poo fuel , bent pushrod club member

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 2:10 pm

Well, bugger me ! My little EA81 I picked up before xmas, got sorted and running very sweet has had a hiccup. Parked long enough for the battery to die - permanently - three months after last run. On start up the other day with fresher battery was a bit of a clang like from a starter motor getting a bit grumpy, just would not idle or run properly, no power to select reverse and move.
A comp test showed better figures than before - 190 - 200 psi in all three pots, flippin' zero in #3. Rocker off, rocker shaft off and found this

Undid exhaust, inlet manifolds three bolts (to find no gasket, just red silastic

)
leaving manifold insitu (sorry Greg ! T ) head came off so easy compared to belt driven camshafts

Found no damage to the valve or piston.

Suspected that the first few attempts to push 8.5 year old fuel through may have been the cause to gum up one inlet valve in the partially open position.
I drained the crap from the crusty old fuel tank and put fresh in before I got beast running, so must have been tiny amount or new fuel dissolved crap from tank walls and fed it through.

Now waiting on a special parcel from our Grayland member * cough, cough with some head gaskets

Head is soaking in prepsol and gonna get a valve slippin' again I hope !

555Ron · Post by **555Ron** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 2:25 pm

Hmm... just out of interest, what brand head gaskets are you going to use? Are you planning on using a mating compound or putting them on dry? And do you know if there is a correct way to put them on? As they are identical you could put them on upside down... But maybe it doesn't matter? One side is usually has a coloured sealant on it...

RSR 555 · Post by **RSR 555** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 3:07 pm

Looks to be the result of a sticky rocker

NachaLuva · Post by **NachaLuva** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 6:41 pm

Bugger!

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 10:06 pm

Well, if my postie in the US comes out of his hibernation and gets my little parcel moving, they will be Rockauto specials, and so far only found one way to fit them correctly ?

I do like genuine head gaskets, no added goop, no Hylomar, no snail trails, no need for retension.

Got a pic to upload ......

this got hours soaking in wax and grease remover - did nothing to the sticky gummy feel about the gunk, yet was able to clean it up with CRC5.56, wire wheeled the rest of the thing to shiny and new. This is #3, #1 was shiny, clean as a whistle and free, same gummy feel about the port of #3 also
The oil stem seals still produce a good suction on the stem, maybe bust out some new stem seals for good measure.Did not blow any weed at all.

I've seen this sticky carbony gunk before when some smart arse sold me a drum of upper cylinder lubricant for a drip feed, turned out his uni degree and indepth knowledge of the chemical make up of oils - sold me feckin' mineral 2 stroke oil ! Took two head jobs to work it out, by then he'd sold up and left town

Also thinking if why not, shave a bit from the heads, bump up the excitement

RSR 555 · Post by **RSR 555** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 10:44 pm

And buy some larger inlet valves at the same time

555Ron · Post by **555Ron** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 10:48 pm

steptoe wrote:Well, if my postie in the US comes out of his hibernation and gets my little parcel moving, they will be Rockauto specials, and so far only found one way to fit them correctly ?

I do like genuine head gaskets, no added goop, no Hylomar, no snail trails, no need for retension.

Cool. I'm probably being overly cautious but I got a set in my VRS kit and one side has an outline in a plastic film and the other side does not (I.e. top and bottom of the same side of an individual gasket). You can sit them on the block with this pointing towards the head or towards the piston depending on which way you put them on. They do not have top written on them nor do they have instructions.

But looking online and at my ea81 parts book with the Subaru part numbers, there is only one part number with a two required per engine. So I'm thinking that it doesn't matter, they just need to line up with all the water jackets which is pretty hard to cock up.

P.s. I was told today that ACL are no longer in business due to the decline of manufacturing in Australia and Hylomar is an ACL product, therefore you can no longer get it. It's a good thing you won't be needing it

Oh, and looking good. Would be interested to know if shaving the heads makes much difference...

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 11:30 pm

Didnt Disco have a jammed/gummed up valve caused by upper engine cleaner?

Subydoug · Post by **Subydoug** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 8:10 am

Sand blasting will clean out that head Steptoe. Id also try some Alkaline based cleaner.

Regards

Doug

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 8:10 am

Yes, but only after he allegedly used something he referred to as SUEC. Was only performing a maintenance thing on the side of the road, too much in a hurry to try it, or smoke out someone elses neighbours

. Adrians theory was his gunk dissolved but hardened up on his valves while engine cooled after stalling abd going to cooled temp due to no restart - wet plugs or something ??

Going to be hard to compare if shaved makes this engine go better, only driven it 100 metres to test all 4 gears and hoarded. Bigger valves are not on the list - unless you know better ?? A few race engine builders spoken to with little old Subaru race experience (not race engines are they

) believe the EA81 heads breathe OK as it is.

Should only be a temporary use only engine until the EA82T goes in

Dougy - SNAP! 10.10pm ! Thinking pressure washer and dremel style tool.

Somewhere on here or USMB, someone has a theory about sand blasting heads not good ?? Never understood it. Calling in on someone with a unit tonight ......

Post by **Bantum** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 5:43 pm

Re : Sand Blasting - Probably not a good idea for internal machined finishes, ok for external though ..

Cheers, Bantum ...

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 6:12 pm

Shaved is always better

FujiFan · Post by **FujiFan** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 8:08 pm

P.s. I was told today that ACL are no longer in business due to the decline of manufacturing in Australia and Hylomar is an ACL product, therefore you can no longer get it. It's a good thing you won't be needing it

There are a few fleabay shops selling new old ACL gasket sets and the like for EA81/EA82. Also found Hylomar at my local Bursons in tube and aerosol form

Somewhere on here or USMB, someone has a theory about sand blasting heads not good ?? Never understood it.

Bead blasting heads is fine. should be no prob with sand as long as thoroughly blown out after. Good idea to skim the face though.

Shaved is always better

I concur...