Solid lifters in EA82 - where to get? opinions?

[El_Freddo]

what ended up happening with this?...

I got a set made up - a dodgy way looking back on it - I would definitely make them a little differently if I was to play with the EA's again. They were also super painful to set to the gap of 7th of a mm or whatever it was that the EA81 runs on its rocker arm clearance.

The MPFI wasn't anything special under 4000 rpm but after that it took off harder than I'd experienced before.

What ended up happening was halfway to perth one shagged out almost resulting in a dropped valve (luckily this didn't happen) so a roadside swap back to the hydraulic lifters was done as well as replacing the half moon valve retaining clip, it almost ended up in the sump! After this swap I've never really thought about them again...

shh, think Bennie went EJ !!

Yeah I did! And there's no need to be quiet about it either - the EJ goes loads better than a fresh EA ever did - best bit I often forget about is the noisy lifter issue I used to be so frustrated by!

Sorry to disappoint, but hydraulic cams are ground differently to solid cams.

Running a solid adjustable lash adjuster on a hydraulic camshaft will wear out the camshaft and be noisy, a noise you won't get rid of.

The opening ramp will take up all the clearance way too fast.

So, if you want solid lash adjusters, the cams need to be reground as a solid profile.

Yeah probably correct, but with the solid lifters and the MPFI it went OK - dad's mate whom I got the idea from had a carbie EA82 that would have been sucking fuel for the entire duration unlike the MPFI system that would only be squirting for a short time as programmed. His carb'd EA82 went hard.

And the noise was much better than even one noisy lifter - its like a slight chatter that reminds you that you're running solid lifters. Nothing to worry about. I would liken it to a mini's engine chatter, same sort of thing.

I didn't care about cam wear - who does??

Cheers

Bennie

[boxer3main]

Sorry to disappoint, but hydraulic cams are ground differently to solid cams.

Running a solid adjustable lash adjuster on a hydraulic camshaft will wear out the camshaft and be noisy, a noise you won't get rid of.

The opening ramp will take up all the clearance way too fast.

So, if you want solid lash adjusters, the cams need to be reground as a solid profile.

hello from america.

the solids fix every runted problem these engines have, if on spfi hydraulic cams. No egr pulse as from the first generation of ea82. post 1990 spfi cam and nobypass filtering..away it goes. Modern sounds from an old subaru.

the noise is lack of non-bypass oil filtering. subarus trochoid loves to use its own pressure relief at the filter head .Set twice over a standard paper element- that is a hint that oil filter needs stronger. paper elements are all bypassed in the 12psi maximum. subarus relief is at 20psi or greater. the noise is starvation and unbroken flows in fat channels. Non bypass uses subarus numbers...instant cure. I even go through -28F cold starts here..


anyway... I have this engine combo together, spfi hydraulic cams from 1993, on a 1987 cylinder head and solid lifters... non-bypass filter...it is the best I have ever run. I am looking to build another with solid lift, but will go the welding route if extinct.
There is nothing to be found in usa either, unless you dismantle a first generation ea82. I have factory solid lifters..but want a fresh build on another engine.

Sorry to barge in and not introduce myself...there are not many building this engine in my neck of the woods.

An option for welding is finding at least one solid lifter, use the length as a guide to weld up any newer generation to the same height. All rocker arms are the same..1985-1994.

hope that helps. I ran away from most forums full of talkers. I am one that builds them.

if I don't post again..enjoy the F series engines.. I skipped over the 20 years of EJ series because they suck.

[nncoolg]

hang on...You're saying there were EA82's with solid lifters? please elaborate...

[El_Freddo]

hang on...You're saying there were EA82's with solid lifters? please elaborate...

Hmmm... I too would like to know more. It definitely sounds like you're not getting your wires crossed between the EA81 and EA82 either.

Cheers

Bennie

[nncoolg]

I checked my parts catalogue last night after I read this, it list the same part number HLAs for all EA82's right through except, it covers 1986-1992, so doesnt cover MY84 or MY85 parts...

Surely if this was the case, someone would be retro-fitting by now...

[nncoolg]

...Im guessing the domestic market factory solid lifters was one of those 'forum stories'

[Gannon]

if I don't post again..enjoy the F series engines.. I skipped over the 20 years of EJ series because they suck.

I remember him from ultimatesubaru.net. He got banned for continuous comments like that. He insisted that the EA series of motors with 3 main bearings and 2 valves per cylinder were better that any EJ with 5 main bearings and 4 valves per cylinder. I cant remember his reasons

[nncoolg]

...probably becauase of their ultra-reliable solid lifters:p

[steptoe]

EA81 also had hydraulic but not in AUD market.

I guess you could see how many other bits of the rally spec stuff are in the parts catalogue - me thinks none. I know a fella that kitted the original RX's out with the mods of ECU, bigger exhaust etc - needs to ask him specifics on HVLAs and see if he has comment.

[Brumby Kid]

Im pretty sure ive got hydrulic in my EA81.
Checked sunday when we took the engine out.