CzarMohab Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 I've heard lots of talk about people swapping engines, transmissions, etc, etc, etc... So assuming that the donor car's engine and tranny are still in good working order, how much work would be involved in swapping an EA82 w/FWD & 3AT with an EA82T w/4WD & 5MT? Is it something that could be done or am I just dreaming? I realize that Vicki's dead, so I wasn't exactly planning to go that way (her engine's prolly good enough, as with tranny, etc... just didn't really look, kind of emotional as it was); but I know that there are other donors out there... This little sedan is great with its 3at of pure power... NOT! I hit any hill, any hill at all and I slow down... and can't get back to speed because I can't downshift without breaking it... no good in my book. So just wondering if it can be done. Oooo... another thought: would the donor have to also be a Sedan (I'm thinking drive train length here)? and one last one, if the donor has a digidash, would that have to swap over too or would the anadash be ok? Or should I just wait until I can find another EA82T 5MT something-or-other? Czar ":Flame: 3AT" Mohab, who notes that he was spoiled by Vicki's 5MT of pure power! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faithless88 Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 From what I have seen and read here I think any ej series can go into a ea chassie with little to no problem. I'm looking at doing a ej20 5mt into my 92 ea82 5mt Loyale. By no means do I know much about it but I think soob did a good job at making pretty much everything interchangable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky92 Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 You could just swap a 5spd in the new sedan and you will notice a huge differenceyou really dont have to do the EA82T ...the 3EATs just plain suck. There is a complete write up on this board about whats involved in doing the swap and step by step instructions I believe. I haven done it personally but I know someone who did on their ea81 ( hatchsub) and that car moves now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 How Inspired are you??? How inventive and resourceful are you? Can you use a multimeter and read a wiring diagram? You had an awesome soob, turbo fivespeed, the full package.... it's not something to throw away lightly. Everything would more or less bolt right in.. I believe the engine crossmember may be different, and you may have damaged that in the accident, but that would be sourceable in the junkyard. Anyhow, given that you have a "complete" donor car (ie, assuming any parts that are damaged can be found from a JY) a swap shouldn't be too much of a big deal, as such things go. You WOULD need to retrofit a good deal of wiring as well as the ECU to get it to work, but if you can get some FSMs, and read some wiring diagrams, its more than do able. The fivespeed swap itself is a no brainer. As for "what do I need," get underneath each car. Whats different? take it out of Vicki and put it in Junior. In fact, thats basically all you would need to do with ANY of it. The most involved part is, I THINK there is a bearing carrier for the rear driveshaft that might not be present on the FWD car; it doesn't take much to figure out a solution to that, search around. However; the wiring involved in the engine swap would deter many, and I don't have a good idea of your skill level and confidence. Most of it is really confidence, and patience.. the skill comes from experience, added to the patience and confidence. None of us were born with a wrench in our hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 Swapping the EA82T would be alot of wiring and work. Swapping the Digidash over would not be needed, but you would need to add an oil pressure sender to the pump for an Analog gauge to work. I think if you're sedan is SPFI, you'd be better off just doing a trans swap. Here is where it gets tricky. To add the 4wd to the 2wd sedan, you would need to swap Gas tank, Rear diff, rear swingarms and hubs(disc brake swap!) And as Daeron noted you need to make a way to mount the carrier bearing. Sedans and Wagons have the same length driveshafts so you're good there. Everything else is just a matter of Bolting in the trans. Swap the flywheel and clutch onto the motor. Add the pedal box to interior. Mount the 4wd solenoids on the strut top(wiring will need to be added between switch and solenoids) Also you would need to swap over you're 25 spline front axles from the Turbo car to match you're 25 spline turbo trans. Note that using a Non-turbo trans would eleminate the need to swap axles. Using the Turbo 5speed, you would also end up with 3.7 gears, not 3.9. Acceleration will suffer a bit, but highway milage will be improved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CzarMohab Posted August 6, 2007 Author Share Posted August 6, 2007 So here is a thought. Lets assume for the moment that I have everything available. Just not so much time to do it all at once. Would it be possible to run the 4WD MT(it is PB 4WD) as FWD only until such time as I could install the rest of it? Or would that be too difficult? Again, its just me thinkin out loud. I may never get to this project... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 So here is a thought. Lets assume for the moment that I have everything available. Just not so much time to do it all at once. Would it be possible to run the 4WD MT(it is PB 4WD) as FWD only until such time as I could install the rest of it? Or would that be too difficult? Again, its just me thinkin out loud. I may never get to this project... Yes. Swap over you're pedal box, clutch, axlers, crossmember. Then you will have to look under you're 2wd car and see if there are mounting holes for the carrier bearing. If not, fabricate something. If the holes are there, then it's easier. But at any rate, you need to install the carrier bearing and the front section of the driveshaft to keep the fluid from coming out the back of the trans. Or I've got an old driveline with trashed U joints here. I could cut off just the stub that sticks into the trans output and send it to you(or you could J-yard one). Then you could use it like a plug, wire or tape it in back there. The rear output shaft doesn't spin when not in 4wd, so it would just sit there like a plug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 you need to have a driveshaft plugged in the trans to keep the gear oil in.... but you can just run the front half of it. the carrier bearing mount will be the hardest part. you'll have to get pretty creative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 what you are contemplating to build is what i am driving right now. my 88 gl sedan that looks like an 86 gl-10 had a 5spd dual range conversion, which is right now rear drivey wit no front axle. tou will have to invent a mount for the driveshaft bearing and drill holes and supply long bolts to mount the rear diff hanger.other than that, its all bolt-on 5spd on the floor, PRNDL on the dash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 To add the 4wd to the 2wd sedan, you would need to swap Gas tank, this is not true for EA82 models. this only applies to ea81's the ea82 gas tank has the indentation for the doff already as it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 this is not true for EA82 models. this only applies to ea81's the ea82 gas tank has the indentation for the doff already as it is. Thanks, news to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 5spd on the floor, PRNDL on the dash yep, threw the guys at Tires Plus a curveball....obviously the guy who filled out the slip wasn't the same guy who drove it, cause he checked it as an Auto trans although that wasn't half as funny as when he opened the hood..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caboobaroo Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 I recently swapped my 3AT coupe to a RX manual. Like Miles said, you need to drill out 4 holes in the back and run like some 2" bolts through them for the mounts for the mustache bar (I have some pics) and you need to make mounts for the carrier bearing but with some metal (like an old metal bed frame) a hack saw, a drill and some bolts, you can make a decent mount since you're not going to have enough torque to kill them. I've driven mine for almost 2k miles and still, no problems with my brewed up carrier bearing mount. Its not a hard swap but is very time consuming especially if you've never done it before. Since I did a 4EAT to RX manual a couple years prior to this, it was cake since I knew what I had to do. If you need a hand, lemme know. I can help ya out with advice or maybe help out since I live in Washington too, even though I don't have the foggiest idea where you're at in this state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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