Brettm57 Posted August 26, 2003 Share Posted August 26, 2003 Another bracket racer project question. Can I replace my current EA81 2wd 3spd auto in my '85 hatch with an EA82 2wd 3spd auto from, say, a '92 Loyale? I see they have a 3.700 R&P and 1.023 transfer gears, considerably lower than the EA81 trans in the car now. I'm hoping it's a bolt-in swap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Hill Posted August 26, 2003 Share Posted August 26, 2003 I've never done it but..... They should. If the manual trannies will so should the autos. Since there's no flywheel all you have to worry about is the flex plate and torque converter. You might need the converter from one and the flex plate from another but I kind of doubt it. There may be bigger issues than the bolt up though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLCraig Posted August 26, 2003 Share Posted August 26, 2003 THe tail end where the transmission mount is at, longer on the EA82. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brettm57 Posted August 26, 2003 Author Share Posted August 26, 2003 Is it (EA82) enough longer (than EA81) that it won't line up in the mounts? Could I fab up a mount of my own? And remember I'm referring to the 2 wheel drive version of each. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLCraig Posted August 26, 2003 Share Posted August 26, 2003 If I remember right it's about 2 inches difference. Depending on you skill level you can swap the end pieces. Now the pump bolds to the other end of this piece so if your old tranny is bad you should take the pump apart and inspect it before putting it into your new tranny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brettm57 Posted August 26, 2003 Author Share Posted August 26, 2003 So which way would be the most practical, swap end pieces or build a mount to mate the EA82 tranny to the EA81 car? Would the end swap basically be unbolting the end from each tranny and swapping parts, or is there some internal stuff that needs to be disconnected? Also, do you think there would be problems with the swap on the converter end, such as the bell housings matching? If that works out, the only other problem I can think of is hooking up the shifter linkage. I little creativity should solve that though. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted August 26, 2003 Share Posted August 26, 2003 as far as i know the mounts between cars/trannies should be the same. if the torque converter fits from one to the other, do that. if not, the ea81 bellhousing will have to be modified to acommodate the ea82 flex plate. you will have to grind awat the bottom corners, and some of the meat off the bottom that the studs go through, but not enough to waer through. if you have both flexplates, use the spacer off the other one befroe the flexplate, and then the other spacer after that crank -------- spacer _____________ flexplate --------- spacer torque converter this is how i got an ea81 engine to fit against the 2wd auto trans of an ea82 car. hope that answers ya, it worked for me, and i am the only one to do it as far as i know.......................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brettm57 Posted August 27, 2003 Author Share Posted August 27, 2003 MilesFox, Were the torque converters the same on the tranny swap you did? I wonder if the EA82 converter has a higher stall speed? If so, that would be the one I want to use. It doesn't sound like this swap will be too hard to pull off. Thanks for the assist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hondasucks Posted August 27, 2003 Share Posted August 27, 2003 IF you are going to that much trouble, why dont' you just switch to a manual? You'll get more power to the ground that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLCraig Posted August 27, 2003 Share Posted August 27, 2003 He 's using an automatic because he's building a bracket racer. Bracket racing is not heads-up racing. A car is handy-capped based on an estimated elapse time that driver gives race officials. If the car runs faster then that estimated time the driver automatically loses the race. Having an automatic helps the driver to have consistent elapse times from race to race. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted August 27, 2003 Share Posted August 27, 2003 i used the ea82 torque converter, ther motor came from a MT supposedly 2wd 5spd between ea81 and ea82 are the same. i dont know about the torque converters though. you could test fit, and compare pump shafts. i do know that the 4wd torque converters are different than the 2wd's. hopefully the torque converters will match up, the only difference they might have is how they fit in one bellhousing or the other. either way you might go, or modifying is the only way, the mod is relatively somple, and shouldnt compromise structural integrity, if you grind, fit grind, fit, and only grind away what's necessary. i suggest removing the bellhousing from the back of the motor to mod it. once you do that and try to fit things, you will see what i mean, its pretty mich a step up from a flywheel mod for ea82 trannies. the spacer between the crank and the flexplate is to keep the flexplate from rubbing against the back of the motor. everything will bolt up the same, the width of the spacer wont throw it out of fitment spacs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brettm57 Posted August 28, 2003 Author Share Posted August 28, 2003 MilesFox, Do you know if an EA81 auto trans bell housing will still need to be ground away to fit? Seems to me that they should interchange, but then I haven't seen an EA81 apart yet, so what do I know?! I'm replacing an EA82 auto tranny now, so I at least partly see what you're talking about. Oh, and one more time, thanks for the info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted August 28, 2003 Share Posted August 28, 2003 i believe the bellhousing on the motor is the same either way. its the fact you are putting an ea81 against an ea82 tranny and its torque converter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CIS Subaru Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 No. The '83+ EA81 automatics (2wd and 4wd) had a different bellhousing to accomodate the larger "locking" torque converter. ("Locking" because it incorporates centrifugal clutches.) From what I've seen, the '83+ EA81 auto trannies use (visually) the same torque converter as the EA82 cars. No grinding should be needed here since your '85 Hatch should already have the correct bellhousing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brettm57 Posted August 30, 2003 Author Share Posted August 30, 2003 Can you explain to me how this "locking converter" works? I'm guessing that after the engine reaches a certain RPM, it locks up through a centrifugally operated mechanism, kind of like a go-kart or mini-bike clutch? Can you tell me what years and models cars they are in? Sounds like I want to be sure to get one! Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CIS Subaru Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 All of the 3spd auto transmissions from '83 on came with these "locking" torque converters. Honestly, I'm not entirely clear on how they work, but there's a big write-up on them in my '83 FSM. If I get a chance, I'll scan it for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 my motor was originally in front of a 2wd 5 spd. that explains my grinding. so if yours was automatic, you wont have that issue. (just like an ea81T will fit an ea82 flywheel without grinding) before you put it tohether. use the torque converter from you ea82 trans, since you have to put it on the tranny before you bolt the enginde you can tighten the flexxplate to torque converter bolts through the timing window. an off-set 12mm wrench works very well (auto-zone "great neck" 12-14mm offset combo wrench) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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