What year did the 1.8 first have the SPFI?

I'm not 100% sure - I think 86 / 87 - I had a 1986 EA82 w/carb, and have a 1987 EA82 with SPFI.

'86 on 2WD GL's and possibly some CA models.

 

GD

86 and 87 2wds have SPFI

 

88 and after all 2wd and 4wd non turbo are SPFI

 

 

 

 

* an important note......

 

All years of SPFI use the same system, but the early 86,87 models use different connectors for the temp sensor and Distributor. Parts from any year can be used with any year as long as the connectors are changed.

 

The one real funcional difference is that the Ref voltage and Signal voltage pins for the distributor where switched.

 

To use a new disty in an older model, the pins will switch as long as you match wire colors on the disty when splicing connectors.

 

To use a new ECU in an older model, the pins for the Green/yellow wire and the Green/black wire on the engine harness that connects to the disty need switched.

I have a 1986 carbed 4x4 gl and have found a doner. It is an 87 2 wheel drive 1.8 spfi with 77,000 miles. Literally, it was owned by an older lady that drove it to church, grocery and her sons house. The whole car is $200, damaged in wreck to front end. Engine and all but front left fine. Where is the link to the write up for swapping 1.8 carb to 1.8 spfi? How difficult of a total engine swap is this as far as what all I need to add from the doner? Is the SPFI run by computer or is it all pretty simple?

 

Thanks.

http://home.comcast.net/~trilinear/EA81_SPFI.html

 

At the bottom of my EA81 SPFI conversion write-up you will find Snowman's original EA82 conversion write-up. About the only thing that's different is some of the electrical hook-ups to the car, the distributor mod, and the IAC mod. The rest is very similar so you can reference my write up for that as well as Snowman's. I have more pictures in mine than his does.

 

To answer your questions - yes there is a computer, and yes you can swap the entire engine. Most of the modification have to be done to the fuel system and the wireing. There's quite a little bit of wireing involved and you will have to pull the entire front-end harness from the donor. The fuel system has to be upgraded to high-pressure hoses and fitted with the SPFI's fuel pump and wireing to run it. The hard-line diameter is different between the two bodies and you will have to get some adapters to convert to the required diameters of the new components. The return line is smaller but still seems to work fine for most people.

 

Lots of folks have done it - don't be afraid to dive right in. The SPFI system is the best fuel system ever made for the EA series engines - dead reliable and simple too.

 

GD

Excellent. Thanks much.

 

Kevin