I have leads on both an EA81T and EA82T to replace my carb'd EA81. Both donor cars have an automatics, but I intend to keep the manual.

 

Can I simply omit the transmission wiring, or must I source an ECU from a manual equipped car?

Just a warning before all the other people on here get to you, the ea81 is a far more reliable engine... the ea82t will be harder to put in, and there are a bunch of people that will tell you it's better used as a boat anchor, but you can't even do that because it would ruin the water it would be going in there's a bunch of info on it here...

 

That being said you can keep the trans I had a 4 speed when I did my ea81 turbo swap. I never finished it. I gave up after I got it running, and it would keep dying, and not starting, and then would run fine some days, and not even start others. I went back to the ea81 and was much happier with that. Not as much fun, but a heck of a lot more reliability. Now I'm onto an EJ swap... for the fun...

if you go ea81 turbo, you are best to entirely gut the car and swap the whole harness. that, or swap the best of your car into the turbo body.

 

an ea82t wull be easier to find parts for. The engine is reliable with proper maintenance, good hoses, good radiator. the will remain reliable if you do not over boost them. no need to mod or upgrade the engine, as there is no aftermarket, and retrofitting is limited, and 115 hp is still better than 80

if you go ea81 turbo, you are best to entirely gut the car and swap the whole harness.

 

That's what I did. The harness really wasn't that bad to swap at all. And I agree with MilesFox 115 is better than what the ea81 has, I would probably go ea81t mine was awesome when it ran right.

Are there any differences in the bottom end between the EA81 and EA81T? Does the drop in compression come from the different heads, or different pistons?

 

I don't mean to double post, I started this thread with my engine questions:

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?p=1016653

Different camshaft and pistons.

EA-81T pistons are dished,IIRC.

 

ECU needs to match the engine,not trans.