tweety

Have installed the SPFI conversion in my trike. Tried to start up and no start. ECU is displaying 5 short flashes then a long pause. Have spark at the plugs, hot wired the fuel pump to prime still no start. Mate Scott (El Freddo) to come to the rescue later next week but in the meantime can anyone post a code list chart? Tried google etc and can find one.

got all linkages hoses etc connected. Now the loom install. looking ok.

TomRhere thankyou very much. I have indeed sat the SPFI manifold onto my spare ea81 and it did rock a little. Wondering how and where it was doing this and now it all makes sense. All questions answered. This site is great!

Thanks Mr_Loyale. Yeh, been reading up some. Seems the latter manifolds might have been blocked off like this one from new. If that is the case that's ok, but as I'm installing this soon I'm just concerned that if it has been blocked off by the previous owner of the manifold in the states it might effect the smooth running of the engine. any thoughts on this guys?

Below is a pic of the passenger side (US) of my SPFI manifold. On the left of the pic is a blocked off bolt. Can anyone tell me what this is for? Going to install it within the week.

On my trike with the EA81 I didnt have blow by issues. The engine had new rigns and bearings 100,000kms (60,000 mls) ago. Then I installed the supercharger. Suddenly I had blow by issues. One sign was the oil dip stick kept popping out of its home, the other was some exhaust smoke. So I installed a catch can. The valve cover on the passenger side (US) should be sucking in air for a source. I chose the air filter assembly. The drivers side going to the PCV is one hose you can place a 'T' piece for the catch can. I then took a second point from the top of the oil filler neck to the catch can. This will all be taken off when going SPFI next week including the SC. Here are some pics.

Less than a week to SPFI install. Have been using my moutned spare EA81 as a mock up for the conversion. Have turned the air filter top body 90 degrees so it points towards the frotn of the trike. re- routed valve cover hoses. Top radiator hose to go over the manifold. The plan is to re-time the engine to 20 degrees, palce the rotor on No1 cylinder then do the install. any other ideas?

Update: Am redy for the install of the SPFI now. Tackled some hurdles as I dont owna brat/brumby/leone etc so some things are different eg the ECU can go under the dashboard lol. there is no dashboard! So it is going to be mounted udner the body on an angle so I can see the ECU light. Got the O2sensor installed, the fuel filter in location, fuel lines ready and ECU warning light ready on the instrument cluster. Installation on 3rd August. Fuel pump- new ECU waterproof cover bag. ECU mount. Also relays for fuel pump etc to be housed here.

When I mated my EA81 NA to my VW auto transmission, I no longer had the timing marks to tune the engine. At that time I didnt even know the timing marks were on the flywheel. So I scratched my head wondering how to tune the engine. The crank pulley has a notch on it for top dead centre. The pulley when calculating the circumference (based on I think 135mm diameter) was 360mm. This meant one degree equals 1mm. So it was hand timed to 12 degrees. Once running I rode up a hill at low revs continuously until the pinging (detonation) fully stopped. When I placed the timing light on the pulley it was at 8 degrees. This tuning method remain for me the best way to tune the engine spot on. Back to the EA82 'ultimate'. There must be many EA81/2 owners out there that want to squeeze a little more out of their engines with just head work. The work level of taking the heads off only, to a full dismantle is staggering. I've read where "all the benefits are in the head work" to the other extreme "you cant get much more efficiency out of those heads due to their design". Most of us know the restrictions in the head design and that is a given. Having said that and accepted it, what are the readers experiences in modifying the heads. eg bigger valves?, how much porting is feasible and of benefit?, twin spark heads etc. Lets stick to non boost. SPFI would of course be a major addition. If so we have a measured fuel/air mixture what we need is max combustion chamber efficiency.

That is a relevant point. The enjoyment of owning any vehicle is to drive it. No joy in spending oodles of hours under the bonnet fixing it. And so this is relevant to the OP too. An "ultimate EA82" would likely mean a reliable and sound engine. So what HP is 'ideal' for reliability? It is a very good question. My ea81 SC12 has 100hp at 5psi draw through. Was at one stage going to raise the boost to 8-9psi, an easy task of swapping a pulley. But there must be a limit and in my case an unknown limit of breakage about to happen without more expense like forged pistons and lowering compression and the like. So I wodner if you guys can give an estimate of hp for the EA82 and Ea81 before there is risk of losing reliability? 20%?

Some Subie owners should pay airport fees....

thanks Makalida. Think you are right. The other idea I had was using two O2 sensors, one on each side and wiring them up togather but dont know if that would work with voltage etc. to get an average of mixture richness/leaness from both banks

Then I found this. Mount the O2 sensor in the exhaust system at least 18 inches downstream from the exhaust port. If you anticipate high EGT's (over 800C), run a turbocharger, run at high RPM for extended periods of time or plan on running leaded race fuel then you must mount the sensor at least 36 inches or more downstream of the exhaust port as all of these can cause the sensor to overheat. On turbocharged engines the UEGO sensor must be installed after the turbo charger, if not, the pressure differential will greatly affect the accuracy of the unit. For accurate readings, the sensor must be mounted before catalytic converters and/or auxiliary air pumps. To prevent collection of liquids between the sensor housing and sensor element during the cold start phase, the installation angle should be inclined at least 10° from horizontal with the electrical connection upwards. I dont intend to supercharge or turbo charge it. But 18 inches from exhaust port? That would leave it mounted ither after the connencting pipe before the muffler or after the muffler?????

Close to installing my SPFI on my EA81. Waiting on a few things in the mail including a new O2 sensor from the states. Would like to brainstorm you guys and my local Subie forum Ausubaru for the best location for the sensor. This is a trike and in Oz trike arent subjected to anti pollution requirements. So the custom twin exhaust has not cat. There is a connecting pipe between both exhausts. This pipe is only 7" (180mm) from the exhaust manifold. I'm assuming it best be placed about 4" from the exhaust manifold meaning 2" from the connecting pipe? On a 45 degree angle. What are your thoughts? www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXwh4z8d66o

nice reply djellum. and that does make sense. I'm pretty certain you guys in the states dont have the engineering requirements we have in Oz. Take an eA81 out of a Brat (Brumby) here and put in an EJ and you need an engineers report that is likely going to lead to 1/ a hefty invoive 2/ further mods like heavier front springs, anti pollution minimum requirements. having said that I think the OP really just wants a darn good EA82. We've covered it all here really. The only thing I'd like to recommend is for EA81/2 owners is to squeeze 10-15 hp out of the stock engine and it will make a huge difference. Want 130hp go to another engine. Me, I like to adjust my valve clearances in 10 minutes and if I find a timing belt its to help hold my pants up....the ea81 SPFI will do me but then again I am only carrying around 900lbs of trike.

Yeh, the nature of the beast means poor flowing heads. best to accept that as a given. Think its all part of accepting most of the restrictions of the EA series and go from there. My engine builder suggested the raising of the manifold too but I havent got the room above the engine anyway. Might make it run smoother not that smoothness is an issue. THe vintage engines that had high manifolds ran so smooth, I had an old Chrylers side valve that was vibration free for that reason but with the 82 a lot of work making spacers. Not to mention height. Absolutely correct about superchargers and their mixture woes. The work with manifolds etc. Big time consuming issues and as I'm going SPFI and turfing the SC12 it is proof in itself that SC is not the way to go. A good EA82 rebuild and SPFI. You might be able to pick up a complete engine over there with sPFI on it. Dont know as we didnt get the SPFI here at all. My kit came from your neck of the woods. The SPFI conversion isnt hard at all. If you rebuild then at least 9.5:1 like the original EA82 SPFI had. Whatever you do get your builder to get the right cam in it. Dont know about balancing. Any of you guys balanced an EA engine at all- whats the advantage?

Seems that nobody should own an EA series engine at all according to some recent posts. Some EJ lovers seem to think there is no reason at all in owning one. What about some EA owners only having the knowledge and/or ability to maintain their EA engine. Eg valve clearances, basic tuning or even head work. What about simplicity. Compactness. Educating themselves in basic mechanicals. Power isnt everything. I know where you guys are coming from. One can read any Subaru forum in the world and read the same debates on the same subject. Of course the more modern engine will be more powerful, more torque etc etc but I read these replies time and time again. Cant we have EA owners wanting to rebuild their engines without the EJ alternative creeping in on every occasion? For example. Tman1058 asked specifically about what mods we'd suggest for his EA82. The first reply was to modify an EJ. I addressed that with my reply. Now here we are talking about EJ again and that its "double the output". I dont mean to sound disrespectful but why is the only track to answer the OP (who specifically told us he wants his eA82) the one way track of going EJ? The last four posters are on the EJ train again...The OP didnt mention he wanted to go EJ and I'm sure if he wanted to there is a million threads where he could find out how. I dont get that! We dont all want to pull Jeeps out of a swamp.

found one here in Oz for $44 ($49 US) thanks to a local Subie friend. 3 bar. thanks.

found one here in Oz for $44 ($49 US) thanks to a local Subie friend. 3 bar. thanks.

Can anyone tell me what PSI pressure the SPFI pump should have. there isa big selection out there.

Yeh, nothing. she's (as we say here) "cactus". have read where a nissan 280zx or f150 will fit. will start looking.

Have another thread about my trike ea81 conversion to SPFI. Have mounted the fuel pump as shown. Thought I'd test the pump first and placed the two wires onto a battery, red to positive of course and the O lug to negative. no noise from pump nothing!. Can anyone tell me if the fuel pump has signs of running?

No offense at all Woodswagon but some EA lovers out there get this all the time. Anyone that likes the EA range and chooses to enhance its meagre output has to endure the hurdle of "go EJ". Briefly, there are often reasons owners want to keep their EA81 or 82. Be it engine width or the simplicity of the EA engine.There is more involved in an EJ transplant than what you claim. Some dont have the expertise to do it, therefore much more dosh for experts to do it, or iron out the issues. Lets accept that the owner has considered an EJ swap and decided not to. Tman1058, I dont know what mods are worthwhile, but I have installed a Toyota Sc12 supercharger on my Ea81 with mixed success in a draw through set up running 5psi. performance is a massive leap from 74hp to 100 and a huge torque increase. However between the performance of the stock EA81 and the SC12 is the output of a eA81/2 with SPFI and thats the road I'm taking next month. Hope this helps. here is the my trike with the ECU from the SPFI already mounted This is a pic of the SC12 on top of my EA81 The main downside of the SC12 draw through is fuel usage is high. A blow through set up with clutched pulley so you only use it when you need it is the way to go. Any questions feel free to ask and good luck

El Freddo suggested the piggy back of another injector when a supercharger is switched on. seems the most simple way to do it. I dont know enough about ECU's though. Bennie, I think the Hitachi twin unit wasnt available in Oz. Read up on Pathfinders and D21's and the owners are suggesting imported SPFI unit the VG30i.

yeh, but I get complicate-a-phobia. Thats why I went EA81 in the first place. But my mate would likely be interested (El Freddo). I'm really going to try and be satisfied with the SPFI I'm about to install. but you never know.... thanks for the info.