GeneralDisorder

If your not losing coolant, then it could be running rich. That will also produce white smoke of a constant nature. GD

Yeah - and don't pull the tranny out with it - that would just make it messier, and harder to get out. The tranny is only four studs that unbolt easy. GD

Yeah - find a good auto machine shop - they can rebuild your disty for you. You probably (unless you are a machinist) won't be able to install the bushings even if you had them, so this is your best plan. There has to be someone local to you - ask some auto parts stores where to go - sometimes those people will know. GD

Crappy pads from my local parts house - $17.00, and I've never purchased a pistong tool - use a pair of needle-nose pliers, and put a little "love" on it. Ive done LOTS of brake jobs with the pliers - works great. Oh - and if your wearing out pads in 4k - stop riding the brakes - that's insane - I get like 20k from a set of pads - the cheapest I can find. One time I even put organic pads on there - for $8 I couldn't pass em up. That, and it takes like 30 minutes to do pads..... GD

The hatch and wagon tanks are the same as far as I know. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I know there are only 2 EA81 tanks - 2WD, and 4WD. When they moved to the EA82, they dropped the 2WD tanks, and just used 4WD on all their vehicles. BTW - changing the tank is easy - only takes about an hour. It's messy tho, since your dealing with gas, and usually lots of dirt up in there.... GD

You know that any EA82 gas tank will work right? They are all of the 4WD type, and should fit fine. Turbone was using an EA82 tank in one of his EA81's believe. GD

Couple things about that - if you do the switch method sugested by "dj72", you should put in a fuse, and a relay would be good so you don't have to use a huge switch and wire. Also - you should wire in the thermoswitch so it can also have a say in when the fan comes on. If the engine isn't allowed to cool itself when IT wants, your asking for trouble. Headgaskets (and worse - cracked heads) are not what your looking for if I had to guess. The temp guages on the dash are next to worthless, as they seem to be inaccurate, or simply fail often. GD

No need to cap off the exhaust riser - it doesn't go anywhere anyway. It's just part of the heat sheild around the cat. Just leave the heat riser off. It's for winter-time, but a lot of soobs around here that I've seen have it off. The emissions police won't care BTW - it's not an emmissions control. GD

Well - found a almost new gasket on one of my parts carbs, so in it went. No difference. So I notice that it will idle pretty normal if I push on the accelerator a little - seems that the idle adjustment screw had worked it's way out somehow. Wierd. I turned the adjustement in a few turns, and now it idles fine. I think it runs smoother now tho, since I cleaned out the carb a bit. Seems to idle a little better now. It's odd that it would work it's way out like that with only a short drive. I drove like 300 miles a few days ago, and it was fine. Today was maybe 20 miles, and it comes out?? I just can't figure that out. GD

good idea- I'll check those vac lines. Already ripped off the carb top - I'll have to get a new gasket - the old one is NASTY. Anyone know a good place to get one besides the dealership? GD

Well - I was driving the Brat today, and it was acting completely normal. I pulled up to a stop sign about a block from my house, and the engine died. I restarted it, but it wouldn't idle. It will run at about 1000 RPM or higher, but anything below that will kill it. I got it home, added 5 gallons of fuel (in case the gauge was wrong), changed the fuel filters (front and rear), and I still have the same problem. I guess the carb needs cleaning. I have been told by a soob mechanic in the past that all they have ever had to do to the hitachi's is remove the carb top, and blow out the carb passages with compressed air. Anyone done this and been succesful? Anyone have any other ideas? This is not the feedback carb, so it doesn't have an ECU to check, or an O2 sensor, or any of that. And it runs totally normal above 1000 RPM - sounds great, and runs strong. GD

I think ALL EA82 carbs were the feedback variety. You would need all the sensors, and the ECU as well. And maybe the disty, for the ECU to work right. Probably would work. The SPFI from an EA82 will work on an EA81. They are the same displacement, and the same (basically) intake manifold. GD

Do both at the same time. Tires are PART of your alignment. If you change the tire - you change the alignment. It's that simple. Different brands of tires - while they may be marked the same for size, will differ slightly. It's all very logical really. GD

Yeah - jackstands are like $15 a pair.... your life is worth less I take it? GD

That's why I always inspect new noises.... with the wheels off the ground. Jackstands are a good thing. GD

Anything is possible - but you will need to adapt not only the engine to fit the car, but also replace the tranny, and you may have to change the length of the axles. a JDM engine won't help you much since you will need the entire wireing harness as well - ECU, all sensors, etc. Find a wrecked STi and use that. I wouldn't mess with a JDM anything, since they know they are getting rid of the motor after 50,000. The oil hasn't been changed cause they don't care. If you do - rebuild the engine carfully. Your money would better be spent on a complete, wrecked donor car. Saves time, and sanity. GD

sweeet - I got a loaner puller from Autozone, and popped the balljoints out of the control arm. Getting dark, so I'll replace them tommarow - replacement looks easy compared to removal, since I can use the nut to pull the lower half in, and the wieght of the car to push the upper half in. Looks like I'll have good ball joints soon. Total cost: 2 used balljoints - $0.00 1 loaner puller - $0.00 Total: $0.00 GD

have a driveling shop cut off those silly "non-replaceble" joints, and have them replaced with serviceable ones. Or just get a used shaft - there everywhere in the yards. GD

Yeah - but I want to do it myself. Shouldn't be that hard - someone has to have done this before.... anyone? GD

Really? Free loaner tools? I never heard about that..... amazing! GD

The haynes manual says I've got to take it to a shop.... naw - there must be a better way to get em out, and the new ones in - anyone want to share? GD

Simply remove the O2 sensor, and put a pipe plug in the hole. If they still insist on saying that it's inop, then tell them the Y pipe was replaced with a "universal" one, that is "ready" for the O2 if your car uses it (yours doesn't). Simple, but effective, and they really can't argue with it. If that doesn't do it, then get on your computer, and pull up an invoice template in excel - make yourself out a reciept for the Y pipe install from a fictional shop. Make sure to fit the word "universal" in the part nomenclature. There's only so far that those yoyo's can go to take your car off the road, and they won't waste their time investigating your claims if you have quick responses to all their questions, and act proffesional. If they give you crap, ask them "What can we do to resolve this situation?". Just find out what documents they need, and magically "create" them on your computer. hehe As for the tailpipe test - I second the Weber - it will improve your performace and mileage greatly. GD

It's also possible to get vibration from a bad DOJ on a front axle. GD

Any single wire O2 should work - get a Bosch - there like $29.00. Mine was bad (engine wouldn't even run with it connected), and I've had the Bosch in there for probably 8 months with no probs. If it went bad tommarow, for $29, I could buy 4 for the price the dealer wants. Silly if you ask me. I would NEVER pay the dealer price on something as universal as an O2. Pull yours (engine will run without it), and take it in to make sure the threads match up to the one your buying. Also remember to use anti-sieze on the threads.... lots of it. If I could find the guy that installed the one I had to pull out of my car, I would strange them with my bare hands..... GD

It's most likely a D/R since I think all GL models from 83 on up had the D/R. Not a bad price - not cheap tho for a wagon. If it's really beutiful, and low miles, then it might be worth it. Pretty spendy by Northwest standards, but maybe not for where you are. And if it's the single range - forget it. GD