jkinz

Very interesting thread, lots of good info. I have a similar problem to yours with my 87 SPFI and some other threads I've seen but not nearly as severe. Ever since I had the engine out for a head gasket, the thing doesn't like very much throttle at low rpm, and full throttle it will "fall flat on its face" as they say. I can drive around it which I have done, but the car doesn't have that scoot like it used to. Unless I rev n' dump the clutch and then I just get lots of tire spin from my crappy 185R13s... I've certainly not delved as deep as you into it but I did change out the entire exhaust system which was completely smashed and re-welded a million times and no change. basic tuneup fuel filter plugs cap rotor, no change. The plugs looked great and didn't really need to be changed after I think 20k miles or so. when I get the chance I have some extra MAF and TPS to swap (or I'll try to clean it). I swapped a different PCV valve, haven't looked at any of the other stuff and no ECU codes. I swapped in a used radiator at some point, can't remember if it coincided with this problem or if I've tested the CTS, might start with that. I probably need to set aside a whole day and follow these steps but that's never gonna happen... Such a frustrating problem and I feel your pain, this is why I've avoided it for so long "hoping" the engine would blow up at some point and force me to go EJ... but this is a runner got the car for $500 no rust with like 150k on the odo now its at 180k doing great after all the abuse

I too was reading mineral oil imagining running that stuff you buy for lubricating food safe machines or as it says on the bottle as an "intestinal lubricant" if you drink it... figured it was a terminology mixup. certain transmissions definitely run motor oil but I've not tried it in a subaru. My Dodge Getrag 5 speed runs 10w30 motor oil, I had an acura that took 10w30 or ATF per the FSM (thought that was strange), and ford rangers use ATF in their manual gearbox.

Sorry I missed this topic, don't get much free time but to peruse the forum but I have a running spfi and a pile of parts. I can send you pics and possibly parts if you haven't got all you need yet

I followed the post http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/122588-diy-head-resurfacing-or-post-apocalyptic-machine-shop-techniques/?hl=head and had great results. piece of 1/4" glass (would have used thicker but it's all I could find), sandpaper and lots of wd40. I did need to buy a quality straight edge for the job, got one from mcmaster-carr for 20 or 30 bucks. I took it from .005" to a little above .002" and didn't do anything to the block. Someone mentioned that the heads might be "crowned" naturally and will flatten out when torqued down, don't know if that's true. In my case I had a minor combustion gas leak into the coolant system that was possibly not head or block warping related, just a gasket failure.

having never owned a vehicle with a good gearbox, I usually just run the recommended oil (typically 80w90) and learn when and how to shift so its happy... I've tried Lucas additive and found that it may improve operation when warm but it's really hard to get a good shift cold. I'd be curious if there's a US counterpart to N70 and if so, will it really improve my shift feel in the garbage vehicles I drive.

I too like the quad headlight look and have thought about it for my 87 wagon, but subaru parts are pretty rare where I live and the few DLs that I see are usually running and not going to give up their lights. I wonder how hard it would be to buy the bulbs and make a custom bucket, I've never seen a factory one but if I did I'm sure I could copy it to some extent given the chance.

Several people think the solex carburetor is likely junk and after removing it I can say with my very limited knowledge that is probably the case. Unfortunately I traded away all of my ea82 carbs and would be interested in a weber but haven't come up on anything cheap. I believe I have everything for a full SPFI setup but that seems like a bad idea from the get go. fuel injection on my 87 GL has always treated me great but in this application may not be worth the work. I'll read up on Loyale 2.7 Turbo's weber post and in the meantime looking for a used 32/36....

Digging through some old pics, found this

Thanks djellum I was going to use the old harness as a reference, which I still can for individual wires but it was a hacked up mess so I was going to dig in and start from scratch with what materials I have and a service manual. This is going to be very minimal on the creature comforts, just need a running engine and simple wiring. I really like the idea of painless kit since I've never used one before and they seem really nice. depends on the price I guess. It looks like a universal CSI harness might be what I'm looking for? P/n 30830 Or maybe a 50005 10 circuit harness with switch panel since I need those anyway?

cooling system is sorted out, next up is wiring. I ripped out the old stuff and I'll spare you the description but as I said it's the worst I've ever seen. I can figure it out myself but if any y'all have advice or tips would be much appreciated, thanks

Wow! that's a cool looking miata (jeers and bottles fly from the audience) If I find a tall skinny rad in a scrap yard or car that might look cool. for right now I'll fab up a simple bracket in front of the engine for any old radiator just to get it running but I think for rally race it will end up behind the back seat, just seems to make sense. then it can still be a "sleeper" haha.

I really need to start working on this during the day, it's so much easier to see... pretty simple, radiator with two electric fans, side ducting to shroud, hot air out the back. might even have room for a passenger.

Yup that's what I was thinking, I have access to plenty free salvage emt and the local muffler shop can do any bends I need for cheap. I have a tubing roller and a hydraulic jack style bender but I think emt might be too thin for them.

from a short lookup the carb is a Solex Brosol 2 barrel for a 1.6 litre chevrolet chevette. made in Brasil, motor is either isuzu or chevy. makes sense because this engine had a chevy alternator on a piece of square tube welded to a chevy seat belt bracket and bolted on... https://articulo.mercadolibre.com.ve/MLV-460293542-carburador-chev-chevette-16-2-bocas-automatico-brosol-solex-_JM

I'm leaning toward rear or side rear radiator(s). I have a couple ea82 electric fans that will work and I'm sure I can scavenge up hoses and pipe. this things already got plenty of holes so a few more for air flow wont hurt. I guess if vanagons had the radiator in the front then a bugaru can have it in the back... I've heard of hoses popping frequently on water cooled vanagons but only in the case of having a rubber hose running the whole length of the vehicle which just sounds like a bad idea. as far as the pan crumpling it's getting an internal cage so that should help. thanks for all the ideas!

This is what the top of the carb looks like. never seen one before

Something I thought was interesting... Apparently a Solex carburetor works on an ea82. I don't know anything about these but heard its a german thing?

el_freddo, I like that idea, I thought of using the trunk space but was concerned about long rad hoses, though I could probably use a section of steel pipe for some of the run to avoid too much rubber hose. I'm thinking getting the cooling out of the engine bay is probably going to be easier than stuffing it up front. GD I don't think the archaeologists are going be able to recognize it as anything but a rallied out crumpled mess so I'll forgo the backhoe which I don't have. I understand your sentiment however I actually like vw beetles and ea82s because I'm poor and they are free. If I had any money I'd probably have something else but right now I have a pile of extra ea82 engines, 5mt dual ranges, and running gear. and this thing. gotta do something with it.

I don't think it ever did more than run for a few minutes to move it around, at least that all I've done. I can't imagine anyone could be quite so ambitious (meaning dumb) as to think you could eliminate the water cooling but I wouldn't put it past these folks. I have an ea82 radiator that I think can fit above the engine but the piping will be interesting. I'm sure there are aftermarket rads I can buy but free stock parts are what I've got lying around. I'm also leaning toward a garish steel front bumper and radiator in front of the engine. or a rolls royce grill

I got this thing a few years ago, traded for some 2x4s I think.. A friend got it from a dude who definitely got it from some people who do meth, but alas, it lives. We got it running, and then it sat for a long while and I decided it needs to get up and go. It's a 73 super beetle body on an 86? ea82 hatch tub and running gear, suprisingly the two match up pretty well. My intent is to use it in the Gambler 500 coming up this July, getting it registered and insured will probably be the most expensive and difficult part... This thing has the worst fabrication, wiring, and general tweakery I have ever seen hands down, but the proof is in the pudding I guess because it does work. Aside from making it much less terrible in all respects, I have one major obstacle to hurdle and that is: where do I put a radiator??? currently it is air cooled, and I'm sure the ea82 doesn't like that. I would like to put a rad up above the engine and still be able to have a stock hood but are there any issues with having the radiator above the engine and probably slanted? otherwise I might put one out front and add some bumper guard thing but that would look pretty awful. I guess thats the point with the gambler so maybe... any advice/thoughts whatever much appreciated

thanks naru I didn't realize that one would work, when I looked it seemed like the that was the same as the power steering boot but I should have looked harder, it is at parts.subaru.com. Anyway, I also made some adapters today that fit the power steering bellows to the manual rack pretty well. I thought they might be useful but I guess not

It seems very difficult to find dust bellows for manual steering rack in 85-87 GL unless I'm not looking in the right places. I had no luck finding a universal bellows and I want to get this done soon so I got a set for power steering and I'm trying to figure out a way to use them on the manual rack. so far I cut some 1-1/2" ABS pipe to fits the grooves in the manual steering rack, cut about 1/8" out of the ring so it will compress to the groove diameter. The only issue is now there is no groove for the bellows to seat in. Ideally I would machine a piece that has a groove, which I may do but also I might just pull the bellows past the ABS ring and use a hose clamp. I wonder if that will be sufficient? and other ideas? Thanks

whoah! that's another way to go about it for sure. I wonder if it uses both engines and how? like simultaneous operation or do you get to choose whether its a vw or a subaru depending on your mood when you start it up.

OK! After much delay I have made progress on this engine. I didn't trust my measuring tools so I purchased a precision straight edge from McMaster-Carr that supposedly is straight to within .0005 inches which then should allow for measurements accurate to .001 inches. I cleaned the head a little better (that may also have been my problem), remeasured with the straight edge and the head appears to be warped by .002 inches or .05 mm, just at the max allowed. normally I would just throw it back together but I read GeneralDisorder's thread on diy head surfacing here which is excellect and extremely helpful. I've been trying to read up as much as I can on these forums but for some reason I have a lot of trouble finding the right threads and then when I do my head starts spinning with all the information, but it has been a great learning process. I have all the materials to perform the shaving process, but now I'm unsure if it will be necessary to do. My question is, I assume the warpage is not as big a factor as I thought before, but I would still like to remove the indentations around the combustion chamber from the old head gasket and end up with something like in GD's post. However, Miles Fox has said that some concavity to the head is important because it flattens out when torqued down and this prevents the outer portions of the head from lifting up and I assume being more prone to leakage. Which is worse? not removing the indentations and having failure, or flattening the head out too much and having failure? or am I over thinking this. also, is there any work that can be done to the block mating surface? I assume just cleaning it or is anything else recommended? Thanks

Thanks Loyale 2.7 Turbo! Some more info: I wouldn't necessarily call it an engine swap, though I don't know what I would call it. Car sandwich? The vehicle retains most of both unibodies, so it's essentially a GL hatch with the body cut mostly off and a beetle with some, but not much of the pan modified. I'll post more pictures but its pretty cool, the rear floor of the subaru is now the trunk of the bug, filling some space where the rear engine was. I haven't had much time to inspect it more as of yet. My friend picked it up, borrowed some parts from me and got it running (they didn't know how to time a subaru at all - cams were both set at 12:00 on the TDC mark) then gave it to me to make room in his car hoard. there are some really funny hacks that I can improve on. Like the alternator bracket made from a chevy seatbelt floor clip using a thermostat bolt to hold it down on the engine. oh yeah, the thermostat is turned around too for hose clearance.