Seahag1978

I picked up the motor on Friday. Had a piece of rubber and a spare tire in the bed of the Baja. The man at the yard had it on the fork lift and slid it right onto the tire like serving a slice of pie. Slick. Now, it has been suggested that we replace the front and rear main seals before we install it. The owner of the yard said they should be fine without replacement. I would think it would be cheap insurance to replace them. Is this dfficult? Anyone know where I might find the seals? Thanks, Mary

Really fast? I'm surprised you got over 5 mph on the Sagamore during summer. Was it at 3 a.m.?

As an alternative to buying a used motor, I wrote to CCR about getting a rebuilt motor for my '78 Brat. This is an excerpt from the response I received from CCR: "In your case, since there are so many variations in the late '70s EA71 engines, the best way to be sure you are getting the proper engine is to rebuild yours." What puzzles me is that I thought an EA71 was an EA71 was an EA71? Since the cars rusted out long before their time, I found several low mileage motors available right here in Mass. The man at the salvage yard made no mention of different motors nor did he ask any questions about my car, just the year and model. Can anyone explain what the variations could be and if they could cause problems with the swap?

Yikes! you had me nervous there for a minute... I'm forgetful as all get out, but I didn't think I was all gone just yet. We have determined that my particular model doesn't have a PCV. The hoses come straight off the dome cover and plug into the underside of the air cleaner. The majority of the smoke and oil is coming from the teed hose, not the tailpipe. In the past year, I have learned a lot about how "the wheels on the bus go round and round", but any work that needs to be done inside the motor isn't feasible on this end, it's a scary place and not for amateurs. Yanking out the old one and sticking another back in is the best way to keep our sanity

Huh? Headgasket? After reading a zillion posts about different color smoke, white, blue, black, someone even reported having brown... then the posts about water mixing up with oil, gas mixing up with oil, pcv's, some kind of modulator that is only on automatics... then the carb adjustments, etc. I thought that I was beginning to understand the issues I'm having... guess not.

Bad news about old Smello-Yello ... gas in the oil. We spoke to John (Mudrat79) and he had Tim adjust the float in the carb. It was filling up too high, about 7/8 full. Changed out the oil again and it still smoked just as bad. He suggested a compression test. I picked up a compression tester this afternoon. Right front and rear came up 150, ooooh very cool. Left front was 135 eh, not so hot but ok and left rear >>> eeeek! <<<< only 30! Verdict: new motor Good news... I found one at the same place I got my tranny, with only 49,000 miles on it and it's only an hour and a half from here, so no shipping! YAY! I swear this is the last part that could break... everything else has been changed.

Thanks for the heads up! I've got an '86 Brat manual on the way, they'll ship UPS C.O.D.

Sounds like what mine was doing last week. Sounded like the whole wheel was coming off! It was my front passenger bearings. Take the axle out and spin the bearings around with your finger. If they feel "wonky", or "catch" a little, then change them. Word of warning, the set I got from Autozone lasted less than 100 miles... even the seals were funky. I got Timken this time, they felt heftier and the seals actually sealed... we'll see. You probably are aware of this part: When you take them out to replace them, there are two sets per wheel. There is a shoulder that's built into the knuckle that separates them, so don't try to press them out (like the "professional" did to mine, 10 ton press, no dice. Tim took it and looked inside and had them out in a few seconds). Take something like a 1/2" drive extension or something solid to hit it and drive the front one out from the back and the back one out from the front. Tim just did my axle (bad rebuild and stripped by the tech kids), and front bearings on Monday. The noise is gone.

This is interesting because my '78 seems to eat front passenger bearings like snack candy. I know the previous owner had it go and he replaced it. The hub was also replaced and next set went immediately too. My guess was incorrect grease and packing. A professional replaced the set for me and in less than 100 miles it was shot again. There could have been some extraneous reasons (cheap $11.00 from Autozone and an improperly installed axle) for the last set's failure. I bought high quality bearings this time, packed them with the proper grease and seals correctly. We shall see. What other reason, besides incorrect grease/packing would cause premature failure?

ummmm... is there a hotel handy? Camping makes me queasy, hard ground, bugs and such. According to Connie's dessert email, I can't walk and chew gum at the same time, so forget biking for me. Hiking I can do, well, sans gum. How about I take Noel's wife out for a little lunch and shopping? That would work for me! Hey Devan, get Slice to come along too, he'll surely invoke a bit of spirit... yikes! Bring extra axles, tires, crash helmet, medical insurance card, bail money... j/k Seriously, it sounds like fun... come up with a date and a website for the town.

Isn't the '82 that odd year that was kinda all alone in production? It would be nice to see a Brat that hasn't been cobbled and compromised. Just the unmolested condition is worth it... to the right person, but I have to agree, they are few and far between. I talk to old car buffs/collectors all the time and when I mention my 2 old Brats they smile and say, "No kidding? I haven't seen one in years!" It isn't a mainstream collectible car, but they are appreciated for the fact that they weren't expected to last like a Cadillac, Porsche etc. ... they were only toss-away toys. Seems everyone has at least one fond memory of riding in a Brat as a child. They do bring smiles.

Just curious. What makes them illegal to drive on public roadways? It looks like it has everything needed to pass inspection... in this state anyway.

Bingo! That's mine. A fat hose runs out of each valve cover into the "T" fitting on the underside of the air cleaner canister. When I got the car, the hoses were connected to a plastic "T" fitting and the third leg was just hanging down and venting into the engine compartment.

We went all over this thing. There is no PCV on it. So, I resorted to the books... HTKYSA tells me that only some 77-78 models had the PCV. Beginning in '79 they all had them. Bentley diagrams show me no PCV until '79. All the 77/78 diagrams show configurations of non-4WD models for example: high altitude automatic or manual, California automatic or manual... etc. but they all say (except 4WD)? I don't see a diagram for 4WD manual. The car's original title was from California, so am overstepping myself to assume it would have California emissions? Would I then be really silly and assume that California emissions would include a PCV? This is like playing 20 Questions. Yikes!

Back when I got the car and the tranny went, A "professional" mechanic replaced the bearings that I got from Autozone. The pair was $11.00 and the seals were $4.00. I got some from my new parts man and they were $37.00 for the set and $11.00 seals... you probably hit it operose... cheap bearings... the seals were a way different looking type... it was kind of open... I remember thinking, how in heck is that gonna keep the grease from flinging out? As for the axle... the one axle was stripped by the tech students and remachined... apparently they stripped the both, but only got caught with one. Plus this one didn't have a hole for the cotter key from the git go?? Bad rebuild. Tonight Tim replaced the axle (with cotter key) and wheel bearings (well-packed with hi-temp grease)... poor guy... about 100% humidity hot as Hades. He's a great guy! The smoke has calmed down A LOT >>> I do have a new PVC, I saw the picture Pat, thanks! I looked forever and can't find where it goes, I don't see anything that looks like it. It was getting dark, so I'll have another go at it tomorrow. Odometer is reset... let's see how long she runs this time... what was the record so far? 38.6 miles? I measure in MPB (miles per breakdown) not MPG (miles per gallon)...

Tim changed out the oil today. It was like water, no viscosity at all. It still smokes a bit under load, but nothing like it was. Now I'll hunt down the PCV and see if that's contributing to the smoke. He went to change the front passenger axle and the outer wheel bearing is shot again. It doesn't even have 200 miles on it?! What's up with that?

Broaden that mecca eastward... I swear every other car on the North Shore is a Subaru... a wide variety of years and models.

I would definitely follow up the RR cleaning with a protectant, this Maguire's looks like it woud be just the ticket. Before I tried the RR. I tried Mother's "Back to Black" and it lasts only a short time before it starts looking dull and oxidized again.

Good job getting it into the garage, out of sight.. out of mind. As far as guns go... I agree with Miles... if you show your hand, you have to be prepared to follow through... and be a whole lot quicker. Show a gun just to threaten? Bad in most cases... the evil one will end up with it and use it on you... really bad.

Been doing that since they invented cars... Campbell's 'mmm, mmm good!'

Welcome! There are more of us than in you're wildest dreams... it's amazing to see this many enthusiasts... it's great! Subaru should be very proud... yet they kinda shuffle us off when it comes to old(er) gen parts?! BTW, boobaru is (was) selling an '84 wagon... it looks like a nice little car... and he's in Utah too.

Yes, that's how the viscosity feels, more refined, like for a sewing machine... so I sure hope it's just the Seafoam. With the old carb being all ditzy I never could get it up to operating temperature long enough to run it out. I'll pick up a filter tomorrow and change it out with fresh 10W40 and see what happens. I'll also check for that PCV... anyone know where there's a picture of one on the car? I am finding that it's tough to find and identify something especially when it isn't there or it's been "reconfigured" beyond recognition... for instance, I needed 3 different sized wrenches to pull the alternator 2 metric and one SAE!? It's a trip! LOL!

Brain freeze would be my guess... I read a million posts regarding this problem... I'm just as confused as I was last night when it looked like David Copperfield was practicing a new act... poof! Much to Tim's dismay, when the smoke cleared the Brat was still there The PCV makes sense... I have never seen it, so like so many other pieces/parts, it may be missing altogether... the smoke out of the tail pipe is no where near as bad as it is from the valve cover hoses. I went in a read some posts regarding Seafoam, so I'm leaning toward the Seafoam thinning the oil too much and causing it to escape into hostile territory and being vaporized maybe? It isn't burnt looking or smelling when it collects in that filter... it's clean, bright, doesn't really feel real slickery like oil out of the bottle... it feels more like WD40 or 3-in-1?

Oh ok.. I read something about that when I did a search. I didn't think I had one since they were talking about an EA82 <shrug>

Ok.... here we go again. The engine is running great idling and all. I drove it around town until I heard a weird non-rhythmic clicking, which we figured out is the axle the tech kids messed up that had to be re-threaded. I took it out to clean it for a show tomorrow and now there's thick smoke rolling out of the valve cover hoses. It's pale blue smoke... smells good, like normal exhaust, not sweet, acrid or that nasty burnt smelling stuff. Right now the hoses are hooked into a T fitting and venting under the car. These hoses should hook into the air cleaner canister. Tim put a small air filter on the end of it and it collected a lot of oil in it. In the past, it would only puff a bit, now it's a major smoke screen. There's also tons of smoke spewing out the tail pipe?! We just put a new carb on it and it's never run this long at any time. I put Seafom in the oil a few months ago, but never really ran it.. could it still be the Seafoam burning off or could it have thinned the oil too much? We're going to change the oil tomorrow to see if that helps.