baccaruda Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 The lowdown: Bought my EA81T coupe in December. Got a custom EA81T intercooler & mandrel-bent pipes off of ebay for $100. (Not installed yet) I've tried a few times to get it to pass emissions but it failed. I've now got newer spark plugs, distributor cap/rotor, air filter, oil change, and as of today, an oxygen sensor (probably the missing link). Changing the O2 sensor was a real b$*&^#@. The 22mm deep socket I bought, with the slot removed for the wire, stretched and slipped over the old sensor when I tried to unscrew it. So I put my 22mm crank pully shorty socket on a breaker bar, slipped it over the end of the old sensor, and whacked it with a hammer. Then I used the short 22mm socket to remove the O2 sensor's corpse. Easy. I had also removed the downpipe for more elbow room and articulation. Why did I have to go and do that? The top flange broke off of the downpipe when I was reinstalling it. Crap. My car KNOWS that I am UNABLE to perform a simple repair if an upgrade can be performed at the same time. In my garage, I have an EA82T watercooled turbo that I got from Mark (XSNRG) who, for you newbies, is a Knight of High Subaru Valor and a highly recommended seller if he's got what you need. I also have a WRX downpipe that I got for a ridiculously amazing price, with a couple of extra jackstands thrown in to boot. You know where this is going... I'm on a food/internet break from switching the turbos. If you want to install an EA82T watercooled turbo into your EA81T car, know that: the turbo-to-downpipe gasket is different (one stud is in a different spot, don't ask me why). Also know that you might need to replace the crusty old crossover pipe-to-turbo gasket but IT'S different as well - the bolt pattern is the same but the heat shield flap for the EA82T gasket interferes with the oil drain on the EA81 (unless I missed something; I'll look again before I put the new turbo on). The oil feed lines are different - use the EA81T's. The turbo's bracket that braces that oil feed line is also particular per engine series. The intake snorkus/flange that feeds the throttle body (through the aluminum TURBO plenum) is different for EA82T and EA81T. You'll need to switch those and probably replace the gasket at the same time. I'll have to get the car towed to the exhaust shop this week to get the WRX downpipe fitted - it's rear is longer than the EA81T's and it's front is at a different angle, less than a 90 degree bend like the EA81T/EA82T's. I'll need to get the front / top of the downpipe "stretched" forward a couple of inches. Most importantly, the WRX downpipe will ALMOST bolt up to the EA82T's turbo - Three of the holes in the flange will line up with a little bit of filing or dremeling, and the 4th hole will have to be drilled. You can of course grind off the remainder of the WRX flange. I do have an EA82T downpipe flange that I got from Suberdave, who also righteously kicks much rump roast. As I have to get the front of the WRX downpipe stretched, I'll probably swap in the EA82T flange at the same time as it's easier than drilling out the WRX flange to fit (but that itself is close!) Also, the flanges that bolt the downpipe to the transmission are in entirely different spots. Shocking, that. You'll want custom bracing brackets made so your exhaust doesn't rattle all over the place. Also, since you'll be planning to do this instead of having it hijack your Sunday like me, consider planning to replace the oil drain hose under the turbo. Luckily mine looks OK. Back to work!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baccaruda Posted April 30, 2007 Author Share Posted April 30, 2007 Oh, and I did this all in a white tux and didn't get a spot on me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeshoup Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 Wait, so the EA82T downpipe flange is different? Well, sounds like you're getting things worked out though. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baccaruda Posted April 30, 2007 Author Share Posted April 30, 2007 Barely. one hole is off by just enough. I'll take a pic later.. .. thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbone Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 I'm not 100% sure, but you know, if your installing a WRX DP, a TD04 would have bolted right up to it. And with a little finnes'n, the x-over pipe would have bolted up also:grin: Or, I could be totaly out of my gourd, as I spent the weekend installing new carpet and stereo system in the RX:-p I shall be totally deaf in a couple of weeks:rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baccaruda Posted April 30, 2007 Author Share Posted April 30, 2007 Rob, that's probably true but I haven't yet had any interest in putting in a larger turbo as I want to baby the EA81T. Letting it breathe better isn't against the rules but I'm not altering the boost in any way.. thanks though! AND... my tax refund just landed in my bank account! ("Where'd all that extra money come from?!?!") Could a 5-speed swap be on the horizon???!?!?! I'm so sick of that stupid 3speed auto... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbone Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 Yeah, its just been a pipe dream of mine for years. Now that its been done in a Brat, wouldnt it be cool to drop a WRX into a Coupe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durania Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 Yeah, its just been a pipe dream of mine for years.Now that its been done in a Brat, wouldnt it be cool to drop a WRX into a Coupe? 2nd Step: Rear Disc Brake Conversion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbone Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 Do you need a set? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baccaruda Posted April 30, 2007 Author Share Posted April 30, 2007 oh yeah, that too (heh, no thanks, I'm covered locally!) I'm wanting to get the rear control arms from an EA82T as well so I can add a rear sway bar. I have a pair of XT6 seats waiting to go in as well. I would LOVE to WRXify the coupe but it's already close to using up its alloted Fun Money for the year. It also needs the rear window resealed and the windshield replaced and resealed (and the windows tinted), and the heater needs work, and I have an uncracked dash to swap in, as well as an analog dash conversion later this year.. the glasswork will cost a bit, and it also, as you can all see, needs some front sheetmetal. And on top of all that, my darn wagon's been out of commision for 2 years now! It's almost back in action and I'd rather own only one car, that being the wagon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeshoup Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 I'm wanting to get the rear control arms from an EA82T as well so I can add a rear sway bar. Wait, you can do that? Oh man, I'm gonna have to save some money to do this (and put the front sway bar back on my wagon) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baccaruda Posted April 30, 2007 Author Share Posted April 30, 2007 yes. it's a Miles Fox Innovation. The forward ends and bushings of the rear control arms are a little wider in the EA82 than in the EA81, and the bolts are a larger diameter. Miles chopped a few mm off of his arms' ends and bushings, so they'd fit, and drilled out the receiver brackets on the rear crossmember so the bolts would fit. I will instead remove and relocate one receiver bracket (hopefuly only one!) on each side as well as drill out the holes. Instant sway bar! I'll probably just harvest the rear disc swap and the rear control arms at the same time.. less work at the yard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbone Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 Its less labor intensive if you cut off the mounts and reweld them to your exsisting swing arms. And you keep stuff stock that way. Thats a Qman inovation:-p Oh, and the ends of the sway bar need to be trimmed a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carfreak85 Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 All that remains is to weld the mounts onto my wagon, but that wont happen until I have a week or so at my parent's place. Baccaruda, if you get to this before I do, please take as many pictures as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry DeMoss Posted November 15, 2007 Share Posted November 15, 2007 Its less labor intensive if you cut off the mounts and reweld them to your exsisting swing arms. And you keep stuff stock that way.Thats a Qman inovation:-p Oh, and the ends of the sway bar need to be trimmed a little. I am totally there. I am starting to look for that now also. I will weld the tabs rather than doing the complete swap. Any new stuff going on with the ea81t coupe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baccaruda Posted November 16, 2007 Author Share Posted November 16, 2007 haha, yeah. I am driving my EJ-swapped wagon, I sold the EA81T intercooler and XT6 seats and I'm selling the turbo coupe very soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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