Trying to repair/restore my new 1982 GL Wagon!

[Subastu]

Well I was working at a Job site  in Anchorage and the Home Owner had a sweet 82 GL Wagon parked out front. I got talking with him about it and long story short my new Subaru is sitting next to the Forester in my driveway For a cool $300. Now, It has problems, Big ones. But with the exception of some rust and bent front fenders, It's cherry.

Before I came into possession of this sweet Hatchback the owner had some problems with it. Until this October it was his daily driver and when I looked at it for the first time he had five gallons of water in bottles in the back... Not a good sign. He says the radiator had a pinhole leak in it so he replaced it. I'm pretty sure he overheated it because of that. So he replaced the radiator with this: https://www.autozone.com/cooling-heating-and-climate-control/radiator/duralast-spi/780940_1093513_0_3498 The Radiator holds fluid and has no apparent leaks. Somehow he didnt have a fan or the thermoswitch installed on his new Radiator. I have the correct fan now though and am in the process of finding a thermoswitch for the radiator fan.

I got it started and idling today for the first time with hopes to find some symptoms and I discovered a few. They are as follows:

Engine is wet with what looks like oil and coolant in some places, mostly coolant. Especially on the passenger side, oddly it has some coolant collected on top of the heads/block on the passenger side. 

White smoke/vapor comes out of the exhaust but it doen't seam blue.

Idle is rough, could be that the choke is screwed up and its pretty cold up here.

I pulled the cap off the radiator and started it again and watched an endless bubbling come up from the bottom

the exhaust has a leak and out of that exhaust leak there is a little bit of coolant.

I think that it is do for head gaskets big time, But I want to know what you guys think. Iv'e been searching and learning on forums for the month leading up to this point. I just want some of your opinions and experience, I expected to do some serious work on this Car I just haven't had the pleasure of fixing a car with such serious problems.

 

[86BRATMAN]

It would be worth your while to acquire some new oem intake manifold gaskets and replace those first. The coolant flows through the intake manifold as a crossover between the heads. When the intake gasket blows, or is replaced with garbage aftermarket ones it will give symptoms just like a blown head gasket. 

[Subastu]

Ill Do that first, thanks. 

[DaveT]

My experiences -
Disappearing coolant, or coolant on top of the engine - intake gasket fail.  IF the leak into the intake is bad enough, you get steam out the tail pipe.

Endless stream of bubbles out the radiator, beginning of head gasket failure.  IT will progressively get worse.

With the history you described, it has very likely been run over normal temperature while low on coolant, which starts the head gasket failure.

If it has never been resealed, it should leak oil everywhere.

Do not run it in any situation where you can cause it to overheat badly, as most rebuild parts are NLA from dealer or aftermarket.  Unless you have a known good engine to drop in...

Last I knew, gasket sets are still available.  Use OEM intake gaskets only.

[naru2]

Bad intake gaskets will not give bubbles in the radiator-no pressure.

[gjewers]

If you pull the heads, be sure to run a true straight edge across them to check for warping...

[bzzltyr]

All good advice! Consider a complete rebuild if possible. Could still have 200k left on it. Btw, have a nearly complete EA81 free to next user. Located in Colorado

[DaveT]

It is not possible to rebuild, unless you can make the NLA parts you want...  OR get lucky, and discover NOS parts here and there.  I recently heard of someone who found a NOS EA82 turbo [2 row] radiator - nearly a miracle.  

[Subastu]

Thanks for all the replies guys, I am gonna put all of the advice to work as soon as the gaskets get in. What did you mean impossible to rebuild DaveT? My plan is to reseal nearly everything except the crankcase eventually. Man I wish I could pick that engine up from you bzzltyr, I would even Freight it up here if I could. Also, best Source for OEM Gaskets and what's a good substitute if I can't find them?

[Subastu]

Also, It's only got 140,000 Original miles

[Rampage]

Is the engine a 1.6 or 1.8?

This site only goes back to 1984 which is a 1.8.

https://www.subarupartsforyou.com/v-1984-subaru-gl--base--1-8l-h4-gas/engine--engine

This site did not ask for engine size. I guess it is a 1.8 The list is on the left.

https://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/1982/subaru/gl/engine_mechanical/intake_manifold_gasket.html?rp=intake_manifold_gasket_set

On this site click on repair parts, then engine and it will ask 1.6 or 1.8.

https://www.carid.com/1982-subaru-l-series-accessories/#spb_interioraccessories

This one only lists a 1.8

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/subaru,1982,gl,1.8l+h4,1268298,engine

Good luck.

[moosens]

Right off the bat “subarupartsforyou” won’t have anything anywhere near that old regardless of the use of the year “1984” 

 

I live near them and trust me you won’t score there. Likely same for many others. But don’t give up.

[Rampage]

Yep, 90% of the list says Discontinued. But, what they do have will be OE.

Some of the other Subaru sites don't go back near that far in years.

[DaveT]

Reseal is replacing all the gaskets, o rings, shaft seals.

Rebuild is new main bearings, new crank bearings, maybe new pistons, piston rings, maybe valves, or at least a valve job, which is possible, as long as you don't need parts...  piston pins, lifters, all that sort of thing, depending on condition.

That said, IF the engine has always been maintained well, not badly overheated, it probably doesn't need a rebuild.

 

[Subastu]

Alright guys, I got it apart and put back together... Mostly. I went to adjust the valves and got stopped by an adjustment screw and lock nut, It appears the lock nut got backed off too much and now I can't get it to tighten. I don't know what to do with that, yet. I don't have the specific wrench for adjusting those and don't know which one to get. (suggestions appreciated). Both Old head gaskets looked surprisingly good for the bubbles in the radiatorthat I was seeing. there were cracks and a hole only in the coolant channel at the top center between the cylinders, on both head gaskets, The place where the coolant channel ends up against the block. I might have tossed the gasket already but I feel like I might have set it aside to send you guys a picture. It looked bubbled and cracked away from the block and towards the cylinder head coolant channel. No other obvious damage. Now, I was wondering if that would be enough to cause the bubbles in the Radiator?

Also, Before I went to adjust the Valves on the passenger side Head, I ghetto checked pressure to get to #1 TDC by covering the plug hole with my thumb and cranking the engine over. It seems like there isn't much pressure in the number one Cylinder, the rest seem fine. Could this be lack of oil? in rings valves etc. It's still dry from the reseal. I looked at the valves and inspected the heads when I had them off. there was Carbon build up but nothing too bad. the Cylinder one exhaust valve had the worst of it but nothing crazy. and I cleaned and scrubbed them all. No cracks Etc. Cylinder bores were mirror smooth and the Pistons looked Like they had a little Carbon build up but not too much. I'm worried that I put it all together prematurely and Im going to have to pull it again and do a valve job. Need some re assurance etc. Other than that all smooth! except for some flare nut fun and some Vacuum hose confusion. 

I'm wondering your guys' experience with Cylinder compression and defective head gasket appearance in these EA81's. the Compression is starting to get me discouraged a little bit.

[DaveT]

The size of the leak required to get bubbles in the radiator  is TINY.  Very hard to see looking at the old gasket.  The pressure of the fuel exploding is a LOT higher than the 13lbs in the cooling system. 

 

The un even compression is a concern, especially if it is that noticeable without using a proper gauge.

[Rampage]

20 hours ago, Subastu said:

It seems like there isn't much pressure in the number one Cylinder, the rest seem fine.

Maybe, just maybe corrosion on a valve stem is not allowing one or more of the valves to close tight. Cranking the engine would have pushed the valves open. Closing them relies on the spring pressure. Or maybe a broken valve spring. A weak spring will close the valve (if it moves freely) when cranking the engine and there will be compression.

[spyder_james]

...hey, just in case you're still hunting...I have several engines, trannies, axles, hubs, knuckles, struts, shocks, wiring n all manner of parts...feel free to send me a list, I'm cleaning out the barn... :)