L Series EA82 Auto to 5 sp manual conversion

[Pecheur]

Hi all,

Haven't been on here for a while, but the 1987 EA 82 Auto Touring Wagon sadly has done a head gasket at 240,000km. Shock horror, these usually go for over 300,000km without a problemo and i am too attached to let it die!! So, i bought another whole slightly damaged 1991 Sportswagon today (panelbeating not worth it) but it's manual, carbi version with a lift kit. I intended swapping the EA82 MPFI motor back to the standard carbuettor EA82 (simple heart transplant) and starting wondering if i should swap the whole motor and transmission as well. The existing auto runs pretty sweetly i would add. I've looked around the tech manual and threads but apart from some discussion on ECU's, can't readily find anything on my question. Is is simply to swap the whole lot, or should i just swap the engines and bolt it back up to the existing auto.Obviously need to swap peddle box over, clutch cables etc but not sure if any problems are facing me on the electrics or other things my knowlege is limited on.

Good to see some familiar names still contributing to the forum. Look forward to some direction please.

Regards

Wayne

[steptoe]

swap back to carb ? that will involve fitting your carb heads onto the efi short motor then won't it ?

[Pecheur]

Thanks Steptoe,

I meant swap the whole motor over as it's only done an incredibly low 110,000km out of the 91 sportswagon. Seems the simplest thing to get my 87 touring wagon back on the road, but also started thinking about swapping the auto for the 5 spd manual with it. Any experience or advice on this one.

Wayne

[AndrewT]

If you're happy with the auto I'd say stick with it. Just swap the carby motor in. I don't imagine it will cause any issues.
If your handy with the tools perhaps you could consider swapping the MPFI heads and inlet manifold onto the Carby engine block so you still get all the advantages of the injection system etc...
Actually then it might make more sense to just replace the head gaskets on the MPFI motor itself!
I believe there are a few issues with getting a Carby motor to run as a Carby motor in a MPFI L series but nothing serious, it can be done.

[Battlewagon]

The MPFI EA82 has a tapped port into the crankcase at the back of the block, so fitting the mpfi heads to the carby block means drilling and tapping this hole. (Or somehow plumbing the vent pipes back to the crankcase).
Fortunately there is a cover plate you can remove to catch the shavings, if you do it before you fit the flywheel.
If you don't do this, you'll get a really bad smokescreen behind the car when it sucks oil from the rocker covers and burns it. It'll ruin your O2 sensor in the process. Been there did that.

[El_Freddo]

I believe there are a few issues with getting a Carby motor to run as a Carby motor in a MPFI L series but nothing serious, it can be done.

Battlewagon,

To do both of what your asking is a big job. To shove the carbie job back in there is still wiring that has to be installed (and the MPFI gear removed). Can be a big job. Swapping out the entire loom from each car will result in having to down grade to the sports wagon dash display. I've converted my car to MPFI which was a task in itself, now i'm running a carbie engine that is jerry rigged to run while the MPFI is "being contemplated".

I would just replace the head gasket, it would be easier than swapping the motors and you'll learn a lot along the way (if you've got the tools and a little bit of knowhow...).

Good luck with it either way, the manual would make a huge difference and in my opinion, is the way to go.

Cheers

Bennie

[Pecheur]

Bennie,

I think i now get it and partly from AndrewT's response. The intake manifolds and heads of the MPFI and the naturally aspirated must differ (contrary to my thinking). The intake manifold gasket is different from my enquiries to buy new gaskets at my Subaru Dealer in Perth today. I thought i could simply swap all the MPFI gear over to a carbi heads, but they must be different as the intake ports appear to have two openings per head in the MPFI and only one in the carbi version. I think i am heading down the path of just dropping the whole carbi motor into my auto touring wagon, along with the manual gearbox attached and see if i can work out the wiring. I assume the only thing i would have to rewire (missing in the manual sportswagon loom) is the tacho, auto park/neutral switch - legacy of auto internal cabin loom, maybe 4wd dash lights switch and anything else i don't know about. The ECU's are different as i found the MPFI bolted up to the steering column. It's a pretty big box of tricks by today's standards i would think.

Am i seriously making this sound too simple from your experience. Tim81Coupe- what do you think, you know these vehicles inside out??

Wayne

[steptoe]

If you fit the carby motor you will make that ECU redundant !

Most important is that it starts and stops, I guess also reverse lights to work but the 4WD and lo lights - do them at your leisure.