EA/ER to EJ adapter

[Caboobaroo]

Just to make it clear, NOT an EJ to EA adapter.

 

I've been contemplating making an adapter that will bolt to the back of the ER27 that I'm building that will let me run an EJ transmission and an EJ clutch. I sourced up a twin disc OS Giken clutch that was in a first gen Legacy for a steal. I plan to redrill the flywheel to match up to the ER crank. I know I can put the EJ transmission internals into my XT6 case but I really need a stronger clutch...

 

After doing the math, I've found that I really need to make the OEM bell housing on the engine roughly 0.56" shallower to make the transmission bolt closer to the engine, same thickness as adding an EJ adapter plate between an EJ engine and EA transmission. I'm thinking I might try and take an adapter plate and tig weld it to the OEM bell housing after I get it cut down.

 

Thoughts? Opinions?

[86hatchback]

Not sure if ya knew but the front cases on single range ea and ej cases interchange, wouldn't be able to run an ej clutch but places like otts friction can make you a custom disc for more holding power. Food for thought then all your clutch hardware anti torque bar all bolts back up. Whoops you posted you knew all that sorry bout that.

Edited November 27, 2013 by 86hatchback

[idosubaru]

nice idea.  seems perfectly plausible.

 

just shave the engine side of the bellhousing and you're golden right?

 

does XT6 starter engage with EJ flywheel or just use an EJ starter?

[ivans imports]

Tried this with er27 to legacy 4eat the flex plate to torque converter came up short bell is deeper on ej motor adaptor plate was not bad used a ej to ea adaptor reversed bolt pattern was very close but had no crank to flex plate extention to get it to work. I think you will find that the flywheel comes up short

[Caboobaroo]

Ivan, I plan to take the stock ER engine bell housing, cut off twice the amount of the thickness of the EJ/EA adapter and weld the adapter plate to the stock bell housing. I figure since the bottom studs are the same, I can use those to align the adapter plate square.

 

Hopefully I can find some time to get the bell housing off of my extra engine and start modifying it.

[ivans imports]

Bolting is better than welding less chance of warpage the er27 is a stout motor and it might crack welds. When I built my own adaptors I stood the trans and motor on its front end bolted to bench then droped a blank trans case down onto motor to see the line up also had the main shaft in to center it on the pilot berring in the flywheel on engine this is your best centering tool

[Caboobaroo]

I would really like to make it a bolt in part rather then modifying the stock piece. My original plan was to build a metal tube frame that bolted in place of the factory aluminum piece. I still think I might do that if I don't think the aluminum piece will work out. Was able to get the bell housing off of one of my ERs yesterday afternoon so during the holiday weekend, I will be getting precise measurements of it.

[Subaru Scott]

When I made the adapter plate for my boat, I bolted the plate to the EJ, doing the dowel holes first, and drilling them slightly small so I could finish them by hand with a round file, until they were perfect with no slop. Then bolted a steel arm on the crankshaft and attached a scribe on the end of it. Doesn't matter how far out, you just want to scribe a circle on the plate to give you a dead-center reference. I then took the plate to the boneyard and found an engine with the pattern I was adapting to. I stood the engine on end, laid the plate on and bolted another arm with scribe to the crank. Spun that around and adjusted plate till it lined up perfectly, then clamped it down and drilled the holes through the boneyard engines holes. That's about as close as I think you can get being somewhat... primitive. If you try to use a transmission to index the plate... well, just grab the input shaft and see how much you can move it off center with your hand.