TomRhere

We'll all give it our best this aturday, ifin you can wait that long that is. Got some good car-brains heading your way. We'll get you going!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why??? Just out of basic curiosity is all............

Really, I go along with the comment on the 2.8 being a junky engine. On the otherhand,.... A nice beefy 4.3L with, proper talking, to would do you good. But that's just my opinion. On the 4-link part. Think you'd find some good reading if you went to the hotrod magazine site and did some reading. Draggers have done 4-link rear suspension for eons just about. There should be lots of info in their archives. Don't have a website link for them, otherwise I'da put in here..... Then there's the 5-link setup. Still dun't know what that's all about, but it's supposed to be better. Find myself wishing that I had kept closer ties with my old drag'n days. Lot's of good times, lots of good friends. And humongus HP about the place. Gotta love it!!!!!

One of the guys I used to hang with years ago, told me to use Dextron II ATF to coat the engine down with during rebuilds. It don't run off like oil will, kinda stays put, atleast a film does. His name is John MacEldowny, those old enough to know anything about the '60-'70's drag racing scene will know that name. Even if I spelled it wrong, been awhile since I've talked to him, or even seen his name in print.

Don't really know on SPFI/MPFI cars, ...... But maybe you buggered the coolant temp sensor when changing the MAF unit. Engine is cold, needs more gas to run, CTS isn't saying engine is cold, so it ain't getting the gas it needs. Just a thought...................

Had one in my '82 BRAT. It's tight to the frame-rail, about 1/4" clearance on each side. As stated; relocate or remove the hill-holder. It will interfer with the disty if you don't. Leave the engine mounts loose on the engine until you have the studs thru the crossmember, then make sure engine is "centered" between the rails before you tighten up the mounts. Coil was left in the stock location, and the wires were lengthened to fit. Above all, keep the EA-82 flywheel with the engine, has the timing marks on it for doing the T-belts, plus ignition timing is different between the two engines. You can however, align the flywheel mounting bolts and transfer the marks over to the EA-81 flywheel. You'll also have to drill out the flywheel to crank holes, as the EA-82 uses bigger diameter bolts there.

Mounted on the manifold, to the left of the carb, as you're standing infront of the car. Diaphram type object, has an L-shaped rod pointing foward, and should meet-up with the linkage on the carb around the area of go-pedal cable attachment. Operated by a vacuum solenoid, but I can't say where that's located, as the one on mine was removed. (solenoid and all hoses/vacuum lines, just the unit itself was there).

On the wheel-bearings... The ground problem found in the Chrysler K cars, wasn't the only make of FWD cars to have that, they just got the Head-lines out of it. Everybody was down on Chrysler at the time. But it is a good point to look into. Also, I have found that no matter the reason I have to pull the axle nut off, I've had to re-torque the nut after about 100 miles or so of driving after initial torquing of said nut.. Maybe you need to check on that possibility. Gotten strange/wierd noises from the front wheels myself after pull/install axle(s), be they new, or be they used ones. One good clue on looseness, is car wants to dive one-way or the other when letting off of the go-pedal. On the no want to crank over problem... Pull the panel under the steering column, and find the main power feed connector to the switch. Believe it to be Pink in color, but could be wrong there. Check for dis-coloration of the connector. If present, that could be your problem. Loose fitting tabs inside said connector, causing high current draw. That don't do the connection any good. Sometimes it'll work, sometimes it won't. Thinking it was McBrat that mentioned that connector a while back on another no-crank issue. Just some thoughts on problem(s) is alll.....

Dun't know of an oil related fire from a hot cat, but.... I do know of afew grass fires caused by hot cats. Puts some excitement into the party when that happens

Gotta love those $100.00 cars....... Bought the '86 BRAT for that same price afew years gone by now. Started it up, and drove it home. Didn't let the small stuff like no brakes and no exhaust stop me. Had a blast doing it too. Beat the crap out of it during the 28 mile drive, seemed to enjoy it more than me. Congrat's on the buy.................................................. Whatch out for that Fox Dude though, he'll be wanting to mod it for you...

It does kinda suck having to spend money on a vehicle when you're somewhat strapped for cash, been there, done that.. On the otherhand, I would rather spend my money fixing a used car up, over giving it to the bank and insurance company, in loan payments and full-coverage insurance payments. I have always bought someone else's headaches, for my own personal vehicle. Spend some money on them getting things right, and drive them 'til they fall apart. I, myself, have only once got a loan for a car, and I'll never do that again. We currently own, (well, the bank does), a '95 Grand Am, and are making the payments on it. Got it 3 years ago, last month. Only reason we did this, is because the Mother-in-Law, (yes, she lives with us), wanted a "New car", and she couldn't do the loan herself. Now, I don't think she puts more than 30 miles a year on it herself, as she "don't like that car". Grrrrrrrrrrr!!!! Wife is now using it as her daily driver. But M-i-L is having fits over the "miles" that are being put on the car. Tough Do-Do, we make the payments, not her. I have spent more money on repairs to the G A, than I have on all 3 of the BRATs. Completely rebuilt the front suspension, all new brake stuff all around, the Multi-function switch for the headlights/wipers/whatnot, got a leak in it when it rains and I can't find it, tranny repairs, exhaust system is the next to go, and a proper tune-up on it cost more to do than doing both of the driveable BRATs combined, the power door locks quit working right after the warranty expired (of course), they'd lock, but wouldn't un-lock, and still won't so they're dis-connected now. Changing the T-stat is a lesson in contortionism, what the he-double hockey sticks were those engineers smoking that day is beyond me. I'll stick to the Subarus now. The G A is history once it's paid for. Did buy a '95 Dodge Ram 1500 with shell, fully loaded, 318 Magnum/auto, paid $1500.00 cash. Going to need some front suspension work, and new tires. But for the price, I couldn't pass it up. I can triple my money right now if I put it out front for sale. Can't do that with the G A. This truck lists on NADA for $3500.00 in sad shape, close to $6000.00 in top shape. And this is one sweet truck, even if it is a Dodge. If you really need an altenator, say so. I have a couple of spares out in the garage. I can send you one. Sometimes, I talk to much,

In the process of doing that now on the '84. Cotton picking snapped off intake bolts anyways!! Hope to finish it today, as I don't have to go into work for a change. Only one broken bolt left to deal with, and it's coming out of there, one way or another. What I've found in doing test fit, Had to remove the little nipple for the hose on the EA-82 manifold at the T-stat housing. Note to self; you still need to plug that hole. Did cut off the boss that was there and un-needed, was in the way. Had to bend down the bracket that holds the one heater pipe on the engine, the one that runs to the waterpump. Tube for the vac-advance on the disty is real close to the T-stat housing, still musing over what to do there. Blocking off all of the emissions stuff, and removing whatever else I feel like removing. Going thru all of this 'cause I have a Weber sitting here for the EA-82, and it don't fit the EA-81. This BRAT better like the Weber after I do all of this work. I know the '82 liked it, but it had the EA-82 engine in it also......

Do you hear a relay click on when you push the button? Check the connections on the grid itself, they do like to come un-attached from the grid. Doesn't take much of a hit to pop them off, either. So be carefull when checking them. As stated in above post, check for power at the connections on the grid. One side should be hot, other side is ground. If you have power on one side, check your ground connection. There's afew repair kits on the market, no real preferance here of one over the other.

Have had the dis-pleasure of mouse nests in the heater systems on all 3 BRATs. The '84 had a real "fresh" nest in the blower and flex tube. HuuuWeeee!!! Did it smell rank in there when running the heater. I pulled the blower unit out, and washed everything I could get into with some Murphy's Oil Soap. Squirted a bottle or two of Fabreeze all over the interior after washing all of the plastic trim with the oil soap. All of this helped, but it stil took some time for all of the smell to go away. Once I get the intake manifold back on, me thinks I'll run the heater for a bit, to see if the smell is there for this years use. Hope not. Good luck!

Glad to hear it's running again. Hates wiring Gremlins, I do, yes.... Was the wiring harness replaced as a whole, or was just the "fried" area(s) done? If the latter, I would look at all of the splice-joints to make sure they were done right, and well insulated at the splice. Was the "new" wiring from the same year/model car? If not, your problem could be there. May be some slight difference in how things were terminated at connectors. IE: Wires x y z on yours, may not be x y z on the donor. Could be z y x, or some other combo. Just throwing out ideas is all. Good luck on finalizing the repairs.

Ford used that T-case for quite afew years in the 3/4 Ton 4X4's. It's a good unit, but "a bit heavy" doesn't come close. All gear drive internals, cast-iron shell, sucker is just plain "heavy".

:burnout:

Problem could also be in the clock itself, where the wires attach to the circuitboard of the clock. There's a write-up on repairing that in here somewhere. Think I may have even saved it to my HD, have to look for it. Both my '82 and the '86 do/did that. The '84 seems to be working as it should for now atleast.

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=21396 Link is to posting I wrote on how to swap the rear covers on the alts. This is assuming that atleast one of them has good VR and brushes in it, and the other has good windings.

I have a set each of SPFI and MPFI(non-turbo) heads here. One head bad in both sets. Had thoughts of sectioning both of the bad heads to see what it would take to make one more good MPFI head. Just haven't gotten around to it yet.

Grade 5 bolt would be the proper choice here. Grade 8 is for Mega-torque applications, which you ain't doing in aluminum. Have to remember the 1/2"-20 tapping trick myself, just incase the inevitable happens to me.

Would suggest taking a look at the pads again, just to make sure they a sitting in the caliper where they are suppose to be. Could have them in wrong.

I hates when that happens!! That is one place on an engine, where I would use a Heli-coil for repair. 'Specially on a known good, or rebuilt engine. I'll catch some flack on this, but...... You'll be okay to re-use the gasket. Hasn't been on, or under torque load, for that long. I have done so in the past with no ill effects. But final choice on that is up to you.

Middle-end of October would be good for me, I think. Depends on work load at the time. Don't know about a drive up that far though, that's a trip.

Coolant Temperature Sensor, perhaps?? Just a thought..............................