114 replies to this topic

[kanurys]

OOF. Sorry to see that happen. Good advice. I had thought of that scenario. You're right, I'll probably encounter a situation like that some day.

[kanurys]

I still have to install the pitch stopper and button up the dash.

[subynut]

Glad you found the problem.
Yeah, the EJ makes the EA series cars a new car. I had a 70's Ford truck think my old Subaru would be an easy win. Little did he know I have an EJ25 under the hood. Left him in the dust thrice! Then he finally figured out he can't outrun that old Subaru.

[kanurys]

!

Other than that, top effort on your conversion, the wiring from what I've seen on here looks very neat and factory like! Got any more pics with more engine bay pics of your wiring efforts?

Cheers

Bennie

Yeah, I have a bunch. Check out the link for the PHOTO ALBUM.

Do you have any pictures of how you mounted your ECU? I'm at the point right now where I have to commit to something.

[el_freddo]

Do you have any pictures of how you mounted your ECU? I'm at the point right now where I have to commit to something.

I've got mine mounted on the steering column like the MPFI touring wagons do. No fancy brackets, just some large cable ties doubled up on eachother, pulled nice and tight so it doesn't move and you're sorted:



The fuse box above the ECU is for 24/7 power, ignition, fuel pump power and the starter circuit.

Time to check out your pics

Cheers

Bennie

[kanurys]

I'll add some more tonight and show you where I hid mine.:cool:

[kanurys]

ECU location - above glove box.

[kanurys]

I found a rear disk setup for $40 at the yard.

Any ideas where to get a START button? I was thinking of using a motorcycle button or something.

[subynut]

Nice clean place for the ECU! That should keep it out of trouble.

I've seen a START button or two at a few of the auto parts stores here.

[kanurys]

Nice clean place for the ECU! That should keep it out of trouble.

I've seen a START button or two at a few of the auto parts stores here.

Check out where I put the relays. They're on the fan motor mount screw for easy access.

[subynut]

Didn't see those first time looking at the pics, they look like they belong there!

[kanurys]

Getting the EA82 dash panel over the gauge cluster together is proving a bit difficult. I already broke a few tabs and the HVAC buttons won't engage. Any tricks on this? Maybe I'll pull one at the yard when I go for the disk brakes.

[subynut]

The HVAC control box has a rubber stop at the back of it - kinda looks like a large vacuum cap. If the rubber stop is missing, there will be too much play and the controls will not work. Also, the screws behind the off and defrost buttons need to be in all the way, otherwise the buttons cannot push in all the way and will mess with the other two.
The dash panel should fit with little trouble, is the gauge cluster all the way back? Could there be a wiring harness in the way? It's a tight fit back there.

Also, did you plumb the vacuum canister under the hood near the strut tower?

[kanurys]

Thanks. I think the problem was that my HVAC controls disintegrated when I removed the dash trim and wouldn't go back together. I pulled a new one from the junk yard along with some new switches.

The HVAC controls are now the original guts with junkyard face, buttons and lights. Works like a champ and made the install go smoothly. Now the dash is together! I found a Digi dash in the same car that my disk brake swap came from and almost pulled the trigger on that one. Does it work well with the speed signal, tach signal, etc... with the engine swap? Is it plug and play?

Next is exhaust and pitch stopper. Any recommendations on mufflers?

[subynut]

Last time I looked into doing that swap, I needed the dash and all the wiring behind it since the connectors are different. The sensors I think are the same, but I'm not completely sure.
The one big downfall of the digi-dashes is they are prone to burning out because there is no over-voltage protection in them. Meaning, if the alternator goes bad and spikes, it takes out the dash too. That's the reason I never did it in my car.
With the EJ swap, it takes a little more work to get the tach in the digi-dash to function. Somebody on the XT board did get it to work, he used a converter box to transform the 5V digital signal the EJ computer sends out to the 12V signal the digi-dash is looking for.
It would be cool, but they are not known for they're reliability.

Exhaust, I have 2.25" from the Cat back with a Thrush glass pack and a Magnaflow straight-thru. Sounds good, but not too loud. I started with just the Magnaflow, but the drone at freeway speeds with the windows closed was awful.
From what I have read, 2.25" is the best for N/A EJ25 and EJ22s. 2.5" will increase your upper end power at the cost of low/mid RPM grunt. If it's a race car, 2.5"; daily street car, no bigger than 2.25".

Pitching stopper, I used a 1st Gen Legacy stopper and mount.

[kanurys]

Nice. the digi-dash is an afterthought and doesn't really fit into the theme of this build.

I've been looking into 2.25" pipe as a cat-back (I have the stock Y pipe and cats installed) into a Borla Pro XS muffler. I really don't want that drone. You think I should get a resonator, hu? I'm not real familiar with the effects of different glass packs/resonators. What diameter and length is your Thrush? Model?

The goal is a quiet exhaust at idle and cruising rpm and a nice solid sound when you step on it. Nothing too loud.

[subynut]

I picked it up at one of the local auto parts stores. It's 18" long, 2.25" inlet and outlet. It may be 2.75" to 3" in diameter, not sure. I can crawl under the car and get a more accurate measurement, if you'd like.

Glass packs, by themselves, are very loud and raspy. However, when used in addition with another muffler, they will help mellow out the exhaust note. The longer the glass pack, the quieter it is.
Resonators do the same thing, but use acoustic cancelling by reflecting the sound waves into one another causing the sound waves to cancel each other out. But due to their nature, they cost more and are harder to find and they don't flow as well as a glass pack.

[kanurys]

No need to crawl under your car. Thanks for the info. I'll see about picking one up. I just ordered the Borla Pro XS. This thing is so close to being ready.

[kanurys]

Exhaust is installed. I thought about doing it myself but this one I left to the experts. I used to take state vehicles to these guys to fix up. They did a great job on my soob. I had them cut each cat off and reposition them so they tuck into the hump in the EA82 transmission crossmember. This raised them a few inches out of the way of pesky rocks and mountain lions. I'll post pics when I have time to take some this week.

Initial reaction: Is it really that quiet? I wanted it quiet, but it's more than I expected. I put a free flowing resonator in and that Borla Pro XS straight through muffler on, as per my design. The tone of the Borla is AWESOME. Best muffler I've ever heard, though I can barely hear the exhaust. I like it that way, but I think it would also be nice to hear it rip once in a while. I guess it will be great on long trips.

The low end torque has noticeably improved with the addition of the cat-back exhaust, and the high end still pulls well. I'll run it and if it gets old to hear my wheels slap the pavement, I'll loose the resonator.

Hopefully there will be more gravel slapping than pavement slapping.

Edited by kanurys, 04 September 2012 - 11:45 PM.

[kanurys]

I'm finally getting to the final touches of the swap. Exhaust is done and is documented below. I Also, shortened the pitch stopper. Oh yeah, and pics of the rear disk setup. Oh yeah, and new transmission mounts. See pics and descriptions:




Before:

After:



Pitch Stopper, firewall to transmission mounted EJ braket:





Exhaust Parts:






Stock Y pipe, shortened from flange to first catalytic converter:


Nicely tucked up into trans cross member hump for old exhaust with new pipe to the 2nd catalytic converter:



2.25" pipe back to the muffler:

14" cheapo Resonator:



One Borla Pro XS muffler, very quiet:

Tail pipe tacked in place and clamped, in case I want to change design some time:

Crappy bumper and sticker that's been on there since I bought the car:

[subynut]

Exhaust looks nice!
The PandaWagon's muffler sits at a downward angle. It's look has always bugged me, but it worked and since I wasn't sure what muffler to install, I left it. Now that the muffler is shot, it's time to find a good replacement.

[kanurys]

Exhaust looks nice!
The PandaWagon's muffler sits at a downward angle. It's look has always bugged me, but it worked and since I wasn't sure what muffler to install, I left it. Now that the muffler is shot, it's time to find a good replacement.

Yeah, this muffler pitches down a tiny bit, but the guys did such a great job on the rest of the exhaust that I can't complain too much. They even made a nice 1/4" strap from the back end of the trans to the 2nd cat.

[subynut]

Mine sits a bit lower than yours:


I actually have hit it a few times. At first, I thought I just clunked the hitch really good. Wasn't till later when I was under there for drive line work, that I noticed the dent in the muffler.

[kanurys]

Could be worse:

[subynut]

That's hilarious!