Advices about EA 82 Turbo Engines

[Rafavidmess]

Thinking of a swap for my 1990 BRAT, I found 2 reasonably priced Loyales Turbo.

Thinking of taking engine and trans. from it.

Are this turbo engines reliable?

Anything special I should Check.

Are this engines MPFI or SPFI?

Saludos!

Rafa

[DaveT]

For the amount of work, you are better off swapping in an early EJ 2.2 .  More power, more reliable, parts are available.

EA82T - Many parts are NLA.  I think the turbos were MPFI.  The non turbo are SPFI.

[Step-a-toe]

In order to be reliable thirty years later they deserve a reseal at a minimum. New timing belt kit, intake manifold off to replace intake gaskets and the freeze plugs in the back of it

10, 12, 14 mm ones rust out

The banjos in the turbos are usually nasty by now, as is the special pitot tube style banjo bolt in the bottom of RHS head for turbo coolant hard line

And the bent coolant hose between turbo and head. I replace with silicone heater hose and a spring like hose shaper

EA are easier to swap about I believe

I run EA82T in my 89 ute

Uses the twin port intake of MPFi

Edited June 8, 2020 by Step-a-toe

[moosens]

#1 Not as reliable as you can have. Somewhat notorious. Overheating , headgaskets , turbo issues and heat causing other issues like axles I think.

Good old honest EJ is your man for the job. To me , if going EA82 I would go simple as in SPFI but that’s based on my roadgoing experiences and minimal off-roading. 
 

#2 Various but for sure remember it’s a closed loop system for air/fuel so leaks especially around the throttle body will/can cause light smoke to near black smoke. Heat often destroys that axle it sits over/next to. 

 

#3 MPFI 
 

#4 Enjoy the project !! 

 

[el_freddo]

Avoid. 

Now the EJ20 turbo would be well worth it, but the chassis rails need to be widened, or apparently run without timing covers - and change the spark plugs before install! 

Or EJ22 - no chassis rail mods needed, peak power is about the same as the EA82t and is more reliable. 

@Step-a-toe - any rail mods needed for the EA82 in the brumby? 

In my book EA82 anything in the Brumby/brat’s engine bay is a fail. Keep the EA81 or go EJ. There’s no other reliable option! 

Cheers 

Bennie

[idosubaru]

No. 
 

They’re good engines if you can verify they were never run hot or low on oil for the last 30 years (impossible) and they have all new gaskets, hoses, rebuilt turbo, and the oil control and compression rings, or HLAs, aren’t stuck from sitting for extended periods of time in the last 30 years.  If you can verify all of that they are good engines. That’s both nearly impossible and a crap ton of work and cost.  
 

for the same effort you can drop in an EJ for the same or more HP, it won’t need near the amount of work and pampering, easier to find parts for and more potential HP.  
 

The EA82T is a decent engine you just won’t find one in good enough condition and even if you did the cost and effort to swap and get it to daily driver reliable and prevent catastrophe of turbo related issues still doesn’t make any practical sense compared to EJ. 
 

but if you’ve got time burning a hole in your pocket and love hard projects that aren’t ideal and need more effort than necessary to get up to speed then have at it.  Most of us have done it before too!

[GeneralDisorder]

LOL. Hot garbage. Avoid. 

GD

[Step-a-toe]

GD does not like EA82 you might gather

every engine that has come my way has been a basket case so I never expect anything of it until I have done my bit

i get the impression cars and engines a bit like a hot potato when something goes wrong for most of us

i stayed in the EA family for a number of reasons

gearbox bolt pattern between EA - same

radiator hose ID same

exhaust port bolt pattern same

 

i saw EJ as needing ECU wiring to get around in head, then in car as a hurdle for me, so thought start with EA82T and 14 years later still happy with what I have got out of them

My EJ conversions have so far been abandoned

turbo an EJ16 - discarded

ej22 dirty heavy old lump still hoarded in a box

ej20 from AUSDM 99 Impreza and it's box is sitting, getting bit by bit look at, and you know what?? When it and driveline all fits, it is coming out to make way for my twin port EA82 NA Mongrel for some more fun

[GeneralDisorder]

You can dink around with all that garbage and scrounge around in scrap heaps for parts..... that's great if that's what gets you "rooted" as you fellas put it. 

Me - I want more. And frankly I want so much more that I have all but moved on from Subaru's in general. I hang out here to help folks and get a hearty laugh at the n00bs that think they are going to reinvent the world around some clapped out yard ornament and the clouds will part and rays from heaven will bless them for..... IDK where I'm going with that but you get the general idea. 

Subaru engines are good - for what they are. A small 4 cylinder that can hold up to reasonable abuse and make pretty reasonable power for their weight. But If you want REAL power and you want it to last more than a few passes or a race season..... these aren't it. And the EA stuff is dead - I charge a LOT of money for my time and expertise - it's not WORTH paying me or spending that time myself scrounging for parts that are difficult to find and are only going to get harder to find in the coming years. Some people get a real hard on for that type of thing because it's "old" and it's "rare"..... but the reality is - if it were so damn good, someone would still be making parts for it - like the Chevy Small Block and Big Block.

Here in the US, we have a rich and beautiful history of making amazing machines from a golden era. That being the 1950's through the 1980's or so. Heck GM made the gen 1 SBC all the way through 2000. That's 45 years of production. And they still make later generations of the same engine as well as crate engines and parts for the gen 1 stuff. It's pretty amazing that in 2020 I can build a 400 HP small block with off the shelf brand new parts using a 1997 Vortec I picked up for $200 (fully dressed). 

I picked up my Jimmy with a blown engine for $2500 (hydro-locked due to a poor HG replacement, and threw a rod), dropped in a $1500 engine and trans combo from a friend (350 HP,  built 700R) and was on the road for like $4500 with 350 HP in a 4" lifted Blazer with 35's. It's absolutely terrifying at WOT. 

GD

 

[Roger87ea82t]

All the EA82  turbo engines I have seen have the 370:1 gear ratio transmissions and the non turbos have 3.90:1 gear ratio. So if you swap the transmission you will have to swap the rear gears also. All the turbo EA82 engines I have seen eventually end up with cracked heads between the valves, all you have to do is over heat them. I have seen radiators plugged with mud and coolant leaks that leave these motors destined for the scrap pile unless you can find a good set of used heads.