3crows Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 I have an '87 DL, carbed, 4wd with a little over 202K. Though it's a bit ugly it's my baby. It's been running a bit rough lately again. Almost sounds like it's missing but I replaced plugs, wires, distributor cap, and fuel filter but no change. Just barely maintains running at idle but seems to run fine once I'm driving but still stumbles at idle. Then I thought it might be a vacuum leak but no change after squirting starting fluid everyplace. So, as last time this happened I went down to my local wrecking yard and got a carburetor. That worked. So my first question is why would a junkyard carburetor that's been in there for who knows how long work better than the one on my engine that gets fresh gas once a week or so? There are 2 solenoids on the carb. How often do they go bad? I've ordered a carb rebuild kit though I've never had much luck rebuilding carbs since I can't boil them out like the big boys do. I just soak it in MEK for a couple days and blow it out with air. The kit cost more than the last used carb I bought but I wasn't having any luck finding another carb unless I spend $250 for a rebuilt one. That's still an option. I'd put a Weber on it if I didn't have to have it tested every 2 years. I've stuck with this old guy because it's easy to work on and I can! All the new and fancy stuff they added to the later soobs leave me underwhelmed. Don't need no stinkin' computor or fuel injection and power everything. I still get 25+ mpg on a car that cost me $1200 10 years ago with 143Kmi. And the 4wd has saved my rump roast from a long walk several times. I've also been looking for another EA82 engine as a backup but most wrecking yard engines are turbo fuel injected, which I don't want in that configuration. Can't I just replace the intake manifold with my carbureted manifold? Seems that I read somewhere that the heads were different. So? Why would that make a difference? Lastly, I could rebuild my engine. It's not making any bad sounds yet but it's not as strong as it used to be. The rebuild kits are mostly just rings an bearings. I've always been told that oversize rings allow for piston slap and standard rings won't seal in an engine that hasn't been bored because they wear out of round and a cylinder ridge can crack top ring. Has anyone used these kits? I'm thinking it's worth the machine work to go .20 over with pistons and rings. I've done that on a couple Datsun engines and a BMW motorcycle engine. How strong are the cranks on these guys? Can I expect to stay with standard size bearings? I'm an old guy too and if I rebuild this guy and it lasts another 10 years it will probably outlast me. And I don't think there's any possibility that rebuilding it later will be cheaper than now either. Love my Subaru Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithap Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 I have an 87 GL myself and when I got it from my father in law it was running rough, having a real hard time maintaining idle but would be fine at speed. I could hear a vacuum leak but took me awhile to track it down. Turned out to be the Anti Afterburner Valve. It's located on the passenger side, mine was behind the black canister with the 4 hoses running into it. It almost looks like an upside down horn. This is a valve designed to suck in air if the engine gets over 3k and the idle is let go, the extra air prevents backfires. Mine was stuck open so it was always sucking in air, thus cause the car the run terribly. I simply taped off the bottom of the valve with electrical tape now the car runs beautifully. I'm sure you could get a junkyard one for cheap but the dealer wanted about $150 for a new special order one that I couldn't return, so I just taped it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny88GL Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 You probably already knew the answer but didn't think about it.. My guess is, ethanol. that old carb might have dried out of good ol clean gas, while you pump 10% ethanol into yours often, sometimes it may sit for a period of time.. and builds up. Ethanol is such a scam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misledxcracker Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 I don't see why a Weber would make you fail an inspection, unless you were in California. If I were you (and you know for sure it's legally allowed) I'd go for a Weber, those Hitachi's are a pain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quidam Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 (edited) Hi 3crows, I've bought three reman carbs for around $100.00+. I only know of one right now, and it's $190.00 shipped. They do pop up every now and then. Doug Edited March 28, 2011 by Quidam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3crows Posted March 28, 2011 Author Share Posted March 28, 2011 (edited) Thanks for the responses! Doug, where did you see a rebuilt carb for $190? And my next thought is that you've bought 3 rebuilt carbs? Is that because they don't last very long? I'm sure I could put a weber on this guy but I'm not sure I could adjust it to pass the emissions test here in WA. For a guarens-ballbearins pass I'd have to take it to a mechanic with his $150K machine which would cost about $100 around here, I'm told. The test costs $15 and if you fail it you only get one more chance. If it fails again and you still want to drive the car you have to go to the mechanic and he has to sign a wavier that it would cost more than $150 to make it pass or put it on his high dollar machine for $100. So they've got you coming and going. But then, that could also be the case with putting a rebuilt carb on it too. Truly between a rock and a hard place. And there's all them bloody vacuum lines! I think I only have to pass the emissions test one more time before this guy's exempt. Hope we both live that long. Now I've got myself in doubt as to which way to go! I'm also going to try banging on that widget that kiethap described in his response. Nothing's ever simple or easy, but then if it was, they'd have women doing it. Edited March 28, 2011 by 3crows Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quidam Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Hi, That reman, ebay. I emailed just to make sure it's the carb I think it is. No response yet. I used those three on different cars and I don't think I paid more than $125.00 for any of them. One was a Justy, the others EA-82. All sold now. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3crows Posted March 29, 2011 Author Share Posted March 29, 2011 If it's the same one I saw on ebay the seller said it has a 4 prong plug and not for 4wd. My carb has 3 prongs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quidam Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 If it's the same one I saw on ebay the seller said it has a 4 prong plug and not for 4wd. My carb has 3 prongs. Yea, eBay. The extra wire goes to the Anti-dieseling switch. I've reused the old AD switch in a reman before. And the old harness. Transfer the stuff around to get what you need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3crows Posted March 29, 2011 Author Share Posted March 29, 2011 Well, I bought it. Hope it's jetted the same and I can adapt it to my 3 prong plug. If it works I'll think nice thoughts about you. If it doesn't, I hope you get a lump of coal in your shoe next Christmas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny88GL Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quidam Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Ha. He did email me and said he'd remove the Honda references on the page. You can swap your 3 pin harness with Bowl vent solenoid, AD switch, and choke wire on to the reman. If you want to swap the new Bowl vent solenoid and choke wire into your 3 pin it's easy. Just pop the pins out of the square 4 pin connector an into the 3 pin. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3crows Posted March 29, 2011 Author Share Posted March 29, 2011 (edited) I'm confused. I have a 3 prong recep on my wire harness and a 4 prong on this carb. Can't I just take the 4 prong off and put my 3 prong on and just piggyback the 4th wire to one of the other 3 or do I really have to have the wire harness with the 4 prong recep.? What's the 4th wire go to? Edited March 29, 2011 by 3crows Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quidam Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 I'm confused. I have a 3 prong recep on my wire harness and a 4 prong on this carb. Can't I just take the 4 prong off and put my 3 prong on and just piggyback the 4th wire to one of the other 3 or do I really have to have the wire harness with the 4 prong recep.? What's the 4th wire go to? Hi, The fourth wire is red and at this moment, I forget how it's used. All I've ever used/needed is the three wire setup. You would have to find out what that red wire does to piggyback it to something else. No, you don't need the four wire setup to make the carb work. When you get them side by side you'll see how easy it is. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misledxcracker Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 A Weber should pass the sniffer without a problem, and they're easily adjusted... I can do it and I don't know anything about carburetors. But... go ahead and have fun with that Hitachi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quidam Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 A Weber should pass the sniffer without a problem, and they're easily adjusted... I can do it and But... go ahead and have fun with that Hitachi " I don't know anything about carburetors." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3crows Posted April 1, 2011 Author Share Posted April 1, 2011 Well Keithap was right. It was the black plastic widget mounted on the right fender wall and is connected to the ERG, EGR, whatever, on the rear right side of the engine. I replaced it with a spare and the guy sounds like it's old self. I took it apart to see how it works. The lower end that has 4 holes has filters. The upper end has a diaphragm that is operated by a vacuum hose that goes to the manifold. When it's broke it causes a vacuum leak that is just far enough away from everything else that you would suspect, I didn't squirt starting fluid over there on the fender wall. So, so far the problem has been solved and I will have a spare re manufactured carb and carb rebuild kit. Thanks Keithap, and the rest of you too. Love my Soob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny88GL Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 (edited) awesomeness. thanks for describing it in detail. I'm going to check mine, I sometimes get rough idle and an EGR code. hopefully this fixes it. Edited April 7, 2011 by Danny88GL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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