Cutting Chassis Rails. What's involved

4xsama · Post by **4xsama** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 10:13 am

Apologies for the posting if it already exists, but I need opinions (and help if required) on modding chassis rails.

Brumberty and Seagull raised the point of EJ22's getting long in the tooth and prehaps a 2.0T would be a better option. Not really into turbos but a 2.5 would be ideal. Torque to burn which suits my lazy driving (lack of) style.

Are cut rails an issue in getting engineering certificates/rego.

Cheers.

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 3:36 pm

If you are considering EJ25 be aware that all the modern versions of this engine are only twin cam so should fit without modding the chassis rails. It's only the quad cam engines you have to do this for.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 7:21 pm

i thought the importers had priced single cam EJs dearer because they fit MY's without hassles and the twin cams cheap because they 'don't fit'. S'what ichiban told me

SuBaRiNo · Post by **SuBaRiNo** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 10:03 pm

Has anyone actually got an ej25 in an MY series without cutting the chassy rails... lots of talk about it being done... aint seen it though.

Dave

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 3:40 pm

The block size is the same as an EJ22 physically, the extra capacity is achieved by a longer stroke and larger bore size.
I can't see why the heads would be any larger either if you get the twin-cam version of the motor.
I havn't seen one done but it should fit.

Maybe Christian could do a quick measurement...I beleive he has a twin-cam Ej25 forsale at the moment?

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 3:46 pm

Just to clarify........theres so such thing as a "single cam" EJ engine.

They are single cam PER HEAD. They have two heads so this means they should really be called a Twin Cam engine.

The other style of EJ engines have two cams per head.........so they should be referred to as a "Quad cam" engine. These are the ones which are too wide to fit in an MY.

Brumby Boy · Post by **Brumby Boy** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 5:23 pm

AndrewT wrote:Just to clarify........theres so such thing as a "single cam" EJ engine.

They are single cam PER HEAD. They have two heads so this means they should really be called a Twin Cam engine.

The other style of EJ engines have two cams per head.........so they should be referred to as a "Quad cam" engine. These are the ones which are too wide to fit in an MY.

Yea ok... if you have to get technical lol

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 7:04 pm

AndrewT wrote:Just to clarify........theres so such thing as a "single cam" EJ engine.

thats coz they shuld be referred to as SOHC (Single Overhead Cam) which yes dus mean two cams in total
and
and the others are known as DOHC (Dual Overhead cam or Double overhead cam) or sometimes get called quad cam like u say

edit - isnt L-Raiser gettin a SOHC EJ25 put into her L?
yes i no its not an MY but is she having to cut chassis rails?

90brumby · Post by **90brumby** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 8:35 pm

Matatak wrote:
edit - isnt L-Raiser gettin a SOHC EJ25 put into her L?
yes i no its not an MY but is she having to cut chassis rails?

u can fit any ej motor into a L sereis with out cutinn chasis rails

Subafury · Post by **Subafury** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 8:41 pm

cheers for the clarification andrew. still seems confusing as a single overhead cam really means two cams. but it all makes sense when u know its a boxer engine

im not 100% but i think vidler had to cut rails on his, now lapsed's wagon.

also i thought L raiser was putting an ej2.0 turbo in the yellow machine

SuBaRiNo · Post by **SuBaRiNo** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 9:30 pm

No vidler didn't.

Dave

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 11:18 am

L-raiser's plan did change a fair few times but I beleive it ended up being a twincam EJ25.
Yeah I don't think anybody would ever need to cut rails on an L series, at least not when fitting a Subaru engine. Lapsed's wagon is a shining example of this as it's running the quad cam EJ25 with plenty of space either side.

BlackMale · Post by **BlackMale** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 1:14 pm

AndrewT wrote: Lapsed's wagon is a shining example of this as it's running the quad cam EJ25 with plenty of space either side.

LOL yer lets ask him now he has had the car a while how easy it is to change the spark plugs... well at least from what I remember of it, but thats not the issue, so yes it did fit.

BRUMBERTY · Post by **BRUMBERTY** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 1:49 pm

Step one... cover her eyes!

Cut strips out of the top of the frame rails 35mm apart.
Co-pilots side

Drivers side, the brown crap is from a leaking battery or brake master cylinder in the past.

Apply bfh with great gusto, tack welding as you go.
We also used a porta-power to press the edges together while tacking.

Then seam weld the tack welds, (I added some small cover plate bits) grind and paint.
I will get some pis tonight of the finished job.

This method keeps the frame rails sealed and rust protected below and the strength is as good as factory.

Thanks Gary. Enjoy the James Squires.

Ps if your car is from outback somewhere, you may find some weight comes out too in the process..

L-Raiser · Post by **L-Raiser** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 3:51 pm

AndrewT wrote:L-raiser's plan did change a fair few times but I beleive it ended up being a twincam EJ25.
Yeah I don't think anybody would ever need to cut rails on an L series, at least not when fitting a Subaru engine. Lapsed's wagon is a shining example of this as it's running the quad cam EJ25 with plenty of space either side.

Hi guys....yeah my original plan WAS to put in an EJ20G (Turbo) but changed it to EJ25 (SOHC), to eliminate turbo lag and get more low down torque. The only reason I went for a SOHC as opposed to the DOHC was:- It was cheaper, had lower Kms, and the SOHC's have slightly more torque at lower revs than the DOHC's, also it gives me more space between chassis rails....

Post by **Alex** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 9:59 pm

keep us informed with your conversion Karen.

alex

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:33 pm

BlackMale wrote:LOL yer lets ask him now he has had the car a while how easy it is to change the spark plugs... well at least from what I remember of it, but thats not the issue, so yes it did fit.

Not sure how hard it is on Lapsed car but by rights it should be easier than mine...Mine has the coil packs bolted inside the rocker covers, ontop of the spark plugs. Mine's easy though, I've changed them twice without any problem at all - accessible from under the car.
Lapsed also has the advantage of another inch of lift than my current 3 inches which would help even more.
But yes....without a lift kit it would probably be quite difficult. But hey - spend some money on good spark plugs (the ones that supposedly last 100,000kms) then you can just pull the motor and do them at the same time as your timing belts =)

SuBaRiNo · Post by **SuBaRiNo** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:15 am

Brumberty... NICE technique for doing the chassy rails... i like it.

Dave

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:31 am

culdnt that be done by just smacking the hell outa em now tho of course culd take ages longer
dusnt seem to hard to do it that way either maybe i culda done it myself coz i no a few weldeers

subarursliberty · Post by **subarursliberty** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 9:42 am

It would look neater by cutting them than belting the ****e out of them. Take pride in your work I say. But it would work.

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Cutting Chassis Rails. What's involved

Cutting Chassis Rails. What's involved

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