EA81 engine woes

[scubaal]

We have a 1984 Subaru 1800 with the EA81 engine. Really relaible until
a month or so ago until we got lots of water in the oil (looks like
milk chocolate). Removed the heads and replaced the head gaskets. Think
we did a pretty good job (with lots of swearing) including torquing
bolts to correct settings etc.
For 200km (1 week) everything was perfect - nice clean oil, no water.
This morning, disaster, milky oil again and a litre of water gone, so
we have spent about A$250 on parts and wasted 3 days of a long weekend

Any suggestions (apart from a match in the fuel tank).
It's a really nice car but the workshop wants A$1500 (approx) to take
the heads off and machine them. Seems a lot to me.

My thoughts are the the problem could be:
a) Leaking head gasket due to head warpage
b) Cracked head
c) Cracked block

As the engine 'got better' for 200km/1 week when we changed the head
gaskets I am hoping that a) is the most likely. I dont mind doing it
all again if I fix the problem but wasting time taking off the heads
and finding out theres a problem in the block is gonna really piss me
off! Any thoughts/ suggestions?

If I take the heads of again to get them machined do I have to get the
barrels machined as well (ie take the engine out) and to machine the
barrels do they have to remove the studs? (cos in an aluminium block
that could cause strife).

Anyone have a recon EA81 engine in Australia they would let me have
cheap

Al.

 

[johninKY]

Because the repair worked/lasted for 200 km, I think your guess the
cylinder heads are warped is probably on the money.

 

[Guest]

: Because the repair worked/lasted for 200 km, I think your guess the
: cylinder heads are warped is probably on the money.

Did you flush the cooling system before/after you did the work? Maybe the
water pump was bad and/or cooling passages blocked. That could have caused the blown
head gasket in the first place. It may have warped the heads, or just blown another
gasket when the new one had a hotspot.

-Cory

--

*************************************************************************
* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
*************************************************************************

 

[scubaal]

Hmm,
I drained it but I didnt flush it. Water pump is only 2 years old and
seems good
Any tips on flushing the cooling? Do you have to use some product
through the system?
Al.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Any tips on flushing the cooling? Do you have to use some product
through the system?

Hi,

I used to use a caustic flushing agent (sold under a lot of names at the
auto parts store) when draining iron block/head engines. When heads
started going mostly aluminum, I switched to "quick flush" products that
claimed to be safe for aluminum. Today, I just use water. You can get
kits at the parts store that "splice" a connector into a heater hose,
then you connect a garden hose and flush things out. You can do about
the same by figuring which way the water flow runs thru the heater core,
then disconnecting the appropriate hose so you can simply insert a
nozzle on the garden hose in the end of the hose and flush so the water
flows "backwards."

Regardless of how you do it, be sure to remove the t-stat BEFORE
flushing! I always thought this was universally known, but my brother in
law had his Explorer flushed at the Ford dealer, and they DIDN'T remove
the t-stat first! About 100 miles into an 800 mile trip, in 100 deg F
plus temps, the vehicle started overheating cuz junk broken loose by the
flushing lodged in the t-stat. He had to limp along with the A/C off,
heater on full blast, and my sister's "input" on the entire situation
(clue: walking might have been preferable to listening!)

And since you've got the t-stat out anyway, it's not a bad idea to
install a new one. Go OEM on that item for sure! And when you refill the
system, be sure to use a 50-50 mix of anti-freeze and DISTILLED water:
really cuts the need to flush things in the future.

Good luck,

Rick

 

[scubaal]

Thanks Rick,
One further question. Are you only concerned with running watter
'backwrds' through the heater core......or are you trying to run it
'backwards' through the entire engine block as well?
Al.

 

[Rick Courtright]

'backwrds' through the heater core......or are you trying to run it
'backwards' through the entire engine block as well?

Hi,

If you disconnect just the heater hose (at the block, head or whatever
connection the engine has) and run water backwards thru the heater core,
it SHOULD then go backwards thru the engine and come out of that point
your hose will connect to when you reconnect it. If it looks like you're
going to flood parts of the engine that probably should remain dry
(electrical connectors, sensors and such), you can put a spare piece of
hose on your temporary outlet and direct the water flow to a safe spot.
Be sure the heater lever is set "full on" both when flushing and
refilling--some heaters have a valve that cuts water flow thru the core
when you're not using the heater, others (such as at least some--if not
all???--Subies) have a constant flow of water thru the core and the heat
to the cabin's regulated by air flow ducts and "valving." Most of the
time it's easy to tell which system you have by looking at your heater
hoses: the water valve's usually installed in one of the hoses if it's
the regulated water flow style (and generally on the inlet side of the
core.) If there's no valve, it's probably the regulated air flow style.

Hope this makes sense--if not, let me know!

Good luck,

Rick