I am contemplating a transaxle swap from a single range to a dual range (4 speed)on my 82 DL EA81 wagon which probably has the 200 mm (7 7/8") 7/8" 21 spline clutch assembly. I want to go to the larger 225 mm (8 7/8) clutch and I have a flywheel that has the .900" distance in the step from where the pressure plate bolts on to the friction surface of the flywheel,(I believe it is an EA82 part) and it appears that the late EA81's that used the larger clutch diameter had an .825" step, so here is my question. Is the bolt circle of the pressure plate the same on the EA81's and EA82's where I could just machine .075" off of the pressure plate mounting surface of the EA82 flywheel and run the larger clutch components of the later EA81's? And are there possible release bearing differances / issues that I may encounter if I were to do so? Or anything else I'm overlooking? Thanks!

All of the bolt patterns are the same between the EA81/82 flywheels. However, the timing marks are off a bit between the two. EA-81 has the timing hole at about the 10 o'clock position where the EA-82's is straight up 12 o'clock.

 

You would need to use the EA-81 clutch disc along with the EA-81 throw-out bearing (that fits your tranny), and the EA-82's pressure plate to match the flywheel. Atleast that's how I understand it.

 

I bought my '82 BRAT with an EA-82 engine in it. The swapper had used the EA-81 flywheel/clutch assembly for the D/R 4 speed tranny. Worked ok, but it made replacing the T-belts a real pain. Plus I had to set ignition timing by ear/vacuum gauge.

 

One can line-up the crank bolt holes of the two flywheels, and transfer the marks from one flywheel to the other. You want the crank side of one to sit on the clutch side of the other to do this. Crank bolt pattern is offset,, so the flywheel will only bolt on one way, be sure you have the bolt holes aligned right before transfering any marks.

Hey capn_r This is Jerry, just get a complete set up for a 84 wagon or brat from 84-87 it is a bolt on set up. The EA82 pressure plate to fit on the EA81 flywheel you will have to machine off .090 from the front of the flywheel. The Ea81 flywheel is taller then the EA82 flywheel i know i have done this set up before. The EA82 flywheel has bigger bolt holes in it than the EA81 has. Thanks Jerry