81 replies to this topic

[fbh]

Awesome! EJ22 coming right up for my EA82-equipped '89 GL...

sorry for the O/T, but where do you find these lift kits, what do they comprise of and how hard is it to install them?

[WoodsWagon]

i took out the whole harness from the front seats forward. It is toatally daunting when you first start removing unneccescary circuits. That is the stage I am at, a huge pile of wire and modules on my bedroom floor. All I can say is you better have a sharp knife for all the electrical tape they use.

[1986RX]

Hi All

This is my first post on this site

Loads of great information. Well at present I am rebuilding my rx from the ground up. I am now at the wiring stage well sort of, as I have a full front cut from a legacy I am disregarding the Rx loom and replacing it with the legacy loom I have striped the loom and yes you need sharp knife and loads of elect tape. I have only just started and am loosing hair from scratching my head so many times. I am sure I will be posting more on this subject. I have also used a legacy steering collum so I can have all my functions at my fingertips instead of fumbling around my dash. I am also using a legacy instrument panel there are a few gaps but will cover them at a later date.

You can check out my progress at cardomain.com under Subaru Leone – my rx project.

Keep up the great posts and I can answer any? I will.

[NoahDL88]

www.kennedyeng.com Has a "cheat sheet" for the wiring, it was worth every penny of the 20 bucks i paid for it. I'd highly reccomend it to anyone of any skill level that is about to attempt this swap.

[Hodaka Rider]

On the clutch issue, is the XT6 flywheel absolutely required? I know it has been discussed in several different threads, but I need to know conclusively. I have an EA-82, will be putting a D/R in, and my stock clutch is shot. I can easily get an EA-82 Kit, but XT6 is a foreign language to all the parts places here. So, to get an XT6 clutch, I have to order online from the States. Don't want to have to send it back because it doesn't work.

[ballitch]

the XT6, 4WD, and ALL turbo EA cars have the same clutch disc, the only difference is the pressure plate, i dont htink you "need" the XT6 flywheel, but you can have your flywheel machined to XT6 specifications. then get the 4WD clutxch disc and XT6 pressure plate, along with a new throwout bearing and pilot bearing. it would be nice to use an EJ motor in a FWD car, but you would need a LSD for the front, seriously, you would NEED one. if you have problems with oyur local parts store, go online. most of the time if you order $100 or more, you get free shipping. it shouldnt cost you more than $140 US for the disc, bearings and pressure plate. thats what i paid.


EDIT: for those that are wondering how much of the harness you need, its simple, you need the whole thing. from the whole thing you separate the engine-only wires from the rest of the crap. you only use about 8-10% of the total harness, so dont be shocked when youre done to only see a handful of wires left. connect all your power wires together to make a single "power wire" same goes for the ground wires.

~Josh~

[Hodaka Rider]

the XT6, 4WD, and ALL turbo EA cars have the same clutch disc, the only difference is the pressure plate,

This much i know. Also, many of the newer Imprezas, Legacys, etc. also use the same disk.

i dont htink you "need" the XT6 flywheel, but you can have your flywheel machined to XT6 specifications. then get the 4WD clutxch disc and XT6 pressure plate, along with a new throwout bearing and pilot bearing. if you have problems with oyur local parts store, go online. most of the time if you order $100 or more, you get free shipping. it shouldnt cost you more than $140 US for the disc, bearings and pressure plate. thats what i paid.


~Josh~

I saw it mentioned in one of the posts that the actual difference between the EA-82 and XT6 Flywheel was only .008" - hardly enough to warrent any extra trouble. Has anyone else found this to be true? BTW, where did you buy your kit online? I'm seeing $194 everywhere.

[capn_r]

According to a Napa parts website the EA-82 flywheel step is .900 and the XT-6 is .815 so if that is accurate it would be a .085 differance rather than .008

[Hodaka Rider]

Can anyone confirm? Skip?

[baccaruda]

let me see if i can find one before we come up next weekend. PM me your phone #.

On the clutch issue, is the XT6 flywheel absolutely required? I know it has been discussed in several different threads, but I need to know conclusively. I have an EA-82, will be putting a D/R in, and my stock clutch is shot. I can easily get an EA-82 Kit, but XT6 is a foreign language to all the parts places here. So, to get an XT6 clutch, I have to order online from the States. Don't want to have to send it back because it doesn't work.

[jelly man]

The machine shop that I checked out said the spec for the step is .815".

[ballitch]

so we are talking less than 1/10th of an inch here. so thats like 3/32'', so not a big deal. hell, i think the clutch cable stretches that much when you press the pedal!!!!! as far as the clutch "kit" i ordered, i ordered all the parts that would normally be in a clutch kit, because they didnt have one listed for the XT6. so i just ordered the press. plate, disc, throwout and pilot bearings separately, and made my own "kit" from their website. you dont neccessarily need the stronger XT6 pressure plate, my XT6 pres. plate has never slipped and ive been abusing it for over 6 months now, lots of front wheel burn outs. maybe if youre lucky, they will send you 2 of everything and only charge you for 1, like they did me. oh ya, the price total was 137.00 for the "clutch kit" i ordered. but since WJM has just told all of us that the wrx and impreza clutch discs work on our older trannys, feel free to grab a high quality clutch from clutchnet, or centerforce, or whereever you buy aftermarket clutches. kevlar sounds nice, maybe sintered iron, so many choices......



~Josh~

[Hodaka Rider]

I actually knew about the disk interchangeablilty before he made his big 'announcement'. Pretty easy to figure out that if the part numbers are the same for the differnet cars, that the part is the same, too.
Anyways, if it really is .085 difference, then I can just modify my flywheel to compensate (milling machine and lathe available). But from the number of poeple who have done it without modding, it may be just fine!

[capn_r]

Hodaka Rider, I think with your having the machinery access I would take the effort to machine the .085 off of the mounting surface for the pressure plate which would give you the specifications the engineers intended for the XT6. Bolting on the XT6 components on the unmodified EA82 flywheel without the machining would be the equivalent having that much wear on your new disc and the associated less clamping force on the disc from the increased distance. I'm not aware of what the disc thickness should be, but if were .400 thick when compressed by the pressure plate you would be losing close to 20% of your available clamping force. Anyway, good luck with your project

[ballitch]

that is a good point. didnt think about that, but you should mill it down to get it nice and freshened up for the new clutch disc anyway, just in case it was slightly warped or out of flatness.



~Josh~

[Hodaka Rider]

OK, just got a reply from the ever helpfull Skip. Here's what he said:

I got out to the shed today and dug out my flywheel stash.
I measured two EA82T's and two ER27 (XT 6) models
the results are as follows
EA 82T -- 0.816 and 0.827
ER 27 -- 0.829 - 0.839

So, looks like it could work without correcting the step height, but I'll make sure it is at XT-6 spec.

[WoodsWagon]

Which clutch disk is best? I noticed that my smoked legacy clutch had radial slots cut into the surface, while my semi-smoked EA82 disk was smooth surface. What clutch disk should I buy?

It will have to hold a s/c EJ22, about 160hp is what I'm hoping. I already milled the mounting holes on the EA flywheel to fit the EJ.

I thought of rigging the recirc dump valve on the S/C to a clutch switch, so that as long as the clutch pedal is pressed in, the s/c is being dumped. That should help with clutch and tranny abuse.

[WoodsWagon]

How good is the kennedy engeneering wiring packet? I've been using the scanned '92 FSM to try and get the wiring reduced, and I'm at the point where cutting it all apart and wiring it myself seems like a good option.
It's gotten so confusing and tangled it's not even funny.

[ballitch]

its okay, i didnt really rely on it, i knew the wires colors were going to be different. but its worth the $20 and the basic "concept" of what its supposed to look like in the end. i hate the starting of the wire tear down, its so messy and there is SO much elec. tape its not funny.


~Josh~

[Mr. Wob]

everyone only discusses this in regard to the D/R tranny. What differs with using an Sti engine and tranny? I figure you will have to do hubs somehow and a few other things. I heard the D/R doesnt like holding power like the STi engine delivers.

[88HatchMonster]

everyone only discusses this in regard to the D/R tranny. What differs with using an Sti engine and tranny? I figure you will have to do hubs somehow and a few other things. I heard the D/R doesnt like holding power like the STi engine delivers.

Think about it, there are some very obvious differences--When using the STI tranny with the STI motor, you're not going to need an adapter plate or custom flywheel. You will need a custom tranny crossmember and a custom center driveshaft.

Don't think hubs, think inner CVs as you will need to make sure your axles spline up to the stubs in the tranny.

This is just a start. Search, search, search. There are lots of threads on straight EJ drivetrain swaps into EA vehicles.

People will argue about the power handling capacity of the D/R trannies ad infinitum, but the fact is very few ever try 200+ HP EJ turbos with them so no one really knows. We do know they take +/- 150 HP N/A EJs without batting an eyelash. The thing is, there is really little incentive to run a high HP turbo with a, say 5spd D/R. You'll never find traction in FWD and the weak bottom end and on/off power of the turbo is undesirable for off-roading. FT4WD RX trannies are a slightly different story, but I hope you get the idea.

[Mr. Wob]

Think about it, there are some very obvious differences--When using the STI tranny with the STI motor, you're not going to need an adapter plate or custom flywheel. You will need a custom tranny crossmember and a custom center driveshaft.

Don't think hubs, think inner CVs as you will need to make sure your axles spline up to the stubs in the tranny.

This is just a start. Search, search, search. There are lots of threads on straight EJ drivetrain swaps into EA vehicles.

People will argue about the power handling capacity of the D/R trannies ad infinitum, but the fact is very few ever try 200+ HP EJ turbos with them so no one really knows. We do know they take +/- 150 HP N/A EJs without batting an eyelash. The thing is, there is really little incentive to run a high HP turbo with a, say 5spd D/R. You'll never find traction in FWD and the weak bottom end and on/off power of the turbo is undesirable for off-roading. FT4WD RX trannies are a slightly different story, but I hope you get the idea.

Thanks.

Obviously I know the essential differences, but although I have searched a bunch I didnt exactly find the info I was looking for. I was really looking if someone had done the swap and had a lot more info that what I had seen. I am suprised it hasnt been done more to be honest. A very light car with a fairly easy and powerful swap? Custom drive shafts and such are not hard. Is the length of the half shafts the same? Also is the rear diff strong enough in your opinion or would the STi diff make more sense?

[88HatchMonster]

I was really looking if someone had done the swap and had a lot more info that what I had seen... Also is the rear diff strong enough in your opinion or would the STi diff make more sense?

Rear diffs are all basically the same strength, you just need to make sure your gear ratio is the same as the trans you're swapping in.

Look up "suberdave" he has an EA82 wagon with (I believe) a WRX drivetrain swap.

[suberdave]

if you are looking to do a compleat EJ swap. here is how you do it. PM me or post a ? if you dont understand something. someday i will get around to doing a write-up and putting it on my webpage. currently i am working on my 2nd compleat EJ swap into an EA-82,


i did a 96 JDM EJ20G in my 88 GL10 wagon. took 2 weeks.

the engine drops right in (as long as you have a turbo X-member)

the trany bolts right up if you use the front and rear X-member peaces from an XT6 and the center peace from a WRX.

the drive shaft has to be shortened 55MM.

the rear diff bolts right up (my 4.111:1 R160 LSD)

the rear axels you have to buy adapters to mount the EJ inners to the EA axles, cost $6 each from rockford CV.

the front EJ axels bolt right up. (if you use EJ front knuckles)

i used the WRX front struts, knuckles, hubs, barrings, rotors, tie rod ends and calapers (stock 2pot).

XT6 lower control arms.

the EJ radeator fits with some triming.

the shift linkage must be shortend.

then use rear hubs, roters, calapers and backing plates from an XT6, this way you have 5X100 in the rear also.

17X7 wheels fit nicely with an offset of 40-42 and 205/40R17 tires (the spedo is even right on with 4.111:1 gears)

the wiring takes the longest. but if you have a good diagram its not a problem. just remember "do it once, do it right"

i think i got everything. but im sure i for got something. if you need to know more, post or PM...

check out my websight for more pics. sorry no write-up yet...
www.suberdave.com

-=Suberdave=-
www.suberdave.com

[Mr. Wob]

wow - thats great info! thanks alot!