Engine Switch?

[Midwst]

Is it possible to put at subaru Legacy 2.2L engine into a 1992 Loyale? I know the Loyale has a terrible reputation with engine problems and I want to know before I buy it, if a swap to a better engine is possible. Also is a kit needed?

[baccaruda]

hi, yes it is possible. i hope i don't sound rude but there are 3 threads dealing with legacy swaps right below this one. if you didn't know this, it's OK - EJ22 is the legacy 2.2 engine, and EA82 is the older 1.8 engine such as in your loyale. EA81 is the even older 1.8 engine in the brats and other subarus with the same style front end.

 

 

we have a link to our search feature right up there at 1 o'clock and it works great.. look for posts by me, ballitch, subarino, mudrat79, austin (ratty2subaru), lots of people are in this process or have done it.

[jeffroid]

Is it possible to put at subaru Legacy 2.2L engine into a 1992 Loyale? I know the Loyale has a terrible reputation with engine problems and I want to know before I buy it, if a swap to a better engine is possible. Also is a kit needed?

 

Also not to be rude, but I am compelled to ask what you are talking about when you say you know the Loyale has a terrible reputation with engine problems?

 

I am a relative newcomer but I've been reading this board very regularly for nearly a year and I have never heard of such a thing. If anything my perception is the opposite. The EA82s and EA81s may be underpowered, but are very reliable from what I've been able to conclude, and that has certainly been my personal experience.

 

Would you care to elaborate ? ? ?

[Midwst]

Actually, I have several posts on the old generation message board regarding this issue and the "black dot" rating. Plus I have heard numerous people say they have had oil pressure problems with their Loyales. I actually hate the 1.8L engine. Doesn't even have enough power to go up a hill! No, I don't consider it rude to explain the whole EJ22 vs. EA82 thing. I didn't know and appreciate the info.

[jeffroid]

Fair enough. Sorry I didn't notice your "black dot" post on the old gen board. The responses actually sum up my feelings pretty well. If I didn't like to work on cars and learn about them I certainly would not want to drive an old Subaru, and If I had a wife and a bunch of kids I wouldn't want them driving around in one either.

 

I just drove an old '84 wagon with 244K miles that someone gave me from Seattle to Northern California and it ran like a champ. Sure I had to put a little work into it before I would trust it but I enjoy working on it. (Hope I didn't jinx myself because I still have to drive back home ! ! !)

 

We've got a couple of hills out here on the west coast. I get up them fine, just not very fast ! ! ! I've got another vehicle that's newer, cost me a lot more to buy, put gas in, and maintain, and gets up hills a lot faster. I could have, and probably should have taken it on my trip. I love old Subarus and get satisfaction out of saving them from the crusher and fixing them up well enough to trust them to be dependable on a long trip.

 

Anway, no offense intended, not everyone is looking for the same thing out of a vehicle. Good luck with your engine swap, and I will be very interested to read how it comes out if that's what you decide to do.

 

Actually, I have several posts on the old generation message board regarding this issue and the "black dot" rating. Plus I have heard numerous people say they have had oil pressure problems with their Loyales. I actually hate the 1.8L engine. Doesn't even have enough power to go up a hill!

[Midwst]

Well I finally found someone who could tell me what the trouble spots were on the EA82 engines. Sounds like overheating/cooling system and breaking timing belts are the main villans. This I can handle. I was sort of afraid that the Loyale engines were lemons, but it doesn't sound like it...just need some TLC, which I can give. My other car is a 1.0L 3 cylinder Geo Metro. Lack of power is not new to me. lol. If you know of anything else I should be aware of in caring for my EA82 engine, would appreciate the info. Thanks. Maybe a long time before I try putting in the 2.2. Not much time now for such a complicated project.

[jeffroid]

Another thing that comes to mind is that often people think they have a blown head gasket when actually it's a leaking intake manifold gasket. There is a water jacket that runs right through there and if it leaks, coolant can get sucked into the intake.

 

I'm really an EA81 guy, and there is a small coolant line that is under the intake manifold that can leak and is hard to get to. If it springs a leak that could leave you stranded and it's a pain to get to. I don't know if the EA82's have the same line or not.

 

You also mentioned lack of power. Again I'm an EA81 guy so I don't know how much help this is going to be, but I'd check the function of the advance mechanisms on the distributor. Mine had both a vacuum advance and a mechanical centrifugal advance. I had a hell of a time once because I was trying two different distributors. One had a broken mechanical advance and the other had a broken vacuum diaphragm. I finally figured it out and put the good diaphragm on the one with the working centrifugal weights and that made all the difference in the world.

 

Anyway - good luck ! ! ! I used to live in Montana before I moved to the Seattle area so I know what you mean about trying to work on cars without a garage in the cold weather.

[NorthWet]

Jeffroid, yes the EA82s have a very similar water line. It is a real PITA on the turbos, what with all the extra plumbing and all.

[calebz]

Well I finally found someone who could tell me what the trouble spots were on the EA82 engines. Sounds like overheating/cooling system and breaking timing belts are the main villans. This I can handle. I was sort of afraid that the Loyale engines were lemons, but it doesn't sound like it...just need some TLC, which I can give. My other car is a 1.0L 3 cylinder Geo Metro. Lack of power is not new to me. lol. If you know of anything else I should be aware of in caring for my EA82 engine, would appreciate the info. Thanks. Maybe a long time before I try putting in the 2.2. Not much time now for such a complicated project.

 

T-belts and cooling aren't really 'trouble spots'.

 

The T-belts are supposed to be changed at ~55k.. It says so in every piece of documentation available for the car. If you don't maintain them , they break.. just like any other old car.

 

The cooling system isn't exactly weak either IMO. I have finally upgraded to an aftermarket radiator in my 87 Twagon to combat the cooling trouble brought on by... you guessed it.. an 18 year old radiator.

 

Its an old car.. it must be maintained.

[NorthWet]

I agree with calebz that these are not trouble areas, but rather maintenance issues. Another maintenance issue involves power/ground connections. It would be a good idea to check and clean all battery cable connections and ground connections to prevent electrical gremlins. Older car, dissimilar metals.

 

Another thought I had as to "power" issues (in addition to properly checking/setting ignition timing and checking timing-belt alignment) is a simple one: Tune-up. Bad high-tension parts can cause a major loss in power through misfire, and the misfire is not necessarily recognized as such (mine run smoothly but gutlessly while misfiring on one or more cylinders). Good spark plugs and wires are very important, and consensus seems to be that NGK plugs are what you should be using in it.