I have just purchased a 1988 subaru GL wagon dual range 5 speed transmission SPFI ea-85 with 162,xxx for $500 little to no rust. everything works except when you switch into four wheel high or low the car will drive but once you start accelerating a nasty shake / shudders start shaking the whole car and when you try and turn the whole car locks up completely. It drives in 2 wheel perfectly fine except at high speeds (50+) the car will vibrate from the rear differential a little bit. My guess is that the rear differential is not functioning properly somehow. I also have a 92 legacy that has 140,xxx that I want to swap the ej22 into the gl. If someone could help me diagnose the problem with the four wheel that would be much appreciated and if someone could point me towards a how to ej swap thread and tell what all I might need that would also be beyond helpful.

sounds like a bad cv axle or a u joint causing the vibration becaus its worse under load than when coasting the binding is nornal when turning on pavement but shouldent be a problem on dirt if its binding in a straight line or on the dirt then some one might have swaped a rear diff with a different gear ratio start simple and work up from there check your drive shaft and cv joints for play first then test 4wd in the dirt see if it still binds up as for the ej swap theres a whole section on it but ive never done it so good luck with it

Yeah its probably the cv axle. I put it on a lift today and looked at and they look pretty old so I'll replace those and that should clear it up.

Anybody want to see pics?

Your vibration that is coming from the rear could also be a bad bearing. The lock up problem could be driver error. Are you doing this on dry pavement? If you are it was never supposed to run like that and will lock up especially with mismatched tires, The Loyal (ea82) is not a full time 4 wheel drive. Putting it in 4X will also create a vibration.

 

If you look at the top of the section you posted this in you will see a sticky that has most of the info you need to do the EJ swap.

Sorry, double post.

Edited October 6, 201510 yr by silverhelme

Yeah, I figured that out. I felt like a complete idiot.But I did balance the tires and that took care of most of the vibration at high speeds. All cv joint were replaced so that vibration must be the bearings then? I'm about to do an ej swap but I want to know all the pros and cons and how much it will all cost. I have a 92 legacy wagon with 140000 as my donor car I'm just wondering what all I need now.
Thanks for the replies.

It could be the rear wheel bearings, the drive shaft u-joints or even the differential bearings if it still has a vibration.

 

As far as the EJ swap cost depends on how much you can do. If you can do all your own wiring, cut our your own adapter and weld up your own exhaust it is a fairly cheap swap. Each thing you have to purchase raises the cost. 

 

As far as what is required you need to read the EJ swap guide that is stickyed to the top of the section this post is in. It is what I used to do my swap.

Edited October 8, 201510 yr by silverhelme

Who still makes adapter plates? If someone could tell me that would be much appreciated. 

I have a cnc machine I just don't have the plans for the cutout to put in the machine.Were they posted somewhere?

Check here for all the parts

 

http://www.sjrlift.com/index.php/catalog/engine-swap-parts

The adapter plate is available from several vendors in the Subaru Products section in the main index including SJR. There are no real plans out there you just have to use a 1/2 inch piece of aluminum or steel. Read the EJ to EA swap guide.

Here's the bolt hole layout that we came up with when I made my plate. It slipped right into place and I used it on 2 engines and a slew of transmissions. The only really important holes are the dowel pins. The rest can be made sloppy unless you are threading the plate at the top holes. I made offset studs rather than try threading and having exact length bolts.

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/126757-ej2ea-adapter-bolt-layout-measurments/

 

 

Edited October 9, 201510 yr by WoodsWagon

What wires do I need from the ej harness? I'm not doing ac or cruise control. All the wiring is going to be the hardest part for me in this swap.

What wires do I need from the ej harness? I'm not doing ac or cruise control. All the wiring is going to be the hardest part for me in this swap.

Everything from the engine connections to the ECU