How do I identify which engine I have?

[jeffsimons]

The 86 GL wagon I have had been a salvaged total. When I try and get tune up parts they don't fit. (cap and rotor) The vin says its a 1800cc w/o air susp -1988,1989:1800cc 4WD 1990-1994. Checked and rechecked vin and table. When I ordered parts the cap and rotor would not fit. How do I tell if the engine has been changed out, where is the engine code on the motor. Thanks

[mikaleda]

A search will give you this info, but since I'm here anyway ill give it to you

The engine code is stamped into the block on the passenger side front of engine. It might be covered with grease so it might take a little cleaning to find it. The engine code should say either ea81 or ea82 on your car it might even say ea71 but I doubt it. More than likely you have an ea82 and the parts store is giving you ea81 parts

 

Also if it has a timing belt it's an ea82 if not its an ea81. There is also two different brands of distributor so make sure you know what brand yours is.

 

To get the right parts for an ea81 order parts for a 84 1800 for an ea82 order parts for a 88 1800, parts store computers are worthless sometimes.

Edited July 24, 2013 by mikaleda

[MilesFox]

You have an ea82 engine. for 86 you would have a carb. With carb comes a specific distributor/cap. This becomes confusing because the ea81 has a carb, and was available in 86.

 

Here is a breakdown of parts listings:

1800cc OHV 1980-84 ea81 wagon, sedan

1980-87 BRAT

1983-84 ea81 mpfi turbo

1980-89 ea81 hatchback

 

1800 cc OHC EA82 wagon, sedan, 3door coupe, xt coupe.

85-89 ea82 GL, DL

90-94 ea82 LOYALE

85-91 ea82 XT

 

With this you get years of overlap with both platforms for 85-87 and 85-89, so there would be 2 options for carbs, headgaslets, and suspension/drivetrain parts.

 

For an 86 gl wagon, you can't go wrong with ordering parts for a 90 loyale in general. But for 86 make sure any listings have OHV in the engine nomenclature. But for the carb and disty you must have the 85-86 year listing for OHC ea82.

 

For ea82 cars, they would be lumped together bin design evolution as 85-86, and then 88 and up are virtually the same save for some minor difference from 89 and up (egr and such with mpfi) 1987 had both carb and spfi available. The 87 would be more like an 88 with an 86 electrical system, a hybrid if you will, a transitional year to the 88 and up.

Edited July 24, 2013 by MilesFox