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It's been done, but let's do it again; EA81 Performance mods?


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Peak HP has little to do with which carb you use so long as its not too small or too large and its properly jetted.

 

Now that lame plumbing isle intake he's got cobbled on there is likely going to increase low end torque from being stupid long and poor flowing. The flow velocity will be high at lower volume. Leading to an increase in torque. Which will definitely feel like more power down low. It will lose out in the higher RPM when airflow increases.

 

The Weber is much easier and can easily be done for under $200 if you start with a used carb and a rebuild kit. They come quite well jetted out of the box. Usually requiring only changing the idle jet if you have any other performance mods.

 

GD

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A Weber is not easyer its.just better and fuel injection in my opinion is even better the kini carb is to simple and not designed to push a car for 300 thousand miles 50k maybe at best not enuff jets  only the main is adjustable the others are fixed and tuned to the pipe its not the engine size that your dealing with its so much more please keep exsplaining how little you know

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So is the EA82 injection throttle body?  I think if it's more trouble free and gives a similar boost as a Weber, that might be my preference, should be relatively easy find locally, ton of EA82 I see still dailyy drivers around here....

 

I hate timing belts period, but even so, that EA82 has to be a hell of a motor too, I have owned one, but had far less experience (crashed it quickly).

Edited by markjs
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EA82s are great if maintained well. But I don’t know how much of a power increase they are, seems like a lot of effort for minimal low tier engine. Finding one that has been maintained well after 30 years is tough and parts aren’t getting easier to come by. Some dealer parts are probably obsolete.

 

Ancient hoses and gaskets and unknown maintenance history all aside - give them new timing kits and tune up and maintain them and they run easily and inexpensively. Belts are easy just replace them and the pulleys every 50k. No big deal and there easy to do in less than an hour.

Edited by idosubaru
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An EA82 SPFI has noticeable power over a carburetor EA82.  Spec sheet says it's only 84HP @ 5200RPM vs 90HP @ 5600RPM, but it does feel different.

 

I do not miss having to adjust points, and timing at all.

 

If you find one, plan on resealing from the head gaskets up, and all 7 coolant hoses, and timing components.

 

You would also want the harness and ECU to convert a non EA82 car to run an E82.  Different fuel pump also.

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Had any induction icing issues with that intake pipe like that? Personally, I think having to cut the hood of the car is quite a sacrifice. I’m perfectly happy spending $70 and getting a more powerful, more customizable Weber 32/36 where I don’t have to sacrifice my hood and don’t have to deal with as much fabrication. You have a cool concept, but honestly I think the Weber is a little more practical. Just my opinion... you can do whatever the heck you want for your car.

Did it for his wife, and if like most, she wears the pants - it's "yes boss" moment :D

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The ea82 has the worst timing belt set up around the fuel injection on th3 other hand is very reliable that and a ignition upgrade would make a big differance in drivabuility and give you a more reliable rig atleast in my opinion

Horse for courses. It was the whole entire timing belt set -up and install on an EA82 that impressed me immensely - some twenty five? years ago that started to get me into Subarus starting with a simple drive in low range in a Brumby

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My intake "pipe" is larger id than my intake.

 

Each side of the intake is only flowing .9 litres worth of intake volume, not the whole 1.8

 

The size of the intake above the split needs to be DOUBLE the intake diamter to even be stock flow.

 

Also, optimally,  it should not be made from galvanized iron pipe

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EA82s are great if maintained well. But I don’t know how much of a power increase they are, seems like a lot of effort for minimal low tier engine. Finding one that has been maintained well after 30 years is tough and parts aren’t getting easier to come by. Some dealer parts are probably obsolete.

 

Ancient hoses and gaskets and unknown maintenance history all aside - give them new timing kits and tune up and maintain them and they run easily and inexpensively. Belts are easy just replace them and the pulleys every 50k. No big deal and there easy to do in less than an hour.

EA82 are certainly quieter than EA81 even at 6500 rpm - try that in a std EA81 !  One of my current EA82 has about 240,000km on its short motor. The only reason not running original heads is I slapped on mpfi heads n turbo cam to breathe a little more fire

 

The previous owner was a student from the US who would end up driving to uni - getting there as it hit the red, let it cool down during the day and do the same to get home - nearly cooking it twice a day!

 

I rode my pushbike to buy it for $250 11 years ago, carried tools to replace the thermostat and bingo ! fixed its overheating problem.

 

I run propane only. Its high octane rating allows me to run 22 degrees timing plus whatever the dizzy gives it. I consistently get 10 litres to 100km. The best I couid get from my EA81 propanes was 11.5, mostly about 12 litres

 

As for get up and go it feels and sounds quicker - but may be due to no noise except for induction roar and factory pea shooter tail pipe quiet.

 

I am currently running sans any rear drive components too. I seriously doubt when I go turbo EA82 I wont have much more responsive beast.

 

It will be hard to compare as it will be AWD - box in bits at the moment, just need to ID if one ball bearing that i found stuck to the rag was from this box or the last one ???

 

I know fuel consumption will go up and handling may require adjustable strut tops and a dude who can do real 4 wheel alignments to be able to use perceived increased GO

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I love my ea82 and the timing belt set up but the set up can and dose toss belts at the worst time there exstremely easy to do one the covers are removed but not the most reliable or efficiant set up for us tinkeres its fine but most people hate them out of all my roos the ea82 is my favorite and i have a slew of ej powered rigs but if that belt pops off in a mud hole again i might have kick it in the fender

 

the op sead he dident like timing belts so its just kinda a warrning the ea82 has the worst timing belt set up because they toss the belt or break them or the best if you like changing them on the side of the road or atleast you can change them on the side of the road

Edited by ferp420
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I can change my ej22 timing belt on the side of the road no worries... Not that I've ever had to!

 

I was thinking the other day that I've not recorded when I did my last cam belt change. No noises from the idlers in there atm so I'm not worried about it - early ej22e's are non interference anyway :D

 

Anyway, many ways to power your subi these days from full engine conversions, efi adaptations or fixing and tuning another carb to your EA - it's achieve to their own and generally personal preference has a lot to do with the final outcome.

 

Cheers

 

Bennie

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old non iterferance 2.2 are awsome mine are all interferance motors though they take alot of work to change the tbelts on  and i dont usaly carry a vice in the roos for compressing the spring tenstioner to do the tbelts on the side of the road the ea82 belts just slide on and off no tools needed

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I can change my ej22 timing belt on the side of the road no worries... Not that I've ever had to!

 

I was thinking the other day that I've not recorded when I did my last cam belt change. No noises from the idlers in there atm so I'm not worried about it - early ej22e's are non interference anyway :D

 

Anyway, many ways to power your subi these days from full engine conversions, efi adaptations or fixing and tuning another carb to your EA - it's achieve to their own and generally personal preference has a lot to do with the final outcome.

 

Cheers

 

Bennie

Well said Bennie, and as Jacko used to sing "I'm an individual....."

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I've always used a G clamp to compress the tensioner piston - and have one I the tool kit (need to be self sufficient when 4wdn over here).

 

Cheers

 

Bennie

I Never thought about that the vise is alot easyer but not portable i hope i never have to  do that but nice to know it can be done

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