KiwiBrumby

Thanks guys, I had briefly (about 100 feet) put my shifter into this neutral position, there was no funny noise from the transmission or anything but as you said, I was freewheeling down a slope.

Why is there a printed warning on the console beside the hi-lo shifter that says not to use the vehicle with the shifter in between the two positions? Is it because it may cause mechanical damage or because it means you're in a neutral position between gears?

Are not all ea81 lifters solids?

If your by yourself you can use a wad of newspaper, big enough to not fall through the spark-plug hole of course! Squish it into the hole and 'bump' the motor over until you hear the pop of the wad being blown out, winding the motor a few degrees back a little (If need be) should see the timing marks line up.

That's the answer I was looking for! I asked the question because I remember being in a Daihatsu Rocky (I think, long time ago!) that ended up with a rear wheel hanging above a hole - and unable to move as all the power went to spinning the rear wheel that was in mid-air.

Too lazy to do a practical test so can anybody tell me if I was in four-wheel drive mode and got in a slippery area and and one wheel started to spin would I be stuck? Or would I still have traction with the other three wheels and be able to drive out?

Hydraulics don't just pump up as such in all the motors I've dealt with, if they DO pump up it's normally during high revs with weak valve-springs. They only 'pump up' enough to take up any clearance so I doubt 'thinner' oil will make a difference.

Thanks guys, it was reassuring to read those replies! I hear you Subaru Scott, I never flog a cold motor, when I head off to work my Brumby never get much past 2,300 - 2,500rpm for the first five - ten minutes And I always take it extra easy if it's been a frosty morning.

Hi all, I have done the 1st oil & filter change on my '84 Brumby using Havoline 20-50 API SJ Is SJ a suitable level of oil? What does the owners manual say? Thanks again to all you experienced Brumby/Brat owners.!!

Yes, he took it for a ride with me alongside him. He's pretty experienced and it had him stumped (and me!)

Hi you wise people. Another issue with by '84 Brumby (Brat.) When using my brakes a load growling/scraping noise comes from the left-rear hub. It sounds just like when the brake-shoes are worn down and its metal-to-metal on the drum. A mechanic took the drum off and said all is well and there's tons of brake-shoe material. The noise only happens when the brakes are used and the rear brakes come into play, otherwise there's no noise at all. Any ideas? (And the mechanic said the bearing was good)

It's a pushrod motor, no timing belt.

It's a 1984 Brumby (BRAT in the US) with an EA81 and four-speed, i.e. stock.

NOBODY got any theories?

when starting my Brumby in the cold weather lately I have noticed an exhaust noise or engine noise, not sure which but its a sort of 'rattle'? or ''knock'? (sounds like grrrrr) which occurs at about 1800-2000rpm under load and then goes when over those revs . After driving for about 3 minutes or so the noise has gone - or I can't hear it!. Any ideas.?

I had an issue like that and it was the ignition points had closed up. Worth considering.

I get 33mpg in my Brumby but our speed limit is 100kph (just over 60mph) And our gallon is the Imperial gallon (4.54 litres) BUT driving around town on short trips I reckon it won't even make 20mpg.

Absolutely brilliant stuff! This is the sort of info I joined this site to get - particularly being new to the 'game' of early Subaru ownership. My passenger seat is in top order in grey basket-weave pattern - but my driver seat is a replacement with a different colour and in velour and the seat back adjustment is welded by the P.O. so no recline adjustment, hence a need for another seat. A seat identical to the current passenger seat would be ideal but as they said in the movie: " tell 'im he's dreamin!" .

Sorry but I was away from the computer for a couple of days but yes I would love to see some pics - and any other useful info!

I need to get a better drivers seat for my Brumby and on looking at the mounts on my sons 2001 Legacy wagon it seems the seat-mount system is quite similar. So do other Subaru seats fit the Brumy/Brat models - WITHOUT a lot of chop and channelling?

Would a '84 Brumby/Brat have one of those warning lights?

Hi-tech repair on the Brumby today - opened the points gap so that it wouldn't die at the stop-lights or miss on the highway. (Probably should have replaced them but hey...)

Yep, the leak is fixed!! Did first road trip and got 33mpg.

My '84 Brumby with EA81 has points and ballast resistor and it's a local car serviced in town - and they said it always had points.

3. Very, very ealy EA81's (1980 - *maybe* 81) had no (or at least very, very rare) options for AC, or power steering. So the crank pulley only has a single groove for the alternator belt. All later engines were equipped with the three groove pully for optional AC and power steering. GD my '84 Brumby has a single groove pulley on the crank, a/c wasn't an option in New Zealand back then. ( or for another five or more years.)