Modifying a Subaru EG-33 Engine to Go

Into a Vanagon

For the seven or eight people (mostly in Tibet and Uzbekistan) whom I haven't told about this, Subaru tried to get into the high-end sports car market with a vehicle they called the SVX.  They built a 230 horsepower six cylinder engine for it.  The sports car was not terribly successful, but the engine is a smooth, reliable power plant that just happens to fit into a Vanagon (with application of considerable amounts of work, money and cursing).  I figure that if guys seek these motors out to put them into airplanes, I will trust one in my van.

Here's the story on how I acquired my Subaru EG-33 motor (not for the faint of heart):  Ebay Adventure

As an up-front qualifier, I am not a mechanic, nor do I pretend to be an expert in things Volkswagen or internal combustion.  In the early '70s I had a '57 Chevy pickup that I wound up putting a 327 & 4 speed into.  Some college friends and my brother did most of the work installing it, but I learned how to adjust valves and replace the drive shaft when I snapped it off.  I guess I also sorta maintained a 1969 Triumph Bonneville, but that wasn't drive train stuff.

 

Objective:

Being not a mechanic, I don't relish the idea of pulling this motor back out, once it's in.  When things go way wrong, I tend to start looking for a great big hole.  So, I am going to replace anything that looks marginal and not reuse things that are cheap and/or easy to replace with the motor out.  Here's my minimum must-replace list:

 

Starting...

The most gruesome part of the conversion seems to be modifying the wiring harness to work with the Vanagon.  The engine computer, a couple of relays and the wiring from the computer to the engine sensors are pulled out of the harness that also has lighting, air conditioning, transmission, seat belt, and every other signal wire tied into it.  The approach is to buy the wiring conversion instructions and start cutting out what you don't need.

Here, the motor sits on a tire on the remains of the pallet it was shipped on and the engine hoist I bought for the project.  Not having lots of help available, I thought a hoist would serve me well for manipulating and eventually installing the motor.  My work area is the west bay of our three-car garage. 

Sitting on the floor is a linoleum knife that I found very handy for cutting the wrapping away from the harness pieces.   I hooked up the engine connectors and spread the harness out to identify the connectors to be saved.  A bungie cord strain relief keeps the "E" connectors from taking the weight of the harness.  The Subaru SVX manuals are great at helping to identify the different parts of the harness.  The best thing about the SVX manuals:  They don't also cover diesel/gas, air-cooled/water-cooled, auto/manual transmissions, so they're very straightforward.

 

Partially Hacked HarnessAfter cutting off the unnecessary connectors, you wind up with lots of orphaned wires to get rid of.  For me there was a lot of "pucker factor" in cutting this thing up.  I already had looked up the cost of a new harness.

One thing I found very helpful is to use a contrasting colored tape to bind up sections that I was done with. 

 

 

 

At Left here is my little work area.  Why yes, I have been to Sears a couple of times.  How can you tell?  The stool was in a package with floor jack, stands and the protector you put over the fender so you don't scratch up the paint.  I don't know how to use that on a Vanagon.

I've always wanted a compressor.  This one is small, but I don't have room for things I don't use very often.  Also bought an air ratchet.  A little because they're cool, a little because my hands seem to have some nerve damage and I like to save the repetitive motion for work that pays money. 

My wife thinks this project is all about being able to buy tools.  Hogwash.  It's not all about that.

The main thing I am missing now is the calendar with the acetate sheet you lift up to remove the bikini.

 

 

After all the extra wires are out, things look a lot more manageable.  The alternator is sitting there because I'd lost track of the "alternator harness".  After I had cut everything off, the alternator connectors were completely unaccounted for.  Turns out it was chopped out by the wrecking yard "disassembler" and I had set it up on a shelf, then forgot about it.

I am stopping here for awhile on the harness, being eager to get some motor items done.  For me, it would be better to have fresh memories of dealing with the harness right before the actual installation.  I actually have an absolutely perfect memory.  It's just very short...

 

 

 

 

 

Next:  Replacing the Timing Belt

 

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