Necessary parts for a successful EJ22>EA81 swap

[anothertucker]

Hey there community. 

Welp, I'm finally cracking the seal on the EJ22 swap into my '85 lifted Brat. Found a $350 '96 Impreza Outback donor car with 180k, pulled the engine out of it yesterday, and refurbishing that chunk of greatness begins today. New gaskets, resurfaced heads, and a good cleaning are in order at the least.

So then, down to business. Just to be clear, I have poured over many (if not most) of the EJ>EA swap threads over the last year in preparation for this, ever since I bought my first Brat (I own 4 of the cute little buggers). I've taken the precaution of tattooing all 25 pages of Numbchux's EJ Conversion Manual under my eyelids for quick reference. Still, I am trying to get all my parts/ducks in a row for a successful swap, so I don't end up with two disabled vehicles in my barn. To that end I would LOVE to double check my needed parts checklist with y'all to make sure I am not caught empty-handed. Please let me know what I've forgotten, or if things are not necessary based on what I'm working with. 

ITEM                                                                           SOURCE

EJ22                                                                          1996 Impreza

EJ22 gasket kit                                                        Subaru

xt6 crossmember                                                    recommendations?

tranny adapter plate/flywheel                               https://www.sjrlift.com/products/ea-to-ej-swap-kit?variant=21562340114537 This is the kingpin piece, I know. I

                                                                                    would love another, less costly option, but these seem like pretty good quality and are still around now that

                                                                                    MRose and Rguyver are not selling them.

xt6 pressure plate/clutch                                      recommendations?

85 nissan 720 pickup throwout bearing             https://www.go-parts.com/ps-mmp.php?make=Nissan&model=720&parttype=Clutch+Release+Bearing

EA fuel-injected pump                                            Hoping one of my other Brats has this, but if not?

12” radiator fan and remote heat sensor            Napa

oil temp gauge wiring                                              Napa

2 1/4” exhaust/muffler pipes                                 Steel yard, will likely make my own custom pipes

 

So that's it. Would love your input, and am actually surprised not to have run across a list like this before, outlining what needs to be sourced for a successful swap. I will definitely be posting pics and am happy to share my spreadsheet once I've completed the swap (I'm a pretty left-brained guy). Meanwhile, wish me luck!

 

PS. I actually own 4 Brats, all 2nd Gen: The '86 was restored last year and is my daily driver, stock with 142k original miles, runs like a top (may or may not sell this); Working on the '86 now, which has a 6" lift and 5 lug conversion; I have another '82 Brat with pug rims and like 160k miles on it, in need of new head gaskets and some interior work, but otherwise it's in good shape (I'm looking for a buyer for this one); and I have and '83 or something that is currently my parts car since it had a rollover, but came with new body pieces and a bed full of parts. The amount of parts I have, and will be creating once the Impreza is gutted, is pretty astounding. So if you're looking for something, I might have it.

Edited March 22, 2019 by anothertucker
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[FerGloyale]

You don't need a Xt6 crossmember.  That's for putting an EJ trans into an EA82, and isn't really needed.  Flatbar makes for an easy custom made one.  But that's in EA82 cars with an EJ trans......not applicable here.

You only need the 720 throw out if you are using an EA82 flywheel and clutch.  Since you aren't changing the 4-spd apparently, you don't need those.  You DO need a 4 spd flywheel that's been redrilled.   or.......Some people say you can use the 5 spd flywheel with the 4spd, I've never thought that to be a good idea.  starter will barely catch the teeth on the flywheel.

Don't need a heat sensor either.  EJ ECU will do a fine job of controlling the electric fans via relay.

EA high pressure fuel pump will have to come from an fuel injected EA car like late GL or Loyale (or xt or xt6)  But honestly it's easier and more reliable to just buy a new pump.  Walbro 255 works for my swaps.

[carfreak85]

You'll need a fuel surge tank, your stock fuel tank doesn't have any baffles.

[FerGloyale]

1 hour ago, carfreak85 said:

You'll need a fuel surge tank, your stock fuel tank doesn't have any baffles.

I've never had a problem in my EA81 wheeler.  Stock tank, EJ22 on 93 managment.  Walbro 255.  Never had any stalling or bucking, ever.  I know why you'd need baffles in theory, but in reality I've never observed a problem in 10+ years wheeling that car.

Of course, I ussually have more than a 1/2 tank if I'm in the woods.

 

[anothertucker]

You guys are great at saving me money, thanks for the replies! By the way, the adapter kit from SJR comes with the plate AND a redrilled flywheel, so it may be worth the price. 

[anothertucker]

just to be clear, though: the xt6 pressure plate and clutch are still necessary, correct?

[Unknownjeremiah]

Yes!! More literature. 

[FerGloyale]

14 hours ago, anothertucker said:

just to be clear, though: the xt6 pressure plate and clutch are still necessary, correct?

Not unless you are putting a 5 spd in it.  And even then it can be just an EA82 4wd clutch, not an ER27 (xt6)

Most parts companies have superceeded to the same part for both applications now anyways.

If you are using the 4spd, just keep all yer 4 spd clutch stuff.  Get a redrilled 4-spd flywheel.  

You also don't need a nissan 720 throw out bearing.   That is for using a 4 spd clutch with the 5 spd trans IIRC

[sparkyboy]

I redrilled the flywheel myself. It took a couple of hours and $20 in nice bits, but just use the ej flywheel as a template and elongate the holes into an oval shape!

Sjrlifts adapter plate is worth every penny.

Have fun! Your brats gonna smash now! 

[Steptoe]

then when it is in...the exhaust..I tried to fit up the engine Y pipe with the next centre section? and that is what hits the castor bar shared with gearbox cross member bracket on the RHS

 

keep the advice from experience coming please!

I have 92 Brumby with EJ20 sitting in it screwed to the Impreza 5MT AWD box

[Numbchux]

As mentioned, you don't need the XT6 crossmember. And to my knowledge, aftermarket clutch kits no longer offer an XT6-specific option. I'm not terribly sure what your clutch options with the EA81 trans are, I thought the Nissan throwout allows you to run an EA82 clutch, which should be a bit better than the EA81. But I haven't played with EA81s....so take a big grain of salt

 

I would definitely recommend the SJR adapter plate.

He does a good job machining, though I've done several flywheel modifications myself. If your Impreza is an automatic, you'll have an easy pattern with the little spacer on the flexplate (otherwise, get on a local  Subaru facebook group, and/or the classifieds on here, and you might be able to get one for cheap). A high-speed cutting bit on a dremel does very well (I think I bought 3 of them, but probably could have done it with one). The center hole will center it perfectly on the snout of the engine, and orientation no longer matters. Just ream them out until you get all 8 bolts in.

 

Unless your other Brat is a turbo, it won't have an adequate fuel pump either. You'll need a fairly modest fuel-injection pump. Far easiest to get something designed to be mounted inline. I've used stock EA82 replacement ones, I used one for some old Ford station wagon once. If I were doing it now, I'd get on Summit racing or similar and buy a universal inline one.

 

Yep, EJ ECU has fan control outputs, just wire it to a relay, and that to your fan, you'll be golden.

[83subaruGLchick]

You'll also need to do something with the stock radiator hoses and radiator outlet i believe.  The bottom outlet will need to be put into an upwards angle and the hoses of the EJ are a larger ID then the hoses off the EA so you can either use adapters or change the radiator outlets all together.  I might be wrong though I've read a ton and asked a ton on the swap because I'm starting mine in about a month and this is the information I've gotten.

[FerGloyale]

no need to alter the angle of the radiator outlet.  I've got an 8" lift and I'm running the stock radiator.

I simply use flex hoses that have 1-1/2" on one end and 1-1/4" on the other.

[alexbuoy]

Since yours is obd2, look into getting an ultragauge or scan gauge. plugs right into the obd2 port and reads temp, rpm and a whole bunch of other stuff real-time.