EA81 Overhaul thread

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 3:41 pm

The EA81 in my opinion is a great little engine, I'd go one of these over the EA82 and didn't think that this could have been an option replacing my old EA82 that was driving me nuts.

The EJ has sorted out all of my EA82 issues though, and I cruise around like

most of the time too

But as you say silverbullet - you've got to work out the computer and loom (or have it cut down for you by some one = $s) and get all the mechanical bits too. If you plan it out and know where you're going you'll get there. I spend 18 months collecting parts, some donated, most purchased from pick a part on the specials weeks.

I'd recommend getting to know your current subaru, work out this issue with the carb/EA81 rev thing, get some more mechanical experience and confidence while you enjoy it before you then look to the horizon to see what's coming up next

Cheers

Bennie

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 5:03 pm

Yeah once this is running reliably (and I find some more work

) I'm going to put the money into upgrading the stock engine to make it run like no other

Been incensed ever since I saw that modded Brumby rumble past at the local shops and burble off into the distance, crackling and popping inbetween gears.

Plus it's easier to change the spark plugs than on an 82 or later

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 11:52 pm

90 kilometers...

that's how far I traveled today, to subareck and back

Ended up getting out of the car, plonking my manifold on the bench, picking up the replacement and walking straight out again, all of about 5 minutes before it was the 45k's home again

Anyway, this manifold needs a bit of the red dust cleaned off of it, apparently it was running great on this engine at the yard so hopefully it will do the same for me here. It's almost the exact same carb on first inspection, just has 2 vac lines into it compared to mine which had 1. Bolting it on tomorrow.

Is the end in sight?

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 3:54 am

Silverbullet wrote:90 kilometers...

that's how far I traveled today, to subareck and back

Yep. I usually do a little over a 200km round trip to go to the wreckers, generally I'm there for longer than 5 minutes though and I plan ahead to make the most of my time while I'm there.

Silverbullet wrote:Is the end in sight?

I bloody hope so. Stop being so pessimistic!

Cheers

Bennie

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 8:06 am

Leave the red dust and crap on the outside, be waste of time cleaning it if it is not gonna work - just carefully drop it into place with newish gaskets and clean up after it has proved its worth.

Your engine as it is now runs ok in the yard too? Just shows up crap on the drive ?

Yeah, 31 pages is getting beyond frustration.

Dad stil away? Maybe a big BBQ for those with proven subie experience after the bulet runs again !!

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 7:41 pm

Bennie I would/could have done some other things while I was there, but I couldn't really be bothered and it was easier just to grab it and go

My 90 k's is nothing compared to your 200, that's crazy!

Jonno I just gave it a quick clean up so I could see things a bit better, started a bit late today so didn't want to spend too long on cleaning. And yes the problem was all in the drive (under any load)

I spent about 1/2hr with it on the bench sorting things out, routing a couple of vac lines that were different to my old one etc. Also put my brand new thermostat from the other manifold in, the old one was caked in rust colored muddy stuff

I think this manifold will be due for a new housing very soon; join for the top rad hose is very corroded and the other half (manifold side) has some gashes in it from corrosion, might need to get those welded up one day.

Then had the usual fun of trying to get the gaskets lined up with the holes and getting the bolts in without cross threading them...about half of the bolts would only go in cross threaded, took me ages to get them in right. Gasket goo getting onto everything meanwhile

Anyway I got it all together in time for a quick startup, after I figured out I had 1 & 3 ignition leads swapped it started up first time, cleared the excess fuel and it sounds great. Only had it going a few seconds to see, will do it properly tomorrow when the sealer is set.

Brumby Kid · Post by **Brumby Kid** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 7:56 pm

Silverbullet wrote:90 kilometers...

that's how far I traveled today, to subareck and back

Where abouts in adelaide are you mate? wouldn't mind seeing your car / engine. I have a Brumby with either a head gasket or cracked head. i was quoted for an EJ approx $900 without or $1200? with gear box.

Cheers Cam

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 9:25 pm

Brumby Kid wrote:Where abouts in adelaide are you mate? wouldn't mind seeing your car / engine. I have a Brumby with either a head gasket or cracked head. i was quoted for an EJ approx $900 without or $1200? with gear box.

Cheers Cam

Southern suburbs, a pain because everything useful is on the North side

Not sure why you would want to see my car, not much to see

If you wanted to put an EJ in your brumby you'd have to wait until you are fully licensed to drive it (P platers can't have upgraded engines of any sort) that's if you can get it regoed.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 7:43 am

Silverbullet wrote: apparently it was running great on this engine at the yard so hopefully it will do the same for me here.

Engine also ran great in your yard didn't it - until you get on the road and put under load - then just no real power?

Brumby Kid · Post by **Brumby Kid** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 10:33 am

Silverbullet wrote: If you wanted to put an EJ in your brumby you'd have to wait until you are fully licensed to drive it (P platers can't have upgraded engines of any sort) that's if you can get it regoed.

I thought it was only Turbo/superchargerd engines, V6,V8 or anything above that?
If i was going to put an EJ in it wouldn't have a turbo, the power to weight ratio would be too great in such a light car.
Oh well 5 months till my L's another year after that untill my P's and then a couple of years on my P's. Fun?

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 1:18 pm

Brumby Kid wrote:I thought it was only Turbo/superchargerd engines, V6,V8 or anything above that?
If i was going to put an EJ in it wouldn't have a turbo, the power to weight ratio would be too great in such a light car.
Oh well 5 months till my L's another year after that untill my P's and then a couple of years on my P's. Fun?

Well P platers aren't allowed to drive high powered vehicles (V8's turbos etc) but also aren't allowed to mod their cars to exceed the factory power output, so engine swaps/putting a turbo on yourself is not allowed

I downloaded the PDF with all the specifics in it a while ago, even has a list of all the cars P's aren't allowed to drive

Jonno that's right, under load it was a heap of crapola but standing still sounded good.

I've just test driven with the new manifold. I had a feeling it wasn't going to be fixed, and I was right. Same problem

:evil::evil:
It is slightly better, it doesn't want to stall on that hill anymore but it still doesn't pick up speed very well and fails to get to 60 in 3rd gear...and exhaust note is crap.
Also standing still and stomping on the gas it bogs down, pops from the exhaust and wants to stall.
Perhaps you're right Jonno, there's an exhaust blockage...but what? how? when? I didn't put anything down there. Looks Like I have to take all the exhaust apart again to check

Did I just ditch a perfectly fine, rebuilt carb and manifold for an old one and it's no better? seems so

Venom · Post by **Venom** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 1:30 pm

This sounds very similar to what my car was doing. Running rich with no power, bogging down and back firing. I went through 3 second hand carbs in the space of 2 weeks before settling on a new weber. The distributor bushes were also worn and so were the lobes which was playing havoc with the points and timing making them impossible to set. It'd run ok for a bit but it was overfuelling so much that within the time it took to try to tune the carb the spark plugs were so fouled that it woul barely run.

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 3:06 pm

Interesting, the plan was to get this engine/carb working properly until I could afford to get the weber professionally installed/jetted (After this episode I'm not even gonna try doing it myself, not worth the hassle) But that plan is quickly going up in smoke

I don't think there's anything wrong with the dizzy, the timing is spot on and it's got all new points, cap, plugs leads etc. Where are these bushes you speak of?

Had a look at the exhaust just now, it's fine no blockage. In desperation decided to check the valve clearances, hoping it would make some difference. Well I didn't get far enough to change anything. Soon as I took off the passenger side rocker cover I gave up; coated in white slime and coolant dripping down the inside...same with the other cover

Maybe I got sold a dud engine? I dunno, I'm too fed up to think about it any more

*Edit* Forgot to say there's no sludge on the oil cap. Just took the car for a longer drive, and while it is driveable, it still lacks power and it's not a good feeling knowing there's coolant getting into the oil

sven '2' · Post by **sven '2'** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 6:54 pm

This is a tough road you are on.

Tuning carbies is a black art I reckon. I hated them, and so used a EFI/Carby guy to work some magic every now and then. A 'carby tune' I think it was called.

Was <$100, and the car would run so sweet...until the next sand adventure.

sven '2' · Post by **sven '2'** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 6:57 pm

Paul will assist you (he has been around for a while), but you have sort of half rebuilt his motor by putting your heads on it.

He won't leave you in the lurch...keep at it!

Brumby Kid · Post by **Brumby Kid** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 7:55 pm

Could you please send me that document silverbullet? that would be great!
What Carby is it? And what car? (i missed that bit)
You may as well get a weber 32/36 if thats the problem and you don't wanna tune it. they are more reliable than the standard hitachi in the ea81, and they give a better power performance too!

Cheers Cam

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 8:15 pm

Cam, will try and find it for ya

Sven it's true they are my cylinder heads, I'll have to ring Paul and ask him the deal with that (voided warranty I guess) That coolant leak is really worrying me though...it is driveable, maybe I could get it to Subareck or Rising sun for a diagnosis/fix? That road gets inconvenient and expensive pretty quick though

What a pain, just want my car back

Brumby Kid · Post by **Brumby Kid** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 8:23 pm

Is the coolant form the radiator or the heads? do you have any in the oil sump?
You said something about your heads being the problem? if they are cracked / caroded or its your gasket then theres your problem. BTW do you have anything in your air filter? it might pay to check there and tell me if there is anything unusual.

Cheers Cam

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 1:35 am

Brumby Kid wrote:Is the coolant form the radiator or the heads? do you have any in the oil sump?
You said something about your heads being the problem? if they are cracked / caroded or its your gasket then theres your problem. BTW do you have anything in your air filter? it might pay to check there and tell me if there is anything unusual.

Cheers Cam

I'm assuming the coolant is coming from the heads somewhere, haven't drained the sump yet. I had these heads vacuum tested (twice in fact) and they are new headgaskets, can't see how they could get cracked so quickly. Don't think they are blown since the compression is so great. Hmmmm

Just a thought, could a blocked (or nearly blocked) air filter produce these kinds of powerless symptoms? PCV filter? Dunno how old these filters are, maybe they are due...

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 8:13 am

blocked air filter ? why do you ask? blocked with oil will certainly do it if it is oil soaked paper element, easy, try without the lid. I wonder if welch plugs in head then - seems too concidental as you had these heads on your old motor.
If you have buttermilk in sump it is good to drain it and refresh with good oil that may end up going same way - this stage I use a cheap oil until problem sorted.

You almost need to clean out rocker covers, PCV stuff and start up again all clean and fresh and watch progressively how sh1t hits the fan again to see how this problem develops