snacky Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 hello folks here is my 1982 subaru brat i just purchased. i'm beginning to think it was not worth the purchase. don't let the picture decieve you. this car is a absolute rust bucket. i am a very experienced mechanic when it comes to american classics. i've owned over 10 classics and all of them were v8s. so this truck is a new style of vehicle for me being a foreign make and having a 4 cylinder engine. i just ordered a chiltons manual for the vehicle which should be in next week. what engine do i have in my subaru? i can provide a vin if that helps. i cannot find any identifying stickers on the vehicle indicating which engine it has. i'm attempting to replace the ignition cylinder in the column. of course the key is worn out. and the truck can't be turned off once turned on. so this leads me to the ignition cylinder. i can't seem to find a hole that a subaru mechanic told me about that is near this ignition cylinder that i'm supposed to slide a paper clip in to release the cylinder. i already drilled out the circular plate on the bottom side of the column thinking this was the solution. should i just buy another column? also theres a terrible noise coming from the front right passenger tire. i'm guessing it's a bad axle and possibly bearings. whatever it is i can handle it. another thing that concerns me greatly is the oil pan drain plug is hogged out. someone attempted to repair it and did a terrible job. my question is - on the oil pan on my engine is it possible to remove the entire plug housing that the oil pan drain plug threads into? maybe what i'm looking at is a repair plug. if this plug is removable and is often fixed just by replacing it with another subaru oil pan plug with plug housing then i need to buy one from someone who has one lying around. if this fix isn't as simple has finding another subaru oil pan drain plug assembly then should i just change the oil pan? i took a quick peak and it doesn't seem possible to change the oil pan without removing the engine or disconnecting from the transmission and moving the engine forward about 5 inches with all connections on the front of the engine disconnected as well to allow the engine to be shifted forward. am i correct in this assumption? thanks for any future input. i hope that with the information that can be obtained on this forum, i will be convinced not to take this truck to the scrapper. i only paid $600 for it but am thinking this may have been a lost cause. i say this because it has many other problems i'm not interested in fixing as of now. the truck bed is completely rotted out. i ruined the tailgate getting it on a dolly for transport. the rear shocks are barely mounted to the fram due to the extensive rust. there are multiple holes in the floor pan. front bumper is messed up. also needs a new hood. and there are fiverglass repairs where there is rust through all over the vehicle. my main goal is to get this thing on the road. if i can accomplish this with less than 1k usd then i think i've done well. i know this car can get 35 mpg and my 72 f100 is getting about 8mpg so this will be a huge improvement if i can educate myself on this vehicle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazyeights Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 (edited) First, welcome you are at the right place. Second we are all pretty much HUGE Brat fans here. Almost anything that you can still sit in without falling through to the ground is worth at least something. It sounds like you did fine for the price. First IMO someone needs to help you make sure it is SAFE to drive on the road due to the rust. Good Luck! Edited June 26, 2014 by Crazyeights Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jono Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 firstly, the engine should have an identifier in the casting just below behind the distributor (under 32 years of gunk most likely) engine number is also very nearby. A website to view some rust removal gong on in one of these is www.brumbybratmv.co.uk - think I got the country code correct. Locksmiths are good for these ign locks, bust it out with centre punch on the security screws, remove wire plug from rear and leave it with locksmith - usually fit Nissan bits inside. Maybe take door locks too so everything matches ? Too much rust ? Maybe you bought self a parts bitch for next BRAT Sump plug should be easy for you once pulled it out, is hex maggoted only? Surely an oversize hole thread and plug to suit is easy for you if necessary. Did one oversize 30 years ago, then started with plumbers gas tape on threads, fat o ring to seal and never stripped a plug or thread since, never a leak either !i 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRhere Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 The oil pan can be dropped with the engine sitting in place. There are holes in the crossmember to access the rear bolts using a long #3 Phillips screwdriver. Welcome to the Board! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snacky Posted June 26, 2014 Author Share Posted June 26, 2014 ok i'll buy a oil pan with a plug in it if i cannot find someone on the forum who will sell me the female threaded plug with the oil plug bolt. i just punched out the plug. the original owner had drilled the crap out of this thing and it cannot be repaired but i can pop a oem piece back in the oil pan. pulled the door lock cylinder. still can't get the ignition cylinder out. i put i want-to-buy posting asking for a female threaded plug with the drain bolt for my 1982 subaru brat. check out my listing and send me a PM if you have one to sell me. will be cheaper and less time consuming that swapping a pan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bratman2 Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Your picture doesn't look too bad but the parts that usually rust the worse are underneath as you now know. The wheel bearings are a pair in front and go in to a stop from both sides. Getting good axles can be a pain as most reman axles are junk. Don't expect 35 mpg, if you get it running good 29-30 will be more likely, still beats 8! Truthfully the oil pan is nothing to remove if you have to. I have installed two new gaskets on mine in 17 years, with motor in place. No help on the ignition, I replaced the electrical side of mine a few years ago, the tumbler on mine still works even though the key will fall in the floor at times, lol! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyhorse001 Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Most, if not all '82 subarus are EA81 powered from the factory that is The primary differences are in the carburetors. Rust is a big thing on a 32 yr old subaru, especially if it lived in the snow belt for any length of time. My '82 hatch is a lifetime local southern car, and it has rusted to a point of being completely unsafe. At $600, you did ok if the body isnt rusted beyond repair. If it is, you may be able to part it for what you have in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snacky Posted June 27, 2014 Author Share Posted June 27, 2014 thanks for all the advice folks. this rust is repairable. just not any time soon. the floor pan all the way to the back of the vehicle is shot with rust but the front end aside from the axle looks like it's in great shape and so does the engine. i will test compression after i fix the oil pan situation. the engine appears to be in good shape and ran decent. it needs a carter carb. i can tell the current carb is in need of a restore or replacement. ignition has been recently refreshed. if the rear suspension blasts through the truck bed i'll get some 3 inch square tubing or some flat bar or something a little over 3/16s gauge somewhere above that gauge and do a uish shape tha twill stretch the width of the car from wheel well to wheel well to give a new mounting pount for those shocks. i havn't looked too hard at it but would be simple to repair. the rear shock mounting points on the frame is my biggest concern area. taking lock cylinder from door today to locksmith and see what they say. i'll get this ignition cylinder out eventually. found a source for these so i'm going to stock up. apparently they came in two different lengths. chiltons manual will be in the mail monday. replaced battery. attached new cable ends. fixed a miss from loose plug wire. need to adjust timing and check compression after i fix this oil pan deal. taking the plug with me to the junkyard to try and find another this sunday when i have some off time. i got a stuck crankshaft key on a 460 in my 91 f250 too. putting some heat on it sunday. i'm glad i only have 3 cars right now. the herd is always breaking down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snacky Posted June 28, 2014 Author Share Posted June 28, 2014 i could not understand what my plug was until i pulled it out. i'm thinking this jacked up piece of metal used to be a entire drain plug. i wish i had a way to take a picture because i would post it on here so yall could see it. apparently someone took a drill and drilled right through the oem plug at a angle. i work at a hardware store and was comparing the plug i pulled out to all kinds of stuff. i finally found a size in standard that was close and looked up the metric equivelants on the internet. figured out that my oil pan has a m20x1.5 oil plug bolt. i went to westwood auto parts. they said they can't get these anymore but had a few on the shelf. i just bought one. i may go back and buy 2 more just to have as backups. i'm on my way now to go try to thread the new bolt in the oil pan. i'm pretty sure the female threads are ok so it should go right in. if not i have my eye on a oil pan that already has a plug in it that i will order off ebay. hopefully this will work so i can top off the oil and then check compression on all the cylinders. i got my keys back today. cost me 33 usd. i got 3 copies. my originals were wayyyyyyy too worn. the new ones turn the door cylinder just fine. hopefully it will work on the ignition too. i'm worried about that disc thing i drilled out on the bottom of the steering column. hopefully it isn't necessary to keep the column funcitoning or i'll be shopping for another column too. i'll let yall know how it goes. if everything goes to plan the next bit of hard work will be swapping out that axle. you guys say that the only axles are rebuilt originals. that sucks. i want some brand spanking new ones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snacky Posted June 28, 2014 Author Share Posted June 28, 2014 keys work great. plug works great. just ordered a brand new front axle. not a reman. i'll get the bearings locally. going to put the steering column back together and test compression. installed new battery and new cable ends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinky26 Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 (edited) My understanding is that the World PAC axels are brand new, sold / owned by Car Quest auto parts, just picked one up from there today. If your steering column is shot I have one I will sell you. Let me know if you need it. Rock Auto also has new axels made by Empi no experience with these yet. They also stock a bunch of parts for the Brat, just a FYI. Edited June 28, 2014 by Dinky26 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snacky Posted June 28, 2014 Author Share Posted June 28, 2014 My understanding is that the World PAC axels are brand new, sold / owned by Car Quest auto parts, just picked one up from there today. If your steering column is shot I have one I will sell you. Let me know if you need it. Rock Auto also has new axels made by Empi no experience with these yet. They also stock a bunch of parts for the Brat, just a FYI. thank you for the info. since i already spent the money on this setup and it's from neither supplier you mentioned i hope it works. i have a axle question. are axles like car starters? this is the first car i've owned with a cv axle. the original starters that come with the motor are machined to the exact specs of the flywheel so it's always best to rebuild your original starter than replace with a new one. is it the same for axles on the subaru brat? i don't have the facilities to rebuild mineright now, but i will keep it in storage if this is the case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferox Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 (edited) thank you for the info. since i already spent the money on this setup and it's from neither supplier you mentioned i hope it works. i have a axle question. are axles like car starters? this is the first car i've owned with a cv axle. the original starters that come with the motor are machined to the exact specs of the flywheel so it's always best to rebuild your original starter than replace with a new one. is it the same for axles on the subaru brat? i don't have the facilities to rebuild mineright now, but i will keep it in storage if this is the case If you have original Subaru axles then definitely keep them to rebuild while you are running the ones you purchased. They are better quality than aftermarket and can be cleaned and repacked. Chances are though that your Brat already has aftermarket axles in the front, so I think you are looking for NTN as a hallmark for OEM. You are going to want to swap out the Carter carb for a Weber or Hitachi. That requires a new intake manifold. I just scrapped an EA81, so I have a manifold and oil pan with plug if you want it. I do not have a female threaded plug however. Edited June 28, 2014 by ferox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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