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hey guys my 92 sports wagon has totaled the engine and needs to be replaced:mad:. With the lack of EA82 engines avaible in Townsville i have found an EA81 motor. My question is 1. what is involved in swapping over the motors? (are the throttle cable locations the same etc) and 2. does anyone have an EA82 motor they want to get rid of, cus i really dont wanna put an ea81 in my subi

For ease of replacement definitely hang out for an EA82 to come up.

However, I remember seeing an L series forsale on here years ago with an EA81 in it, it's definitely possible and I dare say there wouldn't be anything overly difficult involved in the "conversion" but can't speak from direct experience.
Throttle cable problems should easily be solved by jerry-rigging a "generic fit" one from your local auto parts store.

Still, might be worth doing for something different. Power output is similar and most people in the know are of the opinion the reliability of the old EA81 is superior to the EA82.

AndrewT wrote:Still, might be worth doing for something different. Power output is similar and most people in the know are of the opinion the reliability of the old EA81 is superior to the EA82.

If I wasn't going an EJ I'd be looking at rebuilding a mild EA81 to put in my L.

The swap would be a direct drop and bolt in affair. You'll need different radiator hoses. As for the accelorator cable question - you should be able to bolt the intake manifold from the EA82 onto the EA81, this way you'll have the correct wiring on the motor for what the car has from the factory.

It wouldn't be too much effort to do and you'd have a distinct advantage in the bullet proof reputation of the EA81 that the EA82 lacks.

Best of luck with it.

Cheers

Bennie

for it to be rego approved, oh, I see, Townsville, well in some other states you'd need to have emission stuff from A 92 or later EA81. Novel retro step

steptoe wrote:for it to be rego approved, oh, I see, Townsville, well in some other states you'd need to have emission stuff from A 92 or later EA81. Novel retro step

True that, but if you're using the original intake mainfold and carbie setup it will have 90% of the needed emission gear on it, the only one to work out would be the ERG valve if it has one - turns out my '88 carb'd L doesn't have one, but the '91 MPFI I threw in there a while back had one...

Cheers

Bennie

My brother i am sure will be willing to get rid of his old engine (EA82)... It was still running when we pulled it out...... Amd could do with a clean up but should get you back on the road short term. You have a Pm with his Number. He is after $50 for it give him a buss if you want it. Also sing out if you need a hand, i have had plenty of experience.

Cheers guys, thinking i might buy that motor off you matt and rebuild the EA81 motor as a side project , ill just see my dad if he can give us the $50 bucks and then i'll give your brother a call. I may also give you a call in the future with this EA81 project. thnx matt. btw do you know a pannel beater apprentice by the name of Roddy Strang?.... i think he may have mentioned your brumby before

Not off the top of my head, but i could know my Brumby, wouldn't be the first time someone has known my Brumby and not me... It does stand out from the crowd.

Um i must be missing something i think, yes the 81 is more reliable but its an absolute nugget compared to the 82. In my experience obviously, but you'd need rocks in ya head to go backwards. Id rebuild the 82 three times before id even think about an 81 retro fit . Have i just driven the worst 81s and the best 82s? The 81s ive driven feel like underpowered old motors whereas the 82 felt like a free reving modernish motor, well mine did anyway. Sure i killed it eventually but it was so much nicer to drive than the old pushrod lump. All my opinion obviously, i'll duck for cover now

i have seen it done, lukes6 wagon had the conversion when his 82 died, hes gone onto bigger things but I think phiz did the conversion, and didn't take long.

81 is louder, slightly less powerful, but indestructible

just saw this engine for sale, thought it may help you...

=[ If only i had the money to get it, gotta pay my rego soon so thinking that motor will be out out of the question. Thnx anyways

my 82 has been cooked 3 times that i have had it and i do not know how many time before i got it as when i tack it for a test drive i got 100meters up the road it was cooking it head off so i give it a big dose of ionetite and it was fixed and i think it fixed the cracks in the head when i cooked it last as i have no more air in my water and not getting hot now .