Subaru L series EA82T or EJ20 engine?

[Shea]

Hey I'm new to this site I have a 1993 subaru L series and I'm wanting to put either an EA82T engine in or a EJ20 engine which one is a better choice? And if I put in an EJ20 what else will have to be changed?

Thankyou

 

[Ratbag]

to the ORS forum, Shea.

Taza and Bennie (El_Freddo) probably know as much about this as anyone here. Hopefully one or both of them will chime in ... :biggrin:.

 

[AndrewT]

EJ it. Don't even think about an EA82t - too rare, too crap
Loads of good info in the conversions section of the ausubaru.com forum. I've done this conversion several times, any particular questions you have?

What's your intended use for the car?

 

[Shea]

Yeah I was thinking more in the way of putting in an EJ Id like to have it to drive across Australia from down south WA so I still want it to be good when off road, when you've done this conversion before what else have you had to update in the L series? thanks for the help

 

[Beigewagon]

Hi Shea,

To fit the EJ motor, you would also need to change the fuel tank to one that will support a return line from the fuel injection system, that you will also need. You will need to splice the wiring loom of the ECU into the L-series loom.

The EJ motor will not couple directly to an EA gearbox, there are a few ways around this.

You would need to change the cooling fans, as there is not enough room for the standard to fit. You will need slim electric ones to fit.

These are just some of the more major things, aside from the whole engine change itself. There are many more little things that need doing, many will depend on other choices and preferences made as you go.

An EA turbo conversion would require most of the same changes, ie fuel tank, ECU wiring, front cross member has a different shape for turbo exhaust. At least the gearbox would bolt straight back in place.

Beigewagon.

 

[AndrewT]

No, it works fine without changing the fuel tank, they already have a return line. almost all n/a EJ conversions ive seen had original fuel tank - just a good idea to add a surge tank.

Advise getting someone to do the wiring loom for you - Subarino Dave is in WA and might be interested.

It's easy to make a gearbox adaptor plate (I wrote a guide on here), otherwise I think RSR Paul has a few pre-done ones forsale.

 

[taza]

Go EJ, pretty easy to do. As AndrewT said, a surge tank is a good idea. Ive done a swap without it though and the L series with ej22 ran fine.

If your mechanically minded its not too hard. The hardest part you'll find is the wiring cut down, especially if there is an immobiliser involved
Subarino (Dave) or myself can do them and we are located in WA...
Alan from AM autos is also a go to person in QLD.

 

[Ratbag]

Gidday Taza

The hardest part you'll find is the wiring cut down, especially if there is an immobiliser involved
Subarino (Dave) or myself can do them and we are located in WA...
Alan from AM autos is also a go to person in QLD.

I reckon that for most of us, that part is downright terrifying!

My house electrician couldn't work out the wiring diagram of our range hood. It took me about a day of study and notes before I was prepared to put a multimeter on it.
Of course, 240V is a tad more dangerous than 12V ...

 

[Beigewagon]

No, it works fine without changing the fuel tank, they already have a return line. almost all n/a EJ conversions ive seen had original fuel tank - just a good idea to add a surge tank.

Advise getting someone to do the wiring loom for you - Subarino Dave is in WA and might be interested.

It's easy to make a gearbox adaptor plate (I wrote a guide on here), otherwise I think RSR Paul has a few pre-done ones forsale.

Only fuel injected and turbo L-series had return lines on the fuel systems. The last of these were in 1990, and only on touring wagons, also only until 1990. If Shea has a '93, then it will be carby, and need much more work than a turbo, or tourer.

Beigewagon.

 

[taza]

Ratbag, 12 and 24v can still be dangerous. Have you ever seen a battety explode? Or delt with a car fire? If you arc out the battery posts with a spanner on 24v you'll generally blow the spanner in half or weld it to the terminals... until it explodes or someone smashes it off.

At this stage looks like I'll bw doing a hoise hold sparky apprenticeship after this, then I'll be the all mighty electrical magician

 

[Ratbag]

^ I have a half length ring spanner that I accidentally shorted across a battery when I was about your age. The other half turned into metal vapour ...

And a lead acid battery can only discharge so fast! The really dangerous ones are NiMH and NiCAD. Both of these can release all their energy in less than a microsecond ...

Just for a few milliseconds, 240V AC can deliver the entirety of the capacity of the local grid! That's assuming that your switch board has ELCBs (RCDs) fitted. With fuse wire, the time could be approaching a full second.

I do realise that low voltage electricity can also be dangerous, particularly so as a source of ignition.
We use both gas and electric ceramic kilns. The electric one draws a steady 26 amps at 240V on full. The 8 cu.ft. gas kiln is connected to two 45L LPG bottles. We are always very careful ...

 

[AndrewT]

Only fuel injected and turbo L-series had return lines on the fuel systems. The last of these were in 1990, and only on touring wagons, also only until 1990. If Shea has a '93, then it will be carby, and need much more work than a turbo, or tourer.

Beigewagon.

No. Incorrect. The carby ones have a return line too - or at least a line that can be used as one. I've been involved in several EJ conversions on Carby L series and not once have we needed to run any extra lines. Just use what is there and it works perfectly fine. Even without a surge tank it works fine, but you just can't throw the car around corners too fast with a near-empty tank - surge tank is really a must. I speak from hands on experience here.

 

[El_Freddo]

Go the EJ.

If you want it engineered, speak with one before you go any further. But in the mean time do some reading:

EA to EJ how to guide

There is also a guide you can download from one of the USMB members that's posted in the download section of the home page of the above forum.

You'll love it. Then want to do more to your L series. Trust me, I know! So does AndrewT!

Cheers

Bennie

 

[taza]

Been there also. The ej22 is a tried and tested method. Very good upgrade and quite basic unless you go for all the fruit of aircon, power steering amd the likes. The two harf parts are the wiring and making an adpater plate.

 

[El_Freddo]

The ej22 is a tried and tested method. Very good upgrade and quite basic unless you go for all the fruit of aircon, power steering amd the likes.

PS is easy. L series rack, EJ lines and pump - both are plug and play with each other. If you don't already have power steering make sure you get the matching steering extension with the rack

AC - wiring needs to have the electronic clutch wired in. A pin on the ECU gets referenced for idle up (can't remember which one!), and the high pressure sensor on the EJ AC compressor gets wired in series with the factory EA low pressure switch.
The hardest part of this is having the coin for the custom pipes made up. I think mine cost $250 from memory at the time. I had to have something adjusted so it cost a bit more. Be careful who you get this through though as the dude that did my work wasn't the greatest in hindsight - at least it works for now :/

Cheers

Bennie

 

[AndrewT]

You'll love it. Then want to do more to your L series. Trust me, I know! So does AndrewT!

Only too well. My latest re-work of my L series has now been going on for more than 1 year. Good news is I have now driven it! (50cm reversed and 50cm forwards so far) but it officially moves under its own power, hooray.

My advice for doing a conversion is to map out exactly what you need to do, and get ALL the parts, and make sure you have all the required tools. If planned well enough, an EJ22 conversion can be knocked out in a weekend quite easily. If you leave things to chance or try to find parts on the fly etc, weeks can easily stretch out into months!