Jakes EJ Conversion

username · Post by **username** » Sun Jun 20, 2010 7:01 pm

Howdy all.

Last year I bought shuffbags EJ22 wagon with the intentions of stripping it and putting it all into my L. I took it off the road around september and removed the engine then freshened that up for a few months as funds rolled in. A few months ago i took the car to a workshop with a hoist I have access to and stripped everything else off of the car - AWD gearbox, tailshaft, disc brake rear end, 3.9 diff, fuel tank and a three inch lift kit.

I got a bit keen this weekend and had some wishfull thinking that I could get it all in and running, however nothing ever goes to plan. the internal nut for the centre tailshaft bearing bracket snapped inside, so that chewed up a few hours of umming and ahhing then ended up drilling holes from either side and welding the nut back into place + many other issues.

So as it stands now i have the EFI fuel tank and pump in, the rear disc setup and the EA removed - and no car to drive - funny story, i bought a 63 datsun 1200 for a daily to drive around while converting my L which i also had wishfull thinking about, turns out it needs more time and attention than the subes does.

I have few Q's before i go any further:

Are rear CV shafts hard to get for anyone else? i had to get one ordered from queensland through CBC and everyone else i rang told me i was crazy or that they would rebuild them for mad cash $$$.

With the three inch lift kit, why are there 2 inch blocks? i have 10 three inch blocks, eight of which i put in the rear now the only three inch blocks i have left are for the front crossmember and i think there is six two inch blocks left.

Anyone in the adelaide area know how to wire the thing up once it's ready for beer or money? I have the cut down loom from the other car that was running when taken out, I'm just not confident with my knowledge of how to put it back in.

Any help appreciated,

Cheers,

Jake.

username · Post by **username** » Sun Jun 20, 2010 7:09 pm

Most recent photo of the subes i could find

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And the Datto...

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Cheers,

Jake.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sat Jul 03, 2010 12:23 am

So how's it going with this conversion? Any updates?

The datto looks pretty neat... You should drop a rotary in it

Then upgrade the brakes, gearbox, diff, tyres, rims...

Cheers

Bennie

username · Post by **username** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 8:12 pm

Well, my one weekend all done and in plan has been blown out of the water.
I spent last weekend putting the front crossmember, gearbox and power steering rack in, found out the original gearbox mount doesn't fit so i'll have to fab another one, as well as a few other bits here and there.

Ended up getting the rear CV shaft, only to have it not fit properly over the diff stub splines due to manufacturer error, sent that back, ordered a new one and fitted it this weekend.

Planned on fitting the motor and making the new box mount this weekend but went to put the clutch on and it's COMPLETELY different, I don't think they could have gotten it more wrong, took that back today and ordered a new and more expensive one. So basically the only progress i made on saturday was ran all the motor wiring and got my head around it a bit more. Had a mates 21st saturday night so sunday was a complete write off and got nothing done.

Now entering my third week without a car and it's doing my head in, been riding my bike around but it's crazy cold so i'm trying to avoid traveling entirely.

As for the datto, yeah i'm thinking 13b later down the track, not much room for anything else. My mates are pretty keen on just cutting the fire wall out and going with an LS1 though.

Cheers

Jake.

username · Post by **username** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 8:18 pm

Here's the lack of room in the datto's bay

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Post by **TOONGA** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 8:28 pm

I count 3 cylinders so that means you have enough room there to wedge a small v6 into that little dato either that or a supercharged turbocharged rex motor

TOONGA

Wagonman · Post by **Wagonman** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 9:57 pm

the 2 inch lift blocks for the gearbox are so that you dont have to modify the gear linkages..

took me offguard too.

username · Post by **username** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 10:32 pm

TOONGA wrote:I count 3 cylinders so that means you have enough room there to wedge a small v6 into that little dato either that or a supercharged turbocharged rex motor

TOONGA

there's four, but the motor is 47 years old, so probably the equivalent of three. theres not much room either side where the guards are, dont think rexy motor will fit. might try go down the traditional sr, ca, rb or as said before 13b route

Cheers,

Jake.

username · Post by **username** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 10:34 pm

Wagonman wrote:the 2 inch lift blocks for the gearbox are so that you dont have to modify the gear linkages.. took me offguard too.

Thanks, yeah i ended up just putting it and not worrying about it, but if there's a reason behind it, that's even better.

Cheers,

Jake.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 11:18 pm

Yeah my conversion took 4 weeks or there abouts! Although I put electric windows and central lock in - best thing along side the immobiliser (now keyless entry) and the EJ I've done to Ruby Scoo!

You'll get there. Just do it properly the first time, its worth the effort trust me!

As for those lift blocks, they keep the gearbox up an inch higher. My gearstick is in the same place = bonus, plus an extra bit of underbelly clearance, not much but it all counts!

Cheers

Bennie

username · Post by **username** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 9:43 pm

El_Freddo wrote: My gearstick is in the same place = bonus

Bennie

i think i'm going to have to modify my gearstick to sit further back, it sits heaps far forward and i will end up smashing my hand on my deck which sits about two inches out of the dash. Anyone else had to do this to accommodate their AWD box?

Also, picked up a 100m roll of cable from work yesterday, so i have plenty of room for mistakes whilst wiring.

Cheers

Jake

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 10:23 am

I don't know much about the AWD gearbox conversion when it comes to the gear levers - are you using the ones that came with the AWD gearbox? These should in my mind be the correct length as I don't think subaru changed much in the way of gearstick position in relation to the gearbox. I do know that the AWD gearbox is a different length - just can't remember which way it goes I'm sorry.

The reason why my gearstick is in the same place is because I've got my L series gearbox cased in an EJ gearbox casing. This means I've got stock EJ clutch and no adaptor plate between the engine and gearbox. I also use my stock gear selectors. The gear selectors have not moved since putting the lift in, this is where the bonus comes in as most people drop the gearstick out with the lift so it sits lower in the hole...

100m of wire, you'll be surprised how quickly that can go! Hope its not all the same colour as that'd be a bitch to trace if you need to.

Cheers

Bennie

Cheers

Bennie

username · Post by **username** » Tue Jul 13, 2010 11:36 pm

El_Freddo wrote:I don't know much about the AWD gearbox conversion when it comes to the gear levers - are you using the ones that came with the AWD gearbox? These should in my mind be the correct length as I don't think subaru changed much in the way of gearstick position in relation to the gearbox. I do know that the AWD gearbox is a different length - just can't remember which way it goes I'm sorry.

The reason why my gearstick is in the same place is because I've got my L series gearbox cased in an EJ gearbox casing. This means I've got stock EJ clutch and no adaptor plate between the engine and gearbox. I also use my stock gear selectors. The gear selectors have not moved since putting the lift in, this is where the bonus comes in as most people drop the gearstick out with the lift so it sits lower in the hole...

100m of wire, you'll be surprised how quickly that can go! Hope its not all the same colour as that'd be a bitch to trace if you need to.

Cheers

Bennie

Cheers

Bennie

It's just the angle of the stick when in 1st 3rd and 5th, points towards the front of the car too much. I really need to just cut it and weld some flat bar between it on the correct angle.

All the wire is the same colour, so wish me luck when it won't start.

Cheers,

Jake.

username · Post by **username** » Tue Jul 13, 2010 11:43 pm

Got the motor in this weekend, then went to another 21st so sunday was a write off again. Took and RDO today and tinkered with a few bits of wiring and mounted the radiator. Also loaded it onto a car trailer and it's back at my house now as opposed to the workshop, so it will be easier to work on after workies.

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Radiator

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Still don't know how the altenator wires in, my setup from the links seems to majorly ghettto so it's even more confusing. i've read heaps of other threads about doing it, it's just not clear to me yet.

Cheers,

Jake.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Thu Jul 15, 2010 11:02 pm

^ Courtesy of Outback Bloke. Still working for me

So how did you get the Liberty radiator to fit? I'd like more detail on this one as it seems like an interesting thing to look into.

Cheers

Bennie

username · Post by **username** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 4:16 pm

YO, haven't been on in a while.

Car is running like a dream has been for about a fortnight or so, will get tested on a drive to shep in the coming weeks so hopefully it will hold up.

Thanks for all the help from everyone, would have given up without Ausubaru

I still got bucket loads of stuff to do:

Changed rear drums to discs and replaced all four rotors and all pads, bled the brakes thousands of times and they still dont seem as effective as they should be? someone was telling me i might need the rear fluid regulator from the car with discs to make it work?

bought new rear shocks and springs for the rear and it sits heaps lower? i think i may have had upgraded springs originally and i've just replaced them with new stock ones. so i'll be removing them and putting the old ones back in.

I need a temp gauge.

Can't get the speedo to work - no matter how many times i take the cable out and put it back in again.

I'm pretty sure i removed the vacuum thingy that allows me to choose where i want the air in the cab to go so it currently just blows a gale on my feet. it's not that handy when the windscreen fogs up.

Need to mount the radiator properly as it is currently cable tied in. i've bought 4mm threaded rod to make some proper mounts from, but can't be bothered.

I made the mistake of running the engine loom behind the glovebox, so now it won't close and there is just a gaping hole where is once was. need to sort something out.

also need to tidy up the wiring in the bay, heres how it looks:

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Had to get an intake pipe made up so i could fit my second battery in:

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Elfreddo, here are some more pics of how i cut the bar out to fit the lib radiator in:

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Cheers,

Jake.

username · Post by **username** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 5:18 pm

Update,

I now have a temp gauge, took me a while to put in because i had no diagram, so was a lot of messing around. has three actives?

Changed the springs over, It's now back to monster truck status but it's heaps sloppier in the rear. Atleast I can put things in the back now and not have the 27's scrub out over every bump. So I got set of practically new king springs for sale, PM if interested.

Found a small oil leak at the back of the motor, don't know where it's coming from exactly, so need to sort that out.

Reverse lights? who has done the AWD drive conversion and wired up the reverse lights?

Also, that gear stick sitting too far forward problem is solved - i had it in the wrong way.

Cheers,

Jake.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 8:37 pm

Good to hear mate!

I still can't work out what you've done to fit the liberty radiator in... Although the bottom image I can only see half of - I just have to wait until my computer decides I can view all of it...

The EJ goes well eh?

Cheers

Bennie

username · Post by **username** » Sun Sep 05, 2010 5:17 pm

It goes pretty darn well. When I had the six stud road tyres on it went like the claps, Now i've put my 27's back on it's way slower. I'm tempted to chuck the 13's back on and take it for a boot.

I think i've fixed the air selector thing, It's blowing on the windscreen anyway which I was what i wanted. Too scared to select any other setting incase I can't get it back again.

i've bypassed this thing, don't know if it's good or bad?

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Wrote a whole bunch more, tried to post and had to log in again, lost all the writing, gave up

Cheers,

Jake.

username · Post by **username** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 10:32 pm

Here's the latest...

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Uploaded with ImageShack.us

I have a massive fuel leak coming from one of the hoses in the back. will fix on the weekend

Cheers,

Jake.