ej20g into L series

suba_dooba · Post by **suba_dooba** » Tue May 29, 2007 5:16 pm

gday,
very curious about how much work/money goes into an ej20g conversion. currently have a ea82 and im dreaming about having an ej20g under the hood.
alex told me to ask you andrew so yeah heres a post
thanks
Sean

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Tue May 29, 2007 6:07 pm

hmm I'll have to sit down and add it up one day but my conversion may not be the best to go on. I bought a bare engine then sourced all the ancilliary items separately which was an absolute nightmare. I suppose it probably worked out at a similar price but I literally purchased like 50 separate items to do my converison. The best way is to buy a frontcut which includes almost everything.
I seriously wont be able to remember all the separate things I had to buy or all the prices but I can make a guestimate of what you'd have to spend... Maybe others could help me out with current prices cause I will be guessing here...

- Liberty RS frontcut AWD 5spd - $2500 (ISH - I might be abit out of touch with this)
- EA82 Turbo engine crossmember - $200 (could cut and weld your one, probably pay a dude with a welder a similar price in labour tho)
- Modify shorten your tailshaft - $160 from a place in Osborne park (assuming you don't need any uni joints replaced, add $100 per joint)
- Modify shorten the EJ shifter linkages (pay somebody with a welder like $100)
- Custom make/modify gearbox crossmembers - welder dude again probably a few hours
- Custom make/fit hydraulic clutch setup - fairly quick welding job for the clutch pedal...lots of messing around mounting up the master cylinder.
- You will need to change your inner CV's for 25 spline ones - guess they are about $100 or so each for new ones
- Exhaust work - probably like $400 for an adequate system on the cheap. Be aware the dump pipe will be difficult to fit past the steering extension because of the lift kit....add more labour for this.
- Custom dual core radiator - bout $450
- Pay somebody to cut down the EJ wiring harness and hook it up - about $300
- Thermo fans - $160 x 2
- Fuel system - probably about $400, need VL turbo fuel pump and either EFI fuel tank or surge tank.
- other stuff I havn't thought of at this moment - $1500 (easy)

Theres also things you really should do to the new motor like doing the timing belts, new pulley belts, new spark plugs, new coils (stock RS ones are faulty brand new), maybe new clutch.

You could go down the path of using an adaptor plate onto your existing gearbox but this is highly not recommended.

suba_dooba · Post by **suba_dooba** » Tue May 29, 2007 6:55 pm

ok so its liek 7 grand? lol. i didnt think it was that much. o dam! hahaha. what about ej22? whats the estimated price on that? im really getting sick of my engine.

tim_81coupe · Post by **tim_81coupe** » Tue May 29, 2007 7:45 pm

EJ22 swaps cost a whole lot less provided you use the L series gearbox. The extra costs in the EJ20G conversion are due to the hydraulic clutch and RS gearbox. You could just adapt an EJ20G to the L box, but I wouldn't bet on your clutch lasting very long.

Considering the low price of EJ22's and the popularity in Perth for this particular swap I'd reccomend you follow this path. Unless of course you want a very quick car.

PeeJay · Post by **PeeJay** » Tue May 29, 2007 7:57 pm

tim_81coupe wrote: You could just adapt an EJ20G to the L box, but I wouldn't bet on your clutch lasting very long.

Mine's lasted 14 months so far and still going strong.

stamp_licker · Post by **stamp_licker** » Tue May 29, 2007 8:21 pm

The conversion to ej22 cost me about $1500,but this included 2 ej autoboxes aswell as the motor loom ecu and a few missing bits.All work was carried out by me so no labour costs.Whats going to cost is rebuilding the motor 6 months down the track but thats what you get with 2nd hand parts no guarantee.I reckon you could get a ej22 conv with adapter plate in a L for under a $1000 if you did all the work youself.

90brumby · Post by **90brumby** » Tue May 29, 2007 10:17 pm

do the ej20g save up the dollars an do it will give much better results than the ej22

suba_dooba · Post by **suba_dooba** » Wed May 30, 2007 12:07 am

awww! but it seems so much hard work and money! the ej22 seems like a more likely option for a trolley boy hahaha

brumbyrunner · Post by **brumbyrunner** » Wed May 30, 2007 6:53 am

If you're happy with an EJ22, why not trade up to an early Lib?
Easier to fit the EJ20T down the track...

BrennyV · Post by **BrennyV** » Wed May 30, 2007 10:40 am

90brumby wrote:do the ej20g save up the dollars an do it will give much better results than the ej22

and what are you basing this on? not having a dig. just curious

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Wed May 30, 2007 11:44 am

Obviously crap-loads more power...

The boost power is totally not neccissary, just very fun

I'll bet anybody with an EJ22 will not have a problem following somebody offroad who has an EJ20g.

Only time its really required I'd say would be a very very long hill climb up the side of a huge dune maybe.

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Wed May 30, 2007 11:49 am

SubaDooba you should check out Warren's Purple wagon.
It's still running the original L series driveline.
His EJ20g conversion was done relatively cheaply. Basically a frontcut was bought (bit cheaper minus the gearbox). In addition to that he needed
- thermo fans
- custom radiator
- EA82turbo crossmember
- Exhaust work
- Custom EA82 heavy duty pressure plate and clutch
(most of that stuff is required for an EJ22 conversion anyway)

The gearbox is on it's last legs (whines like a bitch in every gear but still works fine)....but it's been near on 4 years since the conversion was done. He has a spare one ready to put in, they cost bugger all anyway.

I'm probably going on abit of a 4x4 trip with him and his Bro up to Pippidini on the weekend.

suba_dooba · Post by **suba_dooba** » Wed May 30, 2007 12:09 pm

yeh the thing is i wanna have good a good offroader but also smoke people at lights and laugh at them because im driving an L series. hahaha. na i just want to get rid of my ea82 for something with a bit more poke but the ej20t seems like it would suit my teenage tastes much better than an ej22. but i have never driven an ej22 so i would have to do that before i go ahead with anything drastic. i have about 7k. arre u saying that he has the original L series gearbox and its on its last legs so hes going to put another box in from an L? dont they cost like 2 grand?

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Wed May 30, 2007 12:28 pm

I performed the 3rd internet documented install of an EJ into an L series in Australia, and even back then without the knowledge we have now it didn't cost me $7k.... That was however, a EJ20 turbo into a RX L series AND included imported XT6 5 stud brakes...

I also installed a EJ20 NA motor into a DL L series, and that was less than $2500 to be driving... $7k is crazy talk.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Wed May 30, 2007 1:21 pm

MechaWagon wrote:I also installed a EJ20 NA motor into a DL L series, and that was less than $2500 to be driving... $7k is crazy talk.

Yeah, $7K is crazy talk and what's the fun in it if you didn't do it yourself?

This is the way i see things, you'll enjoy it a lot more at the lights (now illegal to do) than if you just pay someone to do it... bascially the motto some of the board members are using - built not bought (i like this one).

Cheers

suba_dooba · Post by **suba_dooba** » Wed May 30, 2007 1:50 pm

yeh well i dont know anything about nothing. the wacky workshop do some conversions. maybe they could help me out

. haha. well whats it estimated to cost? andrews list clocked up to about 7k? how can it be done cheaper?

Subafury · Post by **Subafury** » Wed May 30, 2007 1:50 pm

yeh it also depends on the labour- how mcuch of it will you be able to do yourself.

btw u had a drive of my wagon- an ej22 has about the same power output- which is certainly a s h i tload better than just a standard carby. (quicker to convert too)

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Wed May 30, 2007 1:53 pm

yer these days you can do it pretty cheaply especially when pitching in the labour yourself.

L series gearboxes hardly cost anything, some people try to get $300 or $400 for them but they pop up all the time for closer to 150 or cheaper. As an example I think Tim was offering one up recently for a bargain.

suba_dooba · Post by **suba_dooba** » Wed May 30, 2007 2:09 pm

so what do u think the plan of attack is. matts car is way faster than my carby but i can see myself getting bored later down the track and wanting more power. hahha. so ur saying andrew to just get the frontcut with the L gearbox and when it dies just replace gearboxes?

Post by **Alex** » Wed May 30, 2007 2:47 pm

to be safe, Ej22 conversion wont cost you anymore than 2k at the absolute most. My EJ22 creamed matts ea82t

. I'd go a ej22, lets face it Sean atm you arent the best mechanically sounded person(abit like me) and ej20g's will be breaking alot more stuff than a 22. Next time i see ya, i'll take ya for a spin in my car, i think you'll be surprised

alex