EA/EJ Adapter plate, with dowels, without dowels

[lostinthe202]

I've seen a number (the majority) of adapter plates sold/made/used without the alignment dowel pins. I made one recently and since I had the capability to measure accurately (milling machine) I included the locating dowels in my plate. I did this because the dowels are responsible for keeping the engine and trans on the same centerline which prevents undue wear on all bearings concerned and since I'll be doing plenty of highway driving with this setup it seemed like a good idea.

 

But I'm curious, how many miles and what kind of driving have people put on their undowel pinned adapter plates?

 

Will-

[Scott in Bellingham]

I've seen a number (the majority) of adapter plates sold/made/used without the alignment dowel pins. I made one recently and since I had the capability to measure accurately (milling machine) I included the locating dowels in my plate. I did this because the dowels are responsible for keeping the engine and trans on the same centerline which prevents undue wear on all bearings concerned and since I'll be doing plenty of highway driving with this setup it seemed like a good idea.

 

But I'm curious, how many miles and what kind of driving have people put on their undowel pinned adapter plates?

 

Will-

 

I have two cars both with EJ 2.2 to a EA D/R that have been wheeled offroad for over a year without any dowels and have had no issues

[WRX2FFU]

No dowels in mine either, wheeled and DD for over a year.

 

If it's bolted in then why would dowels be needed?

[WoodsWagon]

Dowels are needed so that the center of the crank and the center of the transmission input shaft are exactly the same. If they aren't it puts sideloads on the transmission bearings and is generally not good. The bolt holes have slop in them, they're only there to provide clamping force, not allignment.

 

I've got dowels in mine. If you go to the trouble of machining the plate, poke the 4 extra holes and have it done right.

[WRX2FFU]

^^^ Ture there is a bit of slop but the thrust bearing in the flywheel will take most of that abuse. The two studs in the bottom align it good enough in my opinion.

 

Do what you will though.

[LPGsuperchargedBrumby]

i put the dowel hole in mine....i figger if they weren't needed subaru wouldn't have put them there in the first place

[Gloyale]

I have dowel holes in my plates.

 

However, because of drill bit size limitaions, the holes in mine are minutely oversized. So the dowels aren't 100% press fit alignment......but........it works.

[torxxx]

I highly doubt that unacceptable wear is going to happen from not having the pins. My EA82 has had no pins for 6 years now, same engine, same transmissionn no ill effects of it yet.

 

I've always pulled engines out that had no pins, for who knows how long and none of the engines suffered from any bearing failure due to anything