gjewers Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 I have heard rumors to stay away from turbo engines. I am looking at an '89 GL with working turbo and only 145k mileage. What say the brothers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prwa101 Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Well it really depends on how much money you have to spend down the road. From what I've seen the ea82T tends to get cracks between the valves. Really depends on the price of the car though. Prwa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bratman18 Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 (edited) Well it really depends on how much money you have to spend down the road. From what I've seen the ea82T tends to get cracks between the valves. Really depends on the price of the car though. Prwa All EA82 motors get cracks between the valves. It's more the cooling system and head gaskets that fail on the EA82t. Edited January 9, 2014 by bratman18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old sub freak Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Never really seen a turbo that lasted....They seem to be frail compared to the non-turbo's.. Stick to the non turbo's ,They will last longer and i don't think that turbo's are that much faster...mabey ,I never rode in one that really was really tight,seemed something was always off...Just my 2 bits worth,Todd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nkmilesAE95 Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 From what i have heard and read, as long as you take care of the cooling system and dont let the motor overheat they are just fine. Just a bit less "set it and forget it". I bought one about a month ago with blown head gaskets at 110k from a neglected cooling system. got the motor out and heads off and they were infact fatally cracked. Replaced with remanned heads and it runs like a champ. I also replaced the radiator and will be certain to drain and flush on a regular basis - yearly. The turbo makes it fun to drive, just enough of a boost to put a smile on your face. I wouldn't let the turbo motor keep you from buying it if you are getting a good deal. And when it goes, you can always swap in an EJ and call it a day. My .02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jono Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 (edited) Talking 30 year Subaru here, not 30 year old Mistu They both have had thirty years for abuse to have occured by second or subsequent owners, skimping on service or parts replacement and maintenance.They are all going to be cans or worms, but once sorted and done properly and kept up maintenace, can be great affordable fun. Non turbo mpfi heads have been drilled to suit oil feed and drain back as replacements - I have a pair of welded heads giving good service so far. Watch the coolant pipe and its banjo bolt at front underside of your turbo side head - they gunk up, rust away, the turbo coolant passages also cop junk, most metal colant pipe are rotten by now, but all replaceable still I think. The EA82T can be a spirited drive, but in some places I have found my EA81 twin carb is just as fast/slow up mountain climbs, hits same temperature and pings in same spot. The EA82T is not a race car, more a better tourer. I found the old temp sender was not stuffed, just never read hotter than 1/4 , so an on engine metal temp monitor made up from ebay aquarium temp controller monitor an engine saver. Change oil and oil filter at 6,000mile intervals, and check the oil helps. Latest aquisition came with its dead EA81 - had about a litre in the sump Edited January 9, 2014 by jono 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rain_man_rich Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 The better question is it manual or auto? If turbo auto you will get about the same drive-ability performance as a non-turbo manual. My experience is that I do have a turbo but also the 4sp auto. Even though I like the 4sp transmission, even with the turbo it's still a bit of a dog unless I have my foot into it. It does come in handy up the mountains though. Now, when it comes to working on the beast, it seems that turbo and associated piping is in the way of 80 percent of what I want to work on. I have 200K on mine and it runs and drives very well. However, I don't flog the living crap out of it either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 (edited) I have heard rumors to stay away from turbo engines. I am looking at an '89 GL with working turbo and only 145k mileage. What say the brothers? they are great (keep reading) engines and capable of (keep reading) many reliable miles......keep reading.... verify that they've never been overheated, run low on oil and coolant. if you can't then you'll have to gamble that the lower end and headgaskets are good. or install new headgaskets and resurface the heads to be done with that. Then ensure they won't puke oil or coolant: then replace all the coolant hoses and gaskets, and reseal the engine, use Subaru OEM intake manifold gaskets. reseal engine - cam seals, oil pump seal/oring/gasket, cam cap orings, cam towers, cam tower reinforced oring (be sure to use the newer metal reinforced kind from subaru not the earlier 85-ish plain rubber oring), and don't play and overboost it. verify the turbo is good or just rebuild/replace it so it doesn't puke out it's guts. The turbo's go KABOOM, or compromise gaskets/bearings quick if overheated or run low on oil. they generate a lot of additional heat and are less forgiving if any coolant or oil loss happens. after a quarter+ century all engines have a high propensity of oil or coolant leaks/failures and these vehicles aren't worth enough to lend themselves to meticulous maintenance. so to that end - they are scary and unreliable due to age, not inherent issues. they also don't hold up to heavy use - they're a weak platform, not good head, intake, engine control...it's all weak, so they're not great performing and don't hold up well to people pushing them - driving hard and upping the boost. get a known good engine that hasn't been overheated/run low on oil (hard to do) and replace all that wear stuff - and you're good to go. Edited January 9, 2014 by grossgary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 I have heard rumors to stay away from turbo engines. I am looking at an '89 GL with working turbo and only 145k mileage. What say the brothers? That's low engouh miles it might be a good runner. Probably been treated well. Can't stress enough.....coolant issues. Keep it full of coolant.....keep the hoses good, and keep the air intake boot and other intake hoses intact (it's own challenge) and they can be great engines. And if the car is really nice, it's a good candidate for an EJ swap in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjamgb Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 The engine in the new to me '88 GL-10 says "EA82" not "EA82T." Are the blocks all the same turbo or not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoostedBoxer421 Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 the blocks all say "ea82" turbo or not. the heads on turbo engines are modified for lower compression and in my experience the ea82 turbo is great with the right maintenance and care my 87 GL Turbo has 235,000 miles 100% stock w/5-speed push button AWD, and running strong enough to twist the driveline yoke pulling a ford :-p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 the blocks all say "ea82" turbo or not. the heads on turbo engines are modified for lower compression and in my experience the ea82 turbo is great with the right maintenance and care my 87 GL Turbo has 235,000 miles 100% stock w/5-speed push button AWD, and running strong enough to twist the driveline yoke pulling a ford :-p The pistons deterine the compression ratio. The turbo has dished pistons. The turbo and non turbo blocks are identical, except that mpfi blocks have the crancase breather and the baffle plate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoostedBoxer421 Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 sorry i meant to put pistons on first part :-p i was thinking of how the turbo heads have a little different style cams for valve overlap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jono Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 you could use the edit function to save someones mind remembering some mistruth Factory manuals also have different spec on Series 1 turbo exhaust valves. It is funny, I once imagined I had seen EA82T in the block casting, and once pointed out to me that it not true, never seen it since Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angerthis Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 so i get this right on a turbo the heads are what make the compression lower or is it the pistons? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jono Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 you didn't get it quite, it is in the piston that gives the lower ~7.7:1 comp ratio of EA82T which may also serve a purpose in a NA engine if you were to try a low grade fuel perhaps - digester gas ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angerthis Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 i just got a 86 RX Turbo with a bad engine what would happen if i put those head's on a NA engine would it hold a turbo just fine or is it two much compression? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jono Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 It has been done putting EA82T heads and turbo on an NA EA82 short, but need to tinker with initial timing, think 20 on a Series 1 was reduced 10 or 12 DBTDC and got a nice strong pulling engine combo. If it goes bang you won't know if it was gonna happen on the NA engine, or your turbo made it do this. I built up same EA82 carb block, EA82T heads, cams etc and about to only install it NA to start with and see how yours goes first Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angerthis Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 will let you all know win it is all back together and now it looks like i am in need of a turbo mine is shot any one have one CHEAP let me know thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jono Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 see, someone told you to stay away from turbo engines Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjewers Posted January 20, 2014 Author Share Posted January 20, 2014 Thanks all. I'm staying away from turbos... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Txakura Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 (edited) Never really seen a turbo that lasted....They seem to be frail compared to the non-turbo's.. Stick to the non turbo's ,They will last longer and i don't think that turbo's are that much faster...mabey ,I never rode in one that really was really tight,seemed something was always off...Just my 2 bits worth,Todd I bought an RX for parts 5 years ago for $500 bucks. I cleaned up the essentials and have been using it as a daily driver almost non stop. So... dunno. Luck of the draw? Think it just depends on the particular car and how it was used, and what shape it's in. JUST like any other car. Edited January 26, 2014 by Txakura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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