Looking for suggestions on 85 BRAT

[2manetoys]

about how long would the EJ22 swap take? and would it be better to have the entire vehicle that the EJ22 is coming out or handy when I did the swap?

 

From what I'm gathering in my reading you can't re-use the wiring if I were to add the SPFI now and later upgrade to the EJ22 correct?

 

I'm trying to formulate my Plan of attack on getting it ready to be a daily driver this fall when my son goes back to high school and will be needing our 3rd car on a daily basis.

 

Here's what I'm planning on doing:

5Speed swap with the adapter kit from Jerry (Bratsrus1).

Either EJ22 swap or SPFI install

Disc swap on rear

Bodywork on the rocker panels.

 

 

I know that there is mailing and fabricating time on the 5spd swap. I'm guessing 1-2 weeks.

 

I'm guessing it will take about 1.5 weeks to do the EJ22 swap or 3 days to do the SPFI install.

 

1 day to do the rear disc swap.

 

And 2-3 days on the body work (probably will undercoat it once bodywork is done.

 

Sound reasonable? Or am I being overly optimistic since I'm a rookie at all this?

[GeneralDisorder]

I think that's pretty optimistic. I've done a LOT of Subaru work, and the Brat I just converted to EJ22 spent a month in my garage. Mind you the work was mostly being done by it's owner after work and on weekends and he was following my direction in buying parts, etc so there is lost time in all that....

 

There aren't a lot of people that have done EJ22's into the EA81 body. Mostly the swap has been done to EA82's and it's considereably easily in a number of ways. But it is possible on the EA81's.

 

If you could work on it 8 hours a day you could probably get one driving in that much time but to get it "fiinished" will take longer most likely.

 

GD

[2manetoys]

I think that's pretty optimistic. I've done a LOT of Subaru work, and the Brat I just converted to EJ22 spent a month in my garage. Mind you the work was mostly being done by it's owner after work and on weekends and he was following my direction in buying parts, etc so there is lost time in all that....

 

There aren't a lot of people that have done EJ22's into the EA81 body. Mostly the swap has been done to EA82's and it's considereably easily in a number of ways. But it is possible on the EA81's.

 

If you could work on it 8 hours a day you could probably get one driving in that much time but to get it "fiinished" will take longer most likely.

 

GD

 

Good to know. I am fortunate in that my father lives 7 miles away and has a lift installed in his garage so that will help with a lot of things as far as acess goes.

 

Another thing I'll have to consider on the EJ22 is the effect, if any, of the fact that the EJ22 is currently bolted to and I assume wired up for an Automatic.

 

Anyway, I have the PVC valve ordered and it should be in tomorrow so that will at least provide the stop-gap measure to improve drivability until I can get everything ready.

 

Since I have to strip it from the Legacy first, I assume that it would be easier if the car were "on site" rather than having to go to the junkyard all the time as well.

[2manetoys]

I've got the Weber Carb on the way and I'm working on a seat swap. I've got about a month and a half before this will have to be my DD. It's currently a garage resident and subject to 2am tinkering as I get to know it. I have the valve cover gaskets that I know I need to replace as I have oil leaking on the garage floor.

 

Basically my question is this: Since it has 182K miles, should i just pull the motor and get a rebuild kit or should I just reseal it and go?

[renob123]

I've got the Weber Carb on the way and I'm working on a seat swap. I've got about a month and a half before this will have to be my DD. It's currently a garage resident and subject to 2am tinkering as I get to know it. I have the valve cover gaskets that I know I need to replace as I have oil leaking on the garage floor.

 

Basically my question is this: Since it has 182K miles, should i just pull the motor and get a rebuild kit or should I just reseal it and go?

 

Well, how long do you intend to have that motor in there? With an impending EJ swap, I'm not sure if it's worth the trouble. Is it eating a quart of oil every 5 miles?

 

Jacob

[GeneralDisorder]

You should reseal it and drive on. Couple reasons:

 

1. Your skill level isn't ready for an engine rebuild. That's a whole ball of yarn you don't want to unravel and it won't be done by the time you need to drive it.

 

2. As long as the compression is decent, it should have at least another 100k in it. My daily driver EA81 hatch (which wasn't anything like "well cared for" by it's previous owners) has like 250k+ on it and it just won't die. These engine are well known as being arguably the best Subaru engine ever made and will easily handle 350k before some major mechanical failure claims them.

 

GD

[2manetoys]

Well, how long do you intend to have that motor in there? With an impending EJ swap, I'm not sure if it's worth the trouble. Is it eating a quart of oil every 5 miles?

 

Jacob

 

Jacob,

 

I don't know if I'll be ready for an EJ swap anytime soon. I've got to agree with GD (post above this one) that my skill level isn't up to a rebuild of an EA81 yet, and that's a relatively simple motor. So putting an EJ that's got a lot more parts that I still don't quite understand how they inter-relate would be expensive as well as time-consuming.

 

I've owned 5 or so Subarus before and have always been amazed at how well they ran in spite of my lack of mechanical care and knowledge. Which is why now that I have the means to properly care for one, I finally got one that I wanted for a long time (like 17 years). I really want to learn HOW this thing works and WHY it works the way it does (or doesn't as I'm currently experiencing). There is only so much I can learn from reading here until I understand What the part is ( "Doo-hickey" and "Whatchamadingle" aren't Actual part names that I know of. LOL ). At this point, I am basically a part replacer and have limited diagnostic capabilities. As I take things apart and put them back together (or try to), I learn the how and why.

 

Within a couple of weeks of buying the Brat, my dad and I went to a Junkyard that he told me about together and spent about 5 hours pulling parts and wrenching on parts some of which I will probably Never use (like the Carter Weber Carb). It was hot as all get out, and we pulled ticks off ourselves for hours afterwards as the junkyard is in a wooded area, but I've got to say it was worth every Dollar spend, every drop of sweat, and the slight risk of Lyme disease just tinkering with Dad. Does it get any better?

[2manetoys]

You should reseal it and drive on. Couple reasons:

 

1. Your skill level isn't ready for an engine rebuild. That's a whole ball of yarn you don't want to unravel and it won't be done by the time you need to drive it.

 

2. As long as the compression is decent, it should have at least another 100k in it. My daily driver EA81 hatch (which wasn't anything like "well cared for" by it's previous owners) has like 250k+ on it and it just won't die. These engine are well known as being arguably the best Subaru engine ever made and will easily handle 350k before some major mechanical failure claims them.

 

GD

 

Good points!

 

I did spend an hours or so tearing apart the Distributor that you suggested I replace (the old one) just to see how it worked and managed to put it back together without any spare parts and adjusted the spacing of the part that's held on by the magnet and 2 screws ( I still don't know the name of the part) so that it was evenly spaced on both sides of the rotor. Maybe I'll put it back in and see if it still works or works any better than it used to.

 

Thanks, for the advice.

Edited July 2, 2010 by 2manetoys

[GeneralDisorder]

When you get the manifold and carb, send me a PM. I built and installed it so I'll be able to assist you with installation.

 

In the mean time you need to pickup two EA81 manifold gaskets from your local dealership and start prepping the manifold bolts for removal. They don't always play nice so it could be a real fun time removing them. Gently try to spin them and if they don't start turning then you will need to spray them down and start "shocking" them with a hammer and punch. Eventually you will be able to start working them back and forth and they should come out. If they are seized into the manifold itself the heads of the bolts might just twist off - in that case you can work some penetrant down into the bolt shaft and probably pull the manifold over the broken stud and deal with it that way. What you want to avoid at all costs is having them break off flush with the head - that will be a much bigger problem if that happens.

 

GD

[2manetoys]

When you get the manifold and carb, send me a PM. I built and installed it so I'll be able to assist you with installation.

 

In the mean time you need to pickup two EA81 manifold gaskets from your local dealership and start prepping the manifold bolts for removal. They don't always play nice so it could be a real fun time removing them. Gently try to spin them and if they don't start turning then you will need to spray them down and start "shocking" them with a hammer and punch. Eventually you will be able to start working them back and forth and they should come out. If they are seized into the manifold itself the heads of the bolts might just twist off - in that case you can work some penetrant down into the bolt shaft and probably pull the manifold over the broken stud and deal with it that way. What you want to avoid at all costs is having them break off flush with the head - that will be a much bigger problem if that happens.

 

GD

 

Excellent! Will do.

 

Back when I found the Carter Weber carb in the junkyard I've been going to lately, I took it out Intake and all. There are 6 (?) bolts in the intake if memory serves and only one broke off, but it was halfway out when it did and I didn't have WD40 with me at the time. It has since been added to my "junkyard tool kit" along with my floor jack, breaker bar, etc. etc.

 

if you don't mind, I might send you a PM before hand.

[GeneralDisorder]

Yeah - no worries - just PM me if you need any advice.

 

GD

[redwooddylan]

Looks good i just inherited a 78 Brat. I was wondering if it was leagal to ride in the back seats. Im in California PeAcE

[GeneralDisorder]

I was wondering if it was leagal to ride in the back seats. Im in California PeAcE

 

Yes if you have the seat belts. They are original equipment and they are legal for passengers in all 50 states. Just like it's legal to ride around with no shoulder belts in my '69 GMC - it didn't come with them.

 

GD