el_freddo

Along with all fluids, I'd also check out your bearings and make sure your drive shafts are in good order, any clicking ones either replace or carry a spare with the required tools to swap out. While probably not so much of a concern compared to Australian heat/weather, but if your radiator is of an unknown age with plastic end tanks have it replaced along with any rad/heater/coolant hoses that you don't know the age of. I blew the side out of my radiator in the middle of no where on a 45C day - that killed the old faithful EA82 I had at the time. It was a great trip though! Don't modify your engine and decide it's a good idea to do a trip that takes you across a continent and back without a decent amount of run time - I had barely 1000km on some solid lifters before we left, after the first 1000km of the 8500km round trip I relaxed about the solid lifters... One died. I had the tools to strip and replace with originals but it could've been so much worse than it was! Great trip, did I mention that! I'd also say check out as much stuff along the way as possible, don't leg/rush it to the destination thinking you'll see it all on the way home - if it goes pare shaped you'll luck out on your chance to see those sights! As for the bottom end of your EA82 - they're pretty much bullet proof - what lets the EA82 down is the rubber band cam belts and the cam box with it's factory oil leaks. Best to get on top of any oil leaks before you go. When you do the cam kit put new oil seals on the crank and cams, make sure they're lubed with a plastic grease so they don't prematurely wear out due to being dry, or start leaking due to an incorrect grease used to lube them with (such as what I've accidentally done on my EJ). If you think it needs replacing, replace it. If you need to save to do the maintenance on your vehicles, save for it - don't take the money out of your travel budget! If you're not on a time schedule for an event or something of the like, you've got time up your sleeve. If it makes it easier, build an EA82 up on the side while you daily run your L (if this is an option). Most of all, once you're on the road, have fun, enjoy the drive and make some good memories! Cheers Bennie

Awesome work mate! I think I need to get a welder! Also - how'd you end up doing the inner guard plumbing for the snorkel? Cheers Bennie

Hmmm... I need to get me one of these SPFI kits to play with some day... Personally I'm an EFI convert after stuffing around with an MPFI conversion to my originally carbed L. I'm currently considering MPFI'ing an EA81 more for shits and giggles than all out fuel economy... Cheers Bennie

I'm keen for pics of this return spring setup too - even though this thread has been quiet for over 2 years! Cheers Bennie

What tyre size are we talking here? 33's? I've seen a radius rod bent with a 3 inch lift and 27s - but that was due to "over enthusiastic" driving - and I mean REALLY over enthusiastic! I've been offroading my 3 inch lifted L with 27s for years now without issue, I've never considered the control arm to be an issue. Take things easy and you'll be fine. Drive like you're in the Dakar and you'll be in all sorts IMO Cheers Bennie

Pull the carb and clean it out - I wouldn't think you'd need a kit unless you want to do a general overhaul anyway. The compression, pretty low to run an engine IMO. But anything is possible. You could have bent things, or damages valve seats/have something stuck in a valve seat thus it's not closing properly. The factory tool kit has that long pressed tube with a different socket on each end - one end will remove spark plug no worries Cheers Bennie

Looking awesome there Thomas, and it's going to be even better once that snorkel is fitted properly! Then we'll be L series bothers in more ways than one - you have one of my ideas on your L, I've got one of your parts on mine (the coupe grille!) ^ That's Nachaluva Matt's Foz where I got the idea of which unit to use after comparing his before it went on his foz I'm not happy with my bracket on the A pillar - since my snorkel was hand-me-down second hand unit it didn't come with the bracket, this what I came up with using what I had. Not really neat and I'm still refining it - I got a rivnut tool and inserts to hold the bracket on now, previously I was using a couple of screws (highly NOT recommended!) While I had the sand in mine I took the time to do some bending of the snorkel's intake for a bit more of a natural angle - just makes it look like it's really meant to be there - I'll have to dig up an image of this being done - I used some rachet straps on some choice angles to get a better look, still could have pushed it further... but it's all good! I'm looking forward to the finished product! I bet you can't wait! Cheers Bennie

Yep, but thought it worth while for the "sake" of others - they're not just a simple bolt on upgrade Cheers Bennie

^ The "elusive" dual port EA81s heads - you need a matching cam to run with these heads! Cheers Bennie

I think it's time for more pics! Cheers Bennie

There was also a factory Carb'd EJ sold I believe in the Latin American markets. There are images of them around... Another guy in/near Perth, Australia built his own one too using a fiori or ford escort dizzy and I think a weber carb. Probably the same as monstaru's build... Cheers Bennie

How could you not notice rust that serious if it's torque twisting the body? Or has a body mount rusted out? Cheers Bennie

Pull the engine and do the seals when you do the L series 5 speed upgrade Cheers Bennie

Any grinding when down shifting is usually due to worn synchros - this means the gearbox has been well used or the previous owner doesn't use the clutch properly. Rev matching is the best way to avoid this as a gearbox rebuild really isn't worth while unless you know what you're doing/own a gearbox specialist workshop... Cheers Bennie

Yes it's doable - but as mentioned be aware that seals etc are very well worth the effort while the engine is out. Rear main is a must! Is this EJ a twin overhead cam (DOHC) or a single overhead cam (SOHC) EJ? IF it's a SOHC it'll drop straight in, if DOHC you'll need to hammer/notch the chassis rails to clear the cam covers... As for the radiator, just use the stock unit with a piece of the factory EA hose size with the EJ hose over that done up nice and tight - much like those rubber adaptors you can get. Have you already filed the flywheel to fit the EJ crank bolt pattern? With an adaptor plate you need to use the EA flywheel to make use of the factory EA clutch. WIth a weekend swap the neatness of the wiring will be very tricky - and that's just fitting it to the vehicle. You'll need to work out where you're going to source your power(s), earth, fuse panel (yes, run an auxiliary one between the EJ harness and the Brat's factory loom to protect both from eachother); also to consider where you'll fit the ECU and it's check engine light (must have!), how you'll mod the exhaust and how you'll run a fuel return line - will you be using a "swirl pot" for the EFI pump? If you're going to cut the wiring down over the same weekend that you'll fit the engine you'll be pushing tin with only two of you with neither having done the conversion before. Get the wiring cut down and if possible do a bench test fire of the engine, if it runs go from there, if not reassess your wiring! I know of a "double conversion" done over a weekend in Western Australia - but this was a bunch of mates (4 to 6 from memory) that did everything from a pile of parts and a Friday Arvo. In my opinion, get the wiring cut down to only what you need. You'll need to source a wiring diagram/schematics for that particular vehicle to know what you'll need. I suspect you might need the security part of the wiring loom to make it work, but I could be wrong here as I've only messed with a mid '90's EJ loom. All the best with the conversion, it sounds exciting with the weekend challenge! Cheers Bennie

Two things: First, the worst: You could have bent a con rod but not enough to stop the engine or really notice it when the engine is running, only a pressure test will determine this. Second - you could have a crank case full of water so the engine was working harder to move all that liquid due to it's height. As you cranked without removing the spark plugs you were probably forcing water past the rings into the sump - and possibly doing more damage to the rings too. Always, always, ALWAYS remove the spark plugs before trying to start a hydrolocked engine! It's also a good idea to turn it over by hand a few times before using the starter motor with the spark plugs still removed. I hope you've not done any damage and it's just a case of a high sump level - check your oil to make sure it's not a water/oil soup Cheers Bennie

Mate, hats off to you for your effort! That's real commitment even after that embarrassing break down - I think many would have just gone home straight off the bat from that blow out! Also, either your oil pressure sender unit is reading low or you have a low oil issue. I remember the EA82 pumping out about 60psi from 2750rpm onwards. What does the new block push? That new block is just an NA Carb block - no SPFI there. So with that block you'll be running a higher compression too All the best for the next event! Cheers Bennie

There's a weird metallic noise I can hear, particularly when you rev it up and it plateaus. I'm wondering if this is messing with your knock sensor. Also, what exhaust are you running - that's not restricting the engine is it? Cheers Bennie

Yeah, sorry, pretty tired when I wrote that... We were bloody lucky it didn't let go, we would've been badly stuck. Sorry mate, I wasn't that guy with the EA72 - never heard of that one. Cheers Bennie

Same for me Cheers Bennie

Datsun L series engine The way I did it wasn't fantastic as I used two bolts per solid lifter and the measurement I gave the machinist was nice and tight yet I found that each HVLA were slightly different. I used two bolts fitted inside a gutted lifter, hence why they were all slightly different. What I'd do a second time around would be use a threaded sleeve that I'd lock into the gutted lifter with a grub screw drilled in at an angle to put pressure on the wall of the lifter slot/hole. This would also sort out the adjustment locking nut to lock properly without having to stop the whole assembly from spinning. Solid lifters were a PITA to adjust - engine out is the only way, removing the cambox and replacing it to check the change in the tolerance was a crap job to say the least! Get one wrong and it either taps away or the valve doesn't seal. Once they were in the stock MPFI seemed sluggish - until you hit 4000rpm, then it screamed from there upwards! I was running the same cam profile of the HVLAs, which was probably part of the issue. What ruined these for me was that I sent in 16 bolts to be shaved down and only got 15 back. I was on a deadline so ran one lifter without a second bolt - this ended up letting go and it almost sent a valve into the cylinder, one of the half moon clips on the top of the valve dropped out and the other wouldn't have been far away - we had to limp 1km to pull over. And we were on a trip across Australia, 2 hours east of Ceduna with the engine in bits to replace the modified units. Here's the result of the busted one: I got the idea from a mate in QLD that's running the same setup in his bug with a carb EA82 - that thing screamed right through the rev range! Cheers Bennie

I did my wedges like this: It's upside down due to making them on the engine stand with the cross member on top of the up side down engine Make a wedge for each side. Cheers Bennie

My thought was trying to reset the ECU too. Don't forget that you shouldn't touch anything for the first 5 minutes after starting to let the ECU work out it's parameters. Having the second O2 sensor would help out too. My other thoughts are that your fuel pressure regulator might be stuffed. Or there is something between the donor vehicle and this one that you're missing. It really is a guessing game without being near the vehicle to physically check it out All the best (subscribed) Bennie

Being that this is an MPFI turbo the drive shafts should already be the larger 25 spline like the EJ units. If not a new set of front shafts from a MPFI EA82 or MPFI EA82T '87 onwards will fit the EJ output stubs. Or if you're really keen, split the box and swap the output stubs with a set of 23 spline EA units The EJ22t swap would be dope - and it's been done before, do a search for Turbone (I think) - he's got a schmick L coupe that I could only dream of owning something like it (even with an EA82!). Cheers Bennie

That has me up to date for now Cheers Bennie