EXOSAT Observations of the Broad-Line Radio Galaxy 3C 382

X-ray observations of the broad-line radio galaxy 3C 382 were carried out with EXOSAT on many occasions (>20) between 1983 and 1985. Low and Medium Energy (LE and ME) spectra of this source were obtained from the EXOSAT data base. The hard-X-ray luminosity light curve of 3C 382 which was constituted from Ariel V, HEAO 1, Einstein, EXOSAT, and Ginga observations between 1975 and 1989, shows a major outburst of this galaxy in 1985 during EXOSAT observations. During the outburst, both the LE and ME count rates displayed dramatic variations (maximum to minimum variations were ~120% and ~110% in the LE and ME bands, respectively, with different rise/decay time scales). Also, both the LE and ME light curves contain a prominent dip about halfway through. Although the variability of the LE and ME count rates was correlated, but the ME spectral slope was roughly constant (~1.7 + 0.1) and the LE spectral slope varied in correlation with the LE count rate, with the soft excess and with the softness ratio of the source. Correlated variability was also observed between the LE count rate and the softness ratio of 3C 382 during the outburst. Spectra of this galaxy show the presence of an emission line at 6.2 +/- 0.6 keV which may be due to fluorescence of cold iron around the central continuum source. The equivalent width of this line, which ranges between 100 and 1100 eV, did not vary during EXOSAT observations. The significance of these results is discussed.