hotboxhatchback Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 i came up on this website looking for an adapter for my maf sensor. im not a mechanic but i know a good one so i can only middleman whats up with my car. i bought this hatchback a couple years ago for fun and drove it for a few months. it had no aif filter at all!! well i got kinda paranoid about jackin up my motor so i quit driving it. i just had my buddy go through it and get it running again but he says it has major issues (and i'd trust the guy with my life). first he said its not supposed to have efi and it should have a carb (the sticker under the hood says so, could it be a replaced hood?) and i might have to replace hella parts to fix that. he said i have to get an air filter to fit on it and that it needs an adpater for something he called a "maf" if i just wanna run it as is or thats all parts i might have to replace to put a carb back on it. it seems like it runs ok, i mean i know its not a jeep but it can hang so do i have to put a carb back on or can i just put a filter on and call it good? and then he said my clutch needs work (prolly gonna have to replace i bet but thats fine, dont want that slippin action around here). so i looked on google for a maf sensor adapter like he said and i couldn't find any subaru stuff. then i started looking for subaru stuff and it looks like nobody makes aftermarket parts for these cars. wtf? are we gonna have to homemake something? btw - its a 83 gl hatchback with a 1.8L stickshift 4x4 and i don't have a digi camera so no pics, sorry. anyone blazin round here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobcob Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 No reason to be concerned that it has EFI, that's actually a good thing! (if done properly) Someone took the time to upgrade the fuel delivery system on it... Welcome to the forum!! Cram a filter on that baby and let 'er rip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotboxhatchback Posted April 21, 2008 Author Share Posted April 21, 2008 cool man, i was hoping to get a bite quick. so the efi is completely kosher with the original engine? can it be all original except the hood witht ehcarb sticker like if the efi was an optional upgrade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 cool man, i was hoping to get a bite quick. so the efi is completely kosher with the original engine? can it be all original except the hood witht ehcarb sticker like if the efi was an optional upgrade? No, someone has converted it. A great upgrade. It will run fine if installed properly. Look around at junkyard for 85-94 subaru. GL/DL/Loyales. These are the cars that you're FI system came off of. Get a MAF and the intake tube from one of these cars. (86,87 2wd, or, 88+ all,non turbo, will be the cars that have the correct FI sytem) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotboxhatchback Posted April 21, 2008 Author Share Posted April 21, 2008 the maf i guess is the metal part at the end of the intake tube which is the black rubber thing coming from the motor that says SUBARU F.I. i have both of those, i just don't have a filter on it. there's a ppiece of foam over the opening duct taped back around the whole maf. my mechanic said i sould get an adapter and use a aftermarket cone filter with a 3 inch opening so i bought a filter at autozone thats a spectra brand part witha 3 inch opening. i just need the adapter now and i can't find anything online and the guy at autozone said they cant order anything for me like that. what did those cars that had this stuff original use? prolly big plastic boxes like new cars huh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s'ko Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 i came up on this website looking for an adapter for my maf sensor. im not a mechanic but i know a good one so i can only middleman whats up with my car. i bought this hatchback a couple years ago for fun and drove it for a few months. it had no aif filter at all!! well i got kinda paranoid about jackin up my motor so i quit driving it. i just had my buddy go through it and get it running again but he says it has major issues (and i'd trust the guy with my life). first he said its not supposed to have efi and it should have a carb (the sticker under the hood says so, could it be a replaced hood?) and i might have to replace hella parts to fix that. he said i have to get an air filter to fit on it and that it needs an adpater for something he called a "maf" if i just wanna run it as is or thats all parts i might have to replace to put a carb back on it. it seems like it runs ok, i mean i know its not a jeep but it can hang so do i have to put a carb back on or can i just put a filter on and call it good? and then he said my clutch needs work (prolly gonna have to replace i bet but thats fine, dont want that slippin action around here). so i looked on google for a maf sensor adapter like he said and i couldn't find any subaru stuff. then i started looking for subaru stuff and it looks like nobody makes aftermarket parts for these cars. wtf? are we gonna have to homemake something? btw - its a 83 gl hatchback with a 1.8L stickshift 4x4 and i don't have a digi camera so no pics, sorry. anyone blazin round here? Welcome to the board. The 83 hatchs only came w/an EA81 carbed motor. Poke your head into the engine bay, see if you can find an engine stamp. If it's an engine swap it should read EA82 on it. Your distributor should by in the rear engine on the driver's side. There should also be black timing belt covers If it has the distributor in the front of the engine, then you have an EA81 that was converted to by fuel injected. That would be really sweet as this swap has only been done a few times on this board and all of them within the last few years. What part of california are you from? BW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 MAF adapters for a Nissan will work. I think i used a nissan sentra adapter for my EA82 that was MPFI. if the SPFI MAF is the same, then the adapter will work. The engine is not original and was put into that car. in 1983 there were no subarus offered as fuel injected unless it was turbocharged. And they never turbocharged a hatchback from the factory. If you live in CA, best of luck getting it smogged. -Brian p.s. might want to do something about your avatar as this is a family friendly forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotboxhatchback Posted April 21, 2008 Author Share Posted April 21, 2008 well i looked and my car has the distributor in the front and i think it says ea81 on the motor next to where that comes out. i bought the car from an old guy in soulsbyville who said he got it from a tenant of his earlier that year as some kinda payment. i traded an oz of kill for it with good tags so i thought it was a come up. is my car reliable with efi? i don't have a need to drive a car everyday but i go out in the sticks once in a while for fun and i dont wanna get stranded. i live outside of sonora in california Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobcob Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 The engine is not original and was put into that car. Not true... could be an EFI conversion on an EA81 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 Okay i stand corrected, it is the original motor, but it should be carburated. I suggest removing the section that sais "Subaru F.I" and seeing if there isnt a carburator under there after all. It maybe that someone removed the stock air box and replaced it with the Subaru F.I. plentum instead. Here is a picture of a EA81 with a carburator on it: a SPFI intake will look completely different. -Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotboxhatchback Posted April 22, 2008 Author Share Posted April 22, 2008 yeah, my motor doesn't look like that. its got a smiple looking thing instead of that carb and wires everywhere. seems like they should be wrapped up or something but theyre just all over like the dude dumped a bowl of rainbow spagetti in there my mechanic buddy wants to buy the car now so i guess thats a good thing. he came by with aplastic thing to put the filter on but it didnt work. he said he'd make one himself if he bought the car but i told him i dont wanna sell it so maybe ill pay him to make it for me. i looked online at some nissan adapters but they dont look like the same shape. i guess i shoulda bought a digi camera by now but i dont like technology. i feel like big brother is reading this right now. i have to go wash my hands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Yup. Sounds like the dude did a SPFI conversion on your EA81. Thats pretty cool, not many have accomplished that here. This is the cone filter & adapter I was using on my Turbo EA82. Someone will have to verify wether the MPFI and SPFI MAF's have the same bolt pattern. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/91-99-Nissan-Sentra-200SX-SE-MAF-Adapter-Red-Filter_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33659QQihZ009QQitemZ190215856133QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW Should work better than a sock anyhow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotboxhatchback Posted April 22, 2008 Author Share Posted April 22, 2008 so just so i konw, what will happen to my motor if i drive without a filter? how can i tell if i already jacked something up? also i dont know if i should make a new post for this but my transmission is apparently fubar too. my mechannic thought it was the clutch but he messed with that earlier today and it just pissed the thing off more. it sonds like a blender crushing ice everytime i put it in gear then when i let the pedal out it jumps and its fine. it usually only does it in first and reverse and not so much if the car is already moving. i told him i just want to replace anything thats bad but he said we need to isolate the issue. does this sound like clutch or bad transmission? and he said i should ask how to "diagnose the efi," whatever the hell that means...he usually only works on tractors and farm equipment so hes not 100% sure what to do with this japanese thing. and another unrelated question for thesubarujunkie, what does charter member mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotboxhatchback Posted April 22, 2008 Author Share Posted April 22, 2008 and i was reading what everyone said and i figure spfi and mpfi mean something like efi and that means electronic fuel injection. can someone be more specific, i dont konw all the acronyms just yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Charter member means Ive been here since Day one. Actually, the USMB is 10 years old this year, but thats another subject for another day. If you ask me, I say you need to find a new mechanic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhise Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Check your compression to see if not having an air filter has screwed things up. If the motor has injested unfiltered air for a while, the dirt will score the cylinder walls and compression will drop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobcob Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 SPFI - Single Port (or point) Fuel Injection - has 1 injector on the throttle body and services all 4 cylinders MPFI - Multi Port (or point) Fuel Injection - has 1 injector per cylinder and they are located out near the spark plugs instead of on the throttle body. There's not a lot of rocket surgery involved in that air filter. Worst case you could duct tape it in place to get you by. To my eye it looks like that Nissan adapter would work or could easily be modded to work with the Subie intake. Sounds like your clutch is either in serious need of adjustment, worn, or your synchros are going out. Check the fluid in the trans, try adding a dose of Rislone engine treatment to the transmission and run it like that, it's reported to have good results in loosening stuck synchros. +1 on the new mechanic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 it sonds like a blender crushing ice everytime i put it in gear then when i let the pedal out it jumps and its fine. it usually only does it in first and reverse and not so much if the car is already moving. So, the crunching is when the clutch pedal is depressed? Sounds like the throw out bearing to me. An easy fix with a clutch replacement. If it is making the sound in gear, clutch released, driving, then it would seem more like an internal bearing or gear issue in the trans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotboxhatchback Posted April 22, 2008 Author Share Posted April 22, 2008 well thanks for all the replies. i dont really wanna find another mechanic since i dont pay this guy, he works for weed;) and we knows engines he just has to figure out this one in specific. i guess i should just learn to do this to since i already have to do most of my stuff myself out here. i have a bunch of old tools out in a shed behind the house and ive changed brakes before but other than that i dont know where to start. i taped the filter on there and i guess well seehow long that lasts. i know to check compression you have to screw a gauge in where the spark plugs go but i dont konw the propwer proceedure to not screw anything up. ill see if i have the gauge out back otherwise ill hoof it to town for one. i looked up in the owners manual how to check the transmission oil and according to that it has nothing in there. the stick is drier than a popcorn fart:eek: i guess ill get some of that rislone stuff too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotboxhatchback Posted April 22, 2008 Author Share Posted April 22, 2008 the crunching is most noticeable when i let the pedal out. then when the clutch grabs it grabs hard and jerks the car. i have to give it extra gas to keep it from killing the motor and that makes the car jump. it makes noise when i drive but i cant tell if thats not just since its a noisy car its a damn noisy motor! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 well thanks for all the replies. i dont really wanna find another mechanic since i dont pay this guy, he works for weed;) Just the type of person I want working on my car. Some half witted stoner who works on farm equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotboxhatchback Posted April 22, 2008 Author Share Posted April 22, 2008 i never said the guy was a half wit, you assumed that and thats not fair. didnt your mama tell you if you aint got nothin nice to say dont say nothin at all? i smoke immense quantities of marijuana every day as a medical prescription for fibromyalgia. does that make me a half wit too? i choose who i allow to work on my car by thier demonstrated capabilities and hes fixed tons of cars before just not subarus. be nice man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudduck Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 i traded an oz of kill for it Only a Subaru could be bought this way:clap: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 didnt your mama tell you if you aint got nothin nice to say dont say nothin at all? Your right, my bad. so what disease does your mechanic got that allows him to trade services for marijuana? Im sure your prescription doesnt authorize you to use your medicine like food stamps either. back on topic, your tranny is fuct. I'd suggest taking it to a shop if you want to have it fixed. Or if you want to bandaid it, refill the fluids and drive it. Chances are it will last another 20 to 75,000 miles. I would also recommend checking the oil in the engine to make sure theres some there as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misledxcracker Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Find a new mechanic. Or just learn how to work on the thing, it ain't too hard. If I of all people can, you can too. And oh how I miss California. My my my, I miss it. Arizona just ain't happenin'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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