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Been looking around for EA81 for my 1977 2 door so I can put in a 5 speed, old mate had a bare engine on here that I was keen on but I got this today:
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/wallacia ... 1041720070

paid $450. I only want the engine so I can 5 speed the 77 model. With the 32 cars I own I probably should move it on after I pull the engine.

Keep the slanted console if it has one (assuming it's going to the crusher)!

I get it home tomorrow, will do the transplant and then decide what to do. I don't plan on crushing it as I know I'll regret it. The slant console for the radios are gold if you want a decent radio.

From memory, you should be able to swap the rear bellhousings over, if you're planning on keeping the 1600

EA81 bellhousing bolt holes dont line up on a first gen EA71, crank hole is bigger and sits higher

Oh.. ok

I remember doing a swap on one many years ago and it fitted without any issues. I used a bellhousing from a Jap import EA71 (from an L.Series) on to a local EA71, so we could fit the EA81 5 speed 2WD box in the owners 78 coupe.

Here's a pic of the EA71 L.Series setup

Willy 32 cars?? Please can we have a rundown??

From what I've read L series EA71 blocks are different to first gen EA71 blocks.
I got the engine out of the wagon today and bolted it to a MY fwd 5 speed, now sitting in first gen 2 door.......now I see how the steering is in the way. I read that people have had to make adjustments here but no real answer as to how they did it!?

It's 34 cars now as I bought a Dato 120Y coupe today lol, I'll put the list here later when I'm not so pickled.

I wish I could post pics on here like fb.

I just put a pic of the bellhouising difference and of CV hitting steering shaft in my Album.

Willy Fisterbottom wrote:I just put a pic of the bellhouising difference and of CV hitting steering shaft in my Album.

Willy, once you've got them loaded to your album you can run two windows on the forum - one for posting, one for loading your images. What you do is copy the image's address, drop it into your post where ever you want it then add



Cheers

Bennie

Thanks mate I'll give it a go, would be a bit easier if I wasn't using a phone though.

Willy Fisterbottom wrote:Thanks mate I'll give it a go, would be a bit easier if I wasn't using a phone though.

Totally agree! Laptop for the win! I use my phone to read stuff on the net, when I have credit! Then reply with a proper keyboard...

Cheers

Bennie

I found this on another forum "for the steering clearance its all about getting the adjustment on the anti pitch bar atop the engine and drilling the motor mounts about 3/4 in forward. i notch in the bell housing for the bottom bolt 1/2 inch and ground down the stud to get extra clearance.

when installing always adjust the pitch bar first then tighten all other engine and tranny mounts."

I'll tinker again tomorrow, already shortened a MY fwd shifter mechanism 110mm to fit but, the 3/4" forward will make me regret doing that already.

Willy Fisterbottom wrote:EA81 bellhousing bolt holes dont line up on a first gen EA71, crank hole is bigger and sits higher

album.php?albumid=238&pictureid=2026

Willy Fisterbottom wrote:From what I've read L series EA71 blocks are different to first gen EA71 blocks.

I don't believe the blocks are different but maybe the bellhousing could be different. When we used to bring these late model EA71 engines from Japan, we used to swap the bellhousing, so customers could fit them in the early models. You might be able to find an L.Series EA71 bellhousing in NZ

Yes the 'fat case' EA71 (later engines) have a different bellhousing with a side mount starter like the EA81. This allows you to use side mount starter gearboxes, such as the EA81 five speed.

The block is referred to as 'fat case' because the water crossover pipe is incorporated into the block halves like an EA81. Early EA71 engines have a external water crossover between the block halves. So yes, early and late EA71 engines do have different blocks (water pumps are different too - for the same reason).

You can swap the fat case bellhousing with the earlier top mount starter EA71 bellhousing to 'mix and match'. Except for very early EA71 engines, they have a different arrangement for the gearbox main shaft/pilot bearing and will not bolt together.

sublime wrote:Yes the 'fat case' EA71 (later engines) have a different bellhousing with a side mount starter like the EA81. This allows you to use side mount starter gearboxes, such as the EA81 five speed.

The block is referred to as 'fat case' because the water crossover pipe is incorporated into the block halves like an EA81. Early EA71 engines have a external water crossover between the block halves. So yes, early and late EA71 engines do have different blocks (water pumps are different too - for the same reason).

You can swap the fat case bellhousing with the earlier top mount starter EA71 bellhousing to 'mix and match'. Except for very early EA71 engines, they have a different arrangement for the gearbox main shaft/pilot bearing and will not bolt together.

Yes different pilot bearing on my 1977 EA71it has a needle bearing and the EA81 has roller bearings.

EA81 is now sitting in the old girl coupled to the 5 speed, I drilled out the engine mount brackets 20 mm back to move the engine forward, I didnt have to touch bottom driver side gearbox to engine stud or the casing as I removed the protective shroud around the steering shaft on the crossmemeber. The CV rubber boot is still just touching the steering shaft though so I need to move engine back about 5mm.

Perhaps I should just start a separate thread on the 77 2 door engine swap?

in unrelated news I broke the accelerator cable on my 82 hardtop today on my way home from work, I ended up connecting the choke cable to the throttle on the carby and had hand control accelerator for the hour drive home. I had been running a Webber of a Ford capri (1600) which has an clockwise throttle (Hitachi is anti clockwise), the webbber was OK but lacking somewhat, after the cable snapped today I put a Hitachi I had rebuilt previously and it goes like the clappers now

Oh.. ok.. this make sense