What my L Series needs, what I've added

apg39 · Post by **apg39** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 8:48 pm

Stupid question but what gear do you have it in when going uphill? If it's in 4th & you are going ~60km/h then hit a big hill then it will struggle to make enough power without dropping down to 3rd or 2nd.

2nd Hand Yank · Post by **2nd Hand Yank** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 8:57 pm

apg39 wrote:Stupid question but what gear do you have it in when going uphill? If it's in 4th & you are going ~60km/h then hit a big hill then it will struggle to make enough power without dropping down to 3rd or 2nd.

Well from memory, say 3rd gear at 40km/h, engine speed lugging slightly before I floor it, and a slope going up about 1-2 metres over a distance of 50 metres?

If it really is engine knock, I wonder why my Civic was also doing that.

Is it easy to make a manual transmission car's engine knock at low rpm?
(compared to the auto-tranny version of the same car)

Venom · Post by **Venom** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 9:59 pm

Dude get a bloody timing light and check the timing for starters. Check all the ignition components i mentioned previously, even better just replace them! Do it yesterday. Get a haynes or gregory's manual and go through their service section, best $50 you'll spend. If something else is still wrong go through the diagnosis section.

You can't really asses the true economy or performance (a word not really applied to EA82s anyway) without confirming all of the ignition and fuel components of the car are in good condition and the timing is correct. If i were you i would have done all of that the day i bought it.

My first guess is too much advance on the timing causing pinging under wide open throttle under load/going up a hill, But I can't stress enough how important it is to make sure your car is getting full spark, the right amount of fuel and all at the right time. You also can't really diagnose any other engine/performance/economy problems without sorting that stuff out and making sure your engine is performing as well as it can be reasonably expected too.

You can't begin to fault find and diagnose faulty components without the right tools or knowledge (timing light/Haynes manual), and any of our suggestions on here are merely conjecture because we don't know what condition the basic components of your car are in.

Sort all of that out and then you can start scratching your head wondering what's wrong. Simple answer is its a 20 year old carburettor motor which is gimped by excessive emissions gear, and even if it were hypothetically the best EA82 carb motor in the world it still isn't as economical as you would assume a small capacity front-wheel drive vehicle to be. The only concievable advantage i can think of right now for your carb L series over a newer car is the fact it doesn't have a black box computer controlling it. It will take you half a day or maybe a day at most if its your first time to replace ignition components, set timing and tune the carb. So do it!

2nd Hand Yank · Post by **2nd Hand Yank** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 10:14 pm

Gregory's manual? check

New plug leads? check

Maybe get around to doing the rest this weekend.

I'm just surprised that nobody thinks it's a manual transmission issue.
(I'm happy to have this help, and to learn this could be engine related

)
That would mean I was getting engine knock in my brand new Honda as well.
My L Series seems to just be more prone to this noise.
Changing gears or getting a good rolling speed always fixes it.

So there are never any noisy clutch-plate engagement chattering sounds,
only engine knock when it's not operating under normal conditions?

I like that it doesn't have a black box either, making fixing it simple.

Plus the better turning circle and Lo Range compared with a Liberty; I'd probably like that too though.

2nd Hand Yank · Post by **2nd Hand Yank** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 10:22 pm

nachaluva wrote:Revmax is talking about "predetonation" or "pinging" which can be very damaging to engines. It is best described as sounding like a bunch of nails being shaken in a tin can. It occurs the worst under full load & low rpm, most noticeable going up a hill.

It usually gives greater power but not always, but as i said it destroys the engine so for max power you should advance as far as u can till the engine starts to ping then back it off a smidge (ozzie term meaning a "tad" lol ).

In my experience, the electricals give the most trouble in cars esp older cars so I'd concentrate on that 1st.

It sounds like your engine is bit tired, so i'm sure the ancillaries will be too.
I'd be putting in new points, plugs, borrowing/buying a timing light & giving it a decent tune. You've done the leads so that should be it. Oh & check the vacuum advance on the dizzy...take the hose off at the engine side & suck thru it...You should notice the engine speed up.

Hope this helps...

Nails being shaken in a can?
Fair dinkum?

I'd compare this chattering sound to a diesel tractor idle sound, but that could be the problem.
Okay, I'll baby my L Series until further diagnosis and refurb.

We use "smidgen" in Canada, perhaps the USA too.

Which "electricals" are you talking about?

NachaLuva · Post by **NachaLuva** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 10:49 pm

I love all the modern technology that makes things just work better. But i'm too scared to work on a lot of it lol. The older carby/ distributor cars dont have the power, torque or driveability (or fuel economy) but are usually so easy to work on...& much cheaper if something goes wrong!

I think venom is right, do the basics (points, plugs, etc, timing, tune) then see if you still get that knocking noise. If you do then its mechanical.

Dont forget boxer engines are noisy, even when well tuned. Some1 did explain it to me, i think something to do with noisy lifters or tappets or something...Im sure sum1 here knows better than me what it is.

Good luck, i'd be very interested to know how you go

NachaLuva · Post by **NachaLuva** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 11:03 pm

2nd Hand Yank wrote: Which "electricals" are you talking about?

I mean engine electricals, esp high voltage. Dizzy (points, cap) , leads, plugs, coil.

1 trick is to have a look at engine while running at night. It doesnt take much for the high voltage spark to jump to an earth which you'll see in the dark.
Also have a look at the dizzy cap, if u see dark lines on it your losing spark...get a new 1. This can happen either inside or outside. Make sure the insulator on the plugs are clean. Anything that can make a 20,000V spark jump across.

Have you heard power lines buzzing in the rain? Thats electricity jumping across shorts created by water...same goes for your car. Dirt grease etc all cause probs when its near 20,000V! I reckon 90% of uneven running/ loss of power in older cars is caused or made worse by some prob in engine electricals.

2nd Hand Yank · Post by **2nd Hand Yank** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 11:08 pm

Does my car need the low fuel indicator light fixed?

I drove it past zero today before switching to 95 octane.
I put 51.7 L into the tank to fill it.
Is this a 55L tank?
There was never any low fuel warning,
but I'm smart enough to look at the fuel gauge.

Didn't want to run it dry, because that could stuff up the fuel pump or other fuel line parts.

NachaLuva · Post by **NachaLuva** » Tue Sep 20, 2011 12:15 am

I'm quickly learning Subaru fuel gauges are notoriously inaccurate.. If i wait till needle is on empty then fill up i'm still only putting 45L in. I think i have a 60L tank so its just a matter of learning the characteristics of your individual gauge.

I'm guessing the warning light is governed by the gauge so i dont think its a faulty light.

I'm not sure but i dont think you'll damage any of your components. Its more with EFI filters & esp injectors you have to make sure you dont run too low as you'll suck up the gunk in the bottom of the tank & block the injectors. EFI filters, depending on model, can VERY expensive to replace also.

Years ago I went thru a stage of running myself out of fuel in my '76 Galant. Just fill up n off you go lol

tony · Post by **tony** » Tue Sep 20, 2011 12:52 am

assuming the pickup is at the bottom of the tank (otherwise it won't pick up the fuel) why would running it low on fuel pick up more gunk? another urban myth I think.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue Sep 20, 2011 8:23 am

greater concentration of gunk to fuel ratio, a more common than you think beginnings of more problems when you run low on fuel in an efi. A good time to change the filter after running out.....

2nd Hand Yank · Post by **2nd Hand Yank** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 1:34 pm

I just cut, filed flat the edges and re-glued a snorkel last night.

Pretty soon I'll get to try out my L Series with fresh air on the highway.

I still want to try a dual-snorkel, if I can get away with it.

There's already an opening on the passenger side.
Look in the top-right corner of this picture.

There's a rubber valve, a oval hole behind it, and a rectangular duct on the other side of the hole.
To this, there are some hoses connected to this duct.
Some kind of emissions equipment I reckon.
I could modify this to a second snorkel,
and if I add bungs to the snorkel, I could have all my hoses connected,
making it LOOK like all emissions equipment as Subaru set it up.

Are there any possible problems with this extra snorkel I want?

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 6:09 pm

2nd Hand Yank wrote:Are there any possible problems with this extra snorkel I want?

Personally the only thing would be what it looks like - as I don't like the look of dual snorkels, that's meant for trucks

Another possible "problem" is forced induction, which being an EA82 wouldn't be a problem

Cheers

Bennie

mud_king91 · Post by **mud_king91** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 6:15 pm

i love dual snorkels... make sure you put big ram necks on em hahaha

sven '2' · Post by **sven '2'** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 6:43 pm

2nd Hand Yank wrote: Are there any possible problems with this extra snorkel I want?

This is all about the 'look'??

Dual snorkels = dual heat soak - this about metal/plastic/whatever sitting in slow moving traffic, heating up, on a balmy 42C WA day.

I had a (cough cough LJ80 with a snorkel) - was terrible in low airflow situations like sand, rock crawling etc

'Clean air' is not really an issue unless (1) H2O crossings, or (2) thousands of kms in bull dust. If it performance you are seeking, there are are (limited) mods your EA should undergo first.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 8:10 pm

sven '2' wrote:Dual snorkels = dual heat soak

Hmmm... I hadn't thought about that with snorkels.

Cheers

Bennie

2nd Hand Yank · Post by **2nd Hand Yank** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 11:17 pm

I think I might be using the wrong term.
Count that as newbie error, not Canadian terminology.

I meant what connects the air cleaner to the fresh air opening in the driver-side fender.

I see two openings in the air cleaner assembly, one is for emissions equip on the passenger side.

My passenger fender might be good to experiment with,
because it has holes in the bottom corner already!

So what I meant was I'd like greater amounts of fresh air into the air cleaner, I thought the snorkel was any type of tubing connecting the air cleaner and I'd like to see if I could rig up a second fresh-air duct under the bonnet.

*And to cleverly-dilute the emissions that are supposed to be going back into the carby.

Though I was also thinking about fender mounted, reverse facing scoops with no external ducting other than the scoops themselves; shorter ducts = less resistance to flow.

I think those large exterior snorkels are pointless unless you intend to do deep water crossings.
But I never thought about low windspeed and long, black plastic ducting, probably too hot to touch in summer sun.

I've watched they way utes kick up dust in summer and their higher snorkel inlet doesn't seem to help.

mud_king91 · Post by **mud_king91** » Sun Oct 09, 2011 8:26 am

mate you got it right just in aus we commonly refer to a snorkel as the big plastic piece that runs up the front pillar

sven '2' · Post by **sven '2'** » Sun Oct 09, 2011 10:06 am

The std air intake is PLENTY for a stock 1.8.

I would be cleaning your airbox first - seems to be a bit of crud in there!

2nd Hand Yank · Post by **2nd Hand Yank** » Sun Oct 09, 2011 11:18 am

sven '2' wrote:The std air intake is PLENTY for a stock 1.8.

I would be cleaning your airbox first - seems to be a bit of crud in there!

I just realised that faster air inlet speeds possibly yield coolest possible air.
So maybe a dual duct wouldn't be better.

I was just thinking about it,
when there's excessive amounts of radiant heat around it might be nice.
Yesterday, when I sat in my sunheated car,
it was a bit harder for me to breathe, all the hot air rising in my car?
I enjoy that level of heat though, but it makes me think how my motor's breathing.

I wonder if insulating the air-box would actually be more effective;
keeping more engine heat out of the air box?

Thoughts?