Converting carb to MPFI? Need help

[robcor2]

Okay, selling an injection system off of a MPFI EA82. THe person buying it(maybe), wants to convert his carbed EA82 to MPFI. A little concerned about all that is needed to do this project. He writes

 

"The more I'm researching this though, the more stuff I find I will need.... ignition and fuel pump relays from steering column, coil bracket assembly, distributor, y-pipe with Oxygen sensor mounting hole (I could probably fab this), fuel pump and bracket. Then the biggy, the heads are different (I think the pistons are slightly too) :/

 

If you know something I don't please let me know. I already have to rebuild (well at least replace a crank bearing) in my bottom end, so I don't want to sink TOO much money into this I don't really have."

 

Does anyone know what all is needed to convert? Your help would be greatly appreciated.

[Gloyale]

Heads need swapped. Pistons are compatible as long as he's not turboing it.

 

Otherwise, sounds like he's got it right.

 

need:

Dual port heads

ECU and harness

Intake

Fuel pump

Distributor

Coil

Airflow sensor

Y-pipe with 02 sensor (any exhaust shop can add a O2 bung)

 

And, if the MPFI is early, flapper type....he'll need the Knock control unit too.

 

If it's a later MPFI, he'll need the Dropping Resistor for the Injectors.

 

Overall......not really worth it.

 

He should do an EJ swap. Same work for better results.

[robcor2]

Hey thanks for the reply.....even though I would like to sell all this stuff, I am not sure he wants to do all this work and still end up with an EA82....with that said....Gloyale....when and how can I get a hold of you? I want one of the adapter kits. I will drive down to Corvallis anytime I need to to pick one up....was also wondering if you will drill the flywheel I have. I have a few questions too. Please email me robcor2@gmail.com. Thanks

[SubaruGL]

Thanks for checking/asking robcor, and for the response gloyale. I am the one interested

 

The main reason is for a little more reliability and to get rid of the hitachi. (A weber is going to cost me over $300 for the carb kit, and its still a carb.) The engine is coming out to replace the bearing and possibly crank if it is damaged and I can locate one. While I would totally love to do an EJ swap, I would have to source once from somewhere up north, have them ship it, and then find all the extras elsewhere, all without ever being able to see the engine. There just aren't salvage yards down here much that are worthwhile, and very few Subies

 

As for the type of MPFI system it is, its from an '85 so I'm guessing its a flapper style. I've read they are hard to get parts for. I had no idea I needed the knock sensor. hmmm this is getting confusing. I just want this car to live again... gonna have to figure this out.

[Crazyeights]

I don't want to jump in with a hijack but I have just done the SPFI conversion on an old EA81 and now I am most of the way through the harness on an EJ22 swap. Both of these require a LOT of wiring, figure 3-4 hours per harness from someone that has done it before or 10+ hours with diagrams if you haven't.

 

On an EA81 I would say it MIGHT be worth the trouble - not sure I would do it again. The EJ swap really is the way to go IMHO. I have never touched an EA82 so I can't really help there. I understand there are at least two styles of EA82 heads MPFI with two intake ports and SPFI with only one intake port (can't do MPFI with these heads)

 

You could also keep it simple and put on a Weber with a conversion plate.

 

Good Luck

[simple monkey]

Here is a guy who took the CIS-e injection from a volkswagen and installed it on his ea82. He did put on mpfi heads and added a high pressure fuel pump under the hood. you could always do what this guy did using the carbed manifold with custom injector boses in the intake manifold. I'm sure you could even use a jumper harness and fuel injection from another car with similar sized engine.

here's the link.

http://www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/subaru/1/CIS/

[SubaruGL]

The point of this was to try and keep costs to a minimum, improve the reliability, and get rid of the Hitachi From research I'm guessing this is the flapper-style MPFI, and not the updated kind with the square box on top, correct? Is this going to cause me more of a headache down the road I guess is my thought.

 

I don't want to jump in with a hijack but I have just done the SPFI conversion on an old EA81 and now I am most of the way through the harness on an EJ22 swap. Both of these require a LOT of wiring, figure 3-4 hours per harness from someone that has done it before or 10+ hours with diagrams if you haven't.

 

On an EA81 I would say it MIGHT be worth the trouble - not sure I would do it again. The EJ swap really is the way to go IMHO. I have never touched an EA82 so I can't really help there. I understand there are at least two styles of EA82 heads MPFI with two intake ports and SPFI with only one intake port (can't do MPFI with these heads)

 

Good info thanks Crazy8's... Wiring isn't the part that scares me believe it or not Its the engine stuff I'm not as experienced with. If I do this MPFI swap I'll have the benefit of the harness made for an ea82, and the appropriate heads.

 

You could also keep it simple and put on a Weber with a conversion plate.

 

Good Luck

 

That was my original plan for sure. The Hitachi will not go back on

 

Here is a guy who took the CIS-e injection from a volkswagen and installed it on his ea82. He did put on mpfi heads and added a high pressure fuel pump under the hood. you could always do what this guy did using the carbed manifold with custom injector boses in the intake manifold. I'm sure you could even use a jumper harness and fuel injection from another car with similar sized engine.

here's the link.

http://www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/subaru/1/CIS/

 

Cool, thank you. Looks neat but I definitely could not handle that, not without resourcing a lot of help I don't have the customizing/fabrication experience or tools. With the Weber/MPFI/EJ options I have the benefit of good documentation and availability of adaptor plates made by others

Edited April 20, 2011 by SubaruGL

[Gloyale]

 

 

That was my original plan for sure. The Hitachi will not go back on

 

hitachi's get a bad rap.

 

It's really a SUPER simple carb. there is ONE little ball, that goes in the bottom of the accelerator pump, but otherwise nothing to lose. Pull it apart, clean it, and put it back in. You can actually leave it on the manifold, in the car and do all that's needed (unless the baseplate is leaking)

 

rebuild kits cost $20 bucks.

 

I rebuilt one yesterday in about an hour and the car then ran like a top, lot's of power.

 

If you really are trying to save money....that's the cheapest way.

[SubaruGL]

hitachi's get a bad rap.

 

It's really a SUPER simple carb. there is ONE little ball, that goes in the bottom of the accelerator pump, but otherwise nothing to lose. Pull it apart, clean it, and put it back in. You can actually leave it on the manifold, in the car and do all that's needed (unless the baseplate is leaking)

 

rebuild kits cost $20 bucks.

 

I rebuilt one yesterday in about an hour and the car then ran like a top, lot's of power.

 

If you really are trying to save money....that's the cheapest way.

 

Well that's good to know! Thanks again... I hate all the hoses but every post on here seems to slam the Hitachi.

Edited April 20, 2011 by SubaruGL

[MilesFox]

Here is a guy who took the CIS-e injection from a volkswagen and installed it on his ea82. He did put on mpfi heads and added a high pressure fuel pump under the hood. you could always do what this guy did using the carbed manifold with custom injector boses in the intake manifold. I'm sure you could even use a jumper harness and fuel injection from another car with similar sized engine.

here's the link.

http://www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/subaru/1/CIS/

 

I saw this car in person. It blew my mind.

 

If i remember my history right, this car, less the engine, is now one of tomrhere's mix-n-match cars

[SubaruGL]

That's really impressive work! Loved seeing all those different angles of the engine! Thanks for sharing Miles.

[SubaruGL]

I'm back Forgive my questions, I just am trying to wrap my head around this swap. I am trying to figure this out the best I can using a 1989 FSM and a guide written about swapping a carb for a SPFI setup. I have an '87 that would be getting an MPFI setup from an '85..

 

...

need:

Dual port heads check; ECU and harness check; Intake check; Fuel pump check; Distributor check; Coil check; Airflow sensor check; Y-pipe with 02 sensor (any exhaust shop can add a O2 bung) exhaust shop

 

This seems straight forward enough. I also know I need to buy a upgraded fuel pump and fabricate a bracket. As far as the connections inside the car, there aren't any other items I won't have plugs for? Ignition or fuel pump relays? The SPFI document mentioned them, but I'm not sure if mine will be the same as this system until I see it. Maybe someone with more familiarity with these systems can chime in?

 

And, if the MPFI is early, flapper type....he'll need the Knock control unit too.

 

If it's a later MPFI, he'll need the Dropping Resistor for the Injectors.

 

...

 

I've been able to find that some MPFI systems have knock sensors, they are not cheap. But it also sounds like they are often only on turbo models, which neither the donor or my car is.

 

I can't identify the type of MPFI system this is, any help?

 

 

If its a later MPFI (maybe swapped into the '85 at some point?), where would be the dropping resistor? Are they on the injectors/intake whereas I would have them already? The harness doesn't seem to have knock sensor plugs.

 

 

Many thanks everyone!

[robcor2]

well.....glad to hear your gonna plow through this. If you need further assistance gathering parts, I have discovered that I love going to the salvage yard and will help you get other parts. Good luck SubaruGL!

[SubaruGL]

well.....glad to hear your gonna plow through this. If you need further assistance gathering parts, I have discovered that I love going to the salvage yard and will help you get other parts. Good luck SubaruGL!

 

Thanks Robcor! I'm excited about this project and glad you enjoy that! I'm sure I'll take you up on that! I used to be able to roam salvage yards for hours in New England thinking of ways to adapt things to do what I wanted

[el_freddo]

I saw this car in person. It blew my mind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If i remember my history right, this car, less the engine, is now one of tomrhere's mix-n-match cars

 

Total thread dig while looking for info on EA81 MPFI custom setups...  

 

This engine above Miles, is it mechanical injection or what?  I can't work out what that cluster of fuel lines are on the Passenger's side.

 

Regards

 

Bennie

[TomRhere]

Noah did a lot of mix-n-match to do that setup.

 

SPFI short block, MPFI heads and intake, XT drive pulleys and timing bracket, VW CIS injection system. CIS = Continuous Injection System, fully mechanical no electronics.

 

Used some nuts found on all Subaru's to adapt the injectors to the manifold. Axle nuts if I recall correctly. (yeah, right) :]

 

The spaghetti of braided hosing in the pics are for the injectors, fed from the main body.

There is a 5th port on the main body to add another injector feed, as for fuel enrichment for turbo. Noah didn't do turbo.

 

Original ECU was still in the Wagon when I got it, and believe it still controlled the disty.

I dropped a SPFI engine/harness back into it and had it running, with issues. That is why Noah did the swap to CIS. I gave up on it and swapped it over to run a Weber.

 

Wagon was an '88 GL10 FWD Auto. The trans had it's own issues, but my Son, Chris, drove it for about a year. Wagon succumbed to salt cancer and was parted out.

 

Really is a shame that Noah's threads on this conversion were lost. Noah's names on here were OhNoah and CIS_Subaru, but he has left the Subaru fold the last I heard from him.