Jump to content
Ultimate Subaru Message Board

Has anyone used an EJ series engine with a RWD trans?


hankosolder2
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone had heard of anybody swapping a subaru engine into any sort of rear wheel drive car? (I guess I should say "front engine rear wheel drive car" to exclude VWs, Porsches, etc.) I've looked around a bit and haven't come up with a thing! I don't have anything specific in mind just now, I'm just wondering if anybody's ever bolted some sort of exclusively RWD manual trans to an EJ series engine...

 

thanks,

Nathan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

other than a VW or porsche trans, or a subaru trans converted to RWD, no not that I know of.

and frankly, whats the point? flat 4's do not fit in very many cars that well that would actually be worth swapping a 4 banger into, and there are plenty of 4 bangers out there that do fit.

yes, I know the EJ is the coolest 4 banger EVAR. but the logistics of both fitting one in an engine bay and adapting one to a rwd trans are just way more hassle than the benefit you would see.

its too bad really, they probably have one of the higher power capability to weight ratios of any assembled 4 banger. the long block is 139lbs, N/A ready to run say 240, turbo add 20lbs, and something like ej20k or RS-RA heads on a stock internals ej22t with the right management and turbo could make well over 400hp. 200hp is no sweat for an NA ej25 with a few tricks.

 

a 5mt with the center diff welded might handle the job well enough, and sure would be a lot easier and more proven than an adapter to an uncommon trans. not sure what kind of power they can handle in rwd though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good points. Yeah, I guess it's just the usual "I like the ej22, nice power to weight ratio, what else could I use it in?" There are a few cars which originally were supposed to have boxer engines (the Morris Minor, for example) but received inline fours due to parts-bin engineering compromises. So I was thinking it might be fun to play around along those lines. The Subaru manual transaxle (IMHO) is not particularly slick-shifting, so I was wondering if there were other possibilities which had been explored. Guess that other than a 2-speed powerglide, or a possible Nissan hoge-podge, the answer is no!

 

Nathan

 

other than a VW or porsche trans, or a subaru trans converted to RWD, no not that I know of.

and frankly, whats the point? flat 4's do not fit in very many cars that well that would actually be worth swapping a 4 banger into, and there are plenty of 4 bangers out there that do fit.

yes, I know the EJ is the coolest 4 banger EVAR. but the logistics of both fitting one in an engine bay and adapting one to a rwd trans are just way more hassle than the benefit you would see.

its too bad really, they probably have one of the higher power capability to weight ratios of any assembled 4 banger. the long block is 139lbs, N/A ready to run say 240, turbo add 20lbs, and something like ej20k or RS-RA heads on a stock internals ej22t with the right management and turbo could make well over 400hp. 200hp is no sweat for an NA ej25 with a few tricks.

 

a 5mt with the center diff welded might handle the job well enough, and sure would be a lot easier and more proven than an adapter to an uncommon trans. not sure what kind of power they can handle in rwd though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

i had heard some years back about a company that was in australia that made a bell housing to fit a subaru block, but mated to a nissan 240z tranny..... i really wish i could remember who it was, cause i always wanted to make the rx a rear drive with an ej motor without having to frankenstien the center diff.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 years later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...