6 Star Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Did some searching, only came up with turbo related threads. My ea81 Brat seems to hate going up hills on the freeway. Example: Going up I-90 towards Snoqualmie cruising along at 75mph. Start going up a long hill, start to slow down. Eventually I'm going 55mph and impeding traffic. I shift down to third and try to keep it at 55mph, then shift back up to fourth because I was revving at 4k. (don't want to put too much strain on the engine) After reaching the top of the hill. It will still act sluggish for a while. Then Its like it comes back alive and I'm cruising along at 75mph easily, until the next big hill. Is this a vacum line problem? Fuel filter? Air filter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolskaterkid Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 My ea 81 i drive a 15 mile up hill at 8 percent grade that starts at 5000 feet and tops at 7500 feet, i just have to keep it in 3rd pegged and its goes 68mph, fourth gear is just no go at the 8 percent grade at the altitude, car thrives on it i think. But you may have a problem but mine will bog down and not really recover, unless i keep it in 3rd and rev it to death. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BratWarrior Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 You aren't going to put strain on the engine, keeping it a 4k. Keep it in 3rd and bring it to red line. That's what these motors were built for! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l75eya Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Yeah, I really think you're just hoping for too much out of a 70 hp engine lol. Keep it in 3rd, floor it. If it accelerates up the hill (and if it does, it's going to do so very slowly) then you're basically gold. It's just a very underpowered engine. If you try to take on the hill in third gear and you're at 4k RPMs and you have the pedal to the floor and it *still* doesn't accelerate....then you may have an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6 Star Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 Yeah, I probably should have redlined it. Just didn't know what was going on, didn't want to do more "damage". I'm just confused as to why, when shifting down, it still felt hesitant. At the top of the hill on flat ground as well, just felt like I had lost half my horsepower. Then it wakes up and is ready to go again. Fuel starvation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92_rugby_subie Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I have gone clear to 7K before shifting... granted it was on accident, but I didnt blow up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l75eya Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I have gone clear to 7K before shifting... granted it was on accident, but I didnt blow up... From what I gather, rugby, .....you really beat your ea to hell lol:brow: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92_rugby_subie Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 From what I gather, rugby, .....you really beat your ea to hell lol:brow: It was an accident, I was trying to get in front of someone after driving my moms auto tragic Hyundai and saw the RPMS hit 7000 and clutched in and shifted into 3rd. But my EA is a great motor thanks to GD, when the motor is replaced, I hope it does just as well as this one has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l75eya Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Yeah, I probably should have redlined it. Just didn't know what was going on, didn't want to do more "damage".I'm just confused as to why, when shifting down, it still felt hesitant. At the top of the hill on flat ground as well, just felt like I had lost half my horsepower. Then it wakes up and is ready to go again. Fuel starvation? You know what I've noticed in underpowered cars like ours? Especially when I'm loaded down with a bit of weight, the road can look like it's flat, but it is still a hill and that little bit of incline is still causing the engine to struggle. I bet there's nothing wrong with your engine, it's just the way it is. Be a little more specific about its symptoms though, I mean, does it mis-fire, sputter, or have any other signals that there may be something amiss? Or is it just purring along and you're just not gaining any speed? If it's the latter, I really wouldn't sweat it. I had semi trucks passing me at 50 mph going over the mountains in wyoming when I drove across the country in my gl. And that was in 3rd gear. Floored. As a matter of fact, I drove through almost the entire state of Wyoming with the pedal to the floor... My car did not like that state... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l75eya Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 It was an accident, I was trying to get in front of someone after driving my moms auto tragic Hyundai and saw the RPMS hit 7000 and clutched in and shifted into 3rd. But my EA is a great motor thanks to GD, when the motor is replaced, I hope it does just as well as this one has. I once accidentally went from 3rd to 2nd while merging onto the highway. This was when I was first learning how to drive a standard transmission, naturally lol. It was a 93 Nissan Altima Special Edition (disc brakes all around, special seats, stiffer suspension). I went to shift it at almost red line from 3rd to 4th, but put it into 2nd and just popped the clutch.... I've never seen a tachometer needle peg like that before, nor have I ever heard an engine make a sound like that before....It was bad. But it took it! That thing was rock solid *sniff* kinda miss it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6 Star Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 Yeah, no missing or sputtering. Guess I need to drive her a little harder. I never really shift over 4k, 4.5k or 5k at the max. 3k around town (fuel saving mode ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92_rugby_subie Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Yeah, no missing or sputtering.Guess I need to drive her a little harder. I never really shift over 4k, 4.5k or 5k at the max. 3k around town (fuel saving mode ) Amen to that, when Im broke (usually) and anywhere below 1/2 tank, I be good... because I know oh I know I can watch my gas needle drop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spazomatic Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 so, on these hills, did your brat used to do better? or has it always been like this? my 84 is a gutless wonder. there's a lot of hills where I'm at and it's really frustrating for a lead footed character like myself. I resign myself to staying in the slow lane...unless I'm going downhill with a tailwind! what is the absolute worst...goin down the highway, you have built up that hard earned momentum that you've been workin on for the last 10 minutes... you go to pass a couple of cars in the slow lane....and the rear car cuts you off, paces the other car for a bit, and then hits the gas and takes off...leaving you stuck in nthe slow lane behind the 1st guy you were tryin to pass in the 1st place. or when gettin on the interstate, the car in front of you goes 35mph until the end of the ramp...and then floors it to merge at the last minute...leaving you obstructing traffic in the slow lane:banghead: if nothing else, my car has taught me to be patient Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6 Star Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 There aren't a lot of big (freeway) hills where I'm at. I-5 and I-405 are pretty flat for the most part. And I have no problem going up big, steep residential hills. So I only really get to test these symptoms when I head east on I-90. The engine has only about 2000 miles on it, I rebuilt it from the crank out. Shes got plenty of spunk, considering I still have the hitachi carb on it. I get lots of suprised looks when I launch from stoplights to get in front of other people. :cool: lol 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertsubaru Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 (edited) The car in my Avatar I put a FI block with a weber and free flow exhaust. Everyday I had to go up a hill that was about 2 miles at 8% grade. Normal days I would hit it in 4th gear at 4500 rpms all the way to the top doing about 65. On days I was feeling frisky I would go down to 3rd gear and stomp it until the valves would float 7000 rpms. These engines may be low power but they can take a lot of abuse. Edited February 8, 2012 by desertsubaru Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhise Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 my loyale bogged down like that when the element in the catalytic convertor broke loose. I could hear it rattling around, but didn't give it much thought until anytime I would go uphill it would plug the exhaust until I got leveled out. Might want to check if anything is loose in your exhaust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKghandi Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 I've got an 84 hatchie With 146k, original everything. It doesn't bog down at all, granted its lighter that a wagon but I don't think it would make that big of a difference. I also shift at 6k (when I need to move!) its not as fast as my gl-10 but it gets to 80 pretty quick, even uphill. Mods:custom exhaust.( nothin from the header-back lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themoneypit Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 couldnt hurt to change out the 2 fuel filters. the one by the fuel pump is usually the culprit thou. especially if its still bogging a little at the top of the hill when it flattens out. thats where id start and see if it helps. i had an ea81 that had a rusty tank, i used to carry a few extra rear filters in the glove box. every month or so id notice a bog down, and sure enough change that rear filter and itd be good for another month or so. i could usually see the rust in the filter when i pulled it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l75eya Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 4th gear at 6500 rpms if nothing else, my car has taught me to be patient Yes! That altima I mentioned earlier, that was my first car. It was pretty quick, and I used to *fly* around in it, being young and stupid. After that car I had a 93 Dodge Shadow (3 speed auto) and then a 1987 Honda Accord Hatchback ( I liked that car a lot) with a 4 speed auto. Those two cars were extremely slow, and they really did teach me patience. There's no point in rushing from light to light, stop sign to stop sign, and there's really no point in zig zagging through traffic at 100 mph. (unless I am in a hurry ) Moral of the story; my son/daughter is getting something slow for their first car. Something really slow. Anybody know of any good, reliable, capable in snow, extremely slow vehicles from the mid to late 80's? hahaha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Check the secondary diaphram with a vacuum pump, see if it's opening. Of course check all the hoses to it as well, verify it is getting vaccum under WOT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6 Star Posted February 9, 2012 Author Share Posted February 9, 2012 my loyale bogged down like that when the element in the catalytic convertor broke loose. I could hear it rattling around, but didn't give it much thought until anytime I would go uphill it would plug the exhaust until I got leveled out. Might want to check if anything is loose in your exhaust. Would this symptom happen in a ea81 as well? couldnt hurt to change out the 2 fuel filters. I have been meaning to do this anyway. :-p lol Check the secondary diaphram with a vacuum pump, see if it's opening. Of course check all the hoses to it as well, verify it is getting vaccum under WOT. That is one tool I don't have... Is there another way to check it? Whenever I rev over 4k-ish I can feel the engine pulling harder, like the secondary is opening up. Same kind of thing or no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKghandi Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Moral of the story; my son/daughter is getting something slow for their first car. Something really slow. Anybody know of any good, reliable, capable in snow, extremely slow vehicles from the mid to late 80's? hahaha. Well I know a 92geo tracker with the auto will just barely do 65 wih a tail wind and a along time it also will not get stuck. Mine had the LSD I tried a lot and couldn't get t stuck. another good choice would be something like a musty justy or if you really wanna get slow find a Isuzu pup with the diseal(I can't remember how to spell it)or get a ea81cram some 27s and enjoy the ride Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BratWarrior Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Whenever I rev over 4k-ish I can feel the engine pulling harder, like the secondary is opening up. Same kind of thing or no? You don't have a secondary unless you have a Weber. You will DEFINITELY know when the secondary opens on a Weber carb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spazomatic Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 You don't have a secondary unless you have a Weber. You will DEFINITELY know when the secondary opens on a Weber carb. my old hitachi had a vacuum secondary.... the vac. sec. is similar to what's on a Holley (my specialty) and to verify that it opens, do this; attach a ziptie to the rod/link connecting the secondary diaphragm to the throttle shaft. make sure it's at the top of the shaft, up against the diaphragm housing. go for a drive and really stick your foot in it...if the secondaries are operating normally, the zip tie will have been pushed lower on that link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81EA81 Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 IM not positive that everything is functioning properly on my ea82, but I check the oil daily and it always fires up. When I climb the long freeway hills we have here, I try to get as much momentum as I can before the hill in 5th going 80 at times. then as soon as I hear my engine start to struggle Ill hit 4th and effectively cruise at 4.5k sometimes 5k RPM at most all the way to the top. It used to be nerve wracking. but I accepted it. Then once you make it up to the top and you shift your running a 3k which suddenly sounds bogged compared to 5k rpm Shift by ear or Tach? however I have noticed My EA81 dosent like the high revs nearly as much as the EA82. but if you slowly creep into the higher rpm the smoother it seems to run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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