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Carb'd EJ?


pwjm
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I've seen some videos on Carb'd EJ's and was wondering if it would make doing an EJ swap on an EA81 any easier. Less wiring BS to do with I'd imagine. At the very least you might be able to skip the ECU and all that complicated FI stuff, not to mention no need for a new fuel pump or FI friendly fuel lines.

 

Input?

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I am not a carb guy. it's no mystery.....

 

But, the wiring is a bit complex, but once it's done, it's done. no messing with a carb to get it tuned right.

 

 

Whichever sounds more up your alley

Carb: modifying/fabricating the intake manifold to accept a carb, sourcing/installing a distributor (not exactly common), sourcing/installing a carb of suitable size, modifying throttle cable bracketry, and tuning.

 

FI: stripping the wiring harness, replacing the fuel pump and a little fuel line (IMHO, no need to upgrade the whole system. just the rubber lines and clamps on the high-pressure side), and turn the key. after a few minutes, the stock ECU will automatically have it tuned perfectly.

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simple. the carb is up to you.there are places to buy the manifolds, or you can make one.

the distys are a stocked part by napa, or any ford guy you know that had escorts,exp's or merc lynx's.pretty easy for someone who cares to hear there car..........

 

anyone can bolt ************ on.or send there wiring harness to someone to be done.but, if you make it, it just feels better.

 

age old debate......cheers, brian

 

of course i tuned that carb myself,with no issues on 3 different engines.2 ea81's, and 1 ej22......

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Ive seen a couple of those carbed EJs in person, personally thats my preference, I like carbs. Throttle linkage is no problem, Weber has throttle bracket kits that bolt to the carb, and aftermarket companies like Spectre make universal throttle brackets that bolt to most 2 and 4 barrel carbs. Modifying the manifold is as simple as plugging a few holes and cutting a hole in the top of the manifold, then bolt on Scott's Weber adapter or make your own... I know at least 2 people ran 4 barrel carbs, and 1 guy will be at the WCSS11 with a Holley 390 cfm 4 barrel on an EJ.

 

Its all about preference, if working on carbs is out of your element, then do the wiring. If wiring is your anitchrist and you have been working carbs all your life, then go carbed :banana:

 

-Bill

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i was gonna go carbed, but then i looked into the price for the modded intake manifold, and a new dizzy it was the same price to have chux do the wiring. i grew up with domestic cars and carb's, but once i understood how F/I works its very simple.

 

mine runs flawless with the 93 wiring on the 98 engine. tap the key and it fires right up, and never had any issues on our wheelin trip we did last weekend.

 

i also get 25mpg average and thats with the 27X9.50 TSL SSR's and a roof basket.

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Nothing wrong with carbs - run several myself and just bought another.

 

But here's the drawbacks of *not* using the FI:

 

1. Bastardized engine. You will have many non-off-the-shelf parts.

 

2. Lower performance. You'll never tune the carb to be as perfect as the MPFI is across the whole RPM range. It's not the right technology for that. Of course you will still get a LOT more than the EA81.

 

3. Driveability will decrease somewhat. Cold running will be worse. The MPFI does things like keeping the RPM up a few hundred when the vehicle is rolling, and smoothes out things like abrupt throttle changes.

 

4. Economy will decrease somewhat. The MPFI can do things the carb cannot - such as completely shut down the injectors under closed throttle coasting. I would expect a couple MPG decrease on a stock height vehicle.

 

Personally, the MPFI is my choice. Easy access to replacement parts, simple self-diagnostic ECU. Few sensors and even fewer moving parts. A small box of spares and a DMM will net you more reliability than any carb owner could ever dream of. There is a learning curve though and if you don't enjoy that sort of thing or have the time then the carb might be for you.

 

GD

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  • 2 weeks later...
I've seen some videos on Carb'd EJ's and was wondering if it would make doing an EJ swap on an EA81 any easier. Less wiring BS to do with I'd imagine. At the very least you might be able to skip the ECU and all that complicated FI stuff, not to mention no need for a new fuel pump or FI friendly fuel lines.

 

Input?

 

i'm running a carb'd ej....my ignition wiring is the same as used on my original ea81...right down to the length of the wires from the coil to the dizzy

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...

Carb: modifying/fabricating the intake manifold to accept a carb, sourcing/installing a distributor (not exactly common), sourcing/installing a carb of suitable size, modifying throttle cable bracketry, and tuning.

...

 

...or Obtain a Latin American / Asia \ Aussie Specs Subaru EJ Engine,

which Stock comes with Carb & Disty:

 

EJ22Carbed.gif

 

Kind Regards.

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Hi This is Jerry, if you look on WCSS 11 first pics by Edrach under Ratty2Austin pics page 4 you will see my 80 hatchbrat with the 2.2 and the holley 4 barrel carb. As far as less power hell no i have moer power i can feed it more gas and i got the same gas mileage as my wifes baja got. As for relibaly i don't have a CHECK ENGINE light, this is a fun car to drive. As far as non stock parts the only thing i have is the ej disty everything i can get at any auto parts store just like any subie part. Thanks Jerry

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Hi This is Jerry, if you look on WCSS 11 first pics by Edrach under Ratty2Austin pics page 4 you will see my 80 hatchbrat with the 2.2 and the holley 4 barrel carb. As far as less power hell no i have moer power i can feed it more gas and i got the same gas mileage as my wifes baja got. As for relibaly i don't have a CHECK ENGINE light, this is a fun car to drive. As far as non stock parts the only thing i have is the ej disty everything i can get at any auto parts store just like any subie part. Thanks Jerry

 

I'm sorry man, I can't ignore this. I know there are some great setups, and yours is definitely one of the best!

 

But more fuel does not mean more power. the stock ECU already runs it on the rich side of stoich anyway (when my wideband was working, I was seeing 10-11:1 at high-rpm and WOT), and is capable of compensating for 4-5 psi of boost without any other mods. You might be putting out great power, but I would be extremely impressed if you were making as much as the stock FI.

 

and an EA subaru with an EJ22 should get WAAAYYYYY better mileage than a baja, to the tune of 30-32mpg on the highway. Because an EJ ECU will turn the injectors off while coasting, a carb cannot do that.

 

the CEL doesn't effect reliability, even if it is on for something dumb like a neutral switch. It does take some work to clear all the codes, but it's entirely possible. and is really nice for diagnostics should something go wrong.

 

 

 

I would love to see a couple EJ swaps, with the same sized tires and the same trannies go up on a dyno. one with FI and one carbed. We can argue this stuff until we're blue in the face, but we need some concrete numbers. And I'd be willing to bet the FI comes out on top!

 

 

 

But, in the end, it's comparable. even if one puts out a little more power than the other, or a little better mileage, they're still worlds better than an EA82, and even the EA81. Just go with what you know......I wouldn't know where to start with a carb. My opinion towards carbs is the same as towards drum brakes. if I have to remove them, they're not going back on. I'm swapping to discs!

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heres some numbers for ya.....

 

"The cost of flowing-seat work & "skimming" the heads was $350 (my shop cost)--flow improvement was in the order of 18/20% (intake seats were in the airflow). Intake re-work was $250 (one of the best alum welders in the area did the work) & they were matched to the heads. I figure that the cams will be $100 each + shipping-- The carb set set me back $600 on Ebay--(& they are not jetted right yet--need the cams to finish them--but--I am going from a "stock" air intake size of 50mm to 38mm x 4 or 152mm throat--38mm is the venturi size per)--Still--without a turbo I expect to see 200/210Hp ;-) & the car is going to weigh in around 1600/1650lb.

 

The dist was quite the production---"stock" EA-81 nip dizzy that had a fair amount of lathe time on it + a modified Honda drivedog--used a Left front head cam adapter sleeved to accept the dizzy & created a mounting/adjuster plate---re-designed the advance unit in the dizzy for centrifugal advance only--30 deg in at 3500rpm.

 

All-in-all---not a lot of $ for the performance--just lots of brain time to make it all work"

 

this is from a member on here a while back.......he also sent me some pics....

P9191918.jpg

 

i like it alot..........

 

P9191917.jpg?t=1253589585

 

cheers, brian

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i have been dreaming of this for a while now as well....but i think that i will let it go for a while....

 

i will be selling my upright intake,and carb stuffs in favor of the injection for a while i think.i need to simplify my projects more for the time being...but .....

 

it is possible to get good numbers out of a carb setup if you do the math from the beginning.i have talked at length with an engine rebuilder about what setup i9 would need to run to get the best out of it......cheers, brian

 

Hey Monstaru that looks alot like something I have been dreaming up for a carbed ej swap with dual 44 IDF's. Down drafts instead of side drafts using modified ej18 intake spacers modified to fit the webers. Good pictures gives me a few more ideas.
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