TomRhere

Not sure of it's exact mounting location, but the "stop lamp checker" relay should be behind that panel on the PS. I really don't think it would cause your brake lights not to work though. Check the switch on the brake pedal, one side of connector should have 12 volts at all times, other side goes "hot" when pedal is depressed. Does the idicator for "stop lamp" come on on the dash when you step on the brake pedal, key must be in "on" position. It should if one light is out, not sure it would if both go out. Are the turn signal, tail lights, and back-up lights working properly? If they are, it sorta rules out grounding issues. But, it still could be bad socket for brake lights. Are the brake light bulbs good? I found a diagram of how the "stop lamp checker" relay is wired, need to see if I can find it again....

The servo attaches to the gas pedal under the dash. As for fuel economy with/without using it, debatable.. Really depends on geographics of where one lives. Cruise is somewhat slow to react to a vehicle that has started to go up a hill, so engine is lugged a bit, then it's given more throttle to get vehicle back up to set speed after slowing down. But yeah, on long trips it can improve fuel ecconomy over not using it...

430-10 is their number for the u-joint. Here's the link.... http://www.rockforddriveline.com/New%20Parts%20Page/Staked%20In%20Page.pdf

Maybe it's a BRATch........

The '85 BRAT I recently purchased had way sloppy shifter. A P.O. had attempted fix with bolt, but didn't cut the slot in the outer tube. I removed shifter, cut slot and re-installed it using a slightly stiffer spring also. Nice clean and crisp gear selection now, and no dancing of shifter. Chased a vibration in my '86 BRAT for quite some time. Found it to be the rear u-joint of the driveshaft. Checked good with it in the vehicle, but found that the joint was way stiff in one direction after removing the shaft from vehicle. Swapped in another good driveshaft and no more vibration. Engine related vibration could be weak motor mounts, low compression on a cylinder, bad plug or plug wire, faulty disty cap, sticky valve(s).

98% of the time, the shearing of lug bolts is caused by someone being overly zealous with tightening the lug nuts. There is a torque spec for those, but a lot of people, including tire shops, just tighten the nuts down as much as they can. WRONG!!!! Not only does that cause stressed lug bolts, but it can warp the rotor or drum also, not to mention rim damage at the mounting area. My Brother was a good one for that. 6 foot cheater pipe on the breaker bar to tighten lugs on his 1-1/2 ton truck. He was always breaking lugs bolts, until I convinced him to "torque" the nuts. I have twisted 4-ways, bent/broke 3/4" breaker bars or the sockets trying to break loose lug nut in the past. Really irritates the crap outta me..... If your friend recently had tires mounted, or work done that involved tires being removed/replaced, I would suggest he go after that place of business for shoddy work ethics. He may be able to recoup damages caused by the incident.

On my way into work this morning, driving the '86... This was about 5:10 AM, full moon, back country road, 55 MPH. Saw a few Deer on the right, just milling about, was keeping an eye on them when WHAM. It came from the left, full out run across the road. Just had time to nail brakes and cut to the left. Didn't miss it................. Not alot of sheetmetal damage, but still...... Lost PS headlights, the trim and marker light. Busted the side of the bumper plastic loose, folded the front corner of the fender abit. Ain't figured it all out yet, but the PS mirror got twisted fowards too. Took a bit of strong-arming it to get it back where it should be. Pulled all of the mounting screws for the trim pieces out of the plastic clips, or the clips got busted out of the metal they clip into. Nailed Deer in the hind quarters, think it may have started to fall and I hit it in the rump. If I didn't break it's leg, it's got one helluva sore A$$ tonight. Just seem to recall it being awfull low to the ground as I was about to nail it. Must have flipped it and then it hit the mirror, dunno. Got Deer poo all down the PS of the BRAT. Got Deer hair all over the PS fender, mirror, side. Not good on a White vehicle.............. No red stuff anywhere though, possibly better for the Deer that way.... No see Deer laying in ditch on way home, so don't know it's out come. Don't carry anything in BRAT to ummm, take care of animal that's been whacked, so I didn't go hunting for it after the encounter....... I'll be posting an ad for some needed things to put the grill/trim work back together.

On the brake issue. If you have very little braking, chances are the rears are in need of adjustment. Also good chance the adjusters are siezed. Spent 2 weeks trying to get mine freed up. If the peddle is basically dead, chances are the rear lines have rusted out. Had that issue on my 1st BRAT that had sat for about 4 years. As for other things to check/do. I would change all of the coolant hoses. They're probally not in the greatest condition, both from age, and from sitting. Oil & filter change. Fuel filters. Fresh plugs, cap-n-rotor, wires. Air filter. PCV valve.

Ha.. I have logs of all the info on my Subaru's also. Helps this old brain in remembering when things were done.

AKA, brake reaction rod, per FORD.

The "garden hose" method works, but as stated, caution is advised. Also, swapping the supply/return hoses can clear out the core as well, my prefered method. As for "flushing agents", I prefer NAPA's "Mac's Radiator Cleanser". Best stuff out there in my book. I've used it on many makes/models with good results.. I've left it in a few nasty systems way longer than the 20 minutes the directions call for with no ill effects.. Going to a salvage yard and pulling a heater box is a good idea. It'll give you some knowledge of what needs to be done without the risk of mucking up something in your ride. Pulling the dash isn't hard, just tedious and time consuming. Will you get a good core? Maybe/maybe not, but a Radiator Shop could test the core for you. And as GD said, it'll be cheaper than a new one, (if it's good), even with the cost of having it checked out.

Looked at the pic in the link. Lousy pic, but it resembles the tranny mount. The pic of the one below it is a better shot of what one looks like. You need 2 mounts, 1 per side.

A poor running engine when it is raining is usually a sign of a cracked disty cap. And no, there's no seal between cap & body of disty. There is a splash-shield that goes infront of the disty, but those usually get tossed by those who don't know better.

It is an Auto, I had totally forgot about it being one. Went back and re-read his 1st posting about finding it. So yeah, there's another item on the list to check....

Besides a possible bad starter or ignition switch, there's one more item to check... Drop the panel below the column and check the connector for the ign switch, Pink in color. Been a few of us that had issues with that connector. If it's dis-colored any, the terminals are bad. 99 out of 100 it'll be the Battery + lead that's the troublesome one. The Amp draw of trying to turn starter over makes the connection loose contact somewhat, hence starter just clicking. You can cut/splice the wires together, or cut and install spade connectors. Went thru that with my '86.. I know how you feel about wanting to show it off. The '85 I just bought sat here for 2 weeks while I tried fruitlessly to free-up the rear brake adjusters. Got rear discs now!!!! But still, with it sitting there, I wanted to drive it around, show it off. Now, the brakes are good, but I can't keep air in the tires. Needs new ones badly, can't afford them right now... So,,, I still can't drive it...... sigh!!!

Probally was Factory with a Feed-Back carb and someone has replaced carb with a standard one, then did a bit of wiring magic to get fuel pump to run. My '82 BRAT was simular, was Factory W/Feed-Back carb, then someone tossed a carbed EA-82 engine in it. ECU was by-passed. Had to do the wiring trick myself so pump would run without a switch on the dash to power it.

The regulator "IS" part of the charging system... And be it "new" or "re-man" fresh out of the box, or 20 years old doesn't really matter. Things break when they want to..............

Looks very simular to the one that was on my '84.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c264/TomRhere/P81500033.jpg Here's a shot of an '86 Sedans cowl area. Look past the nest in the fresh air intake to the far end of the cowl area. See those holes in the sidewall? That's where mice get in.... Those holes are open to the engine compartment, inner fender area. Just screening the cowl won't stop them.....

There's a rather large Automotive Repair Facility up in Jackson. They do everything from mechanical to body stuff. Back in early August there was over 50 vehicles in the fenced lot. The cats were cut out of every one of them...... The Police figure that they used battery operated saws-alls, and that a pick-up truck load of cats would fetch about $1500 - $2000. Nice info to broadcast over the airwaves on the 6:00 news.....

When you say "fresh air vents" are you talking of the openings under the wiper cowling? I believe there's 2 openings for air under the cowl, one for fresh air, one for blower intake. Mice can get into that area thru all of the openings in the inner fender and frame rails, then get into the heater system. I've scrapped 2 Subarus, (due to insane amounts of rust), and have found many places mice can get into. The '86 BRAT was a virtual mice condo, found upwards of 2 dozen nests between the inner/outer body panels.

Love it when a plan comes together!!!!!

Congrats!!! Really like the film strip of pics down the side...

BONUS!!!!!!

Hmmm... I just put the door speakers back into the '85 BRAT and remembered this thread. So I looked at the specs of the speakers. 8 ohm - 6 watt for the doors, and dash was 8 ohm - 5 watt. Clarion speakers all around. Got a spare set of house speakers, and looked at them. They be 8 ohm also, no word on wattage.