Brettm57 Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 I've got an '88 GL hatch that my son and I have been working on. Besides the basic mechanical stuff (brakes, etc.), I've rebuilt the distributor and advanced the timing a few degrees, hooked the primary and secondary butterflys on the carb together, and had a 2" exhaust system with a glass pack muffler made. My next move is to install a Weber carb. Seeing how this is an extremely low budget project, I'd like to know what are the best cars to look for in the junkyard for a Weber that is easy to adapt to the EA81. From what I've read, I need to get a fuel pressure regulator from the same junk car. Is this true? The price of a new Weber is out of the question, this car isn't in that good of shape to spend that kind of money on. Thanks for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. RX Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 BMWs are a good source, and we even get some in the Pull-A Part wrecking yards out here in the Seattle area. But I would suggest checking every foreign car in the wrecking yard. Some people out here have found them on the most unlikely vehicles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 Early Datsun and Toyota pickup trucks with the 1600 to 2000cc engines are likely donors. You won't need a pressure regulator unless your car produces more than 5 psi of fuel pressure. If your fuel pump only delivers 3psi, a regulator won't bring it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 Your fuel pump delivers 1.35 to 2.06 psi (http://usmb.net/albums/albun40/scan.jpg), and probably less than that due to age. I have heard people on here test out at less than .5 psi. Weber's need anywhere from 3 to 5 psi depending on who you ask. Early model fords had the holley/weber 5200, which bolts up the same as a weber (actually IS a weber). It's a 32/36 DFV series, which looks like a mirror image of the DGV. However, the venturi's are smaller in the DFV, and it won't give you as much torque.... One thing that people have failed to mention here - the 32/36 DGV *never* came stock on any car - it's not street legal. Anything you find in the yards was most likely adapted. But since the carb has been made for a LONG time, you can sometimes find them anyway. GD 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brettm57 Posted May 4, 2004 Author Share Posted May 4, 2004 So will the Ford version bolt right up to the Sube EA81 engine? By that I mean is the throttle linkage in the right place and will the stock Subey throttle cable hook up to it? Do I need an adapter plate? And if I do is that something I could fab up myself? And last, can the Ford Holley/Weber be rejetted? I've got access to a vertical mill and most any material I need to build an adapter plate. I'm thinking that the Ford version will probably be the easiest to find in my area. There are a lot of guys racing mini stocks around here with the 2.3 Ford engine, and they have to use a carburetor. I'm guessing this will still give me an increase in performance over the Hitachi. Remember, this a REAL low budget project. We're not going for maximum performance, just better performance within our limits. Thanks. PS: I just remembered, isn't the Ford Holley/Weber the same carb they adapt to the air-cooled VWs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 Again, the 5200 series bolts up the same as a DGV weber. No - neither one will bolt directly to the EA81 - you'll need an adaptor plate. You can buy one from Redline Weber for about $30-$40. If you are really crazy, you could make one, but I personally wouldn't bother as they aren't that expensive. The throttle linkage is tricky as some of the 5200's have a bolt on throttle, and some are welded or peened on. But for low-budget I'm sure you can figure something out. A bolt on style would be easiest. Weber sells jets for them, so rejetting is no problem. The DGV and DFV (5200 style) are quite similar, and even use many of the same gaskets and such. The venturi's are considerably smaller, and while you may in fact see a performance increase over the Hitachi, my bet is it will be pretty small. The only realy performance increase that a DGV gives you is increased throttle response due to the progressive linkage, and the torque from the BIG barrels. The DFV still has the progressive linkage, but the smaller venturi's coupled with it's lack of proper jetting for the soob engine will probably negate any real performance advantages you would otherwise gain. Also - the EA82 Hitachi's are bigger, but you have to use the EA82 intake manifold. That's the route I would go if you want a bigger carb, but don't want to spend a lot. Do the linkage mod on it, and bolt it down. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the sucker king Posted May 5, 2004 Share Posted May 5, 2004 ------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted May 5, 2004 Share Posted May 5, 2004 Right - I believe I said that - my point was simply that you would have to do it. A Jet kit is an added expense along with the adaptor plate, and the frustration of having to rejet it. The ones from the smaller Ford carbs might be close. I know for a fact that the Jets from a 5200 off some 2.3L ford are the same as the jets supplied with the DGV for the EA81. However, since the venturi's are smaller in the DFV, it would run rich (makes sense - it's for a bigger engine), and thus needs smaller jets. But it's a good source of correct Jets if you need to rejet a DGV correctly for an EA81.... just an interesting coincidence. Still have to find a DGV for the information to be useful at all... which is painfully hard to do. None of the carb shops I've called even have any used ones for parts. They just are not that common being that they are not technically street legal. DOH! Hehe - you edited your post! I guess I'll leave this tho since it's good info anyway. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brettm57 Posted May 5, 2004 Author Share Posted May 5, 2004 "If you are really crazy, you could make one," General, how'd you know?! I like the sounds of the EA82 carb/manifold swap. Is there a significant performance gain by doing that? Carbed EA82s are fairly easy to find around here. I've got an idea that finding a used DGV around here will be like looking for a needle in a haystack. This is primarily Fomoco/Mopar/Chebby country. Don't think much of them furriners! And, what is the linkage mod you're talking about? Thanks for the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted May 5, 2004 Share Posted May 5, 2004 The EA82 Hitachi is a 28/32 on the manual trans cars (28/30 on the A/T). The EA81 is a 26/30.... so you gain about 2mm in bore size in both the primary and secondary. Also the EA82 carb manifold flows better, so there's some gain there as well. The linkage mod I was refering to is the one you already did - wireing the primary and secondary together for progressive linkage. I think that an EA82 Hitachi with the linkage mod should perform similarly to a DFV. Won't have the massive punch of the DGV, but it will be an improvement none the less. Cheap too. The EA82 manifold has to be modified a bit to fit, but it's mostly a bolt on. I'm not the one to ask what exactly needs modifying, as I haven't personally done that swap. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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