Sapper 157

So I have been very slowly losing coolant in Blue (1984 EA81), I am positive it couldn't be through the head gasket because I just replaced them (with FEL-PRO). I was examining the radiator today when I realized a wet spot on the lower half below the electric fan. So apparently I have a small leak in my raidatior. I was looking on rock -auto and I found a radiator that looks exactly like mine, which means it is probably copper. I know that aluminum radiators are superior to copper, so I was wondering if there was any options out there for the EA81 as far as aluminum is concerned. As far as other repair options, would it be okay to use Stop Leak in this scenario? I dont like the stuff cause I have heard so much negative crap about it, but would that be a viable option in this instance? Or should I just suck it up and blow the $125 and replace the darn thing with a copper one if I cannot find an aluminum option? Opinions? Wisdom?

That is correct. 83 was when they switched to the black bumper. While a 4 or 5spd manual would be preferable, as long as the engine had regular oil changes, it will last just about forever. As you probably already know, the EA81s are hands down the toughest and most reliable engines Subaru ever built... most likely due to their simplicity. Although not extremely high in HP or torque, they are dang loyal and are super easy to work on when they have "personality issues". A wonderful car to learn mechanics on! $850 is a steal for this car if I was you I would jump on it.

Wasn't sure where else to put this but I found this helpful PDF on the web the other day and wanted to share it with you all to get opinions, as well as help us who strive to keep these unbearably picky carbs on our cars. Figured that it might be helpful for future rebuilds: http://mastertechmag.com/pdf/1987/12dec/198712IS_Hitachi2Barrel.pdf

YAAYY!! Hope the reassembly goes well! It is always uplifting to see a good ending to these mechanical woes.

I cant believe im saying this... but that is a beautifully clean Hitachi!

Okay so I looked in my two different repair manuals and both confirmed that the temp is indeed 190. sorry for doubting Naru . But I still would like some guidance on whether or not I could run this stat in my car. I know 20 degrees is quite a big difference, but it is either this or stick with an aftermarket one and just pray that it does not fail on me. I have looked high and low and I just cant find any other Subaru OEM stat that fits my car. My guess is they stopped manufacturing them. Anyways, any guidance on this issue is much appreciated

Yeah true that... Their intake gaskets are about as good as single ply cardboard.

Or FEL-PRO is good too

I doubt very, very, very, highly that anyone still supplies GL tanks from the 80s. Your best bet is either: 1) probably to find a pick-an-pull yard somewhere and pull one off a soob there. 2) or see if you can find a USMB member near you who is willing to part with an extra tank. 3) find some way to mod a different tank to adapt to the bottom of your car. I really am not an authority on fabrication so im not sure that is even possible but I'm guessing there is some way to do something like that.

Hey guys, sorry to resurrect an old thread but I am still not very clear on this whole thermostat ordeal. Is the one in my link the right one or not? Naru says that the opening temp for 1984 is 190 degrees, and I'm not trying to knock you or anything Naru, its just that all I have ever heard is 180 degrees. So could I get some input from the rest of you guys on this for extra clarification? Is the temp 180 or 190? and since I cant find the part number that naru listed, could I use the one that I listed without any ill effects to my EA81?

Okay so here are the two different clutch kits im looking at: EXEDY: Part number: 15001 https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=2393578&jsn=254 LUK: Part number: 15003 https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=4694181&cc=1268344&jsn=392 I dont see anything on the Exedy kit that says anything about being compatible with 4WD. Is that kit still the right kit to get for 4WD?

Valve stem seals have already been replaced with new FELPRO valve stem seals.

Out of curiousity... why is there a BMW tag on that BRAT?

Thanks for the info! I should probably take it to a machine shop to get it resurfaced right?

This may be a dumb question, but can I get to the front main and rear main seals without taking the heads off?

1984 GL Wagon, EA81 So this summer I am planning on redoing my clutch and I figured as long as I had the engine out I might as well replace some stuff. I wanted to get a form going for it so I can really plan ahead. There is definitely oil leakage around my oil pump. Blue has 174,000 miles on the odo, should I just replace the oil pump completely? The oil PSI is still fine but I was just wondering if I should go ahead and replace it anyway? Obviously Ill do the oil pan seal while im in there. Also guessing the rear main seal should be done? What else should I tackle while its out? Head gaskets/intake manifold gaskets/exhaust gaskets have all been in done in October so I dont need to worry about those... So to summarize: Rear main, oil pump seals, — where should I buy them? Should I just replace the oil pump since it has 174K on it? Even though I am not having low PSI issues? Or should I just replace the seals and let it be? What other seals should I replace that I am forgetting/unaware of? What is the best clutch kit out there, and where should I get it? (it is a four-wheel drive wagon)

Okay, thanks for the tips. it has warmed up to above 20 degrees so thankfully these cold weather problems are finally dissipating

I was wondering if I could replace the plastic two-pronged fuel filter under my car with a metal cylinder type filter like this one? http://www.wixfilters.com/Lookup/PartDetails.aspx?Part=158168 Would this hurt my fuel flow or anything like that?

It has been very cold in the mornings these past few weeks (-10 to -20 Fahrenheit) and my car has several issues. Im not sure if there is a way to fix all the issues but here is the list #1 The tachometer does not work when it is cold. It will just stay at zero rpms even when the car is on. It will eventually "wake up", but it usually takes a little bit. is there something in the electrical system that I could tweak in order to prevent this? #2 The high idle will not kick on. I think the choke is messed up but I am afraid of messing it up more by trying to fix it. If someone had a diagram or video of how to adjust the electric choke on these Hitachis that would help a bunch. #3 Next, my ignition gets stuck sometimes, and I was wondering if it would hurt it to spray some WD-40 in it to keep it from freezing up (we use it a lot around here to keep our car and house doors from freezing, but im a little hesitant to use it on a car ignition.) #4 The last problem I am certain there is nothing that can be done so I am more of curious as to how it happens. When my tranny is cold my MPH gauge will flip out and make this horrible metal-grinding sound and it will tell me im going 65 or 70mph when I am only going 20mph. Does anybody know why this happens? it will eventually stop when my tranny lube warms up and I can shift easier I’m sure a lot of these issues could be resolved if my block heater worked, and I am currently trying to get it fixed but is there any way to fix all of this annoying crap so I don’t have to put up with it until I can get my block heater replaced? Thanks All!

If a replacement is needed, you might be able to find one on a similar subaru at a junkyard somewhere.

Cute dog!

Did you drain the old gas when you first got the car? I got a bad batch of gas one time and it did this. I drained the gas and got fresh high octane Shell gasoline with a can of seafoam in it and changed my fuel filters and it cleared up the issue

if there is a leak, one should see bubbles , correct?

Have you tried tapping the oil sending unit with a hammer? When mime went belly up it would work again for a short time if i hit it with a hammer.

Because Im nearing the end of my oil change interval