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EJ25 questions.

type2nut - October 14th, 2003 at 09:21 PM

I am looking in to putting the above engine in to my 1990 T3 Syncro.Has anyone else on the list done the conversion to a Syncro? I know there is a Yahoo group dedicated to Syncro - Subaru conversions but I would like to make contact with other Aus. based people for exchanges of info/ideas etc.

Also can anyone give me some idea of what prices they have come across and/or any leads to good suppliers.

Any comments etc. greatly appreciated.

Andy,
Ceduna,SA

Kombicol - October 15th, 2003 at 09:09 AM

An ej25 1/2 cut should cost about 2.5k

an adaptor plate and flywheel about $600

Crossmember and exhaust are the other major expenses.

The DOHC ej25 external dimensions i think are the same as the dohc ej20,

I can tell you the ej20 will fit in the caravelle etc but you need to chop the wall behind the engine a little for the inlet manifold pipe.
fortunately for you the fuel tank is not there as in the t2

humpty - October 15th, 2003 at 10:28 AM

Yes it shore will go in and as you say there are many such conversions on the road in the US. Here in Oz it is a little different, there are plenty of EJ20 getting around, even a couple of EJ22 but few EJ25's. I myself am sticking an EG33 into a Wedgie and she is a very tight fit.

The SubaruVanagon forum on Yahoo has been a very helpfull resource for my own conversion...
Don't discount it!

As for adapters...Somewhere else in this forum section there is a list of local adaptor suppliers.....Some good, some not so good, so shop around.

type2nut - October 15th, 2003 at 11:05 PM

Thanks for your replies guys.

I guess what I was really after was a) generally an local perspective and b) perhaps some leads as to good suppliers.

The cheapest price I have been quoted so far is over $2k for an engine package. No one has yet offered me a half cut.
If either of you can point me in a good direction please do! I am based in Ceduna so am just about equi distant from Melbourne, Sydney or Perth.

Humpty I have no intention of dismissing the Subaru - Vanagon site. I imagine it will be my prime source of info.

Cheers,
Andy.

kombi kountry - October 16th, 2003 at 11:43 AM

Hey mate,
Try: http://www.japanesemotorsport.com.au/
they're in SA.
I've never dealt with them and they're mostly involved in high performance engines, but i'm sure they'd be able to keep an eye out for a good ej25 to bring over for you. If not, they might know someone else who could.
In general, when looking around at prices for engines that you might want to put in your VW, it's good to get an idea of what Jap Impoters/Wreckers charge for their high performance (eg; 20v's, SR's, RB's, and ej20t's) engines, and compare to other places that may just specialise in say; older non-high performance engines or just plain subaru engines that you you may like for your VW. You'd be surprised at how cheap these Jap Importers are. Then you think to yourself, if the engine i want to put in my VW isn't necessarily in high demand as the engines mentioned above for aftermarket engine conversions, then you'd expect to pay even less.
May be a little different in reality though. Any other thoughts or experiences out there?

Baja Wes - October 16th, 2003 at 02:41 PM

http://www.adelaidejap.com.au/front%20cuts.htm

Is that anywhere in your area? I've heard their custom service to interstate customers leaves a little to be desired.

busman - October 16th, 2003 at 08:57 PM

Contact Bob from Volkscare in Adelaide
ph. 08 83691233. He just completed a T3
Caravelle with a 2.0 Subaru motor. He also sells the engine support bar or does the complete job for you.

Alternatively contact Ian from Volksfactory in Adelaide (08 82646533), he just put a Golf III 2ltr engine into a Syncro. Again he can supply parts required or do the job for you.

The Subaru will give you less (heaps) ground clearance, the Golf engine will keep ground clearance stock.

Also the Subaru engine lacks low end torque, the Golf has low end torque.
All depends what you are after.

Good luck.

T25Turbo - October 17th, 2003 at 04:46 PM

If I was you I would shell out for the small car performance kit for just this: http://www.smallcar.com/vx.htm

They have done quite a few of these and seem to have it right. A kit would be roughly US$3500 less wiring harness and engine.

My father has an 87 Caravelle with an EJ25 in it. This is the motor they should have come out with.

It cost him roughly AUS$6000 inc engine to do the conversion himself.

The guy who helped him do it has a synchro with an EJ22 in it.

11CAB - October 17th, 2003 at 05:21 PM

KombiCol,
the Syncro's do have the fuel tank above the gearbox the same as the earlier T2's, as the normal position up the front for the T3's is in the way of the front diff.

Type2nut, some things to think of, the subaru has a speed sensor that needs to be hooked up for emissions & fuel economy, this can be done with a hall sensor off the CV joint, and also an overdrive sensor which can be done with a reed switch off the gearshift rod.
Good luck with the project.
One other thing, the engine mount is a lot further forward which is a pain when it comes to remove the gearbox for a clutch replacement etc, and this is especially true with the syncro as it is a much more troublesome job than the 2WD T3's.

type2nut - October 17th, 2003 at 09:39 PM

Keep it all coming folks.
Your replies are why I put up the post. The more info etc. that I can gather - the better informed decision I will make.
As far as the lower sump on the Subaru engines go, I believe that can be largely cured by the shortened sump. That MAY cause other problems however, I know.

11cab, I was unaware of the 2 issues you mentioned. Are they easy to sort or not? Hell, I don't even know what a hall sensor is!(Yes I know my Syncro has one....)

Busman, thanks for the contacts. I will get in touch with them. The lower end torque of the Golf engines would certainly be of benefit for my use although I beleive some Syncros have problems with vibrations with the in line engines. Anyone else know of this?
One in line engine that would be nice would be on of the T4 five pots...........

Thanks,
Andy.

hazet - October 22nd, 2003 at 08:52 AM

Hi
Yes an EJ25 will fit in a w/cooled bus,i know a guy in Perth who's done it,and another mate of mine drove it!!
Wow it was faaaast!
He did all the install himself,not sure where he got the harness done,i think he is running an after market computer.
Go subarus

Jenny - October 22nd, 2003 at 12:43 PM

11CAB,
Can you please email me the circuit diagram for the Hall sensor you described to replace the VSS. Thanks

pete wood - March 27th, 2004 at 12:12 AM

there are a heap of subarus in aust now with the ej25. Be patient and pick up a local 1/2 cut. This will make getting parts much easier. I wish i had done this myself, my ej25 is the dohc import motor, getting a timing belt is going to be interesting. :mad:

tonyg - March 27th, 2004 at 06:41 AM

Peter,
I have same engine in my wedgie... getting timing belt is no prob... I had a new one put on at time of conversion..
They are definitely way2go!! Makes a good car great...
Type 2 nut: I would NOT waste the $ buying a kit from the US... Have one made up by your engine fitter, Mine utilises the original vw mounts and the subie mounts, and I've got plenty clearance but mine's not a syncro, which I believe has bash plates beneath...
Ph Clayton at DJ Mechanical 07 5428 0122 for info.. he did mine and is doing some more... He may know someone in your area....
good luck
Tony g
tony

tonyg - March 27th, 2004 at 06:44 AM

tonyg - March 27th, 2004 at 06:46 AM

tonyg - March 27th, 2004 at 06:47 AM

tonyg - March 29th, 2004 at 06:23 AM

I didn't drink THAT much, surely! Must have the tremors

tonyg - March 29th, 2004 at 06:26 AM

I didn't drink THAT much, surely! Must have the tremors

pete wood - April 16th, 2004 at 11:38 PM

to Tonyg,
where did you get your timing belt from?
And, what on earth is 'wedgie'? coz it means somthing totally different where I come from

humpty - April 18th, 2004 at 02:07 PM

And you call yourself a VW guy.....
'Wedgie' is what we call the T25 and T3 Transporter. Just as a pre 67 bus is called a 'Splitty', an LBug is called a 'Fat Chick' and a 68-79 bus is called a 'Bay'...etc.

Got it?

As for a timing belt for your subi donk....try any of the subi dealers and service centres....They all have them in stock.

pete wood - April 24th, 2004 at 02:56 PM

I really think it's better if you refer to late model kombis as T25s and T3s.
Coz where I come from you might end up with a very sore bum if you went looking for parts using "wedgie".

I have the quad cam EJ25 and my local subaru parts/service centre firmly told me they "don't do import engines".

humpty - April 25th, 2004 at 03:33 PM

The timing belt is still the same....No matter what EJ engine you are running. If you have a part number off the original one, you really shouldn't have any hassles.
But if they don't want to help you out, try any of the engine importers....The local crowd I bought my front cut from had them in stock. I would think any of the decent imports would as most of them also to retro fit installs. Your in Sydney yeah....Try out Brookvale Spares, Ask for Andrew....Years ago when I lived in Sydney I use to deal with these guys and when we bought our RS Liberty engine off they were very helpful.

As for the 'wedgie' term...I believe it originated in the UK!!!! It's not one I use for my bus either (for the same reason as you!) but when some of my VW mates are poms...What's a guy to do??!!

Best of luck.

[Edited on 25-4-2004 by humpty]

pete wood - May 10th, 2004 at 06:02 PM

Thanx for the tip on Brooky spares. I bought my motor and loom of them and can't speak highly enough about them. Your right, Andrew is a legend. And they have moved only 15min drive from me in Wetherell park.

on wedgies; seems to me poms should experience more actual wedgies themselves. Then they would stop giving buses dum names

ps. I am married to one

type2nut - May 10th, 2004 at 07:43 PM

What engine did you buy Pete?

Cheers,
Andy (also married to a Pom!)

pete wood - May 11th, 2004 at 11:59 AM

I bought the EJ25 quadcam. It's real nice too. Packs a wallop big enough to sheer gearbox mounts in half.
Still, that's all fixed now. I reckon it might go even better with a turbo. :thumb

What do you think?