my spare intake for my dual HS6 carbs. I also want to go over the cooling system with a finetooth comb. Maybe find a dual core radiator, clean the gravel from the A/C condensor and have its leaks fixed. New water pump (my impeller is all corroded). Id love to hear recomendations, especially ones that can be done cheaply or just by investing time. Thanks, Alex

Not sure which is worse, but I know the first option sounds best .

I admit, I never had any trouble with the timing on my subaru, the gears are still in great shape.

Any answers to my other questions? Bump please, Alex

As I am sure some of you heard something major broke in my sub, and water is once again invading oils territories. I am debating just pulling the motor, and redoing everything, including a tranny swap and maybe do 4wd. How much is it to rebuild a motor, just for parts? In the interim I found myself a 97 saturn 5spd sedan, very nice, good condition, just needs a O2 sensor and motor mount. So I have something reliable to drive till I can get my sub roaring to life again. I know this probably isnt the place, but your the only varied car experts I know that might know the answers to my questions. I havent driven manuals to often, but can do it just as well as the next person. But, I dont know all of the little tricks etc. Like, how do you find the sweet spots where you can shift sans clutch without ruining the synchro's? Does the clutch have to be fully pressed in for each shift? or can you shorten it a bit and only press it in enough to shift but take it nowhere close to being fully disengaged? I know of course its not good to make grinding noises, and Im not making those. Should you downshift as your slowing? is there a benefit other than saving brakes? Does it hurt to pull it out of gear without the clutch? I am sure I will have more questions later on, but that is all I can think of for now. Thanks, Alex

well damn, I thought the dealer would have them. I know napa didnt show any freeze plugs for an 82 cylinder head, but did show them for the 83? kinda weird. Is it right for the 49/64" size? Well, does anyone here on the board have them? Alex

I had it fixed and was experiencing some weird noise? Well guess what? I had an overheating last(friday) night, then again on the way to work. When I took off for lunch saturday I went to fill up the water, and noticed the passenger side of everything was coated in something wet with light brown globs in it. Then I noticed the passenger side breather tube is off, well thats kind of weird. Then I saw all the wet and light brown globs all over the ground. At this point I pulled out the dipstick (appropriatley named isnt it) and noticed it is covered in the beginnings of milkshake. I think I nearly cried at this point. Anyway, it looks liek somethign blew bad enough to pop the breather tube off and puke everything out of the breather hole. I am sort of guessing freeze plugs. BTW, did you know it is supposedly 49/64" and napa doesnt carry them at all? anyway, luckily it looks like mike is willing to sell me one of his spare cars, thanks mike. Alex

wow, a whole excert. So does the subaru save the day? or was it only a small piece of drama? BTW, Clark used a subaru wagon to cart the laser designator around in Clancy's "Clear and Present Danger" book. Alex

Buy the cheap stuff for chevy's, you cant go wrong, just stay away from ford fluids, wrong in every way. Also, dont overfill, if you do there is a breather on the top that all the excess fluid will come out of, and, when overfilled, the tranny will slip on initial startup, and try to be in 2nd instead of first for the first minute or so of driving. Alex

No problem, just wanted to be sure. Alex

Im reading "Riding on the edge" by Dave barr. While he was in southern south america he got a lift from a guy with a subura truck (his spelling, I guessed he meant subaru, cause it is closer to subaru then suburban, and has similar phonetics). Alex P.S. I will never ride my motorcycle across africa, or south america, much less the world. Still inspiring though.

I have an aftermarket cam, but no clue which one, wish I knew. I also have the stock carb (hitachi) still. Once I get off idle it starts to pull, but not well till about 2500 or so. However, I still have tons of power down low (right off idle) for pushing/pulling etc. It just doesnt accelerate quickly that low. probably cause I have it overloaded and I have 217k original miles on the 3AT. Alex to the person that said cams (plural) was that a mistake or do you have an EA82 to compare with the EA81 question? No offense intended, just curious.

glad to see it not still rotting in that lot, good luck with the plans on it mike. Alex

What are the specs? Diameter, compression, weight, wrist pin size, number of rings. Can we do a comparison of all of these with all the available subaru engine types? Alex

Let me put it this way, even though I have an EA81 engine. The smallest of the head cracks on my motor is the size in that picture, the other is larger. I am not having any problems at all, and they have been like that every time I pulled the heads off, at 140k, 175k, and 216k. Its OEM. Alex

Ahhh, thank you, see, I didnt know this, learn something new every day. So then yes, I suspect a crows foot should work then. Any one care to try it and report how it works? Alex

To answer the wrench questions, sears actually carries a set of 10 wrenches from 4mm to 10mm for about 10 bucks. I think a crows foot might work, but not sure how that will affect the torque values. as it will offset the torque by an inch or so. You could always check a crows foot on a torque wrench against a regular torque wrench, just find a double headed bolt that you can torque them againt each other on. Id bet the regular would click first, and the crows foot one later. Good luck, Alex

Why? I mean I can see the point, but doesnt that mean all the contaminents stay in your system for that long? Alex