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NA EA82 too EA82T god idea or bad?

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So, i have a little above 220,000 on my loyale and was wanting to keep the ride. But it has a loud lifter tick. I was also wanting something faster. So i was wondering if i should rebuild the EA82 and put a smaller turbo on it or ej22? i think the ea82 rebuild would be easier for me but i just wanted to get some input from the people with more expiernce!

Thanks, Ash

Just keep driving it, if you want more power swap in an ej22. The ea82 turbo engines aren't known for reliability and make less power than a stock ej22. Adding a turbo means you need some engine management, exhaust work, etc. Not worth it.

 

Fix the lifter tick, there's an o-ring in the cam tower I believe that often causes low oil flow to the lifters. If it runs well just keep running it, if you want something faster get a faster car.

Lifter tick, o tings mentioned above, and or oil pump needs new seal and o rings.

 

Going to EA82 or EJ22 is probably about the same amount of work. You get more power, more reliably with the EJ22.

  • Author

ok thanks you guys for the input! I will look into the oring kit

You might consider headgaskets also, unless they were done already.

You might have a spongy lifter too. If you were to pull them and try to push the roller on each one and find the softest ones you can replace those. There's a place online that rebuilds them for a decent price if you send in your cores. I think it's mitzpa.com iirc. The o ring isn't something you can get in a felpro gasket set, you have to get it at the dealership in my experience.

http://mizpahprecision.com/pricing.htm

To rebuild your core it's $4.50 ea. To buy some without sending in your cores it's $6 ea. Like stated above, it could be your oil pump, the o ring between the cam tower or your hlas (lifters), that could be your ticking issue. My buddy who has an 88 gl has had good luck with the Lucas oil stabilizer to quiet his tick until it's ready for an oil change.

Edited by espey_16

If you want to restore the original power, put in a new coil, new engine ground wire, and replace the battery cable end of the black wire that runs from the + battery cable connector, to the bottom of the fusible link box.  Also, new plugs and plug wires.  Make sure that you also have good compression in all cylinders.  Takes about $100.

Or just drive it. Lifter tick won't hurt anything.

 

 

A true EA82t swap would be as much work as an EJ swap, for similar power and less reliability. A DIY Turbo'd EA82 will be even more work, for less power, and even less reliability.

For my money ej is the way to go. Even an ej18 would be more power than an ea82t. Loyales do handle well with the extra power, but pay attention to the rust. Extra torque can twist up a rusty car.

 

Ea82t's arent known for huge power or reliability, especially when built. Those engines are designed with razor thin margins. Cooling, head gaskets, and many other things will fail on a regular basis.

 

Ej's are rock solid reliable. They make as much power as a built ea, and wont break near as much. The wiring harness is a PITA to sort out, yes, but once sorted, should be way easier to deal with, especially if you go for an obdII setup.

 

Not trying to push you away from doing your thing your way. Just giving you a heads up as to what to expect.

Ej's are rock solid reliable. They make as much power as a built ea, and wont break near as much. The wiring harness is a PITA to sort out, yes, but once sorted, should be way easier to deal with, especially if you go for an obdII setup.

I wasn't aware you could do an obdII setup... Hmmmmmm

I am gonna do it - fit EA82T in my Brumby. Got all the bits already tested for reliability in my GLTA donor car

 

An added question if you go EJ is what transmission EA or EJ and how, need to change exhaust, do something with radiator etc etc. EA radiator works with EA82T so the gearboxes bit easier to adapt than EJ stuff

I wasn't aware you could do an obdII setup... Hmmmmmm

If you get a donor thats obdII then doing an obdII swap would be only somewhat more complicated than an obdI setup would be.

 

jono, on 21 Jan 2016 - 14:42, said:
I am gonna do it - fit EA82T in my Brumby. Got all the bits already tested for reliability in my GLTA donor car

An added question if you go EJ is what transmission EA or EJ and how, need to change exhaust, do something with radiator etc etc. EA radiator works with EA82T so the gearboxes bit easier to adapt than EJ stuff


Each to their own, and I certainly encourage you to do it.

But, I disagree. Those questions are at least as relevant with an EA82t:
-EJs cool much better than an EA82, I've run several EJ22s on EA82 radiators (my Loyale spent more time without a working cooling fan than with, and I put more than 60k miles on it swapped), I wouldn't with an EA82t.
-While an EA82t exhaust system will fit on an EA82, if you've got it off, do something that flows better.
-Transmission options are virtually identical between them.

EJ to EA transmission requires an adapter plate, EJ transmission requires modified driveshaft and crossmember (definitely the hard way).

EA82t swap requires a turbo engine crossmember, or fabrication.

Both options require significant wiring work to install a stock fuel injection system in a car it didn't come in.


Depending on your specific skills and/or parts availability, one option might be significantly better than the other. But generally speaking, they're pretty similar as far as amount of work to install.


But, the EJ22e offers significant advantages:

Good '96-'99 EJ22 engine donors are much more common than '85-'89 EA82t donors, pretty much everywhere. Making the cost of the bulk of the parts generally cheaper.

We could debate the reliability of an EA82t until we all die of exhaustion, but I think even some of the largest EA82t lovers would agree than the EJ22e is more reliable.

EJ22e is 130hp, EA82t is 115 (both in stock form). Even the slowest EJ18 is 108hp....

crazyhorse001, on 21 Jan 2016 - 22:20, said:
If you get a donor thats obdII then doing an obdII swap would be only somewhat more complicated than an obdI setup would be.



IMO, the '96-'99 wiring is easier to adapt than the '90-'94. AND you get better OBD!

Edited by Numbchux

  • Author

ok sweet thanks for all the imput!

Honestly, if you want a faster car, find one.

I love my ea82 powered xt for its gas mileage (40ish)

My xt6 for being able to explore its limits at sane(ish) speeds

And my svx for when i absolutely wanna be there yesterday *evil grin*

 

Subaru made fast cars. When you can find them resonable, why spend 2x the cash to go somewhat faster. I cant imagine my xt gl with a high strung turbo motor in it. The chassis would hate it. The 6 could handle probably 250hp without chassis mods. The svx is almost perfect out of the box.

 

For what you'd spend on an ea82t swap, you could have a nice leggy gt, or impreza 2.5 rs, and keep ol' reliable ea for the daily grind

Edited by crazyhorse001

ignore lifter tick = free

 

repair lifter tick = reseal the oil pump or replace the oil pump.   cheap and easy:

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/136547-ea82-er27-ticking-tod-hydraulic-valve-lash-hla-noise-diagnose-and-repair/

very rarely other causes are the culprit - so far ever case of TOD on an unabused vehicle i've had was repaired by a reseal/replacement of the oil pump.

 

"faster" - that's highly subjective - how fast, does reliability matter, does cost matter, who is doing the work....the sky is the limit - what's your limit?

 

in general (not knowing anything) - someone driving a quarter century old Loyale with the distance to the moon on the odometer has some reasons for driving said vehicle.  i'd keep the "repairs" and "upgrades" in alignment with those reasons.   turbo's are a big project, not entirley practical, and more maintenance....sometimes those things don't line up wtih those same reasons. 

Edited by grossgary

Grossgary is dead on, as usual. The old addage is speed costs money...how fast ya wanna go?

 

Whats the dyno record for an ea82t anyway? Im pretty sure wjm hit the highest, just not sure how high he got, and i KNOW he had cubic dollars in education doing it.

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