3crows

Just put an '87' engine into an '86' wagon. Didn't think there was much difference between the '86' and the '87' but am finding out I was wrong. The '86' was running but had over 300K. The '87' was also running when I pulled it and has 154K I was told. I took the carb off the '86' and put it on the '87' engine. I replaced the distributor from the '87' with the one from the '86'( the wiring is different with the '87'). Rotated flywheel to TDC and rotor at #1 with the distrbutor about in the middle but closer to retarded than advanced. Tried to start it but no go. Has good spark and smells gassy. Turned the distributor 180 degrees but still nothing, well, flame through the carb. Is there a way to determine TDC on compression without having to take off the valve cover since the timing marks line up at TDC on both the compression and exhaust stroke? I've worked mostly on overhead cam engines where it's easy to see the valves. Is there a way to do a static test on an electronic ignition? I've done it with point type ignition systems but since the spark between the rotor and cap jump the gap there's no actual contact to transmit current as with points. Since I can't get it started, adjusting the timing is a guess. As it's set up now, the rotor is just back a squeek from the pin in the cap at TDC so that if I rotate the distributor anti clockwise, it should be retarding the spark. When you're a tooth off, there's a major difference in rotor location. And I don't think I have any vacuum leaks and I didn't disconnect the vacuum hose from the distributor. Love these things when they run, hate 'em when they don't!

You probably already did this but incase you haven't, here goes. I pull engine and trans. out as a unit with an engine hoist, cherry picker type. Put the guy up on jackstands, at least the front, so you'll have room to disconnect stuff from underneith. Take out radiator and fan if you have one on the water pump. I hook a chain to the front lifting eye and the bracket in the back where the clutch cable goes. It sort of tweeks it a bit but you can straighten it out. The main thing is to get the balance point when everything is disconnected. It's ok to have it heavier on the transmission end but not too much, Disconnect the motor mounts from the frame and leave them on the engine, Cut a 2x4 to support the trans. at the main cross member so that when you lower the cross member the trans will be able to clear it. Lower the main cross member as far as you can and take out the small cross member at the tail end of the trans. Make sure everything is disconnected and out of the way. DRAIN THE FREAKIN' TRANSMISSION BEFORE YOU PULL THE ENGINE! It will drain itself all over the floor if you don't (gee, how do I know that?). Start lifting the engine and pulling the hoist back until the trans. rests on the cross member. Take a piece of rope and secure it as far back as you can on the trans. and tie it to the hook on the hoist. keep lifting now and moving back til the engine clears the front of the car. It will be at quite an angle and you will have to lift the trans end to get it all to clear. I had to rotate the chain a couple links to get some weight off the trans,(PITA!). Roll it all back and put it on the floor with blocks and a dollie underneith. I replaced the engine and put in a new clutch kit. Even with their majic allignment tool it was a pain to put the transmission and engine togather because you still have to get the splines leigned up and the engine and trans leigned up. I've read forums where people have just pulled the trans. from underneith but I wouldn't. There's just not enough room and the trans. is too heavy for this old man to manhandle. It goes back about the same way. Attach the rope to the trans so that when you lift it, it's fairly level or such that you can lift it up enough to clear . Once you get it over th front you're going to have to let it come down at that steeper angle and work it over the cross member. Takes some wiggling and lifting from top and underneith and maybe some support under the tail of the trans. but once you get the motor mount bolts alligned, you got it. And as I always say, "If it was easy, they'd have women doing it"

Alternator works fine. Fusible links good. Engine starts and runs with idle turned up but rough until alternate power applied. Then, of course the idle is too high once the carb solenoids work.

1986 DL wagon, 4wd, 5 speed. Sometimes I'm about as sharp as a bowl of jello.

No power to the wire harness that connects to the carb, oil and temp sending units on the engine. Continuity throughout the harness. Pulled all fuses, all looked fine. I took the car to a shop and $90 later they said I needed a new carb. In the process of troubleshooting I connected wires to the plugs going to the carb and found that there was no power getting to them. When I hooked up an alternate power to the harness the car ran fine but all the lights in the dash stay on. Swapped the key assm. with one I know works but no change. Didn't see or smell any burnt wires under the dash. Headlights and turn signals and horn work. Scratch my head!

Anyone ever lose elect to your front wire harness? The one that goes to the carb, oil pressure and temp sending units in the engine compartment.If so, what was the fix?

Well Keithap was right. It was the black plastic widget mounted on the right fender wall and is connected to the ERG, EGR, whatever, on the rear right side of the engine. I replaced it with a spare and the guy sounds like it's old self. I took it apart to see how it works. The lower end that has 4 holes has filters. The upper end has a diaphragm that is operated by a vacuum hose that goes to the manifold. When it's broke it causes a vacuum leak that is just far enough away from everything else that you would suspect, I didn't squirt starting fluid over there on the fender wall. So, so far the problem has been solved and I will have a spare re manufactured carb and carb rebuild kit. Thanks Keithap, and the rest of you too. Love my Soob

I'm confused. I have a 3 prong recep on my wire harness and a 4 prong on this carb. Can't I just take the 4 prong off and put my 3 prong on and just piggyback the 4th wire to one of the other 3 or do I really have to have the wire harness with the 4 prong recep.? What's the 4th wire go to?

Well, I bought it. Hope it's jetted the same and I can adapt it to my 3 prong plug. If it works I'll think nice thoughts about you. If it doesn't, I hope you get a lump of coal in your shoe next Christmas.

If it's the same one I saw on ebay the seller said it has a 4 prong plug and not for 4wd. My carb has 3 prongs.

Thanks for the responses! Doug, where did you see a rebuilt carb for $190? And my next thought is that you've bought 3 rebuilt carbs? Is that because they don't last very long? I'm sure I could put a weber on this guy but I'm not sure I could adjust it to pass the emissions test here in WA. For a guarens-ballbearins pass I'd have to take it to a mechanic with his $150K machine which would cost about $100 around here, I'm told. The test costs $15 and if you fail it you only get one more chance. If it fails again and you still want to drive the car you have to go to the mechanic and he has to sign a wavier that it would cost more than $150 to make it pass or put it on his high dollar machine for $100. So they've got you coming and going. But then, that could also be the case with putting a rebuilt carb on it too. Truly between a rock and a hard place. And there's all them bloody vacuum lines! I think I only have to pass the emissions test one more time before this guy's exempt. Hope we both live that long. Now I've got myself in doubt as to which way to go! I'm also going to try banging on that widget that kiethap described in his response. Nothing's ever simple or easy, but then if it was, they'd have women doing it.

I have an '87 DL, carbed, 4wd with a little over 202K. Though it's a bit ugly it's my baby. It's been running a bit rough lately again. Almost sounds like it's missing but I replaced plugs, wires, distributor cap, and fuel filter but no change. Just barely maintains running at idle but seems to run fine once I'm driving but still stumbles at idle. Then I thought it might be a vacuum leak but no change after squirting starting fluid everyplace. So, as last time this happened I went down to my local wrecking yard and got a carburetor. That worked. So my first question is why would a junkyard carburetor that's been in there for who knows how long work better than the one on my engine that gets fresh gas once a week or so? There are 2 solenoids on the carb. How often do they go bad? I've ordered a carb rebuild kit though I've never had much luck rebuilding carbs since I can't boil them out like the big boys do. I just soak it in MEK for a couple days and blow it out with air. The kit cost more than the last used carb I bought but I wasn't having any luck finding another carb unless I spend $250 for a rebuilt one. That's still an option. I'd put a Weber on it if I didn't have to have it tested every 2 years. I've stuck with this old guy because it's easy to work on and I can! All the new and fancy stuff they added to the later soobs leave me underwhelmed. Don't need no stinkin' computor or fuel injection and power everything. I still get 25+ mpg on a car that cost me $1200 10 years ago with 143Kmi. And the 4wd has saved my rump roast from a long walk several times. I've also been looking for another EA82 engine as a backup but most wrecking yard engines are turbo fuel injected, which I don't want in that configuration. Can't I just replace the intake manifold with my carbureted manifold? Seems that I read somewhere that the heads were different. So? Why would that make a difference? Lastly, I could rebuild my engine. It's not making any bad sounds yet but it's not as strong as it used to be. The rebuild kits are mostly just rings an bearings. I've always been told that oversize rings allow for piston slap and standard rings won't seal in an engine that hasn't been bored because they wear out of round and a cylinder ridge can crack top ring. Has anyone used these kits? I'm thinking it's worth the machine work to go .20 over with pistons and rings. I've done that on a couple Datsun engines and a BMW motorcycle engine. How strong are the cranks on these guys? Can I expect to stay with standard size bearings? I'm an old guy too and if I rebuild this guy and it lasts another 10 years it will probably outlast me. And I don't think there's any possibility that rebuilding it later will be cheaper than now either. Love my Subaru