FlyB0y Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 I have a '85 Subaru Brat, and I was curious if it's just me, or if this is normal performance .... (I know this is subjective, but I will try to describe it as well as possible) I make a 90 mile commute every day and I regularly drive at 70 - 75 on the highway, however it seems that it takes forever to get from 60 - 70 and I can't always get it to do 75 depending on the grade of the road. I have difficulty passing and have to carry my speed to do any passing at all ... in other words, I have to plan ahead like 3 seconds and start accelerating then to pass a slow driver and I need WAY more room and time that I ever did with my '88 Justy! I know that the brat is a bit heavier than even the wagons of the same vintage, but I just don't think I am getting the power I should ... also I get only 20 miles to the gallon ... the info I have says I should be getting 25 in town, and 29 on the highway. I am cleaning (boiling and adjusting) the carb tonight and I know this will help as the engine has been stumbling a bit lately and occasionally won't idle ... I just replanced the fuel filter and this helped some, but I am still not sure what kind of performance to expect ... maybe when this car was made it was designed with the 55 mph speed limit of the time in mind and thus isn't really expected to be driven for extended periods at this speed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wasteland Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 Whats up with your exhaust? you may have a plugged cat. Also check the basics, cap, rotor, plugs, and maybe dump some cleaner through the carb, clean some of the 20 years of crap out of the valves. Read through this, it's got some good info on EA81's http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/80s/ea-performance-page/subaru-ea-performance.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyB0y Posted March 18, 2005 Author Share Posted March 18, 2005 yep, I am in the process of doing a thorough cleaning of the carb, and when I put on the new fuel filter, my idle jumped 500 rpm, so I think that speaks for it's self I don't really know how to trouble-shoot my cat however, any suggestions? I will be putting new plugs in too after I look at the old ones ... if they are a nice color then I might just save the new pluggs for later and see what else it might need. I have heard alot about "Seafoam" but I am very skeptical that simply running a cleaner through my fuel and oil will be as good of a cleaning as tearing down the carb, boiling it out and adjusting the mixture. Whats up with your exhaust? you may have a plugged cat. Also check the basics, cap, rotor, plugs, and maybe dump some cleaner through the carb, clean some of the 20 years of crap out of the valves. Read through this, it's got some good info on EA81's http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/80s/ea-performance-page/subaru-ea-performance.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[HTi]Johnson Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 Isn't there two fuel filters? One in the engine bay and one in front of the rear passenger tire? [HTi]Johnson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wasteland Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 I have heard alot about "Seafoam" but I am very skeptical that simply running a cleaner through my fuel and oil will be as good of a cleaning as tearing down the carb, boiling it out and adjusting the mixture. Seafoam works great, add it to your gas or just bring the R's up and pour a few oz's in the carb. It'll want to die and smoke like a b1tch but it'll clean things out. I don't really know how to trouble-shoot my cat however, any suggestions? Put your hand at the end of the tail pipe, feel how much pressure is coming out. If it feels weak there might be a leak some where or the cats so fowled up is not letting it flowing. And replace the fuel filter under the car on the pass side, the one in the engine comp is more of a fuel separater I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyB0y Posted March 19, 2005 Author Share Posted March 19, 2005 Seafoam works great, add it to your gas or just bring the R's up and pour a few oz's in the carb. It'll want to die and smoke like a b1tch but it'll clean things out. Put your hand at the end of the tail pipe, feel how much pressure is coming out. If it feels weak there might be a leak some where or the cats so fowled up is not letting it flowing. And replace the fuel filter under the car on the pass side, the one in the engine comp is more of a fuel separater I think. Ok, I replaced the second fuel filter, and have played with the mixture screw ... at first that had NO effect at all ... it would even keep running with the screw completely turned in!! So I next pulled the pluggs and noticed something else kinda strange. All the pluggs had some black soot (running rich) but the back 2 cylinders were a nice brown color on the electrode, the rest around the elctrode contact points black, but the the area where the spark actually travels, it was nice and brown ... so I put in new pluggs, and it's a little better, still a rough idle, but it doesn't die now and putting my hand over the tail pipe doesn't seem to indicate that the flow is restricted, I guess next I will check the timming and maybe replace disty cap, plug wires and caps but I am a little baffled at the rough idle. I mean, even if it had been an issue of fuel flow, the carb is gonna run a while on what is in the bowl, so that would only be a problem while it took it's time re-filling the bowl once it got low. Oh well, gonna do some work tomarrow to make up for taking today to work on the carb ... if anyone has more ideas, like other things to check or a better way to test to see if the cat is plugged lemme know **** PS **** the main reason I asked this question was that I know of annother owner of a brat here in town ... they were very surprised that my brat would even do 70 and thought that I must have one that was souped-up? well anyhow, thanks in advance for any aditional info! night all ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flowmastered87GL Posted March 20, 2005 Share Posted March 20, 2005 Hmmmm my brat did 70 over the Oregon coast range no problem... had it floored but it did it... tailgate up too (lower the tailgate or remove it to cut drag) Given the rough idle, I am guessing the carb is making it sluggish if doing tune up stuff didnt cure it all. For some reference my 86 GL that I just had, had a bad carb... ran rich, had NO power and was super rough. Changed the carb and it all went away. So... if you have the money and a general clean up and tune up doesnt help... maybe consider a weber carb? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyB0y Posted March 20, 2005 Author Share Posted March 20, 2005 Hmmmm my brat did 70 over the Oregon coast range no problem... had it floored but it did it... tailgate up too (lower the tailgate or remove it to cut drag) Given the rough idle, I am guessing the carb is making it sluggish if doing tune up stuff didnt cure it all. For some reference my 86 GL that I just had, had a bad carb... ran rich, had NO power and was super rough. Changed the carb and it all went away. So... if you have the money and a general clean up and tune up doesnt help... maybe consider a weber carb? Thanks for the advice good news!! I just had a mechanic look at it today and in 2 min he knew exactly what was wrong ... believe it or not it was just the stupid mixture control solenoid and it was keeping everything WAY too rich ... could have been alot worse ... too bad I couldn't have scavenged one from the parts I got offa '84 brat turbo ... I have to say too that I have the most amazing boss!! he paid for the $40 diagnostic check with the company acct, and he wants to pay for the new solenoid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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