colossal_monstrosity Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 This is the tale of my EJ22 swap in my 92 Loyale, and how it has turned into a disaster. Ok, so I get a good EJ22 and all the wiring in the junkyard back in like, march, and put it all together (the wiring). I finally got around to actually sticking the motor in my car last month after taking all summer to do the wiring and a thing or two here and there, along with replacing my heater core, and switching to manual seatbelts from automatic, tracking down misc parts in the junkyard, and playing hooky with clutchmasters to finally get them to send me the right clutch. Stuff I bought for my swap: -EJ22 + wiring= $350 approx from junkyard -EJ-EA adapter plate=$200 -New EA82 clutch kit/clutchmaster= $190 -Machine work to install thermoswitch, turn flywheel, redrill bolt holes=$60 -Cryotreat flywheel & ship it back and forth=$120 -New front brakes= $100 -20mm sway bars=$20 -Seat belt swap parts=$50 -Fluids=$60 -Intake, exhaust, valve cover, thermostat gaskets= $100 -Exhaust downpipe w/cat & o2=$50 -14" fan that is way too damn big & relays=$170 -Small cutting torch, goggles and o2 to cut up front of the car to install said fan $100 -Hacking the EJ wiring into my car- 4 bruises to my skull & arms - $60 short ram intake - $60 MAF adapter for short ram intake & k&n filter - $30 silicone coupler to attach MAF to said intake -$20,000 Mazda3 S Hatchback because I was tired of driving my moms car Started this project in May...just got it to the point I could turn it over last night...But noooo....there is no power to the starter solenoid. I jumped it manually but it wouldn't turn over the motor, so I figured I had a bad starter. Today I tried to at least get the wire to give the starter power before I replaced it, but had no luck, so I just ran a fresh wire straight from the key. Ok, that's fixed. Tested the starter: it works fine. Decided to see if I could turn over the motor by hand...nope Added a 3 ft breaker bar; snapped my breaker bar off in my socket (Craftsman) This is the part where I started freaking out. I hopped in my mom's Outback, hooked up a tow strap to my car, and put it in 1st gear to try to roll it along and make the motor turn over, but I'm pretty sure at this point that I'm f***ed. So I start towing...er, dragging it along. The front tires won't turn at all, even in first gear...I just merrily dragged my Loyale down the driveway. Then I hopped in the loyale, and had a buddy tow me down the street up to about 25 mph a couple times while I dumped the clutch. Still no dice, but at least it stopped pretty quick. So I towed it back and parked it in the driveway and am feeling pretty shi**y at this point, so I give the windsheild a fairly mild punch. ...and manage to create a spider crack across my entire windshield. Now I feel like crying, since I not only need a $300 exhaust still built, but now a $250 windshield, and who knows how much for another EJ22, plus I still have to find one and put it in. Now everyone is wondering why it is seized. I would guess because I washed it. Let that be a hard lesson for me. Someone sell me an EJ22, or an old toyota tercel hatchback, preferrably one of the funny ones that revs to 8500 rpm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torxxx Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 I wouldnt rule out it being totally shot. Pour Marvels Mystery oil down the spark plug holes, to fill the entire engine and cylinders up with diesel and let it sit for a week. Might unsieze itself. I've seen it done before Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colossal_monstrosity Posted September 26, 2006 Author Share Posted September 26, 2006 Hmm, sounds like I should try that. I was actually thinking about what happened and it doesn't entirely make sense. I had the intake off and was cleaning the engine with degreaser and a hose and wire wheels on a drill. In the course of this, I filled the cylinders up to the intake ports with water a few times. When I was done, I turned over the motor with a wrench a few times to drain out the water. Then I sprayed some brakleen, followed by wd40 into the cylinders and turned it over some more. Then it sat for about 2 months. The other week I put the crank pulley back on and it cranked over a few times no problem. I then installed the intake and put it in the car, and here I am now. But NOW it won't turn over. That doesn't sounds like it's seized to me. Also, after I washed it, I changed the valve cover gaskets and oil pan gasket about 3 days later, didn't find any moisture/water/rust. Any thoughts with the new info? And for your enjoyment at the same time, my first wagon and some of the things we did with it. I have a bunch of film with it, gotta cut down the size of some of my other vids and post them too. Enjoy. http://www.ywave.com/~ieatz28/Tire_Sim_Short.wmv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShawnW Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 You need to pull all the spark plugs. Take an oil can and squirt oil into the holes (liquid wrench with a sprayer would work too) and try to gently take your 3' long breaker bar and 22MM socket and gently turn the engine in each direction a 1/4" or so. Do this daily for a week and keep at it. If it doesnt unseize the engine has rusted too badly to be worth having. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colossal_monstrosity Posted September 26, 2006 Author Share Posted September 26, 2006 Roger that. Guess I better go get a new breaker bar. Do I need to completely fill the cylinders with oil or what? Also, do you REALLY think this will work, since popping the clutch @ 25 mph a couple of times didn't fix it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caboobaroo Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 When I first got my '89 RX, I swapped the engines with a good 120k mile engine that I put all new gaskets in. It then sat in the car for like 8 months after I put it back together. Decided that I needed to time it before I fired it up and couldn't get it to turn over by hand. What a pain. So I did what these guys recommended with you. I poured some MMO down the cylinders and let it sit for about a week. Then I put the breaker bar back onto it and it broke free, literally. It felt like it was caught on something and with the amount of weight and strength I put on it, it felt like I broke the socket. Nope, broke the engine free though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colossal_monstrosity Posted September 26, 2006 Author Share Posted September 26, 2006 Ok, definately doing that. Should I put the spark plugs back in while it's sitting? Feel free to comment on the video too :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colossal_monstrosity Posted September 26, 2006 Author Share Posted September 26, 2006 Assuming this does work, the engine I'm swapping in had 209k on it. Well, the odometer in the car said that, but I head it run and revved it and everything first. Seemed pretty clean. What should I be afraid of breaking first if I get it to work again? Main bearings, head gasket, etc.? I was leaning towards main bearings, since most of my shifts in any car are upwards of 4 grand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colossal_monstrosity Posted September 26, 2006 Author Share Posted September 26, 2006 Ok I went and bought 2 quarts of Marvel. I poured about 1/2 quart in the no. 1 cylinder before it started leaking out, #3 took a whole quart and still didn't leak out, so I stopped, and I put 1/4 quart in 2 & 4. I guess I gotta go back and get more tomorrow...sigh... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baccaruda Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 if it stopped that fast, it was probably slipping the clutch when you popped it. the worst that can come of this is that you need to swap in a new longblock. Those are easily had for ~$100.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colossal_monstrosity Posted September 26, 2006 Author Share Posted September 26, 2006 Ya if I can find one. The clutch probably wasn't slipping, since the front wheels insta-locked when I dropped it. I am just gonna have to wait a week and see. My buddy said he uses some other stuff in his motorcycle shop to do this, like Chromium or something like that...try that if Marvel doesn't work. It might work better if the marvel wasn't pouring out the exhaust valve in #3 (probably). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingbobdole Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 As far as your vid goes, the music gets WAY TOO LOUD in parts, when the wagon is not around... its ok to turn it up a touch, but it made my speakers crackle.. and they are descent speakers... also the video is kinda dumb, sorry, but burnouts and Js are for high school kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steveman09 Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 hmm ever stop and wounder if your adapter or something in your transmission is causing the problem? loosen all the bellhousing bolts and lift the engine up and pull it out of the tranny a few inches and see if she turns. Since your using the EJ-EA Adapter and stuff maybe something isnt clearanced right? Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colossal_monstrosity Posted September 26, 2006 Author Share Posted September 26, 2006 That thought has crossed my mind steveman, I just thought I was crazy since I can't imagine how that would happen in the first place. I'll try to find some time to do that today or tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 also, when using the momentum of the car to try to turn over the engine, 5th gear is lower. if you want to try pulling it and dumping the clutch again, put it in 5th hi... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steveman09 Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 also, when using the momentum of the car to try to turn over the engine, 5th gear is lower. if you want to try pulling it and dumping the clutch again, put it in 5th hi... I wouldn't ever advise trying to brake loose an engine doing this, whatever is jamming the rotating assembly is going to break and cause some major damage, figure out whats stuck and fix it right before you end up breaking more parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colossal_monstrosity Posted September 26, 2006 Author Share Posted September 26, 2006 I am racking my brain but I can't figure out what could possibly be in the way of the flywheel and still allow the transmission to bolt on without any problems. I'm not sure, but I may have turned over the engine by hand after I put the tranny on, but I can't remember. God I don't want to pull it out again tomorrow... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steveman09 Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 I am racking my brain but I can't figure out what could possibly be in the way of the flywheel and still allow the transmission to bolt on without any problems. I'm not sure, but I may have turned over the engine by hand after I put the tranny on, but I can't remember. God I don't want to pull it out again tomorrow... It's not that hard to do this quick test, simple remove the exhaust header bolts, the 2 motor mount nuts and the dog bone. Then remove bellhousing bolts and jack engine up until it clears the studs, pull the engine out of the transmission just a few inches until the splines are out and try and turn the engine over by hand, this doesnt take long and will tell you if the motor is junk or not. I have seen on an automatic where the torque converter wasnt seated all the way into the tranny cause this, and the engine bolted right up to the trans without issue, but the engine would NOT turn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colossal_monstrosity Posted September 27, 2006 Author Share Posted September 27, 2006 Ok steve, I will try it your way. I was gonna take the radiator back out, undo the fuel lines & ps, drain all my fluids, remove the throttle cable and unhook all my wiring, AND do what you said, but your shortcut is an inspiration to me making mistakes everywhere....I just didn't want to do it like that since I always seem to break stuff when I cut corners. Also, about the dogbone...are you telling me there is a way to make the dogbone mount bolt on with the ej22 swap? I was wondering about that and just how far the engine was gonna move with the way I shift when that mount wasn't in place...was thinking of taking it to a shop and having them fab me something to replace it once the job was done... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 Also, about the dogbone...are you telling me there is a way to make the dogbone mount bolt on with the ej22 swap? I was wondering about that and just how far the engine was gonna move with the way I shift when that mount wasn't in place...was thinking of taking it to a shop and having them fab me something to replace it once the job was done... I hear an XT pitch stopper and bracket will work. it bolts onto the EA tranny, not the engine. and has a shorter pitch stopper which should fit right in. I'm running without one right now, and the engine doesn't seem to be shifting too much (I pulled the shift boot off so I could see the tranny, and then did a few hard shifts...). but I do intend to get one very soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodsWagon Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 The pitch stopper bracket from the legacy tranny (5spd) bolts right up to the loyale tranny. Oh, and the cylinder that your poured a quart down... Sure the exhaust valve wasn't open? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colossal_monstrosity Posted October 2, 2006 Author Share Posted October 2, 2006 Ok, well the motor still wouldn't turn over today after sitting with Marvel in it since Monday, but most of that leaked out anyways - 2 exhaust valves were open, and I guess the other 2 cylinders didn't seal so great. So I pulled it out this afternoon, tried it again with it out of the car, still didn't work. I also looked for signs of clearance issues, but there definately weren't any. That engine fits to the ea82 tranny with the adapter plate better than the original engine did. So I guess I'm shopping for a new motor now. This one is going to go into the car nice and dirty. Thanks for the help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodsWagon Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 One trick I heard of was to weld in the top of a sparkplug and thread a grease nipple in. put the plug in the cylinder that is nearest the middle of it's travel with the valves closed. Pump a couple of tubes of grease in, and the pressure will pop the engine loose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 The pitch stopper bracket from the legacy tranny (5spd) bolts right up to the loyale tranny. is yours lifted? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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