Performance Options for Older Subarus: *Read before Posting*

[heath]

thanks for that. i got my adapter plate of a suby at pap kilsyth. they only charged me 1 buck. there is a shop in boronia that my mate works at and they rekon they can get them. i'll find out how much for you i cant remember the name of the shop but will find that out for you aswell. but if i find an ej2.0 ill be getting rid of my whole set up

[esray71]

yeah let me know if you can get an adaptor, otherwise i'll get it ordered in from Sydney.

[dommie13]

Hey,

Just wondering how to advance the timing on an EA82?

Cheers

,Dom.

[heath]

Hey,

Just wondering how to advance the timing on an EA82?

Cheers

,Dom.

losen the distributor bolt and i ithink its clockwise u turn it. but you will need a timing light. and if you havent done it befor id get someone who knows what there doing to help other wise you can stuff it up royaly

[RetroLover]

Im looking to upgrade the peformance of my EJ22 in my Liberty, i just have a few questions since i use to own a car with a EA82 MPFI engine, and im still getting familiar with the EJ22 engine.


1. What items can i use to improve the peformance of my EJ22?


2. Does a Gen1 Ser1 Liberty have variable time or fixed timing?


3. When i put a POD air filter in do/or should i need to advance the timing?


4. Does the engine have problems later on in its life time after installing a POD air filter on the engine?


5. Whats the recommended size for installing newer alloy rims? 15", 16"?


6.Can you get light weight carbon fibre parts, like the bonnet, for a Gen1 Ser1 Liberty?


Thanks.

[kevmif]

Question... you advance the timing from 8deg BTDC to 12deg BTDC - that means that the sparkplug is firing slightly earlier, i.e - before the piston has it the top of the cylinder - is that correct?

How does that help exactly? Does it improve economy, power or both?

Thanks.

[benster]

Question... you advance the timing from 8deg BTDC to 12deg BTDC - that means that the sparkplug is firing slightly earlier, i.e - before the piston has it the top of the cylinder - is that correct?

How does that help exactly? Does it improve economy, power or both?

Thanks.

If your thinking of running it on 98 then both... sorta.
I dought, for the price of premium, it's going to make it cost effective. If you're looking at power, at a guess... you MIGHT make a 5ish(?) HP increase. These engines aren't really designed for 98 and therefore can't really make full use of it.

I ran mine on 98 for a week and found minimal fuel economy gains. But it was better up hills (Torque). With the advance on timing, I probs would have got a little more out of it.

I would have thought, bang for buck, this would end up costing more than it was worth (depending on general distances you drive).

If you're doing it just for the small HP and torque increases... then go for it. It makes it a little easier to live with.... but I'd rather save my pennies from buying cheaper fuel and throw it towards an EJ18 or EJ20 transplant.

If I'm wrong... others will flame me and thats fine.... in fact... I gotta do the timing and a couple of gaskets tomorrow.... will up the timing and go the 98 and check it again.

[RetroLover]

Question... you advance the timing from 8deg BTDC to 12deg BTDC - that means that the sparkplug is firing slightly earlier, i.e - before the piston has it the top of the cylinder - is that correct?

How does that help exactly? Does it improve economy, power or both?

Thanks.

I had a 89 Leone with EA82 MPFI engine, had that car running on 98RON, since about 05, back when petrol prices where about $1 a liter. Had the car running on that fuel for the purpose of more response from the engine. Soon as i advanced the timing, the economy dropped. But the car drove more like a rocket. But in the last few months i had engine problems for some reason, the car lost eninge power at some random moments. But in my suitation;

"98 RON + Advanced timing + POD air filter(MPFI EA82) = Increased peformance + decreased economy "

That MPFI EA82 had the best engine note on it after i advanced the timing and put the POD air filter in it, classic sounds, beautiful:) Now i need to do the whole story again with the Liberty and the EJ22.

[kevmif]

Hrrrm... was really hoping it would lead to a slight improvement in both! Especially with the higher octane fuel.

Can anyone fill me in on the technical side of how an advance in timing actually improves performance with higher octane fuel?

[benster]

I set the cars timing to 11 degrees today and through in some premium. I also took the clutch fan off and put in a thermo fan from a GE Mazda 626 (1993). Works well too. I also removed the orignial thoermo fan as it wasn't working anyway. Car runs cooler than ever at no more than 1/3 on the gauge.

I took the car for a spin before the premium but with the thermo fan upgrade. It feels a little more punchy, nothing huge though. A little nicer and enough to warrant the effort.

I then retuned the car, done the timing and threw in a full tank (42.75 Litres) and took it for a 40.9km drive and filled up again.

I have to say that it was MUCH nicer to drive. Didn't have to change down to forth for a lot of the hills I usually use to. But I'll say now, that after doing the timing belt yesterday, the car already drove a bit better. Think it was a cog out.

Anyway Details below:

-40.9km Driven Pretty hard and with heel-toe and a very hilly, twisty drive (Belconnen to Mount Stromlo in ACT through the cottor)
-Used 5.03 LItres of fuel
That works out to be 8.13k's to the litre.

If I'd been driving sensibly I would have done much better fule economy... maby hit around 9 - 9.5 k's to the litre.

So fuel economy isn't a bonus with these mods. Not at a full 11cents a litre more than standard unleaded (Unleaded: $142.9 - Premium $153.9).

Perfmormance wise. With these mods, the car is much more snappier and has a lot more torque. Very nice for an EA82... but again, I'd rather save that 11cents a litre buying premium every few days and put it towards an engine upgrade. Just not worth it.

11 degrees and the clutch fan off in reasonable weather conditions would be fine and IS worth it. I dought that I'll get any pinging at that on standard petrol.

It's also worth mentioning that my EA82 is a very nice engine. Still has heaps of compression at 178,000.
Edit: Mine is a Carb engine too.

[benster]

Hrrrm... was really hoping it would lead to a slight improvement in both! Especially with the higher octane fuel.

Can anyone fill me in on the technical side of how an advance in timing actually improves performance with higher octane fuel?

My understanding of it is that it increases the compression a little before detonation. More compression = more performance. Thats why you get pinging when you advance your engines timing too far... which can lead to premeture ejacu-explosions (detonation)

[H-top]

I totally agree with the ignition coil upgrade.
I installed a Crane Cams LX92 coil with my EA82 Non-Turbo.
Performance increase and its revved alot smoother and enjoyed
the higher revvs even more!

[discopotato03]

Advanced ignition timing is about lighting the fire (sparking the plugs) when the rising pistons are further away (before) top dead centre on the compression strokes .

There is a slight time lag between the spark plugs firing and burning enough of the fuel/air mixture to get a pressure rise above the pistons .

With most production engines you want the peak pressure to be with the crank ~ 15 degrees past top dead centre on the power stroke .
Production/emission engines being what they are often want to detonate if you light the fire at the optimal time for BMT or best mean torque ignition timing and the answer is to retard the timing (meaning fire the plugs when the pistons are closer to top dead centre (TDC) on the compression stroke . By retarding the timing the combustion pressure peak is later in the cycle meaning a lower peak and less agressive detonation conditions with low octane fuel .

I should add at this point that high octane fuel does zip for you if you can't take advantage of things like advanced ignition timing/higher compression ratios etc . All high octane PULP has is additives to make it MORE difficult to ignite and less likely to do so when not intended . You can actually go backwards using it in an engine not intended for it because the effort to intentionally light it is more difficult - results - more performance through lighter wallet ...

Anyway advanced ign timing is about increasing combustion pressure rather than compression pressure , how much will depend on how conservative the ign timing was to start with compared to best meant torque timing and the engines detonation threshold .

Things that can help are optimum water and oil temps - and making sure that the airbox/inlet system is doing it's best to find the coolest air available .

Cheers A .

I liked the point about older engines with less ring sealing handling a bit more advanced ign timing - 24 for a high mileage 82T , must try that since mine's doddering up to 290K . I think it clicked over 250 approaching Sydney from where I bought it in Melbourne and when checked its lowest pot showed 80-85 psi compression pressure . It aint strong any more so any help on it's last legs would be most welcome !

[Matt]

Sounds like it could be fuel pump or dirt fuel?

[Dion.]

I notice a lot of people havent taken fuel mixture into consideration when talking about ignition timming vs engine temp. the leaner your engine is running the hotter it operating temp will be. EG. if your running a standard fuel system with 12-16 deg btdc, you may find your running hotter. most larger carbs put on these engines are not jetted exactly right for them and ussually run richer therefore in most cases running cooler. just helps understand why this bloke overheats on sunny days, but the next bloke dosent.

[Dion.]

just something to keep in mind even though it may not apply to you.

[Brumble]

i am halfway through stripping my '92 Brumby before sending it away to be straightened out and painted.

While this is happening I am going to rebuild the ea81 engine and include a few mods while I'm at it (before anyone says anything about an ej conversion please note that I am determined to keep the original engine and am looking forward to the challenge of drawing what grunt I can out of it).

I already have weber ready to go in and will be putting extractors on when the time comes. I will definitely be porting and polishing the heads and possible even shave a little off of them in the process.

I have seen various brief mentions of custom cams for the ea81 on this site and was wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction in order to get my hands on a set. If so can someone also give me a rough indication of price. I am based in Darwin and therefore limited with what I can get up here however i am more than happy to pay the frieght for the right bits

[daza]

Tighecams.com.au
Just the first i found...
Daza.

[Brumble]

Thanks for that Daza. They look like just the shot.

Will I need to modify/replace any other parts if I swap out the cams

[tex]

I will definitely be porting and polishing the heads and possible even shave a little off of them in the process.

I have seen various brief mentions of custom cams

I don't know if Ive mentioned this before or not but I was under the impression tht porting for performance is still IN wheras polishing is now OUT because the attomised fuel tends to stick to the smooth sticky surface but if its rough it creates turbulance and sometimes a vortex.
There used to be lots of places that would be able to machine down a cam (most engine machining shops) But the key issue is to dial in the timing of a cam otherwise you are not getting their full potential.
Hope this helps!