karuri Posted December 7, 2013 Share Posted December 7, 2013 (edited) Hello to fellow subaru ehtusiasts, i am writing from Thika in Kenya. I recently rescued a Subaru Leone forgoten/ abandoned in a friends farm shed. after consulting my 'Tree shade' mechanic he sugested i replace the old engine with an ej15 engine. after scouring around i did find one for about 300 $ but with no ecu n harness. i was planning to visit an accident write-off yard to get the ecu and harness.. or am i better off overhauling the ea82 engine? Edited October 5, 2021 by karuri 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazyeights Posted December 7, 2013 Share Posted December 7, 2013 (edited) Great Find! It looks like a touring wagon too! You might like the EJ series engine better, but the old EA82 is a good engine as well. You can't go wrong either way IMO. Could you post some more pictures of it? Edited December 10, 2013 by Crazyeights Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karuri Posted December 9, 2013 Author Share Posted December 9, 2013 (edited) yes its a wagon, i think i will go with the ej15, but the wiring loom is proving tricky to find locally.. i guess its back to the junk yards for the next few days, fingers and toes crossed! and sure i can put up a few more pictures.. and its coated with like 10 kilos of dust! Edited October 5, 2021 by karuri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karuri Posted December 9, 2013 Author Share Posted December 9, 2013 hard at work yesterday trying to scrub off the dust... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 Welcome aboard, karuri! And congratulations on your great find--looks to be in pretty good condition. What year is it? How many miles on it? Personally I'd overhaul the EA82 before jumping into an engine swap (but that's just me!) All the best on your project--and do keep us up on your progress. BTW your pictures are great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karuri Posted December 10, 2013 Author Share Posted December 10, 2013 thanks ol' Subaru Guy! yes the body seems to be i good repair! virtually no dents and dings and very little rust.. luckily no snow and no salt here am betting the undercarriage is in a good state but i will know for sure when am done with the engine and move to the body work. its a 1985 model with about approximately 160,000 kilometers on it which translates to about 100,000 miles.. as for the overhaul of the EA82 here the kits are quite expensive almost as much as a second-hand EJ15 engine.. pistons, rings, valves & valve seats, gaskets etc here could easily come to about 1,000 $! while i can get the EJ15 + loom & ECU for about 500 -600 $ plus am looking to fuel economy with the efi engine here fuel costs about 1.3 $ per liter! but yes i intend to slowly overhaul the EA82 and build an off road buggy some time in the next year or two so it ain't going to waste plus i have an extra manual transmission to go with it... this weeks task is hunting down the wiring loom. yes will definitely keep posting on the progress of the project... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 May I change my vote, karuri? I've been thinking about it since yesterday and I agree with your mechanic buddy! The EJ engines are fantastic. I drive a '95 Legacy with EJ22--at 140k miles it's smooth as silk, just nicely "broken in." I would assume the EJ15 to be of the same high quality. And being a bit smaller the fuel economy should be great. So I'd say "go for it!" Before putting it in be sure to replace the timing belt and seals, check the tensioner, re-seal the oil pump and replace the water pump. You're going to have a very nice car there my friend! Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karuri Posted December 10, 2013 Author Share Posted December 10, 2013 hahaha sure 'ol Subaru Guy, you can change your vote! Given am planning to get the EJ15 looked over by the mechanic before fitting it. changing of the timing belt etc seems like a sound idea! . . the ideal would be fitting a "Red top" twin turbo 2,500cc STI but they cost would be insane lol! so baby steps for now.. but in the future i see me working on a BRAT popping in one of those 2,500cc twin turbo STI and triptronic transmissions... tearing up the country side roads burning some serious rubber! ohh well a man can dream :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karuri Posted January 19, 2014 Author Share Posted January 19, 2014 hey to you all! the long holidays are over its back to the leone project. first let me begin by apologizing i forgot to take pictures but will do so on tuesday and put them up! got an ej16 engine, exhaust manifold, ecu, wiring harness and automatic transmission and its shifter. the transmission is missing the compter, but i hope to get one tomorrow or the day after. the engine runs but has a modified harness a jumbled mess which i am yet to untangle. lots of tape and joints when twisted affects the idling of the engine. so my tale begins : mechanic sent one of his aprentice... the guy took one look at the transmission says it cant fit.. and has no clue how to modify it to fit, he threw his hands up in the air in consternation he aint keen on figuring out a solution.. so i sent him home i like people with a "can do" attitude not defeatists! so am seeking ideas on how >to modify the rear mount for the auto transmission so it can fit. >some pictures or diagrams for the engine harness so i can unjumble it mysellf >as well as which wires i need to splice on the leone to connect up the ecu and engine, which to the ignition etc.... >what modifications will i need to do to the front driveshafts for the transmission to fit >what modifications to the propeller shaft too! >will i need to change the rear diff and shafts too or can they be midified.. all your advice and expertise will go a long way coz at the moment am feeling a little overwhelmed!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivans imports Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 ej 15 ej 1.6 never heard of those ????we have ej 2.2 ej 1.8 ej 2.5s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivans imports Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 we use a five speed high low trans with adaptor plate and redrilled flywheel on the ej to get it to fit and is best to make ej harness stand alone then add it to loyale will need constant + and switched + and tach signal fan signal feul pump realy signal And lots of time. I have never seen a ej adapted to a ea auto trans do not think that will work right. And the ej 4eat is ecu controlled so can o worms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karuri Posted January 19, 2014 Author Share Posted January 19, 2014 yeah their is an ej16 engine ithink subaru discontinued it. i got and want to fit an auto transmission from a legacy.... i wanna change both engine and transmission i figure i have to change the fuel pump too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karuri Posted January 19, 2014 Author Share Posted January 19, 2014 hey Ivans imports, i was avoiding fitting an adapter plate and the old ea manual transmission so i want both engine and transmission changed..coz the ej16 engine bolts direct on to the legacy auto transmission... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leone 101 Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Hey karuri sup am new n from Jamaica. It seems we have both the same leone project going on, I have a 1991 sedan tho with a 1.6 ea swapping out with a EJ15. Mine has full electronic auto transmission tho with 4wd will post pics soon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leone 101 Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 My page is 1991 leone u guys can check it out leave comments n suggestions karuri u can link me for advices also Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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