84 GL Wagaon EA81 4speed d/r swap to EA82 5speed

[Stoner Dude]

Hi,

I realize i am about 10 or 15 years late on this post.

I am looking for info about swapping my EA81 4speed dual range (d/r) with a  EA82 5speed d/r.  My 3rd gear is gone and now 4th and REV are grinding, so i know my days are numbered.  Car has about 105K miles and even though 4 idiots have back into the driver side and crashed in the entire side, the car still runs good and still has that new car smell inside (kinda). 

I have read there is some kind of kit that i could use so i won't have to weld or torch things. I only have typical shade tree mechanic tools and not really a fabricator type person.

 

Also, any body have a EA82 5 speed d/r for sale that's in decent shape?

Any help would be great.

[sparkyboy]

I understand it's a bolt on affair, just a few small things to sort out such as wiring, and having the shifters and hardware.

There is a good looking 4 speed d/r in one of my nearby yards. It's $125 plus a 40 core charge. Money well spent imo. Duals are getting scarce. The push button single range is soon gonna be the most common ea trans in the jy.

Where are you located? I would love to help. I'm in Colorado 

Edited June 19, 2019 by sparkyboy

[Stoner Dude]

located in Oklahoma City area.  Does your 4 speed have the transfer case mounted to it? Thanks,

[Al Zhiemer]

Just so I can be first... There is plenty of info about this if you use the search feature.

 

But seriously, very easy conversion to do, these are the parts I used and a rough guide on how I went about it.

The 5 speed will bolt directly up to the EA81 engine, so no problems there. I'm using the EA81 starter motor and built a spacer to go between the bell housing and the starter motor as the starter motor needs to sit out from the bell housing by about 4mm. Some solve this option by spacing it out with washers but I wasn't to keen on that idea. With the tailshaft, you have 2 options, get the EA81 4 speed tailshaft modified to suit or use the 5 speed tailshaft. The 5 speed tailshaft does have a centre bearing that you will have to figure out how to mount, different people have different ideas on how this should be done, some cut the mounts out of the 5 speed and weld in to place, others just make brackets and mount directly to the floor. I opted for the second option and also reinforced the floor with some 3mm plate steel to give it a bit of extra strength.

For the clutch, I was lucky enough to have the larger diameter flywheel for the EA81, somebody will correct me but I think the clutch surface measures around the 225mm's. I used this flywheel, EA81 clutch plate, EA82 pressure plate and EA82 throw out bearing. Clutch seems to work fine at this stage and its well over half worn. You will have to get the lip of the flywheel where the pressure plate bolts to machined down as it is higher and the EA82 pressure plate won't function properly. Use the 5 speed gear selector linkages for the gear selection, the 4WD selector is a combination of the original 4 speed and the 5 speed. Apart from having to mount the 5 speed shifter, this pretty much fits perfect. Now the 4WD linkages are a little different, once you have worked out the length the linkage needs to be, cut both linkages and weld back together, the reason for having to do this, is that the 5 speed gearbox attatches differently to the 4 speed at the gearbox end and the 4 speed connects differently to the 5 speed at the shifter end. If its left hand drive, I don't think you have to worry about changing the clutch cable. The next thing is to workout how to attatch the gearbox to the sub frame, once again, a bit of scrap metal floating around, a quick buzz with the welder and brackets are made.

 

As for the 4WD dash lights and reverse lights, a quick test with either a test light or multimeter will solve that quick smart.

 

I'm sure somebody will correct me but if its left hand drive, I don't think you need to modify the pedal box or the clutch cable to fit the 5 speed in to the EA81.

 

Now each to their own and at the time I done my conversion I had the complete engine, gearbox and sub frame dropped so it was all just sitting out in the open. I would suggest that this is the easiest way if you have never done it before, you can get a good clean look at everything and see what exactly has to be done, the conversion itself is extremely easy. Take your time, check everything twice and then another 2 more times before you start cutting and welding or bolting everything into place.

 

Cheers,

 

Al