Fitting an EJ Motor into an MY or L Series Subaru

BaronVonChickenPants · Post by **BaronVonChickenPants** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 11:28 am

I'm not sure exactly which 4WD box you mean, I'm assuming you mean the box that matches the engine.

If the diff from the L1 is the same ratio as the legacy then you can just stick with the L1 diff, if they're different then you can take the crown cog out of the legacy diff and fit it to the L1 diff, that way the ratios will match and you can still use the stock axles.

BUT if the legacy diff is an LSD then you'd be better of swapping the whole centre into the L1 casing.

As far as the front axles you can put L series stub axles into the EJ box and just use the standard axles or put the EJ bearing cups onto 2WD MY shafts.

Hope that helps.
Jordan.

casual · Post by **casual** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 11:15 am

Does anybody make/sell adaptor plates for ej20 to L series D/R gearbox? if you were to make an adaptor as suggested in the Tech Manual, How does the starter go bolting up?

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 11:33 am

G'day casual,

I think there's someone on this forum somewhere that makes an adaptor kit for the EJxx to EA gearbox. The starter bolts up as normal, the flywheel and clutch assembly is the standard EA setup but it has a spacer between the f'wheel and the back of the crank to make everything match up.

The adaptor plate was priced between $200 and $300 dollars... with a modified flywheel on exchange of your one...

Do a search in the top panel, it might find the old thread.

Cheers

SuBaRiNo · Post by **SuBaRiNo** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 12:21 pm

There is some info on that set up on my webshots. http://rides.webshots.com/album/134929361hUEpcw

Dave

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 3:46 pm

The BYB guys had a fairly comprehensive advert for these on Ebay at one stage. They are probably still making them, best to contact BYB001 to find out.

KERAZY · Post by **KERAZY** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 7:34 pm

I just had a chat with my cousin today. Heres more confirmation that an EJ20G will fit directly onto an MY. This particular one is lowered. I should have gotten pictures, but hey.

Either side, the covers had at least 10mm of clearance. His car is lowered, but has not had any change to his crossmember at all.

Bugger 22, I'm goin 20 after hearing that.

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 8:03 pm

Strange because the clearance of the timing covers has nothing to do with any crossmember modifications... ?

tim_81coupe · Post by **tim_81coupe** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 8:43 pm

As someone who's fitted a DOHC Subaru motor to an MY several times, I get particularly annoyed when I read that someone has "discovered" that the chassis mods don't need to be done.

Did your cousin fit the EJ himself? The crossmember is modified if its a turbo, sorry. Unless his turbo is in some funky spot, like off to the side under the battery tray.

His subframe has been modified if its DOHC. Either that or his cam covers are cracked, or the car hasn't been driven yet.

Pictures? I'd like to see them.

KERAZY · Post by **KERAZY** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 9:07 pm

Perhaps I wasn't clear in stating what I was trying to say. Let me try again.

He bought the car with the crossmember from an EA82T I believe.

The crossmember hasn't been spaced down like you're supposed to. I was led to believe by this site that thats what you had to do. Apparently not in his case.

The chassis rails have not been modified. Cam covers are fine, in-tact 100%. 10mm either side of clearance.

Pictures I don't have. I wish I had taken some, but I didn't expect to see the car.

The car has been driven.... WELL. Used to run 13's, now in process of larger capacity turbo and shit. Thats another story though.

And yeah, thats that. Tim, apologies if you got annoyed, but please be lenient. I might consider myself an enthusiast, but I don't know everything. Wish I did though.

tim_81coupe · Post by **tim_81coupe** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 9:26 pm

I'll be lenient.

&quot wrote:The chassis rails have not been modified. Cam covers are fine, in-tact 100%. 10mm either side of clearance.

This is an oxymoron. Either the chassis rails have been modified or the cam covers are in pieces. There's less than 10mm difference between the width of the DOHC EJ cam covers and the width at the same point in an MY engine bay.

&quot wrote: The crossmember hasn't been spaced down like you're supposed to. I was led to believe by this site that thats what you had to do. Apparently not in his case.

I probably should be more clear on that one. I can tell straight away why his crossmember hasn't been spaced, and thats because when that car was brand new it had an automatic transmission. Does it use an EJ auto too? I'll admit I have no experience with EJ autos, they could be a smaller box than the manuals. Currently his EJ20G sits about 3-5mm from the bonnet when he closes it.

And finally, the engine crossmember is from an EA81 turbo car if its a factory one. Very rare item to find, certainly good if you can. The crossmember mod suggested in this thread is aimed squarely at people without access to turbo crossmembers. Using a factory turbo crossmember is definitely an advantage.

Oh, the other crossmember mod (slotting the mount holes) is done to make fitment easier / possible. The spacing between the mounts is slightly larger on EJ engines.

I should also point out that there's more than one way to break an egg. Its possible that reshaping the lower radiator support can allow the radiator to sit further forward, allowing the engine to be moved forward (by crossmember or mounting plate mods) which would allow the cam covers to sit in a slightly wider spot which could allow 10mm either side.

I've been stuffing around a fair bit lately with an EJ20G and an MY engine bay, and this certainly ain't the first time.

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 9:58 pm

Krazey maybe its an NA EJ20 SOHC engine with all the turbo gear bolted to it??

They both just say EJ20 on the top of the block...

KERAZY · Post by **KERAZY** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 3:47 am

Patronism? It certainly feels it. I know a DOHC when I see one.

tim_81coupe · Post by **tim_81coupe** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 8:31 am

Does your cousin live in Perth? I might know the car, I know of quite a few EJ turbo conversions running around here.

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 9:18 am

Nah just trying to work it out...they don't fit. I've looked at Tim's car in great detail and it's very obvious that the chassis mods are absolutely essential.

KERAZY · Post by **KERAZY** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 10:32 am

Bunbury Tim. I've looked at his chassis rails and they don't appear to have been cut anywhere. Oh well.

stamp_licker · Post by **stamp_licker** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 2:34 pm

tim_81coupe wrote:I'll be lenient.

I'll admit I have no experience with EJ autos, they could be a smaller box than the manuals.

no they are a lot bigger than the manuals and all other [my and L]auto's.

Ozzy_Steve · Post by **Ozzy_Steve** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:04 pm

Hi all,

I recently bought an '89 L Sportswagon (EA82 carby SOHC, 5spd 4WD), with the intentions of eventually converting it.

I've chased around parts and I can get a '95 WRX front cut and complete rear cradle for about $3.5k - $4k. Newer or STi sets would be upwards of $4.5k. If I did get to do the conversion, it would include brakes & suspension as well as engine and trans - gotta stop the thing...

The bloke I spoke to at one of the importers said that because the WRX/STi running gear pretty much bolted straight in, that I wouldn't need an engineering approval, just a mod plate. Is this BS, or fair dinkum?

There's actually a converted Brumby running around where I live - looks like at least '98 model parts on it - slotted rotors, WRX rims, FMIC and all the good bits. It looks really nice, and goes like the clappers. I don't mind spending the money to get the job done (possibly do the mechanical work myself), but not if it's going to be an absolute nightmare to engineer/register.

I'm in QLD - anybody out there have info on what's required for engineering/rego here?

Just another quick though while I'm at it. In the interim I'd love to at least get the wagon running AWD. Can the EA82 gearbox be changed from part time 4WD to AWD? I've looked into just throwing in a 5MT from an Impreza (preferably dual range), but it sounds like a lot of stuffing around. Any help there?

Thanks in advance.
Steve.

P.S. You guys rock. After 4 days of searching the net for this exact info, you are the only site to have anything worthwhile on MY and L conversions. Kudos.

stinky · Post by **stinky** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 8:01 pm

You can get L series AWD boxes, but they're rare as hens teeth.

TW83 · Post by **TW83** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 8:38 pm

KERAZY wrote:Bunbury Tim. I've looked at his chassis rails and they don't appear to have been cut anywhere. Oh well.

Do you mind me asking his name or who did the conversion.

Ozzy_Steve · Post by **Ozzy_Steve** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:59 am

I spoke to the modifications department at QLD transport, and it appears that in QLD you only need a mod plate. All of the mods I want to do:

engine
gearbox
rear diff
suspension
brakes, etc.

are all legitimate under their legislation, so there's no issue there. All you need to do is find somebody to do the mod plate for it.

My only concern now is who would insure the thing...

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Fitting an EJ Motor into an MY or L Series Subaru

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