EA81 piston rings?

TheInterceptor · Post by **TheInterceptor** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 12:21 am

Hey all,

So, im a lil concerned about the motor...under heavy load, the engine clangs loudly and somtimes if its bad enough there's enough smoke coming out of the exhaust to see in the rearview.. (think its a dark grey colour..only comes out when the clang is bad)

Even going 60 in top gear (gear 4) up a small hill produces this sound albeit only a light knocking..give it gas to stay at 60 and it gets louder, forces me to drop to 3rd..
I beleive my oil is starting to dissapear too and it would explain it...

I dug up a vid from Australia day that has the best example of what im talking about..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3oUjqFEwrM

So it is the piston rings? Is it worth fixing or better off just getting a new motor. Reconditioning worth it? Im keen for an EJ carby...or any ol' deisel..

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 1:13 am

sound like pinging (pinking, detonation etc) to me, good effort by the way - all please helps should be done this way. Check timing to be within spec, then next few loads of fuel use the best 96 or 98, also hook up any electric fan with a manual switch so you can switch on before and during this sort of slog to keep engine temps down. Try again. Unsure why smoke is asociated unless it is fuel smoke black from too rich or carby need ing attention to keep mix to spec also.

dvllib · Post by **dvllib** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 5:09 am

if it is piston and rings i think its cheaper to get a reco engine than buy a set of piston and rings for a suby. but i haven looked into there prices for about 10 years so might have got cheaper

Post by **TOONGA** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 9:25 am

I agree with Jonno your timing or your valve clearances (both in fact) are out.

what fuel are you using?

it could even be a faulty advance unit in the dizzy.

is the dizzy points or electronic?

pull the cap off the dizzy, then the rotor button and check for movement in the shaft by pushing it with you finger if it moves more than 1.5mm (Im not joking) your bushes in the dizzy are stuffed.

EA81 engines use more oil as they get older just make sure you check it before you go out.

If you are really worried about your rings do a compression check if any cylinders are below 150 psi then you have a small problem a big problem is when one or more are below 100 PSI.

and yes a carbied or computered EJ is worth the investment

TOONGA

TheInterceptor · Post by **TheInterceptor** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 9:52 am

Thanks a bunch gents. If its really pinging, ive never heard anything as bad as this. It would make sense since i run straight 91 (NON E10).
Seems like ill stop bein stingy and put in what it should have gotten in the first place.

Steptoe, it happens around town aswell not only off the black top. Starting off going uphill is really really bad unless you rev it out.

So, ill run my 91 down and fill with 98 and see how i go. If it persists, ill most definatly be getting the valve clearances checked along with the timing.

Toonga, it uses points, will actually go and check for movement in a few mins while im topping up fluids

Thanks again!

Post by **TOONGA** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 10:15 am

no need to run it on 98 if you have the timing set between 6 and 8 degrees it will run fine. if you have it above 8 degrees you will need to run it on higher than 91.

TOONGA

TheInterceptor · Post by **TheInterceptor** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 10:27 am

Ah right, thanks! Better check timing then...

RSR 555 · Post by **RSR 555** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 2:22 pm

Check that your vacuum advance unit is working

TheInterceptor · Post by **TheInterceptor** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 5:20 pm

Ill add it to the to-check list haha

Cheers

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 8:23 pm

the vac advance stuck in advance position ? Good thinkin' 99. I found that when running on 98 my EA81 had much better torque down low in each gear and I too was thrifty (explains , partly, why I run LPG too) I never filled it with 98 just gave it ten bucks or so worth when it was near empty

Even a timing light on things may tell some tales.....

TheInterceptor · Post by **TheInterceptor** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 8:59 pm

Mmm...so any tips on checking the vaccum advance? I dont really have the time to take it to the mechs...

And by the way, the points are fine, there is no excess movement.

littlewhiteute · Post by **littlewhiteute** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 9:10 pm

steptoe wrote:the vac advance stuck in advance position ?

Unlikely, unless somehow the advance plate has seized in the advanced position since the last application of vacuum to the diaphragm.

The engine is worn and burning oil lowers effective octane, hence more prone to pinging.

I'd check the timing, but an engine is needed to fix it.

TheInterceptor · Post by **TheInterceptor** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 9:17 pm

Damn i was hoping to avoid changing engine's unless i can get it swapped with another ea81 for not alot of money...or if sombody is willing to fix up a carbied EJ then thats a different story!

I find it hard to accept that it has 185xxxklms on it and its already starting to pack up.
Oh well after 29 years....

BBoypebs · Post by **BBoypebs** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 10:19 pm

You shouldn't worry to much about it to much. It just pinning because the engine is not reving high enough for the load that is under.
Check timming, tappets and advancement.
Using Subaru upper engine cleaner will make it much better.
EA engines are very reliable but don't seem to be as long wearing as EJ's.

TheInterceptor · Post by **TheInterceptor** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 11:14 pm

Yeah i cant help but worry after ive put so much into it...dont want it packing up till its viable for me to do a heart transplant on it.
Will get them all checked sometime next week probobly.

Whats this Subaru upper engine cleaner? Never heard of it..

Cheers mate

FujiFan · Post by **FujiFan** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 11:22 pm

Yeah I hear you bout donk not packing it in till you're good n freaking ready!
upper engine cleaner helps to remove varnish and carbon build up from inlet manifold and cylinder heads/combustion chamber. Chemical solution to removing heads and De-coaking. Swear by it, about $17 a can. Ask FROG for some.

TheInterceptor · Post by **TheInterceptor** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 11:28 pm

Haha yeah thanks Fuji, sounds like somthing the poor EA needs...might be pretty low klm but whoever had it last must have given it hell, i seem to be experiencing some leaks now too..but not enough to drop onto the ground thankfully!

Anyways..

Will send FROG a pm...cheers!

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:03 am

It is sold at Subaru dealers with Subaru name on it I think. Comes as pressure pack with instructions to spray half can into a vacuum port of inlet manifold and let it sit for a while, warm engine, then start it keeping revs up once started and stuff gets a bit of a clean out and evident at tail pipe - do it towards the old crappy naybours and their clothesline on washing day. The other half I think you use soon after as an inlet spray clean?
To check dizzy vacuum unit, stop engine and remove keys from any funnybuggery

Remove dizzy cap to see the points plate move from being pulled by advance can lever when you or preferably a mate, sucks on the vacuum line to dizzy vac can. When suck, you should see the lever (incorrect term as no leverage involved) call it an arm, pulls the plate towards it and springs back to start position when suction stops.

Change down a gear on the 4WDing to get revs up to torque revs rather than the low down labouring revs as suggested above.

TheInterceptor · Post by **TheInterceptor** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 8:11 pm

Thanks a bunch Steptoe, guess i wont send that PM then

. I filled up with premo ontop of the 91 i have in the tank...the pinging is quieter than before which is a good thing...
So i guess ill take a trip to Subaru then give what you said a go.

As for the 4wding...i took the bottom of the hill slowly as i didnt know if i was going to contact the ground, gave it a little without riding the clutch hence why the revs dropped to low for its liking.

Cheers.

rebuilder · Post by **rebuilder** » Sun Apr 17, 2011 2:47 pm

it really sounds like slapping and not detonation. if its slapping, then the rings are also shot. u cant have slapping without rings being hurt from it. When the slap happens, it opens up enough of a gap to allow massive amounts of oil to get past the oil rings (at the bottom of piston) and usually doesn't cause too much of an issue with relation to compression, so it may not be evident from a standard wet compression test.