EJ22 into Aircooled Vanagon 2.0L to Subaru 2.2L Conversion

[chompy]

So I finally broke down and bought a 92 Legacy to swap into my 81 Westfalia. My engine still runs great and I've taken multiple long trips this year but I just want the dependability that the EJ22 has to offer. I've been looking at Subarus for a very long time, and am always keeping my eye out for the special deal on craigslist. I had originally planned on just going to the Pick n Pull to strip the engine and harness, but that would put me in a time crunch, and a very uncomfortable place to work on the car. What I found, and had even hoped for, was a 92 Legacy with a slipping transmission. What's funny is the transmission never slipped on me, it just had a tragic swooshing sound that is hard to describe. I was flying down the freeway home, so it wasn't that big of a problem, I don't need the transmission anyways...

With the car in my driveway, I can now slowly tear it down and hopefully part out a bit to help with the conversion. I'm already making a list of items I'll be stripping to add to my collection of hoarded parts from past vehicles. There is a nice cache of wire, body plugs and grommets, various cable holders, tube brackets, and metric bolts throughout this car, and I'm going to take as much as I can.

Anyways, here's the first shots of the engine. I had started to pull parts off before remembering that I should take some pictures throughout the process.

And the sad beast I'll be shredding to bits.

Hopefully I can get a tow company to give me a few dollars for the body and trans.

There will be updates throughout the process, although it will be slow. I'm in no rush. My only regret is walking away from the aircooled world, even if it's for the short term, I don't want to forget anything I've learned!


Links:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=528610
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=596858
http://www.eastwestyexperiment.blogspot.com/
http://shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=136053
http://www.weidefamily.net/vanagon/
http://www.boxerswaps.com

Subaru FSMs/Chiltons/Haynes:
These are scans of FSM pages for a 1992 Legacy:
http://www.main.experiencetherave.com/subaru_manual_scans/FSM_Scans/
Multiple FSMs for different years and the fairly useless Haynes/Chiltons:
http://www.main.experiencetherave.com/subaru_manual_scans/
This is the actual .zip file of the entire FSM. There's an index in .doc format as well:
http://www.main.experiencetherave.com/subaru_manual_scans/1992_FSM_%28Engine_&_Electrical%29/

Edit: adding links that I've used throughout the process.[/u][/b]
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'81 Westfalia Subaru EJ22
Manual Transmission

[Syncro Jael]

I love my EJ22. A reliable, dependable, bullet proof engine with a little more horsepower than stock. You will enjoy the van even more.

Out with the old that has been driven for 14 years

And in with a total rebuild for many more years of fun

_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia Hightop - NAHT
Subaru EJ25 Forged Frankenmotor, Triple Knob.
Jael = (Mountain Goat)

[insyncro]

Sooo many aircooled vans getting water cooled conversions.
Really cool stuff

There is another new thread with an AC Westy getting an EG33 H6
That sucker is going to fly.

[danfromsyr]

from another 'formerly' air cooled van.
with the 2.2 I'd even say you don't need to open the lower radiator grill opening.
just make sure there are plastic/board air dams to funnel all the upper air into the radiator like oem.
at idle/in traffic the fan easily pulls in all the air it needs from above.
_________________

[VWinVT]

_________________
1981 Westfalia with a 2001 Cabrio ABA

Small wheel turns by the firing rod,
Big wheel turns by the grace of God.
Every time that wheel turns 'round,
You're bound to cover just a little more ground.

[chompy]

[Vanagon Nut]

I would think that with proper prep, one could cut a lower grill hole after rad is installed; there must be at least 1.5" clearance between rad and sheet metal.

I cut the hole. No regrets.

Neil.
_________________
1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA

1988 West DIY 50º ABA

VE7TBN

[chompy]

Just a bit of progress after work the last couple days. I removed the power steering since I won't be using it, and have the air conditioning compressor unbolted and ready to remove. I was originally going to pull the entire air conditioning out to make it easier to remove the engine, but I think the hoses are flexible enough to push to the side. We'll see when I get closer to that part. I switched out the brake vacuum line to the other side of the manifold as well. It's much easier to crank on those little plugs when the manifold is attached.

Remove the brake master inlet on the manifold on this side, and replace it with a brass plug or the plug you remove on the other side(mine was a bit mangled and I wanted to use a new one).

Here it is moved to the other side of the manifold. It is now in the perfect place to hook up to the van's vacuum line.

I did some work on the interior as well. Pulled the front seats, which I'll be using in the van. I've seen some good examples of installing them. I'll do my best to document the result. I also removed most of the bolts and screws holding the dash on. I can almost lift the entire thing out in one piece. I just need to disconnect some pieces before this happens.

_________________
'81 Westfalia Subaru EJ22
Manual Transmission

[ScottShelley]

I did a conversion on an 82 Aircooled. I used a radiator from a Kia Sportage, with a Spal puller fan mounted the back side of it, using the Sportage fan shroud. I used sheetmetal to baffle the front of the radiator and direct air flow. I used a 180 degree switch on the radiator inlet. I never cut the lower grill and had no problems on long summer road trips. I also set up a heater under the rear seat, plumbed into the existing heat pipe coming to the front and through the face of the seat.

[chompy]

[ScottShelley]

I used a 16" fan.

[chompy]

OK, some more work today!

I forgot to mention I had removed the driver's side quarter panel earlier. Its only a bunch of 10mm nuts and a few screws to remove, and it opens up to a big bundle of harness...

Anyways, today I started by removing all of the hidden bolts and screws in the dash that I didn't get the first time around. It's amazing how many I missed the first pass through. I also removed all of the grounds that the dash is connected to. There are about 4 that I think I can remember off the top of my head, and they are another easy miss.

Next I removed the steering wheel, stereo, cig tray and anything else that might be a barrier in any way for removing the dash. I might have been able to squeeze the dash board out, but it would probably take more time than it's worth. I did end up using a pvc saw to cut some parts of the dash to facilitate ease of removal. Just cut that sh!t apart if it has no use or resale value to you. I've kept items that I think could have any value in hopes of recouping money, but the dash isn't one of these pieces. I'm not sure if it's completely necessary, but I also removed the bracket that holds the steering column in place. It opens things up a bit, and it would end up getting in the way of the wiring removal.

You can remove the two nuts that hold the ECU on, and you can label the connections. I'm not going to go into detail on some of these parts, because I will eventually show links at the top of the entire post with the posts and blogs I've used which go into much better detail than I could retell.

There really aren't a ton of connections on these engines. This is a 92, so there are only two gray engine plugs at the front of the engine that need unplugging. The igniter and MAF need to be disconnected, as well as the oxygen sensor(only 1 in my case) and the rear engine plugs. Hopefully at this point you have already removed your battery and disconnected the alternator. It's easier to just remove the alternator since it can get in the way of removing that small part of the harness. It's not worth the hassle keeping it on... You also need to remove all of the plugs to the fuse box in the engine bay and pull the relay block out of the rear of the fuse box once it's remove. I opted to keep this connected as well, so I have a lot of harness to work with when I mount it in the engine bay.

Now it's time to go go back to the interior and work on the heater core.

You now need to remove the heater core so you can pull the wiring through the front fire wall from the engine.

I opted to cut as little as I could at the beginning to be sure I didn't make a mistake, and it really didn't take too long. Anything that needs to come out can be unplugged from a connection. This leaves lots of room to cut wiring instead of regretting it later when you've realized you chopped something out and have nothing to solder onto.

I ended up pulling the entire wiring harness out in two complete sections with the only major cut being at the junction where the wiring goes to the passenger side of the vehicle, which is unnecessary.

In the end, I have two sections of wiring which I have been labeling throughout this process. I can't tell you how much it helps to label each part before you remove it, it saves you so much trouble. I still have some labeling to do, but there is much less if its done throughout the removal process.

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'81 Westfalia Subaru EJ22
Manual Transmission

[VWinVT]

Thank you for creating this thread! Puts a mind at ease seeing someone else navigate the very process others are contemplating.
_________________
1981 Westfalia with a 2001 Cabrio ABA

Small wheel turns by the firing rod,
Big wheel turns by the grace of God.
Every time that wheel turns 'round,
You're bound to cover just a little more ground.

[chompy]

[RaraBlacksheep]

Sooo what are you gonna do with all your old, gutless, useless, unreliable air cooled garbage afterwards..? Just, you know, curious.
_________________
'82 Westy - Shark Weak

[chompy]

[RaraBlacksheep]

Sounds like a plan. On a side note, if you're feeling like you could use a spare set of hands, shoot me a note, I wouldn't mind seeing something like this in progress!
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'82 Westy - Shark Weak

[chompy]

[VWinVT]

I have subscribed to boxerswaps, just to read up on the process. It is more than worth the token $5 charge for a month. When it my turn, I will pay $25 for the year...it will take me more than a month...
_________________
1981 Westfalia with a 2001 Cabrio ABA

Small wheel turns by the firing rod,
Big wheel turns by the grace of God.
Every time that wheel turns 'round,
You're bound to cover just a little more ground.

[chompy]