GeneralDisorder

No EA81 ever came with electric door locks. It wasn't an option. So you would have to retrofit something from an EA82 maybe, or aftermarket. But why? Brat's are narrow, and there's only 2 doors? Even short people can reach em. GD

It's just an EA81 hatch, nothing special. Mostly they were in Canada I think. GD

Ya know - there's probably enough metal there to tap out to the next size, and just use a nice long bolt instead of the silly stud. Take off that peice, and take a look at the head. Maybe one of your friends has a head you could inspect closely to see if there is enough metal. Heck - it's tempting to do this with all of the intake / exhaust studs, and replace them with stainless.... GD

I second the oil pump - bad oil pressure can cause nasty noises. If it's a auto tranny, then it could have hydraulic lifters, and they can make noise if not properly maintained, and will REALLY make noise with no oil pressure, since they won't fully pump up. On the turbo wagon - I would sell the whole car for $500, Just the engine and assosiated wireing, dash, ECU, ect, and all the other stuff to convert yours to a turbo for like $300 - you pull it. I would help you of course - I might even be able to borrow my neighbors cherry picker.... he said I could anyway. The car is virgin as far as wireing and all that - I've pulled some interior stuff, but that can be put back easy enough. The turbo motors make maybe 110 HP compared to the non-turbo's at like 85 HP or so. GD

Yeah - if it drove great for 20 miles, chances are that it's something very simple - that shop is trying to rip you off. If they say the alt is bad - simply pull it, and take it to Autozone, or Napa - they will test it for free for you. I think rebuilts are like $60 or so, but Shawn is right - find a good place to rebuild it - will probably last a lifetime after that. That's what I've taken to doing - especially since I have a digi-dash car, and it's generally a bad alt that takes them out. Also - since it drove fine, there's probably nothing wrong with that carb. Sounds like an electrical problem - maybe check to see if the fuel pump is running. GD

Oh - and if your interested, I have a turbo wagon I want to get rid of cheap. Runs good too. Needs a water pump, and a Power steering pump, but otherwise is fine. GD

No mods for a VW will work on the EA81, and frankly the EA81 is more reliable than the beetle engine, and more powerful. The car barely goes down the road as it is with 85 HP - putting a less powerful engine in (that's not watercooled) would be BAD. You wouldn't move, and it would overheat more than likely. In your words - it's a vastly different beast. And a better one in my opinion - I just sold an 84 with 315,000 on it - ran like a top, and had HP like new - never been rebuilt, never been replaced. I would suspect something else unless you can verify the knock is a main bearing - it's probably just bad timing, or something. I've never seen a soob motor knock because of bad main's - I've heard of people pulling engines that ran perfectly, and finding the mains were chewed, but the engine ran fine, and outward appearances wouldn't have sugested the problem. If you do have to replace it, then just get another EA81 - they are pretty cheap - I've seen em go for like $150 GD

The clubs are worthless to a good car theif - you just cut the steering wheel with a hacksaw - takes about 15 seconds - they make the steering wheel from cheap plastic, and it's no good replacing it, since they are all made weak to collapse in a collision with your head. Brake pedal locks are pretty decent. A friend of mine in high school put an aftermarket Model-T Ford buzzbox ignition system in his truck - hooked to the door handles. He would electrify them with a switch under the rocker panel. Anyone who touched them would be thrown to the ground with quite a jolt. I like that idea personally. GD

Hey Hondasucks - if you want that blown AT, you can have it. I'm not even sure we'll be using the good one I got from Turbone, as my friend's wife sold a very valuable peice of furniture, and now their plan is to buy a little newer used car, so the Turbo wagon may never move again, and probably will be parted, since I have no use for it really (except as parts ). GD

Try replacing the disty ignition module with one from your running car. Isn't too hard... GD

Next time you go to remove the hub - just smack the axle end with a hammer, and block of wood - just like you are taking it out - works great - removed every hub I've encountered that way. Pullers are nice - especially when they're free, but time can be a factor too. Takes me 30 minutes to run to Autozone for a tool - makes my blood boil every time I have to do that.... GD

Have you checked you ECU (under the drivers dash) for error codes? This can help narrow down the problem if the computer has already detected something strange. GD

I don't know much about the FI models, but I know that the people here who do will probably need more info - what type of FI do you have? (SPFI, or MPFI). What year is the engine, and what car is it on? GD

What happens to the electronic ignition modules is they get hot, and sometimes the integrated circuits will devop a crack that widens when heat is applied, thus severing an electrical connection that was fine when the module was cold. You can't see that crack - they are on a micron scale, and inside the IC's of the board. I've seen this a number of times on other makes / models. And I have heard of the Nippondenso ignition modules failing before. If this happens to you again - maybe replace the ND disty with a hitachi - it's a direct swap. GD

well - no, you can't use the 5 spd D/R, at least not without an adapter plate, and I don't know if anyone makes one. The bellhousings are different. The frame rails can be cut without terrible things happening to the front end - the unibody will hold it together. I know that D/R tranny's for the EJ motors were built for european models, but were never sold here in the states, so it might be hard to get one. Also - if you swapped out tranny's, you probably will have to change the length of the axles, to compensate. Also - the engine is too deep, and the radiator will have to be relocated - some have done this with a swing away mount above the engine, and a hood scoop to get air to it - kind of like a hummer. GD

2 or 3 times - at 150K miles each = 450K - 600K. At that point I don't think I would be sorry that my driveshaft needed replacing.... GD

You can also use chevy or toyota 6 lug rims. You will have to either drill out the rim, or add 4 studs to your brake rotors and drums. It's not that hard really, and then your wheel choices are much bigger. The 5 lug swap is an option, but would be much more expensive than the chevy 6 lug conversion, and I'm sure there are plenty of nice chevy and toyota 6 lug alloys that would work. GD

Yeah - your gears match - all manuals for EA81's and EA82 are 3.9 GD

for ball joints, get a "fork" style puller. Many auto parts places - Autozone for one - do the "loaner" tool program. You buy it - then bring it back for full refund when your done, or keep it if you like, since you already paid for it. Pretty cool when you need a puller for something like that, or a bottle brush hone for your occasional engine rebuild, etc. Oh - and your "grinding" when in reverse - is that a high-pitched whine? Most cars sound like that - it's normal. The reason has to do with the design of the reverse gear - it's a straight tooth gear, rather than a roller style gear, so it's completely normal for reverse to "whine" - and it will pick up as you accelerate in reverse. GD

And you need the driveshaft from the 85 too, as well as the carrier bearing. Or you can have your solid driveline lengthened. GD

Well - actually - you won't have competing airflow. This was a problem back in the day when fans were made from metal. The switch to plastic fans was made specifically to overcome that sort of problem. At 50 MPH or so, the fans are designed to flex so the blades are flat, and allow air to completely bypass them. Most poeple just don't know that..... GD

That sounds like a deal man - get it. Any running driving Brat is worth $1000, unless it's about to fall apart from rust. Replace the carb with a weber - or what I plan on doing - SPFI from an EA82. Also - sorry, but unless it's a 2WD, it's not a 5 spd - it's a 4 spd. Either single range, or dual range - to my knowledge, gen 2 Brats never came as 2WD, so it's got to be a 4 spd unless it's an Auto (yuck). And no - it won't be like your 86 turbo wagon for off-roading - it will be MUCH better. More ground clearance, and with a weber - more torque. Less power tho, and driving them on the freeway at 75 is a little scary. Brats especially because the visibility is different in them, and because they have a different cam, the engine has good low-end, but basically no top end at all. GD

You most likely have a bad inner Double Offset Joint (DOJ) on one of your axles. These can be rebuilt, but you might as well replace the axle, since it's less of a headache. I have experienced the same symptoms you describe - I fixed it with a new right front axle. Ball joints - even when they are REALLY bad (trust me on this) will not vibrate - they will cause the vehicle to swerve left or right when you accelerate or brake. I just replaced one that had probably a good 1/4" of play in it. Wasn't pretty, but it never vibrated or made any noises. GD

well - technically you want the DGEV - that's the one with the electric choke. However - there seems to be some weird nonsense going on with webers naming convention. The DGAV is supposed to be the one with the water choke I believe, but the one I have (from the EA81 kit sold by weber) says DGAV on it - stamped right into the metal - but it's electric. Just look at the pics on ebay, and find one with the electric choke module. Also - just getting one on ebay isn't enough - it will need to be jetted properly for the engine your putting it on. You can jet it yourself, but you will have to dismantle to carb to do it. Get a book on weber's and that should help. GD

Yes - your carb needs to be rebuilt, or go away. The webers are far better for mileage, and power - they are the way to go. I'm curious as to this 1 bbl carb you mention - does your 84 4WD have the carter single barrel? I have never seen one of these personally on an 84 1.8... interesting. Anyway - get yourself a weber, and you will be happy - no more "warm-up" period when you start it cold - just start and drive. Oh - and if you get a weber for the 1 bbl car - you will need a different (the hitachi) manifold, as the carter manifolds are different, and will not accept the weber carb. The 2bbl car should already be a hitachi, and will bolt right in with the correct adapter plate. GD