TomRhere

Other than checking the clearence between crank/bearing on the thrust bearing, I don't recall ever having an issue with one not fitting the crank, so I can't say if it's a "do this too" thing when re-grinding a crank. I have had one or two bearings in the "kit" be the wrong ones when I did the Plasti-gage thing to check bearing/journal clearence. One engine I can recall like it was yesterday, the Plasti-gage spread out to near 1/2" wide. WUT!!!! Something wrong there... They had a journel bearing for a 30 under set in the 10 under set. Not good! But yeah, take crank and bearing(s) back to the shop. They should fix it for no charge as it was their muckup..... Be it wrong bearing in kit, or improper machining job.....

Pulling the drivers seat makes working under the dash so much easier...... Proper routing of the cable on the engine side of the firewall is critical. Take pics, jot down notes, what have you, to insure that you get it routed right.

Check the axle nuts for proper torque again. Been a few of us that have had the bearings move a bit after axle work. Don't know why, but it happens.

Got the new calipers and soft lines installed. Del got her leg work out helping to bleed the lines out. Only problem I had was removing the clips that hold the soft lines to the brackets, but they finally came out. Thinking I need to get a new Master Cylinder. Bled the crap out of the brakes, but the pedal still goes toward the floor more than I believe it should. Haven't drove it anywhere yet. Installed a new accelerator cable too, (ordered that back when I got the bearings). Had to file the hole in the firewall abit though, seems that end of the cable is a tad bigger. And,,,,, in keeping with the "I just can't seem to win here" statement. Seems I've popped both inner front axle boots. New GCK axles, installed Jan '07. Sucks!!! Do believe I have a couple boots here, gotta hunt for them....

Oil pressure and engine temp units have to be swapped between the two. Coil to disty wires will need to be lengthened. May be something with the pitch-stopper, but that detail is a bit fuzzy, been a couple years. Re-reouting of some vac hoses may be needed.

PayPal sent..

Be sure you transfer the timing marks between the flywheels, they are in different locations between the 2 engines. Set one flywheel crank side onto the clutch side of the other, align the bolts holes, bolt them together with a couple bolts if you like. Then use hammer/chisel or dremel grinder to mark the flywheel timing marks onto the other.

I'd like to get 3 shirts, 2-XL & 1-Small. Would they all be one shipping price, or is it per shirt?

Check your ball-joints and inner/outter tie-rod ends for any play in them. New tires can cause worn parts there to show up as a vibration like you are describing.

Loosen the gas cap, and try pumping fuel again. If the flow stays steady, you definetly have tank venting issues.

Nice!!!!

Didn't swap any of the new brake stuff in, but I did do a good lookover of the whole system. Nothing looked out of sorts, and brakes are working as they should. Atleast they worked properly on the trip to/from work yesterday, no wierdness. I put in for a vacation day on Friday, that'll give me 3 days to get things sortted out come the weekend.

Exhaust is fixed..... Took alot of test fitting, cutting, braizing, another trip to parts store for one more adapter piece, but it's done. And properly supported this time..... It really don't sound much different than it did with the XT6 mid-pipe under it. Might have to do with the length of pipe after the muffler. Muffler is sitting under the backend of the tranny, and about a 1/2" below driveshaft and off to the DS a bit. Haven't worked on brakes yet. Came in to warm up, it's cold out there. Forecast was for scattered clouds temps near 25*. But it's cloudy, snowing, 19* with windchill of 9* blowing right into the garage. Can't get BRAT in far enough to close the door, got an ER-27 W/tranny sitting in the way. Sure do wish Jerry wasn't using his lift this weekend.......

I've dug thru that site in the past, looking for BRAT rockers. No joy found there. Both the '82 and '86 need new rockers. Been wondering if ones for another vehicle could be adapted to fit, but "just thinking" is all I've done on the subject.

Congrats!!!!! Glad to hear she's up and running.... Don't think FLs are available new anymore, so yeah JY is your friend there. As for the ECM, hard to say if it'll go south on you or not. Time will tell on that one. I would grab one if there's one to be found, just to have on hand. I can't say if they're year specific or not, don't know. You could pull yours out and flush it good with some contact cleaner, couldn't hurt.. Let it dry out good before returning power to it.

I leave the cap off on the intial fill and run of engine. Just keep topping it off as the engine warms up. I've dropped the tanks out of 4 different Ru's and only had one bolt give me grief, and that was due to the weldnut breaking loose. The hose clamps can be a pain though. Getting the hose for the fill-tube off has been fun on a couple. Central Illinois huh, anywhere near Kankakee? I bought my '82 BRAT just south of there back in '02.

I slackened the adjustment on the HH way back when I 1st got the BRAT, as it wouldn't release until clutch was fully released. That was 3 years ago, sticky caliper is recent issue, like in the last 6 months. But I'll look into that. After installing the rest of the new exhaust system under the Wife's '93 Sunbird, I got the BRAT into the garage and up in the air. Seems I should have supported the XT6 mid-pipe a bit better than I did. Outlet pipe on the 2nd cat tore off of the cat. I have no way to fix that... Spent some time looking at various sections of pipe I have here, nothing would work for me. OK, call the local parts store, see what we can come up with. Got a Cherry Bomb muffler and assorted adapters. Was getting near suppertime, and Wife decreed I was going to the bar and getting food. Darn, I "have" to go to the bar? Bummer.. I'll be back out there as soon as the sun is up this morning. Hoping I can remedy the exhaust issue quickly and get onto the brakes. Said the heck with it last Sunday and ordered in new loaded calipers and soft lines for the fronts. They arrived on Thursday.

I'm not buying them either. BRATs on the other hand, I would be buying. EA-82's are rarely seen around here, think I've seen maybe 5 since I joined the Board. Those were usually going the opposite way down the road I was on. Did start talking to owner of a Wagon at a gas station once. But his Wife started to freak when I approached him (to introduce myself and mention the Board) and he got in the car and left. I do have an '88 GL10 FWD Wagon sittting in the backyard I need to get busy on.

I just can't seem to win here.... Spent last weekend wrenching on the '86 BRAT fixing bad front wheel bearings, ball-joint, rear brake adjuster issues. Started driving the BRAT on Monday, everything seemed ok until Thursday. Noticed that it didn't roll any when I stopped for a red light and let my foot off the brake pedal, it usually does at that particular light. Now what???? Drove about 7 miles to the Bar I occasionaly stop at. Get out and feel all 4 hubs. PS front is hot, not real hot, but hotter than the others. Great.... Sticking caliper "again". Grrrr. I have to read my repair log to see when, but I'm sure I replaced that caliper not to long ago, but,, it was a used one. Had no choice but to drive home, and still no choice but to drive it to work on Friday. Heading into work Friday morning, as I pull up to a stop sign, I both feel and hear a "POP". Felt it thru the brake pedal and the steering wheel. No jerk of the wheel, just felt like a bump. Brake pedal felt like it kicked back at my foot. I let off the pedal and hit again, I still have brakes, but they feel different now. Great,,,,, I just blew a line somewhere was my thought. Drive the roughly 4 miles into work. No more stops to be made, used gears to slow down for all the turns I had to make, like I usually do. Get into the parking lot, pull into my spot and stop. Hmm, seemed to stop okay. Pedal felt good, not squishy or anything. Let off the brakes, and it wanted to roll. HuH??? Get out and feel PS hub, it's not any warmer than DS. What gives here. Look it over at lunch, no sign of leakage anywhere, MC is still full. Brake pedal didn't drift any when I pushed it down, felt solid. Driving home after work, all seemed to be in order with the brakes. Get about 2 miles from the house, and the exhaust system decides it no longer wants to be under the BRAT. Dammit!!!! Hit the turnsignal to turn onto my street, and it don't work. WTF!?! It just did, 3 minutes ago....... Was planning to do some wrenching this weekend, but not on this stuff.. Got parts here to fix some of this, not to sure about the exhaust though..

There's a small wire from the battery + to the fusable link box, that is the main feed for the vehicle, thru the different links. Main battery + cable is for starter power only. Check to make sure that the small wire is plugged into link box. (plugs into the side) Check for voltage on both ends of the links, they can burn but not destroy the insulation on them. Put your meter - lead on the battery -, meter + lead to each link end, should have voltage on both ends. Un-bolt the link box, flip it over and check for corroded terminals, broken wires. Had that problem on my old '86 BRAT. Here's a link to the electrical layout, May help you understand things a bit easier. http://mshoup.us/docs/fsm/EA81/83/Chapter15-Electrical_System.pdf

The plug you're trying to remove on the PS is the wrong one. You want the 14mm hex head plug under the head, same spot on the head as the DS, but on the front. I believe your turbo coolant line is in that drain hole now. Non-turbo engine, it would just be a plug there. edit; ps. A Gates 28466 hose will work for the 90* one off the waterpump to heater line. You just need to trim it to fit.

Definetly nice!!!!!! Makes my '85 look like,, Poo........

One known issue with the EA-81 vehicles is the connector for the ignition switch. The main battery feed wire can burn the terminal ends in the connector. Pull the trim panel under the steering column, look for a Pink colored connector on the wires coming from the steering column, (6 place connector with 5 wires on each side). Look closly at the White wire, (main battery feed), and where it is in the connector. If it's faulty or atleast going bad, the connector will be discolored. One other problem I've had myself. Corroded terminal(s) under the fusable link box. You'll have to unbolt the box to see the bottom of it. Also, check you battery terminals and the cables, check both ends of the cables.

MilesFox has done this. Do believe he said you cut the formed piece out from the inner area of the X-member, then reweld it to the outside on the rear of the x-member.

When installing the intake pipe to the waterpump, coat the o-ring and the bore of the housing with pure anti-freeze. It'll act as a lubricant and help to keep the o-ring in place.