Mpfi>>>spfi

[SUBIE-5]

I have an ’89 NA XT with a blown HG. There’s an EJ22 swap in the future, but for now, what’s involved in using an EA82 SPFI? Will the current ECU work or will I need to swap it out as well? Engine harness?

[erik litchy]

no the ECU i think is shared with the turbo

[ihscout54]

The harness will be different. The ECM's have different p/n's. The heads and intake manifold are different as well. Im sure there's more thats different too, fuel lines, brakets, etc. Not sure its worth it unless you have an extra car layin around.

[zyewdall]

Sounds like it's probably easier to just do the head gaskets on the XT, unless it toasted the bearings too.

 

Z

[ihscout54]

Sounds like it's probably easier to just do the head gaskets on the XT, unless it toasted the bearings too.

Yea, I guess if the motor is shatt. If its do-able someone here has done it. But I bet youll be workin out lotsa bugs for no gain. If thats the case, you'de have to pull it anyways, use the good block and swap your stuff onto it. I know little about the ea82's or XT's though, except what will work for the SPFI swap.

[Dr. RX]

I'm a little confused here, SUBIE-5 states that his XT is a NA (normally aspirated), yet the first response mentions turbo, the second gos off in a different direction. If your XT is a N/A engine, it is that same as the EA82 SPFI with the exception of the intake manifold, in which case you simply swap manifolds.

[zukiru]

no it's a 4 port intake and heads for an na XT

 

it's almost identical to a turbo setup so which it is, is immaterial

 

you'd do better to do gaskets.

[ihscout54]

I'm a little confused here, SUBIE-5 states that his XT is a NA (normally aspirated), yet the first response mentions turbo, the second gos off in a different direction. If your XT is a N/A engine, it is that same as the EA82 SPFI with the exception of the intake manifold, in which case you simply swap manifolds.

 

What he/she wants to know is: can a SPFI motor be a direct bolt in repl. for a n/a MPFI. And what is involved with said swap, I.E. wiring.

The head gasket/s are toast and they must have access to a complete running SPFI (I.E. wagon, Loyal, etc). He thought this might be easier than doing the H.G's.)

[zyewdall]

So, swap engines, plus wiring harness?

 

Sounds like the same amount of work as an EJ22 swap.

[ShawnW]

So, swap engines, plus wiring harness?

 

Sounds like the same amount of work as an EJ22 swap.

 

And you lose HP. Might as well just put a carb engine in while you are at it. Sell the spare motor if you already have it and start the 2.2 conversion.

[Dr. RX]

Yea, Shawn is right. It has been a few years since I dealt with EA82 engines, I had forgotten about the multi port injection on the XT, I do remember that a few of the EA82T owners had used that intake on their cars, some even got the N/A version to work. Doing a head gasket replacement would be cheaper the doing a conversion. I would strongly suggest that if you do the conversion or H/G replacement that you replace the radiator also. Your current radiator may have been the reason your H/G blew. Subaru radiators have a nasty habit of clogging with deposits in the coolant. I learned this the hard way, I pulled and rebuilt my engine thinking it was a head gasket going out, only to have the same problem when I put the new motor in. I bought one of those lasar temperature readers and found that the temp going into radiator was over 180 degrees and the temp leaving was about 80 degrees. This was with the car sitting still, no air flowing over the radiator. Using the lasar device, I notice that there was a large cold spot in the middle of the radiator, actually most of the radiator. When I replaced the radiatro, the problem went away.

[SUBIE-5]

The “rest of the story” goes like this . . . several years ago my new wife wrinkled her ’91 Loyal wag to death (didn’t take much). It’s been parked in the field behind the house since, and has a good running NA, SPFI engine in it. I also have a MPFI EA82 from PAP (condition unknown, but well preserved externally due to oil leaks) to transplant into my hovercraft eventually. Now that spring is here and the @#$%^&* snow is gone there are too many projects and too little time to invest in hobby play. And I’m cheap . . . 25 MPG XT verses 15 MPG Dodge Ram swells my wallet. I think I’ll risk using the UNK MPFI rather than invest the time to swap the ECU & engine harness etc. for the SPFI. Next week. More later. Thank to all for your thoughts.

Mike