1984 Brat Distributor, Cap, & Rotor Troubles

[Harvester]

Well my Brat is a few months past re-registering here in Utah, and of course I have to get another emissions test done. Passed with flying colors last year, however I had a few worries this year since I adjusted the air mixture and idle screw over the winter a bit.

 

This time I decide I'll replace the distributor completely with a new one to try and fix the pesky "dead spot" at about 1500-2000RPM in 2nd/3rd gear. Found a rebuilt distributor on eBay listed for '84 Brat.

 

Took the Brat & disty to the japanese engine shop, told em to put in the new distributor, new plugs, new wires, and adjust the carb a little bit and do emissions. They call me back and say the distributor I got does not match the one in the car. So I have them just order a cap and rotor for the disty already in there. Come back today and they have ordered the part 3 different times from 3 different places and they never get the right one.

 

The cap on the disty in the Brat right now is a light brown/tan color as opposed to the dark black on the new one I purchased. Were there different distributors for the 84 Brat? I really need to find the right parts so I can get this thing passing emissions again!

[GeneralDisorder]

That distributor looks like it should fit - it's got the right gear (looks ok anyway), and mounting tab (maybe the slot is off, but it's got a single tab like all EA81 disty's).... but I've never seen one with a screw on cap - that's completely weird. EA71/EA81 distys are all the same, and EA82's have two mounting tabs and a different drive gear......

 

I have a strange suspicion what you have there is actually an EA81 Turbo distributor, which may have the screw on cap I beleive, and also would not work with the carb engine (as the shop informed you) due to the Turbo being a crank angle sensor type distributor for fuel injection.

 

The EA81 engine series cars (including the Brat) came with two distributor types - Nippon-Denso, and Hitachi. 2WD came with ND, and 4WD with Hitachi. However, since ALL Brats were 4WD, it would have been equipped with the Hitachi from the factory. It could have been changed - they are direct bolt it swaps.

 

As to the cap color - it means nothing - I've seen every color under the sun, and a few more. There are about 40 million makers of caps/rotors, and I think they just use whatever color plastic they can get cheap. As a general rule, the ND's seem to be brown/red, and the Hitachi's seem to be black, but I have a Hitachi one that's brown right now :-\. If you want the right part, go to the dealer - they are cheap anyway.

 

GD

[newgen85brat]

There are two types for the EA 81. When I replaced mine last week, I had the parts place order both types and I brought in the old cap. I have an 85 with a 83 motor. Both engines used the same distributor for me. Just make the parts guy look around good on the computer and get them both. Make sure they get both rotors as well but either we got it right the first time or it used the same one because it was the one. One cap uses the two clips but had a vent on it. It was the wrong one. Good luck, go for the parts guy you trust.

[TheLoyale]

I have had this issue, even the Dealer gave me a Cap and Rotor for the Nippon Disty when I have the Hitachi in my '83 EA81. The Cap for the Nippon disty has the vent cap on it (And does not fit on the Hitachi correctly) the Rotor for the Nippon disty has the long shank on it and does not slide onto the Hitachi Disty.

 

I finally got the correct parts from Parts Hut of all places.

 

 

 

[Gloyale]

Holy six year old thread Batman!!!

[TheLoyale]

Don't look at me lol. I only replied to the dude who dug this ancient thread:-p

[gbianchi]

That distributor looks like it should fit - it's got the right gear (looks ok anyway), and mounting tab (maybe the slot is off, but it's got a single tab like all EA81 disty's).... but I've never seen one with a screw on cap - that's completely weird. EA71/EA81 distys are all the same, and EA82's have two mounting tabs and a different drive gear......

 

I have a strange suspicion what you have there is actually an EA81 Turbo distributor, which may have the screw on cap I beleive, and also would not work with the carb engine (as the shop informed you) due to the Turbo being a crank angle sensor type distributor for fuel injection.

 

The EA81 engine series cars (including the Brat) came with two distributor types - Nippon-Denso, and Hitachi. 2WD came with ND, and 4WD with Hitachi. However, since ALL Brats were 4WD, it would have been equipped with the Hitachi from the factory. It could have been changed - they are direct bolt it swaps.

 

As to the cap color - it means nothing - I've seen every color under the sun, and a few more. There are about 40 million makers of caps/rotors, and I think they just use whatever color plastic they can get cheap. As a general rule, the ND's seem to be brown/red, and the Hitachi's seem to be black, but I have a Hitachi one that's brown right now :-\. If you want the right part, go to the dealer - they are cheap anyway.

 

GD

So heres a story:popcorn:, a coworker got me a used ditsy at pullnsave for my 84brat said it was from an 85suby, so I compared it to my original hitachy,which had really bad bushings, oh oh this new one has two mounting tabs, oh oh this gear is different, oh oh this one is a little taller, oh oh the wires are a lot shorter.....hummmm?? So out to the shop I go lets change the gear, no prob... oh oh the holes don't line up, well maybe I'll just swap shafts......darn holes still don't line up....swap back drill new hole, next day sunny out so here goes. Pull out the old ND that I put in years ago, slide in the hitachy, oh oh the mounting tab covers the hole the lockdown bolt goes into, oh oh the second mounting tab bangs into the engine block when you try to adjust timming:horse:. Pull it out think about throwing it over the fence, nope this is going to work, go back to the shop cut off the second mounting tab, drill/file the 1st mounting tab slot so the bolt will fit, back to the brat put it in line everything up snug it connect wires:horse:. Cross fingers, turn key and bang starts like it really wants to run for the 1st time in along time:Flame:. Time it properly and hook everything back up take a little drive and hurray it likes to go now I am very pleased:D...never give up:burnout:...............G

[bheinen74]

sounds like a 85 with the EA82 engine. Not going to work on a BRAT with EA81 correctly

you said you got it running on it.?

[newgen85brat]

Okay, Okay, now I see the date of the first post. I get it, I am challenged!

[gbianchi]

sounds like a 85 with the EA82 engine. Not going to work on a BRAT with EA81 correctly

you said you got it running on it.?

 

Yes its running and running better than it has in years, starts right up pulls well at low rpms so far no down side. The design of this ditsy is much better, as it has a sealed bearing instead of bushings.............G

[gbianchi]

Hello to all just wanted to update this post been driving the brat allot with this ea82 distributor and I have come to the conclusion that its not just wishful thinking! This brat starts/runs awesome, long ago when I purchased it I replaced the dist with a nippon unit from a 2wd wagon, started and ran O K but just seemed like something was off, then about 2yrs ago the starting got to be iffy at best, like it would fire after letting the key snap back from start to on, but only sometimes. New wires, new cap, new rotor, new plugs, readjusted air gap, every time things seemed to be better but for a short duration. I was gona throw down 125.00 for a reman at rockauto when a coworker got me this dist at pullnsave( he stashed it in the door he bought for a 72 jeep truck snicker snicker). Anyhow all is well and I'm loving my Huey again.......Cheers to all, G.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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