The Death of Leena??

[Adam N.D.J.]

Alas, I have done as much as I can think of. Poor Leena, my 84 Turbo Hardtop, has had many problems this last 10 months. First she was overheating, and popped both head gaskets, then the radiator went out on her. Then the heads, and all this time, the smoking that I could never find the problem of. Well I tore apart the motor, and found that the number 3 piston was broken, so I rebuilt the motor, replaced the pistons, new rings, new heads, new gaskets and seals all the way around. Mind you this wasn't a full rebuild, as I left the bottom end alone, didn't think that it needed new bearings. Well I finally got it all together, after a week of working on the engine. It's still smoking, I think worse now than before. But now it's not running right, she's stuttering and coughing. There is no real power untill it gets into boost, and if you try and cruise, it surges and pulses. I can't find anything wrong with it. I've gone through all the electrical and vacume lines, checked over everything. It seems that it's just this motor's time to pass. I've done everything I can, it's time for the last rights. :boohoo: :boohoo:

[GeneralDisorder]

Could the turbo be bad? Is this one an automatic? Maybe the modulator gizmo on the tranny - as I recall that can cause smoke too.

 

You can't just give up on an EA81T - you (being a subaru mechanic) MUST fix it. It's too rare to just throw out.

 

GD

[drewjohnson]

... Very Sad

 

:boohoo:

[richierich]

As a ea81 Turbo Freak. I say all is not lost. Just because the engine is bad, doesn't mean the whole car is junk. Many engines are just not worth rebuilding. I know I have gone through a few only to find a bottom end knock when I am done. It is very frustrating.

 

I bought that Wagon, and he is going to deliver it directly to me. But if you need any parts you are welcome to them.

 

 

I find that if I take a break from a vehicle, it always helps. (Kind of putting it in time-out til it can be good)

 

 

If all else fails, let me know before you scrape it, or sell it.

[Adam N.D.J.]

I love this car way too much to just get rid of it. It's just that so much has been going wrong. I've been trying and trying and trying to get it to run right. And nothing I do is working. It can be very racking on ones confidence. It's my daily driver, and without it, I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't have a job, and I spent my last dime on this last load of work I put into it.

I know about putting a car into time out till it can get worked on. The only problem with that is that my Brat (the Gen I) has been in long term storage for over a year now cause the motor is blown in it.

The car is drivable, in the sense that I can move it around on the street so that it doesn't get tagged as a derilect vehicle. But as far actually getting anywhere in it, not going to happen, I took it about half a mile up the street and back, and blew through almost 2 quarts of oil. Plus it's getting progressivly worse, not wanting to idle, if I touch the gas it will die, unless I punch it, then it studders and starts to move, but it doesn't really accelerate untill it starts boosting, then it takes off like an NA car at part throttle, not like a Turbo car at full throttle.

I don't know what I'm going to do, I'm really am at my wits end.

[TomRhere]

I know the EA-81's are gear drive on the cam, but makes me wonder if it somehow hasn't jumped timing a tooth or two. Would account for the lack of power, and burning all of that oil.

IE: intake valve not opening at right time, causing oil to be pulled past the rings.

Or the cam lobes have rounded off, giving you the same results. But to have two lobes go at the same time would be way far fetched, as far as the odds go.

If HG's are good, and valve seals are good, Turbo isn't leaking oil, PCV system isn't at fault, and the Modulator valve on the trans isn't at fault, the piston rings aren't at fault. Doesn't leave to much more to be at fault.

Just some thoughts on it.

[northguy]

From a different perspective, if it helps, I am in agreement with Richie. I've had three different engines in one of my snowmobiles ( one was rebuilt twice and blown three times before I scrapped it). I refuse to junk the machine - it's too much fun and too nice to scap pile it. Hang with it. Put it to bed for a while and wake it up when you have the time to devote to it.