'91 Subaru Loyale Transmission Capability

[5MileDrive]

Hello! I have just came across a '91 Subaru Loyale. The tran is a manual 5spd with push button 4wd, and I've been noticing that it's popping out of 1st and 3rd gear, as well as grinding and making plenty of noise in the gear box while shifting. 

I was thinking about getting a new transmission out of a donor car, but I'm not exactly sure what transmissions will work with my ea82. I was doing a little research and I think the dual range 5mt transmission would work, but I couldn't figure out if I would keep my push button 4wd active. I am also planning to upgrade to a 2.2 ej22, so I was hoping to find a transmission that would fit my ea82, as well as fit (and maintain the power of) the ej22. 

Is this possible?

[subieroo]

1 hour ago, 5MileDrive said:

Hello! I have just came across a '91 Subaru Loyale. The tran is a manual 5spd with push button 4wd, and I've been noticing that it's popping out of 1st and 3rd gear, as well as grinding and making plenty of noise in the gear box while shifting. 

I was thinking about getting a new transmission out of a donor car, but I'm not exactly sure what transmissions will work with my ea82. I was doing a little research and I think the dual range 5mt transmission would work, but I couldn't figure out if I would keep my push button 4wd active. I am also planning to upgrade to a 2.2 ej22, so I was hoping to find a transmission that would fit my ea82, as well as fit (and maintain the power of) the ej22. 

Is this possible?

As far as I know, push button 4WD system only works with the single range box. Dual range requires an additional mechanical arm at the front of the gearbox to move the range selector and is far too clunky to be operated by a solenoid.

Someone else please correct me if I'm wrong

[Steptoe]

We have many who run EJ engines with an adaptor plate to mate the EA82 gearboxes . Never heard of a self shifter being used now that I think about it.

If you can get a dual range box you need to get its matching console inside to cater for the 4wd hi lo lever and do away with solenoid selection of single range

You came across it or you bought it?

[el_freddo]

As Steptoe said. The push button operation is lost with the dual range - unless you get a dual range AWD gearbox from an RXII coupe, simply hook up your vacuum hoses the right way to lock the centre diff. 

If you do manage to get one of these AWD EA82 gearboxes, you’ll probably want to swap the low range to the decent 1.59:1 found in the NA EA82 dual range gearboxes. 

The EA82 AWD gearbox has a factory low range of 1.19:1 and larger diff output stubs (25 spline vs NA 23 spline). The L series MPFI and MPFI turbo use a 25 spline inner cup on the drive shaft. This interchangeable with any L series. This gearbox bolts straight in place of your current gearbox and will need the low range lever like the PT4wd box. 

Many of the L boxes will hold up behind an EJ22, adapted using a modified EA82 flywheel and an adaptor plate  

Cheers 

Bennie

 

[ferp420]

the push button should be easy to find ill bet someone would give you one as us offroad guys pull ours out for the duel range trans i know i have one i would.be willinh to donate to the cause but im along way away and shipping would cost more than a junk yard trans

[5MileDrive]

On 8/29/2019 at 12:57 AM, Steptoe said:

We have many who run EJ engines with an adaptor plate to mate the EA82 gearboxes . Never heard of a self shifter being used now that I think about it.

If you can get a dual range box you need to get its matching console inside to cater for the 4wd hi lo lever and do away with solenoid selection of single range

You came across it or you bought it?

Bought it for $10, so basically came across it

[5MileDrive]

On 8/29/2019 at 1:49 AM, el_freddo said:

As Steptoe said. The push button operation is lost with the dual range - unless you get a dual range AWD gearbox from an RXII coupe, simply hook up your vacuum hoses the right way to lock the centre diff. 

If you do manage to get one of these AWD EA82 gearboxes, you’ll probably want to swap the low range to the decent 1.59:1 found in the NA EA82 dual range gearboxes. 

The EA82 AWD gearbox has a factory low range of 1.19:1 and larger diff output stubs (25 spline vs NA 23 spline). The L series MPFI and MPFI turbo use a 25 spline inner cup on the drive shaft. This interchangeable with any L series. This gearbox bolts straight in place of your current gearbox and will need the low range lever like the PT4wd box. 

Many of the L boxes will hold up behind an EJ22, adapted using a modified EA82 flywheel and an adaptor plate  

Cheers 

Bennie

 

I was looking at an old gl wagon '87, they have the 4wd hi lo dual range, but would it hold up to the power of an ej22 when I eventually upgrade? I do plan on turning the loyale into an offroader, so from what I've seen a dual range transmission with hi lo would probably be best for that setup. I'm no expert yet though so hit me with that advice! 

[5MileDrive]

Another question, 

My loyale is fwd, with the option of 4wd with the push button. I've been pondering this idea for a little, but I'm not sure how well it'd work out.

I thought it'd be pretty cool to set up the drivetrain almost in reverse, having the loyale in rwd for daily driving and drifting, with the option of the 4wd for taking it offroad. How would that work out? 

[FerGloyale]

3 minutes ago, 5MileDrive said:

 

I thought it'd be pretty cool to set up the drivetrain almost in reverse, having the loyale in rwd for daily driving and drifting, with the option of the 4wd for taking it offroad. How would that work out? 

 

Doesn't work that way.  Trans is FWD with optional 4WD.  If the above is the setup you want, get a truck

14 minutes ago, 5MileDrive said:

I was looking at an old gl wagon '87, they have the 4wd hi lo dual range, but would it hold up to the power of an ej22 when I eventually upgrade? I do plan on turning the loyale into an offroader, so from what I've seen a dual range transmission with hi lo would probably be best for that setup. I'm no expert yet though so hit me with that advice! 

D/R 5-spd manual from an 85-89 is the trans to get if you want to offroad it.

It will hold up as well as any other non-turbo 5MT.  

They are basically all the same inside.  All the bearings, shaft diameters, etc are are the same.

I would advise don't hammer on the throttle driving around town in FWD.  

[5MileDrive]

4 minutes ago, FerGloyale said:

 

Doesn't work that way.  Trans is FWD with optional 4WD.  If the above is the setup you want, get a truck

D/R 5-spd manual from an 85-89 is the trans to get if you want to offroad it.

It will hold up as well as any other non-turbo 5MT.  

They are basically all the same inside.  All the bearings, shaft diameters, etc are are the same.

I would advise don't hammer on the throttle driving around town in FWD.  

Why are you advising that? Would the fwd setup just not be great for handling the power output? 

[FerGloyale]

1 hour ago, 5MileDrive said:

Why are you advising that? Would the fwd setup just not be great for handling the power output? 

It's because on pavement ALL of that EJ22 torque will be hooked up solid, and if you mash the go pedal from every stoplight, and every time you grab the next gear, you WILL eventually break  2nd gear, 3rd gear, or the front pinion.  In FWD it all goes through the front diff....it's pretty hard on it.  Hard on clutches too.

with stock tires size it probably wouldn't be a problem.

but if you go up to 27" or bigger, all that torque forced against heavy, taller tires and try to drive like it's stolen, you will break gears.

I drive my wheeler slow and steady with as little throttle as possible around town.  If you wanna haul rump roast, go to an EJ AWD trans......better clutch options, and the AWD spreads the torque around better for on road antics.  Still be awesome for snow, but won't be nearly as good of a wheeler then though.

[5MileDrive]

On 9/1/2019 at 1:14 PM, FerGloyale said:

It's because on pavement ALL of that EJ22 torque will be hooked up solid, and if you mash the go pedal from every stoplight, and every time you grab the next gear, you WILL eventually break  2nd gear, 3rd gear, or the front pinion.  In FWD it all goes through the front diff....it's pretty hard on it.  Hard on clutches too.

with stock tires size it probably wouldn't be a problem.

but if you go up to 27" or bigger, all that torque forced against heavy, taller tires and try to drive like it's stolen, you will break gears.

I drive my wheeler slow and steady with as little throttle as possible around town.  If you wanna haul rump roast, go to an EJ AWD trans......better clutch options, and the AWD spreads the torque around better for on road antics.  Still be awesome for snow, but won't be nearly as good of a wheeler then though.

Thank You! I appreciate the info you guys are extremely helpful

[el_freddo]

On the flip side I didn’t have issues with my gearbox when I was front wheel drive with 27s. 

I found the front would spin a wheel if you were going too hard off the line. And I would use drive shafts more often too  

AWD is where it’s at for sure! I’ve “basically” got a dual range forester box in my L and can daily it or drive it hundreds of km without even thinking about it being unreliable. And flog it around town plenty. 

Cheers 

Bennie

[Numbchux]

A lot of options. What do you plan to do with the car? Just a simple daily driver with stock suspension? Lift and offroading? Lowering and other street mods?

Any transmission that will bolt up to the EA82, will require an adapter plate to bolt to the EJ22. If you're going EJ anyway, I'd hold out and put an EJ transmission in it as the FWD will be pretty much useless with the EJ22.

[5MileDrive]

22 hours ago, Numbchux said:

A lot of options. What do you plan to do with the car? Just a simple daily driver with stock suspension? Lift and offroading? Lowering and other street mods?

Any transmission that will bolt up to the EA82, will require an adapter plate to bolt to the EJ22. If you're going EJ anyway, I'd hold out and put an EJ transmission in it as the FWD will be pretty much useless with the EJ22.

I'm thinking about doing just a 2 inch lift so I can put bigger tires on it, and eventually upgrade my suspension. I am planning on doing the ej22 swap eventually, the only problem is I need to swap my transmission now because it's going out. I don't want to get another transmission after swapping the ej22 in so I'm hoping to find one I can use with ea82 as well as the ej22. 

[Numbchux]

6 minutes ago, 5MileDrive said:

I'm thinking about doing just a 2 inch lift so I can put bigger tires on it, and eventually upgrade my suspension. I am planning on doing the ej22 swap eventually, the only problem is I need to swap my transmission now because it's going out. I don't want to get another transmission after swapping the ej22 in so I'm hoping to find one I can use with ea82 as well as the ej22. 

If you're going lifted, get an '85-'89 part-time 4WD dual range transmission. Much better offroad performance. It'll bolt up to the EA82, but you will need an adapter plate for the EJ22. Should be the same axle ratio, so you don't have to swap the rear diff. You'll loose the push-button (and relays, and solenoids, and vacuum lines) in favor of a mechanical lever.

[loyalematt]

My loyale was an AT car originally with pushbutton 4wd, and swapped over to the hi/low 5spd 4wd. You'll need the console setup and shifters out of a donor. Mine is daily driver/winter weather/shtf off-road vehicle and has never had problems going where I want it to, including the 16"+ of snow last year we got. I get dirty looks from some of the big 4wd truck guys when I cruise by and they are sliding everywhere. Well worth the time and effort. Little tanks with these transmissions.