dave833 Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 Another post mentioned in passing that EA81 engines don't have timing belts. Is this true?? Can somebody confirm this?? I've had a number of 80-84 Subes with EA81 engines and while I've never changed a timing belt on one (or paid anyone else to), I always thought I was driving on borrowed time until one broke on me! Do they have timing gears instead? What's the deal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brus brother Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 I had an 84 GL and was told it didn't have a belt. Junked the car at 145K miles without ever changing much besides the oil... and that infrequently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meeky Moose Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 EA81's do not have timing belts, they have timing gears. which will generally outlast several engine rebuilds... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toybuilder Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 No timing belts on an ea81. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKIRA Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 No Belts, just Gears, lasts long time, just like said above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qman Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 It's a direct drive gear set. Crank has one gear and the cam has one gear. No floaters or any other wear out items. 145K, ouch, how could you do that to a baby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 It's a pushrod engine, and thus has no need of belts to rotate the cam, since the cam is located right next to the crank. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tailgatewagon Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 not tbelts, ive seen some motors apart that had 300k on them and the timing gears were still within factory specks.... 145k. boy that motors should have been almost new.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 145K, thats just barely broken in. No need to worry about the valve timing on any EA81, even with 300,000 miles, your valves should be timed the same as factory spec's. EA82's on the other hand have OHC's with 2 timing belts. -Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brus brother Posted October 17, 2003 Share Posted October 17, 2003 Boy it hurts to be accused of infanticide! Actually the car kissed a highway divider in a snowstorm (2WD) and the car WAS still running a year later when I donated it to one of those "Donate your car so we can find a home for a blind cat" charities. It was long before I discovered the grease wheeling, mud schlogging, head banging world of the USMB site. Moosens lives close by and already has dibs when the time comes to take my 90 Loyale into the "afterlife". I have begun to lock the car knowing that he covets certain items! You always hope that the organ donor card thing has a clause that says "AFTER my death, then and only then, take what you want"!! So now the real question. Riddle me this Batman... So why did SOA change from a non-maintenance item (timing gear) that would seemingly last forever and never enter the realm of the dreaded interference engine mishaps with broken/jumped timing belts destroying engines etc. in favor of the belted system? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subarubrat Posted October 17, 2003 Share Posted October 17, 2003 "progress" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted October 17, 2003 Share Posted October 17, 2003 most (not all) subaru engines with timing belts are still non-interferance...... the EA82 is one of them. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave833 Posted October 17, 2003 Author Share Posted October 17, 2003 This is all good to know! I got the '84 EA81 last July with about 141K on the odometer- paid $210 for it. (It's a GL 2D Coupe) Nice to know the timing will last forever even as the body rots away thanks to salted Utah roads. I bought my '90 Loyale Turbo AWD EA82 with 129k at a charity auction for $150. Guess I'll have to decide now whether I want to put a timing belt in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skip Posted October 17, 2003 Share Posted October 17, 2003 Dave, please read Brian's(a.k.a. Suby Junkie) last post. It has two belts. If you do decide on doing the belt job, there are a few other items you would be well advised to change while you are in there. The EA82T in the Loyale is a somewhat different beast than your ol' reliable EA81 If you plan on keeping her, a FSM should be on your shopping list Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calebz Posted October 17, 2003 Share Posted October 17, 2003 And if you decide not to keep it, let me know.. I always wanted a turbo Loyale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave833 Posted October 17, 2003 Author Share Posted October 17, 2003 Apparently my EA82T Loyale AWD wagon is sorta rare- I didn't know that when I bought it. Unfortunately(?), it's got the 4EAT auto tranny instead of a 5 speed, but I don't really mind driving it that way for the time being. It's probably even more rare with the 4EAT than it would be with a manual tranny anyway. I'll have to say it's the funnest $150 car I've ever had. I do have a FSM for '85 EA82 which seems to cover most of what I need. Fortunately, I've found this board which should help cover any other problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam N.D.J. Posted October 17, 2003 Share Posted October 17, 2003 The engine from the EA81 back have the timing gear setup. The gears are on the back of the motor, behind the bellhouseing. Here is a pic for ya'll. it's not all that great, but you can get a good idea of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subiemech85 Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 please don't make it so hard to find next time you refer to a pic. http://www.geocities.com/baja/canyon/9804/phantom.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbone Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 What, it took you 3 months to find it? Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XSNRG Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calebz Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 Sure hope it was worth it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subiemech85 Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 but saw a lot of stuff I want to do "mud" just a bit of scorn for not providing a link to the page consider it a long time bump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellaurance Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 Ok, i know this is an older board and i hope some one can help me. Im very confused on the ea81 i have in my 82 Brat. I called Subaru in pueblo Colorado, they cant get a timing belt because they stop at 86. I asked to speak with a person who could help me find a solution and a male party told me it was a dual belt.... i see on this form it is a gear drive. Its all adding up to be more complicated than it needs to be. I have called all the stores to find belts and theres "no such thing" but some of the mechanics i called said it was belt drive too "if they remember correctly" does anyone have a photo or something of a ea81 being a belt, chain, gear? I want to believe gear but i just get so many different answers. I dont want to rip out the engine at this time because i dont have seals and stuff to put it back in quick. This whole thing started with a co worker saying the timing belts go out so fast or often. I bought the car a week ago and i love the lil brat. But now im worried i wont find a simple part (belt,chain) if it goes out and i have to park it till i can afford a swap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el_freddo Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 (edited) @Ellaurance - NO TIMING BELT. Single, dual or otherwise on the EA81. The EA81 definitely has a set of gears at the back of the engine as mentioned previously. No need to touch these! Just keep the oil and coolant in the right places and enjoy the ride. They’re a tough little engine the EA81. Now EA82 on the other hand, this thing has dual cam belts/timing belts. A rubber band could be better... they’ve got black cam covers on the front of the engine and look very different to the EA81. EA81 has dizzy at the front of the engine, above and to the RHS (vehcile’s RHS) of the crank. EA82 hasthe dizzy at the back of the LHS head. Hope this clears up any confusion. Cheers Bennie Edited October 25, 2019 by el_freddo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellaurance Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 @el_freddo It certainly does! Im very new to the Subaru way and it confused me still. I appreciate the information so much. I do have a spare ea81 on the way that came with the deal.i will get a better look at what you are talking about when i rebuild that one, as a just in case and understanding Subaru. It runs but it wont stay running on idle or stop.. i havent checked compression but i will when i start looking at the hitachi? Carburetor for this weekend. Its a fun little ride 4wd works, lights, heater(sorta has rusty valve and stays open) im impressed so far. Im originaly a ford/mopar guy and this little brat deserves the love too. Anyway sorry for ranting im just super excited on my project daily driver. Thank you for clearing that up for me @el_freddo im sure i will have more questions. And while im rebuilding the spare ea81 maby some one else will want information Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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