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85 Gl wagon questions


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So there is a wagon for sale locally, but i wont find out details on the motor for a day or so. Just hoping someone could help me out sooner. Its an 85 Gl wagon. Im wondering if it should have the 1.6 or 1.8 motor stock? And was there any EFI kits around or do they run the craptachi carbs? Also were 5 speeds available this year? I swear i searched but just got run in circles. Thanks for any help!

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'85 wagon would be an EA82 1.8 Liter (overhead cam with timing belts). It will be carbed (bad), MPFI (rare - not bad, but "difficult" due to parts availibility), or MPFI Turbo (really, really bad). Throttle body injection (prefered to all of those I just listed) was not introduced till '86.

 

5 speed's were standard if it's a manual. It could be a 5 speed 2WD, a 5 speed dual-range, or a 5 speed push-button single range. Or it could be a 3 speed Automatic (2WD or 4WD) (bad).

 

'85's are a poor year to choose in the EA82's. If you must have an EA82, get an '88 or '89 GL with the 5 speed dual-range.

 

GD

Edited by GeneralDisorder
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I have an '85 carbed 1.8L 5 speed dual range with a 2 inch lift and 28's, and it does just fine even with the craptachi. (its awaiting a Weber though):grin:

 

if you do get it, don't use if for a wheeler, because there are camber issues associated with lifting the 85's and 86's. makes a good DD though

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It would be my dd on pugs with slightly oversized tires. There is an option of buying a newer Loyale for the same price range, and i have debated doing a Dr swap. Which would be better? I checked for a weber conversion on ebay for this motor (the 85) and it would be 300 for a kit at least. So maybe going newer and converting the tranny would be the better bet? And there is always the possibility of wanting to lift it in the future so maybe i should shy away from this GL. Opinions?

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i ran my wagon on 24's on 14 inch rims for a long time before i lifted my wagon and didn't have any problems whatsoever. except a broken timing belt, but that's unrelated :rolleyes:

 

but the choice is up to you :)

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I've seen some nice lifted EA82's. But I've seen nicer lifted EA81's... I would probably either go for an EA81, or a SPFI EA82, and swap in the dual range transmission (or if you can find an '88 or '89 GL wagon, it'll have the dual range and SPFI.

 

I had an '85 GL wagon... nice car, but the carbureator was a pita once it wore out.

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Cool thanks for the input. There is a 92 ea82 loyale sedan that would work out good for the swap. Unless i dont know about the shorter wheel base being an issue? I guess you just shorten the drive shaft right? Thanks again for the help!

 

AFAIK, the single range and dual range 5 speeds are the same length, so you don't have to shorten the drivesaft -- unless you swap in a 4 speed dual range, which is longer (and has other problems too, like losing 3rd gear).

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