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Hi All !
I havn't been around in a while I know ! But I still have my little 78 brumby. Those of you who are familiar with it and me... This is a continuation of my troubles with him, Just to keep you updated....

I was overtaking a car down a straight stretch of road and all of a sudden it was like he was on fire !!! Smoke filled the cabin and poured out the bonet... I only had a quarter bottle of powerade to put out any fire so I was hoping that wasn't the case... Although I would have sworn he was on fire...

Anyway, I pulled over, Lifted the bonet and sat for a while, asking myself again as I have done many times in the past why I am so intent on driving older cars instead of updating... Still unable to answer myself I called a friend and was towed home.
Suby didnt actually stop, I turned him off once I got to the side of the road and honestly, That was a couple months ago... Once I puched him back under the carport, I havnt looked at him since....

I KNOW... Thats very naughty... I'm hoping my oil filter just blew off and its a simple fix.. however Im guessing it wont be that. I did open the bonet again last week and there is still some oil in him.. I couldnt see anything obvious... I dunno.

Anyway !! As I have mentioned before my plan is to now have the motor rebuilt....

Anyone got any good old engine rebuilders they would like to recommend???... I am looking for one in particular his name is John and he might be around dandenong somewhere... I cant manage to get hold of him again though, so if anyone knows who I am talking about by any chance please let me know. And Pearl automotive, although I know they are very good, I cant go there.

Hope to hear from you all soon !!

~Carlie

Good to hear he's still around... As for the said engine builder you're refering to I can't help, I'm sure there are many engine builders out there called "John"

If I wasn't so busy with my subi project/finding a job etc I'd put my hand up for the job. I've rebuilt one EA82 from scratch, that cost about $1500 all up but I did it over a year or so. Before then I've put a few VW engines back together, did a mini engine with my dad when I was 10yo (my first mechanical experience with dad, the catalyst for my hobby now), put a rotary engine back together and a few small stationary engines too. That list is longer than I remembered now that its all in one place! I'm still learning stuff though

If you're doing a rebuild I'd suggest you rebuilt an EA81 - its a 1.8 litre motor and from what I've seen it should be a direct drop in replacement. You'll get a little bit more power and if you sort out a different cam grind you'll probabily get a bit more poke from it again. Do a search, there have been some members who have rebuilt these with a different cam to increase performance.

I'm glad to hear that he didn't catch fire - your worst nightmare if you can't put it out quick!

All the best to your boy's rebuild

Cheers

Bennie

(tried replying yesterday but connection was bad)
It has been a while since you've been on, was starting to wonder where you were..
That "john" was he a subaru mechanic on Heatheron road in Dandenong?
Cheers
AP

Hi. I havent been on for a while either.
His name is John Bailey. Volksbaru. 1362 Heatherton Road. Dandenong. 3175. Ph.97935655.
He rebuilt my twin port motor. Still running beautifully. Very easy going nice guy.

carlie400 wrote:... of a sudden it was like he was on fire !!! Smoke filled the cabin and poured out the bonet...

I had that happen at 100kph in a mini once, Fun indeed.
Turned out it was the previous owners dodgy wiring to the radio, the wire turned all of its insulation in to smoke down its whole length, in about a second!

But the smell was obviously electrical not oil?
Daza.

hughybabes wrote:Hi. I havent been on for a while either.
His name is John Bailey. Volksbaru. 1362 Heatherton Road. Dandenong. 3175. Ph.97935655.
He rebuilt my twin port motor. Still running beautifully. Very easy going nice guy.

That it! That is who i was talking about!!
Cheers
AP

Surely an EJ conversion couldnt be out of the ballpark for the cost of a rebuild? That old Subie is cool and I recon you should keep it!

Cheers

Chris

lovey80 wrote:Surely an EJ conversion couldnt be out of the ballpark for the cost of a rebuild? That old Subie is cool and I recon you should keep it!

Yeah its a possibility, but if you've seen the chassis rails in these things its even closer to the engine than the MY's! The rails would have to be cut - in vic this = engineering, meaning more money...

An old school subi like this would be awesome with an EJ conversion but it would be a lot of work and money, something I think Carlie has thought about briefly before sticking with the safe and reliable option.

I'm still keen for a working bee day if its needed

Cheers

Bennie

Hi Everyone !!

Thanks so much !! THATS THE GUY !!!!!!! Seeing as it's only 8am I probably can't ring him now but I will certainly give him a try asap today ! Brilliant.

I have been told by a few people to go to Orger engineering or Cavehill engineering but I really did want someone who does subaru's only. Im pretty sure that guy is the one ! I brought a replacement engine off him about 12mths ago when I did a head gasket in mine. Please dont tell me it wont be a head gasket because I know it was, I took it apart and the gasket had a chunk missing...

Anyway !! Wrapped to have gotten that number again.. Thanks so much. I will keep you posted how I go.

Oh... and yeah.. I may look into getting a fire extinguisher for the old boy, cant honestly say I thought I would ever need one though Guess it cant hurt.

THANKS SO MUCH EVERYONE..... and suby's not going anywhere....

~Carlie

carlie400 wrote:Hi Everyone !!

Thanks so much !! THATS THE GUY !!!!!!! Seeing as it's only 8am I probably can't ring him now but I will certainly give him a try asap today ! Brilliant.

I have been told by a few people to go to Orger engineering or Cavehill engineering but I really did want someone who does subaru's only. Im pretty sure that guy is the one ! I brought a replacement engine off him about 12mths ago when I did a head gasket in mine. Please dont tell me it wont be a head gasket because I know it was, I took it apart and the gasket had a chunk missing...

Anyway !! Wrapped to have gotten that number again.. Thanks so much. I will keep you posted how I go.

Oh... and yeah.. I may look into getting a fire extinguisher for the old boy, cant honestly say I thought I would ever need one though Guess it cant hurt.

THANKS SO MUCH EVERYONE..... and suby's not going anywhere....

~Carlie

Im sure he'll be open at 8am!
All best of luck for you.
Cheers
AP

I'll ring now then !! Stay posted... In about... 60sec....

carlie400 wrote:I'll ring now then !! Stay posted... In about... 60sec....

heheh
No worries, looking forward for updates...
Cheers
AP

HE'S DOING IT !! I LOVE YOU GUYS !!! THANKYOU THANKYOU.....

I'm dropping the motor off in the arvo next Tuesday ! With no rush on the job.. My poor little man has been sitting there that long now another month or two isn't going to hurt!

Im so excited !! What a wonderful way to start my day / weekend ! Subyroo is on the move !!!

Thankyou again everyone so much !!! I'll try to get some progress photos up when something starts happening if anyones interested.. and if anyone has any hints/tips/ideas or requests for me to give to John my rebuilder before it all starts just let me know !! I'm just going to ask him to get as much get up and go out of it as possible at this stage !!

Just have to cross my fingers and hope the motor I have for him at home is infact an EA81.. Im a bit buggered if it isnt... going to be a mad scramble over the weekend to find one !! Wooo !!!

~Carlie

carlie400 wrote:HE'S DOING IT !! I LOVE YOU GUYS !!! THANKYOU THANKYOU.....

I'm dropping the motor off in the arvo next Tuesday ! With no rush on the job.. My poor little man has been sitting there that long now another month or two isn't going to hurt!

Im so excited !! What a wonderful way to start my day / weekend ! Subyroo is on the move !!!

Thankyou again everyone so much !!! I'll try to get some progress photos up when something starts happening if anyones interested.. and if anyone has any hints/tips/ideas or requests for me to give to John my rebuilder before it all starts just let me know !! I'm just going to ask him to get as much get up and go out of it as possible at this stage !!

Just have to cross my fingers and hope the motor I have for him at home is infact an EA81.. Im a bit buggered if it isnt... going to be a mad scramble over the weekend to find one !! Wooo !!!

~Carlie

heheh awesome awesome that is great to hear!!! Yeah keep us updated! John is okay bloke, honest and tells you if there is something "wrong" with your Subaru that is abnormal - At first I thought he was annoying but I realised he was being honest with you.. (at that time I had noisy gearbox and worn/low brakes and he pointed these out)
Cheers
AP

Yeah, I think hes good He talks to me like I'm human... something a lot of the wreckers / engineers struggle to do.. probably due to the whole 'female' thing... Anyway..

People dont like to hear when somethings wrong I dont care whats bad, as long as it gets fixed Painted Hot..

Anyway.. Better get to work now !

Cheers,
Carlie

carlie400 wrote:
Just have to cross my fingers and hope the motor I have for him at home is infact an EA81.. Im a bit buggered if it isnt... going to be a mad scramble over the weekend to find one !! Wooo !!!

~Carlie

Look for this right on top of the engine block, near the alternator I think.


If it looks like that then you're fine. If it says EA82 then it's an EA82 engine, if it says EJ22 then it's an EJ22 engine

Turns out it's not an EA81... It's an EA71.. I'm a bit dissapointed with that, but at the end of the day, I suppose the EA71 was the orig motor for my car.. once it's done up it will be fine! Will be the quickest stock 1600 on the road !!! I might even be able to accelerate uphill!! .. Not a steep hill.....
Anyone know anything about those carb power up kits they have on ebay ? Are they any good ? Make much difference ?
Ta

If it helps, my first and second impression of the fugly Subarus was not good. My third should make you smile. The coupe had an option, was it, of twin carbs, think it was a GSR, not a forensic term at the time, and one of these ugly coupes went zinging past me on the Hume highway. I was doing a respectable 90 MPH (142kph) and this was in before the days anyone would have modified one of the uglys and only just about the time the EA82T came on the market. The EA71 may not be all that bad once you get it done and get dizzy checked out etc.

Subarino has a duel carb setup forsale...not sure if it will suit ea71 tho

Anybody aware of people who do rebuilds in the newcastle/hunter valley area?