1989 MPI EA82 distributor & rotar

Mark_G · Post by **Mark_G** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 3:21 pm

1989 5sp manual 1.8L Touring Wagon - Does anyone know where/how I can get hold of a distributor cap and rotor button for this car - Repco and super cheap don't have this car listed in their computer systems and it appears to be difficult to get hold of these parts.

I bought a distributor cap 3 years ago, and only just realised today that it sits a bit taller than the original and therefor the rotor rotates beneath the spark plug connection points instead of between them (which explains why I could never tune/time the car ..... I assumed that it is an old car and that it will always going to run rough).

Am I advising the parts dealers the wrong description for the car - is there another vehicle with the same distributor cap and rotor...a different badge or later model Subaru?

I find it difficult to believe that this car is so rare that no one can supply these parts.

The first 2 attached photo show the original Hitachi distributor rotor - note this rotor screws into the rotor shaft, hence the hole in the side of the rotor button.

The third photo shows the original distributor cap - it was worn, and not knowing that it would be difficult to buy a new one, I cut the side out of it when I manually setting the timing (without the use of a timing light) after changing the timing belts.

The fourth photo shows the old distributor and the one that I bought 3yrs ago - note how much taller the newer distributor cap is compared to the original.

If these parts can not be sourced anymore - does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can modify/replace them with other parts from a different car.

Mark.

subybrumby · Post by **subybrumby** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 4:53 pm

We had trouble finding one too, this link may help....can send you the photo if I can find it.

showthread.php?t=19085

Johnny T · Post by **Johnny T** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 5:13 pm

have you tried the wreckers? if not have you tried a subaru dealer in the service department?
i know what your going threw and its a massive headache to find what you need.
good luck with the find.

revmax · Post by **revmax** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 5:16 pm

Have to get Genuine Subaru and they are OMG expensive.

littlewhiteute · Post by **littlewhiteute** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 6:20 pm

What's a genuine cap worth?

Here's an aftermarket one on ebay.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Distributor- ... ht_701wt_1

revmax · Post by **revmax** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 7:10 pm

littlewhiteute wrote:What's a genuine cap worth?

Here's an aftermarket one on ebay.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Distributor- ... ht_701wt_1

except he wants one for a 89 model

Post by **TOONGA** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 7:35 pm

It is the same cap, I have seen this cap used on nearly all the EFI models of the L series

even my vortex used that cap

TOONGA

revmax · Post by **revmax** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 8:06 pm

then that is SOOOO cheep

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 8:33 pm

revmax wrote:then that is SOOOO cheep

But so are all parts in America!

Mark G: PM FROG your VIN from the touring wagon and let him know that your after the MPFI rotor button/capor what ever you need

Be patient for a reply though as he's on holidays for a little bit.

Cheers

Bennie

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 8:21 am

FROG returns to work next week.

Cap on the left looks like GH623, one on the right minus the hole (story there?) looks like GH617. Been looking at the dizzy out of my NOV86 make date L Touring Wagon carby - looks different under the cap and rotor - plastic covers over things not same as 85/86 EA82T nor 87/88 EA82T both efi

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 9:33 am

an important line to take first is DENSO or Hitachi brand / make of your dizzy

Mark_G · Post by **Mark_G** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 10:57 pm

Thank you everyone for your advice - its much appreciated.

Subybrumby - its good to know that I'm not the only one that has struggled to find these parts.

Johny T - I'd prefer to get hold of a new distributor cap and rotor if I can. I went to 'Pick n Payless' out at Blacktown on Sunday to see what I could find. I was curious to see if other vehicles have the same configuration as my 89 MPI Wagon. Had no luck only two Leones had their engines still in them, which where Carby models. A couple of Libertys and later model Leones were stripped of their engines.

Revmax - I've sent an email to subaru parts on Sunday night regarding a genuine distributor and rotor. They have emailed me back and asked for the Vin/Chassis number. So I'll see what the response is from Subaru when they get back to me and will let you all know.

Littlewhiteute (Gary) - The distributor cap on ebay looks like the taller version of the two versions that are held down with two screws (the version that I have which is too tall for my car). The Ebay distributor has a small breather at its base (as shown in the centre of the photo), where as the original that I'm after does not have this breather at the base. The Repco part number for the taller distributor cap is GH609-C (not sure what the brand this is...Fuelmiser prehaps). Out of interest - it also has a "Made in Italy stamp" on the inner side of the cap.

TOONGA - After doing a bit of research on the internet I had my suspicions that the EA82 MPI motor was used in the vortex with the turbo added and that perhaps the Vortex has same distributor set up as my 89 MPI wagon.

Steptoe - Yeah got to laugh...in hindsight I shouldn't have cut a hole in the original. A worn out orginal cap is better than no cap or the wrong sized cap that is too tall for the rotor to work properly.

After not having any luck with Repco they said that they would talk to one of their suppliers (Fuelmiser) - they have not got back to me yet. I'm thinking that I should go back to Repco and see what they come up with when I ask them to look up the distributor and rotor parts for a Vortex, now that I know that the Vortex has a similar engine setup.

El Feddo & Steptoe - It looks like my best option is to follow up with Frog. I'll do this as soon as I can work out how to use this website/system, as I only started using it on Sunday.

Mark.

Mark_G · Post by **Mark_G** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 11:04 pm

Thank you everyone for your advice - its much appreciated.

Subybrumby - its good to know that I'm not the only one that has struggled to find these parts.

Johny T - I'd prefer to get hold of a new distributor cap and rotor if I can. I went to 'Pick n Payless' out at Blacktown on Sunday to see what I could find. I was curious to see if other vehicles have the same configuration as my 89 MPI Wagon. Had no luck only two Leones had their engines still in them, which where Carby models. A couple of Libertys and later model Leones were stripped of their engines.

Revmax - I've sent an email to subaru parts on Sunday night regarding a genuine distributor and rotor. They have emailed me back and asked for the Vin/Chassis number. So I'll see what the response is from Subaru when they get back to me and will let you all know.

Littlewhiteute (Gary) - The distributor cap on ebay looks like the taller version of the two versions that are held down with two screws (the version that I have which is too tall for my car). The Ebay distributor has a small breather at its base (as shown in the centre of the photo), where as the original that I'm after does not have this breather at the base. The Repco part number for the taller distributor cap is GH609-C (not sure what the brand this is...Fuelmiser prehaps). Out of interest - it also has a "Made in Italy stamp" on the inner side of the cap.

TOONGA - After doing a bit of research on the internet I had my suspicions that the EA82 MPI motor was used in the vortex with the turbo added and that perhaps the Vortex has same distributor set up as my 89 MPI wagon.

Steptoe - Yeah got to laugh...in hindsight I shouldn't have cut a hole in the original. A worn out orginal cap is better than no cap or the wrong sized cap that is too tall for the rotor to work properly.

After not having any luck with Repco they said that they would talk to one of their suppliers (Fuelmiser) - they have not got back to me yet. I'm thinking that I should go back to Repco and see what they come up with when I ask them to look up the distributor and rotor parts for a Vortex, now that I know that the Vortex has a similar engine setup.

El Feddo & Steptoe - It looks like my best option is to follow up with Frog. I'll do this as soon as I can work out how to use this website/system, as I only started using it on Sunday.

Mark.

coupe · Post by **coupe** » Tue Jan 31, 2012 1:08 am

If you have no luck then i have a 89 you can have for the cost of postage.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue Jan 31, 2012 7:33 am

Further help to you is to get the numbers off the dizzy side, stamped in there, usually two sets of numbers, that way others can help a little further

Mark_G · Post by **Mark_G** » Tue Jan 31, 2012 9:12 am

Thanks Steptoe - I haven't notice any distigusing codes/numbers on the orginal cap. I'll have a better look tonight after work.

After forwarding the VIN/Chassis number - Subaru Parts emailed me back this morning and have advised the the distributor cap and rotor are available in Australia at a cost of $61.50

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue Jan 31, 2012 10:16 am

numbers on the dizzy itself Not too bad a price for available and genuine, as aftermarket, if you could get them without return trips would not be much cheaper at retail level

Mark_G · Post by **Mark_G** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 7:34 pm

Well the search continues - after providing the VIN/Chassis number, paying for the order, subaru provided me with a distributor cap and rotor that will not fit my 89 MPI Wagon. So its back to Subaru tomorrow to try again. The Fuji Heavy Industry part numbers for the Distributor Cap (22162AA000) and the rotor (2215KA020) that will not fit my car.

revmax · Post by **revmax** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 8:12 pm

$61.50 is about half of what I was quoted from the local subaru dealer when I had my old wagon. so $61.50 is cheap

Mark_G · Post by **Mark_G** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 10:13 am

OK - Subaru has got back to me after providing them with the part number on the Distributor Unit. The parts are not listed in Australia and have to be imported from Japan. Shipping is 2 weeks and the cost is $116.20. I've exchanged the previous parts recieved as a deposit to get the right cap and rotor for this car. Out of interest for everyone the Distributor Unit had the following numbers on it -

Distibutor unit number is 2210AA450 and a second set of numbers on the distributor is D4P-01A8905.

I'll post the part numbers when I recieve them to assist anyone else that is unluck enough to have one of these rare vehicles.

If anyone has any history on this type of vehicle (1989 MPI Touring Wagon - 5sp manual) and can explain why it seems to be different to most Leone wagons I'd be interested to know.