SuBrat84 Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 Well.. The SVX is officially gone now.. I need a ride to work. Gonna get the ole brat going. I'm pretty sure it has a blown head gasket.. if not worse. I'll probably just end up ordering a gasket kit. (Where would be a good place to get one BTW?) I was wondering if anyone knows if there is a vacuum line kit I can get or what's the best route to go there? Maybe you guys can help me out with a "checklist" of stuff to do while rebuilding the motor. I am going to replace obvious stuff like the clutch (Getting soft,) timing belts, spark plugs, etc.. but a checklist would still be great of everything that is 100% needs to be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[HTi]Johnson Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 I recommend www.rockauto.com for the head gaskets...napa has an EA81 kit, I picked up for $80. Every engine seal. HGs, front and rear oil seal, oil pan, intake, valve cover, valve guides,carb...you name it. Good luck, Justin. EDIT: Fel Pro perma torques are my preference, but that's for EA82...it's a pain to retorque on ea82s! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 You should be able to buy vacuum line in various sizes from any parts shop by the meter (or foot i suppose). You may find you'll have problems replacing the timing belts!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuBrat84 Posted August 2, 2006 Author Share Posted August 2, 2006 You should be able to buy vacuum line in various sizes from any parts shop by the meter (or foot i suppose). You may find you'll have problems replacing the timing belts!! Oh yeah.. duh.. no timing belts on that one.. I'm so used to all the EA82s and EA82ts I've been working on lately.. anyway.. My concern about buying vacuum lines by the linear whatever.. is that some of them are custom bent and would end up having kinks if I just used regular hose, right? I suppose if I made them a bit longer or something they wouldn't kink.. I was just hoping someone may have compiled a vacuum kit for it. On another note.. I am wanting to use a Subaru gasket kit.. and I despise Rock Auto, I will never order anything from them again. Thanks so far.. keep it coming guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 If you can't find replacement hoses and its going to kink, you could make some copper elbows or something.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuBrat84 Posted August 3, 2006 Author Share Posted August 3, 2006 If you can't find replacement hoses and its going to kink, you could make some copper elbows or something.... Funny.. same thing my cousin said. Anyway.. I just got done pulling the motor.. it took me two hours.. not bad for my first pull. had to wrestle with a couple things here and there.. but it went pretty smooth. I will probably dismantle it tomarrow night to pinpoint the problems. Does $500 seem reasonable for a full rebuild kit? (This says it comes with pistons, rings, bearings, "Everything you need to rebuild your motor." (Of course not heads.. but internals and gaskets.) Maybe someone could point me to a walk through for a rebuild... and can anyone tell me how to identify if this thing is hydraulic or solid lifters? Aside from it having stickers or not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 and can anyone tell me how to identify if this thing is hydraulic or solid lifters? Aside from it having stickers or not? Solid lifter engines have big end caps on the push rods (look like they are pressed on). Hyd lifter motors the push rods are very obviously one piece. Thats prob the easiest way to tell if your taking it apart. Hyd lifter engines have a boss on the top of the engine block on the 1-3 side near teh split near teh rear where a hole is drilled to put a knock sensor on the ea81ts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Hydraulic engine valve covers have 5 sides; solid lifter valve covers have 4 (rectangular). Call Jason in parts at what used to be Auburn Subaru for the gasket set; toll free # is 1-866-528-5282. ( Funny.. same thing my cousin said. Anyway.. I just got done pulling the motor.. it took me two hours.. not bad for my first pull. had to wrestle with a couple things here and there.. but it went pretty smooth. I will probably dismantle it tomarrow night to pinpoint the problems. Does $500 seem reasonable for a full rebuild kit? (This says it comes with pistons, rings, bearings, "Everything you need to rebuild your motor." (Of course not heads.. but internals and gaskets.) Maybe someone could point me to a walk through for a rebuild... and can anyone tell me how to identify if this thing is hydraulic or solid lifters? Aside from it having stickers or not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Hydraulic engine valve covers have 5 sides; solid lifter valve covers have 4 (rectangular). Call Jason in parts at what used to be Auburn Subaru for the gasket set; toll free # is 1-866-528-5282. ( Eh.. I have two solid lifter motors and two hyd lifter motors, they all have five side valve covers.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuBrat84 Posted August 4, 2006 Author Share Posted August 4, 2006 Uhmm.. since no one can give me a really good answer about it, here are some pics: So.. I'm assuming by everything I've read that this is a SOLID lifter motor? Please correct me if I'm wrong.. and let me know if it makes ANY difference for ordering the parts I need to rebuild it? I am going to split the block because the crazy noise it makes at 3k+ rpms is inside the block. I think it is the #3 because it makes a horrible like click sort of noise right before and right after it hits TDC. The other three sound fine. Compression before I pulled the motor was ~100 on everything but #2 or 4 I can't remember had ~150. Thanks guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuBrat84 Posted August 5, 2006 Author Share Posted August 5, 2006 Bump? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 Uhhh, i see no pics.... Only differences are the lifters, valvetrain, and heads - gaskets/bearings/rings are teh same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 Uhhh, i see no pics.... Only differences are the lifters, valvetrain, and heads - gaskets/bearings/rings are teh same. Incorrect - the differences are in the BLOCK, lifters, and entire valve train (including the cam). The heads, and rest of the internals are the only parts the solid and hydro engines share. The block is cast differently to allow removal of the lifters from below with the oil pan removed. Solid lifter blocks are cast in such a way that the lifters cannot be removed without splitting the block. You definately have a solid lifter block by the push rods. Easiest way to tell since you have it apart is to see if you can pull a lifter. If you can't then it's solid. Now - as for gaskets. The subaru stuff is outdated. Get the Fel-Pro perma torques - 20 years have seen a good deal of improvement in HG technology, and retorqueing heads is not something anyone loves. Also the gasket sets you get from the dealer ARE 20 years old - they have been sitting on a shelf for that long - not cool. Gaskets to buy *individually* from the dealership to augment crappy ones in the Fel-Pro kit: - Oil pan gasket - Intake manifold gaskets - Thermostat housing gasket - EGR gasket (if you are using the EGR - I do not) - Carb base gaskets - Oil pump seal kit (I'm very paranoid about this one) Hydraulic engine valve covers have 5 sides; solid lifter valve covers have 4 (rectangular). Ed - the difference that you notice is the difference between "large" intake valve heads, and "small" intake valve heads. 83 and 84 manual transmission EA81's came with large valve heads, and solid lifters so the valve cover test is inconclusive. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuBrat84 Posted August 5, 2006 Author Share Posted August 5, 2006 Okay. I cannot remove the lifters. There is just no clearance for it.. they slide all the way until they hit the block. Solid lifter motor.. should I just spring to get myself a hydro lifter motor or should I continue rebuilding what I've got? I'm under the impression that hydro lifter motors are better? Solids need adjustment? Is it possible that all this motor needed was an adjustment? It seems to idle fairly okay.. but when you get to about 3k it knocks or slaps or clacks or something pretty badly and has no power after 3k. It will start to overheat as well. I have it down to the block now.. and when i turn it by hand the #3 piston makes the noise the worst "clack... clack" right before and right after TDC. I'm figuring I have to tear it all the way down.. and do something to fix that, right? Probably some crank or rod bearings going out from being overheated? This is such a great learning experiance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 Yeah - sounds a lot like a rod bearing to me. Especially if you can feel it by hand. If you can find a hydro engine - go for it. They can be difficult to find. They do not require lifter adjustment, but other than that, the power output is the same. They run quieter, which is nice. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRhere Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 OK... Looking at the last pic he's put on here, it shows the valve covers with the angled corner to them. Isn't that what says they are a 5 sided valve cover and therefore means hydro lifters, or am I out in left field? Just asking cause they look identical to the ones for my '86 BRAT. Which by the way I have the valve covers off of at the moment. Just doing some way over due maintenence to the engine, and have replaced oil pump. Lifters clacked something fierce before, now I'm trying to get them adjusted in. And yes, there is an adjustment procedure for hydro lifters, it's just a PITA to do.... Took me many attemps on the '84 auto BRAT I had after swapping the heads out, looking like it's going to take a few tries with this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 OK... Looking at the last pic he's put on here, it shows the valve covers with the angled corner to them. Isn't that what says they are a 5 sided valve cover and therefore means hydro lifters, or am I out in left field? Just asking cause they look identical to the ones for my '86 BRAT. Which by the way I have the valve covers off of at the moment. Just doing some way over due maintenence to the engine, and have replaced oil pump. Lifters clacked something fierce before, now I'm trying to get them adjusted in. And yes, there is an adjustment procedure for hydro lifters, it's just a PITA to do.... Took me many attemps on the '84 auto BRAT I had after swapping the heads out, looking like it's going to take a few tries with this one. Answer..... Ed - the difference that you notice is the difference between "large" intake valve heads, and "small" intake valve heads. 83 and 84 manual transmission EA81's came with large valve heads, and solid lifters so the valve cover test is inconclusive. GD You probably just missed it - was at the end of my previous long post. And yeah - I know what you mean about adjusting the hydro lifters. Seems easiest to adjust them as best you can, drive it a few hundred miles to get them inflated, and then adjust them again. That's what I had to do when I had the heads milled on my 85. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 Incorrect - the differences are in the BLOCK, lifters, and entire valve train (including the cam). The heads, and rest of the internals are the only parts the solid and hydro engines share. The block is cast differently to allow removal of the lifters from below with the oil pan removed. Solid lifter blocks are cast in such a way that the lifters cannot be removed without splitting the block. GD True but just a note - the blocks are fully interchangeable, the ability to remove the lifters on the hyro engines is the only difference (unless its a turbo). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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