Looking at an XT6 today

[landovonderberg]

Hi yall, been a minute. Glad to see the forum is still up.

I'm about to check out an XT6 that was just listed for sale. 1988. Was driven to where it sits, but been sitting for several years.
I've got a 94 ej22t wagon that'd I consider swapping the engine from. 

My question is, can I use the ej22t ecu with the XT6 autobox? I'd like to 5spd swap it. I've got an 89 GL wagon d/r and another d/r 5spd laying around. 
I'd rather source an ej series 5 speed for parts availability, durability. EJ 5spd should work with the XT6 splines correct?

Anyway, I'm either buying the XT6 (dunno how the rust situation underneath is) or there's a non-running ea82 turbo wagon (originally a California car w no rust) a couple hours drive south that I have lined up, with a spare motor. 

XT6 is pretty darn rare here in western Canada.
My buddy had a turbo XT in highschool and it was a blast. Not the best weight distribution. I figure it'd make a pretty fun cruiser or potential drift car with the weight so far upfront. I know in the past some have set the engine further back, cutting the firewall.

Anyway, just spitballin another irresponsible car purchase. I'd like to get it running this summer.

[kayakertom]

Good luck, they are fun cars.

[el_freddo]

Being an XT6 you really “need” to drop a H6 from a later model in it to keep some sort of purity to the XT6 name. Otherwise it’s like a resto modded XT4 with a 5 stud conversion… 

Good luck with it. I’m keen to see pics of your build 

Cheers 

Bennie

[landovonderberg]

So, I ended up picking up the turbo GL-10. Hoping to get it running for the ski season. Needs a new windshield rubber gasket, or a stretch and refit if possible. Slight rust on the driver side rear window and rear fender but other than that super clean. Automatic push button 4wd. Came with another ea82 engine that's supposedly a turbo but looking at it, doesn't seem the same on the left side where the turbo piping connects (EGR?).

Made an offer on the XT6, waiting to hear back from the seller. 
I'd love to drop an EG33 in it assuming it's a lot more simple than the newer H6 options. Hard to find EG33's

Edited Wednesday at 10:15 PM by landovonderberg

[el_freddo]

With the windscreen trim, clean behind that trim piece and check for rust. Deal with anything you find to properly treat and seal it. Then fill all voids with silicone, push the trim into the silicone and clean any silicone that oozes out. 

Leaving a void will allow moisture to accumulate and sit on the metal, leading to rust and by the time you can see it beyond the trim piece you’ll have to cut out the rust to replace it = windscreen out and a LOT of work! 

The rust in the rear fender will be from a leak under the rear window trim piece where the other bit of rust is too. Look closely on the tailgate as you most likely have a small rust patch in one lower corner of the rear window. This is another common place where they rust. 

Auto doesn’t sound like much fun to me but I realise that manuals aren’t everyone’s cup of tea either. 

I hope you get the old girl sorted for the ski season, mine did the two seasons my wife and I did together many years ago now - lifted and EJ’d, the best, it actually climbed hills! 

I ran stock wheels with winter tread for the snow months, and took my 27s for off-season 4wd’n in the high country.

Cheers 

Bennie

[landovonderberg]

6 hours ago, el_freddo said:

With the windscreen trim, clean behind that trim piece and check for rust. Deal with anything you find to properly treat and seal it. Then fill all voids with silicone, push the trim into the silicone and clean any silicone that oozes out. 

Leaving a void will allow moisture to accumulate and sit on the metal, leading to rust and by the time you can see it beyond the trim piece you’ll have to cut out the rust to replace it = windscreen out and a LOT of work! 

The rust in the rear fender will be from a leak under the rear window trim piece where the other bit of rust is too. Look closely on the tailgate as you most likely have a small rust patch in one lower corner of the rear window. This is another common place where they rust. 

Auto doesn’t sound like much fun to me but I realise that manuals aren’t everyone’s cup of tea either. 

I hope you get the old girl sorted for the ski season, mine did the two seasons my wife and I did together many years ago now - lifted and EJ’d, the best, it actually climbed hills! 

I ran stock wheels with winter tread for the snow months, and took my 27s for off-season 4wd’n in the high country.

Cheers 

Bennie

Minimal rust on the lower right hatch corner. I've got a brand new set of 13" winters that I've been storing, and a brand new set of front rotors that I bought for my bush beater 89' GL wagon, which I'm assuming will fit the turbo wagon no problem. That GL wagon has a D/R 5spd and I have another D/R 5spd that I pulled out of my GL sedan 15 years ago. So I have the pedal assembly to make the swap happen, but it isn't priority. Just want to get this turbo wagon running and "reliable"

The XT6 seller is firm at 1k (cdn). Car comes with extra set of rims, headlight covers, doors, perfect condition front fenders (grey), extra front and rear bumpers, front and rear seats in good condition stuffed into the car right now, intact dash bezel, cybrid steering fluid. All the glass is good except a fairly minor crack in the front windshield which I assume I won't be able to source another unless I find a parts car down across the border in Washington. Rust holes by both rear wheelwells, I noticed a rust hole in the bottom of the trunk. Will need a radiator and likely headgasket job. He's done a spring replacement for the air suspension but says I should source a proper set of spring suspension so I'm not sure if that's available, or if I can slot a set that's for a different ea82 model. The owner has owned several XT cars and would be keeping this one if he could source a windshield. 
My end goal for this XT6 would be an EZ30 lowered cannonball style build/drift potential. I have the Knox Mountain Hill Climb near me which is the oldest running paved hill climb in North America. If I were to fully cage an ea82 for the purpose I'd probably use a GL coupe or Chaser(hatch). RX cars are almost impossible to find up here. XT6 too front weight biased to bother with a proper hill climber build. I do have 3 1960's BMW 700 cars. Two sedans one coupe. Blue sedan is my avatar photo. They're rear engine twin boxer. My plan is to do retromods on the two sedans and use all the good panels and OEM bike engine on the coupe cuz that's where the retained value is. Thinking about using one of those as a hill climb full tubular chassis with an ej22t with the proper NA 2.5 heads which I think come's to 2230 CC which with forced induction x 1.7 keeps me just under the GTO 4.0 litre class. Mate an ej22t with a subaru manual with flipped ring and built axles to handle the reverse rotation is probably my best option. Not interested in running a chopped VW pan/transmission which is what that Ludwig guy on youtube did for his 700 coupe.

Anyway, someone talk me either out of this or into it haha. I'll probably just get it even though I shouldn't. Hard to pass up an XT6 in Canada.
 

Edited 10 hours ago by landovonderberg

[landovonderberg]

I should mention, I'm thinking about making the XT6 rwd and using the donor axles for a ej22 swap. The XT6 interior is actually in really good shape and no sign of mouse occupancy.

Edited 10 hours ago by landovonderberg