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OffRoad engine (torque, light weight, ease of swap on EA81) N/A EJ20 or N/A EJ22?

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Just for the pleasure of asking... Let's say I have a Brat (I don't actrually I have a 4WD sedan '92 Loyale) and I want to make a nice offroad toy. Which non-turbo engine would you pick? I'd put a RX-II tranny (D/R full time 4WD), so I'd need an EJ adaptor plate. The idea is to have good low/mid rev torque, ease of install and a light weight engine. I could still do some minor upgrades to the engine, but nothing internal (I don't consider cams as internal).

 

So, EJ20 or EJ22?

Everyone tends to argee the EJ22 has much more low end torqu. Problem wit hthe RX D/R trans is the low rage is only something like 1.19 to 1 where the loyal lowrage is a 1.54 to 1 (I might be wrong one those numbers)

That means loyal 5sp will crawl much slower then RX 5sp.

I don't know about Canada, but we didn't get the EJ20 in NA form in the US, we have the EJ18 and the EJ22, the EJ22 is prefered because of the better power over the EJ18, its also prefered over the EJ25 becase the EJ25 requires the use of a speed sensor to run properly, which is easy to hook up, but harder than the 2.2 swap.

 

I've had 2 cars with the EJ22 swap, one i built and one Austin built, both have been really good, and reliable, as long as i didn't try and fiddle with them too much.

Also, the Crawl ratio, is your vehicles ability to crawl slowly, which is very helpful to avoid loosing traction on hills or in mud.

 

It also helps get your engine into the power band. Its all about the gearing.

 

 

BTW, Phizinza, you were very close, the RX is 1.19:1 as you had said, but the GL 5mt has a low range of 1.59:1, the 4MT is 1.43:1

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So overall the EJ22 is better when it comes to torque. I don't want a EJ25, for price, reliability and weight.

 

Talking of weight... is there much difference between the weight of an EJ20 and an EJ22? The engine being in front of the front wheel it is more important.

Also, the Crawl ratio, is your vehicles ability to crawl slowly, which is very helpful to avoid loosing traction on hills or in mud.

 

It also helps get your engine into the power band. Its all about the gearing.

 

 

BTW, Phizinza, you were very close, the RX is 1.19:1 as you had said, but the GL 5mt has a low range of 1.59:1, the 4MT is 1.43:1

Thanks for correcting me noah. I'll try and remember those ratios! :D

 

a crawl?

 

:lol:

did I miss something. I'm confused...

So overall the EJ22 is better when it comes to torque. I don't want a EJ25, for price, reliability and weight.

 

Talking of weight... is there much difference between the weight of an EJ20 and an EJ22? The engine being in front of the front wheel it is more important.

 

I dought there is since there the same block.

if you decide to put an EJ motor in your EA car, one thing you should know is that the impreza's EJ18 ECU has better topend(higher rpm) fuel and timing maps, however, the EJ25 ECU has the best low end torque fuel and timing maps. the EJ22 ECU is somewhere in between. if it were me....here i go again.....i would use the EJ18 harness and ECU, with the EJ18 maf sensor. simply because the EJ22 that you would put in there has enough low end grunt to do just about anything you ask it too...weak point is often tires anyway. since all EJ N/A motors are maf based and not MAP based, you can swap motor and harnesses just fine. a problem i ran into was that i used the stock EA82 exhaust, which is like 1.75'' I.D. piping, the EJ motors come with 2.00'' I.D. piping. so at higher RPM's the exhaust really limits flow and power, it just hits a dead spot were i know there should be power, but there isnt, its just rpm's. as far as weight differences, all EJ motors are probably within 10-20 lbs. of each other, i bet the EJ18 weighs 10 lbs. less than the EJ22. the block isnt much bigger, and the pistons arent too much larger also. if you mostly drive your car on the highway, you might want to think about bigger tires to offset the gearing. remember, the EA cars are geared for 85-90 hp motors with 23'' wheels, the EJ motors are geared for 110-165 hp and 24'' wheels. you gain only one inch in total tire diameter, but you gain 20-80 hp.(based on motor size) if you want to make this really cut and dry, if you dont have SPFI, convert your car to SPFI.......on second thought...you'll have to pull a wire harness for that also, so scratch that.....do the EJ22 swap.

 

 

 

 

 

~Josh~

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