I've got a 1984 Brat Turbo, that is in pretty rough shape. We know that one of the spark plug holes is stripped out. I've also got an old naturally aspirated EA81 in an old GL that will run with a little effort. Can I pull the turbo motor, put the heads and all the turbo nonsense on the top end of the naturally aspirated EA81, and be ok, or do I need to do pistons, rings, connecting rods, etc.?  Are such parts even available. I can't find much info online regarding this kind of a swap. 

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.  

 

Parts are out there, but they're not common at all. 

If it were me, I'd pull the turbo engine and keep it around. Then pull your NA EA81 and convert it to TBI using an EA82 SPFI intake and throttle body. There is documentation out there of how to do this but you'd be looking at a bit of work.

Either way I'd say it's worth it, save these cars and SAVE YOUR PARTS!

Good luck mate

:]

Edited April 17, 2025Apr 17 by SuspiciousPizza

Repairing a stripped spark plug hole is a much smaller project than the other options...  I haven't tried, but I've seen people do it in the vehicle and just blow the chips out afterwards.

5 hours ago, bushytails said:

Repairing a stripped spark plug hole is a much smaller project than the other options...  I haven't tried, but I've seen people do it in the vehicle and just blow the chips out afterwards.

And even easier if the OP is going to remove the heads. 

@4wdHonky- if you have a bottom end bearing issue you could swap the NA block in for the turbo one AND swap the turbo pistons in at the same time. The bottom ends are all the same, just the pistons are different for lower compression partly due to lower grade fuels and crappy tuning in the 80’s and partly for boost being applied. 

Personally I’d try to keep the stock turbo engine running as it is if there aren’t any other issues other than the spark plug hole. 

Cheers 

Bennie