Doo-Wayne the 85 4wd wagon

First off I don't see much info on the 4wd wagons. Yes, RT4wd, but not 4wd. So let me start here.

I have a 85 4wd wagon, engine stamped as a ew1 with 30psi in most cylinders and leaking oil faster than I can fill it. Yes it ran, but got under 20mpg...

Next I have:

Z6 block
A6 pistons
Y8 head gasket
D15b7 head and all wiring out of a friends 92 civic dx.

This will end with a basically obd1 non v-tech z6 in my wagon hopefully. And filling in all this little problems that arrise. Currently the engie is bolted to the trans and sitting in the car, but waiting to be pulled for the intermediate shaft and last non cracked piston to be installed. Thoughts? Ideas? Boost? Yes it will come, thats just my style.

Pics to follow when I get to a computer.

Matt

Comments

  • So let me get this straight, the z6 block bolts straight up tothe 3rd gen 4wd transmissions?
  • For a good majority yes, but there sre a few small details.

    1-Lower starter bolt threaded boss on the engine doesn't line up. My solution was to make a threaded insert that threads into the now threaded hole of the transmission which accepts the new shorter bolt. Easy and done.

    2-Use EW oil pan and pickup, just like the RT4wd swap. Easy peasy.

    3-Z6 lower rear bell housing bolts. 4WD EW has two, Z6 has one and is half a hole off. I took the Z6 to work and milled a hole in the new proper location and lopped the top hole off of the rear mount. Should be plenty strong with three bolts, but I also plan on adding a fourth mount to the front of the engine. You could dremel or die grinder the hole into a slot, or even porta band or sawzall it into a big slot.

    590.jpg
  • shenrieshenrie Council Member
    rad! i love when people do stuff that isnt supposed to work. well done sir. you need to give us more pix!
  • When I first got it. For some reason silver is always my color too!
    626.jpg

    4WD EW1 sitting next to Z6 block...
    627.jpg

    Pushbutton 4wd transmission. More to come on this later.
    628.jpg

    Intermediate shaft mounts. Trying to source a RT4wd one to see if it fits, otherwise I will just lop off the two that don't line up and weld 3/8" tabs in the right location.
    629.jpg

    And crappy pic of mocked up engine bolted to trans mounted into car. The drivers side mount is the stock EW, with the top hole bored out a little(get a size later) and only two of the studs lining up. More junkyarding to see if I can find one that uses all three, if not the two will work.
    630.jpg

    Other than a couple of problems that are easy to overcome, this has been very easy to get to this point. Still waiting on one piston to show and the engine will be assembled and mounted by the weekend.

    Sadly the hardest and most worrying part is where to mount the ecu. The stock one is under the passenger seat(don't like that idea), and there is NO room under the dash with the A/C. That'll come this weekend.

    Matt
  • I have an extra int shaft I could pull some measurements off of if you want.

    Good luck this is going to be awesome! In for updates for sure.
  • That'd be sweet! If I could get an overall length, length from end of shaft on trasmission side to approx mounting hole pictured above that is bolted to the engine it'd be super!
    drfink wrote: »
    I have an extra int shaft I could pull some measurements off of if you want.

    Good luck this is going to be awesome! In for updates for sure.
  • Well nothing exciting happened today before work. Found out nobody carries 5/16 steel fuel line in town, so that got ordered. Did get bits for the engine! Final assembly tomorrow, fuel pump mounted and going to attack the wiring this weekend. Did also decide I'm going to make some plaid door panels and headliner, and probably some ugly Mexican blanket seat covera to hide the ugly 'rose' interior.

    Matt
  • So today I learned;

    1- I lost my EW flywheel cover and the 2wd z6 doesn't fit.
    2- Intermediate shaft mounts are modified and in.
    3- Use the 4rh gen wagon coolant nipple on the head.
    4- Scratched the starter bolt threaded adapter, ground half the head off of a long 10mm holt and stuck it through the mounting hole from the inside out.
    5- Engine is mounted for the final time.
    6- z6 block and b7 head use the z6 tensioner and b7 timing belt.
    7- D series alternator adjuster hits master cylinder slightly, little cutting and it clears.
    8- Waiting on my steel fuel line to arrive blows...
    9- Obd1 wiring looks pretty straight forward, still need to stash the ecu some place accessable so I can tune it when thr boosy bug hits me in a month.

    Matt
  • Lets see some more pictures man!
  • Got this from my brother and am pretty sure it needs to be mounted right here.

    70.jpg

    Engine is in for the final time, intake and exhaust manifolds mouted. Need to bbuild a standoff for the clutch cable so it isn't laying across the engine. Also stock throttle cable would work, but the cable is to short for my liking. Luckily the 4th gem cable has the s ends and is the perfect length!

    71.jpg

    Crappy pic of the 'rose' interior (barf, but very 80's)

    72.jpg

    B2 wagon nipple installed. B7 coupe nipple, no go

    73.jpg

    Stock alternator adjuster

    74.jpg

    Modified adjuster

    75.jpg

    Finally clearance!

    76.jpg

    There's the end of today's progress. Next up is plumbing, exhaust, and wiring.

    Matt
  • I love the burgundy interiors! Favorite 3rd gen wagons in my opinion.
  • 503Wagon503Wagon moderator
    So jealous of the interior....
  • So nothing real exciting; wiper switch fixed, fuel pump mounted and tank modified. I did find out that you need to use the D series wagon thermostat housing and nipple on the z6 coolant tube. Trying to finalize the wiring tonight, and tomorrow should be exhaust, fuel return and finish up little things! Then we drive!!
  • This is what I stared at all day yesterday and finally at 1am she fired up!

    191.jpg

    And proof that a z6 with a b7 head will fit in a third gen 4wd wagon. All in all the getting it in was easy. Combining the harnesses was the most time consuming, and of course the cobbled together exhaust was by far the worst part of the project.

    192.jpg


    It is a bit tight, but I think I can get a turbo in there later on. First thing is to find a z6 head, wire up the vss, get a real intake, and build a real exhaust. I have some 2.25" mandrel bends and tube that will work great for this.

    193.jpg

    It's been a long three days getting this ready for work tomorrow, I'm going to relax and try to fill in all the little things I missed later on.

    Matt
    It
  • chaoschaos New Wagonist
    Great work man! That is definitely a tight fit lol.
  • Thanks! It got a bit tighter than I thought it would when I put the full size radiator and upper support in. Not the tighteat engine swap I've done, just surprised me.
    chaos wrote: »
    Great work man! That is definitely a tight fit lol.
  • What a better way to break an engine in! And I got out of town for a bit too.

    210.jpg
  • chaoschaos New Wagonist
    It's not the tightest swap you've done lol? What is the tightest. Looks like a fun drive! Was gonna ask, maybe I missed it but why the z6 block and the b7 head?
  • BillBoardBillBoard council member
    saweeeeeeeeeeeet wagon! looks like your ran into a snow drift???
  • Hehe, was about a mile up the hill pushing snow up over the hood. Car did great in the super heavy wet stuff on $35 el-cheapo tires :cool:
    BillBoard wrote: »
    saweeeeeeeeeeeet wagon! looks like your ran into a snow drift???
  • Haha, tightest was a six cylinder subie(ER-27) into a 84 GL wagon and kept the radiator up front. Was one of the funnest head turning woods car that I built, but sadly froze the engine one winter :disturbed:

    Engine choice was just an experiment and cheapest available parts. Brother gave me a disassemble Z6 short block, and friend had a crashed 92 civic with a b7 and blow head gasket that I robbed parts from. Overall super happy with the drivability and moderate power.
    chaos wrote: »
    It's not the tightest swap you've done lol? What is the tightest. Looks like a fun drive! Was gonna ask, maybe I missed it but why the z6 block and the b7 head?
  • drfinkdrfink Wagonist
    Congrats man I'm pretty sure nobody's done this before. Sorry about not getting pics of the into shaft, I completely forgot, but looks like you got of figured out. I can't wait to see this thing on some boost!
  • Ridge911Ridge911 New Wagonist
    I feel like I'm about to make a suggestion to you that you've already considered and discounted... you could relocate battery to the rear for more space in the engine bay...
  • drfinkdrfink Wagonist
    What ECU are you using? Obd1 non VTEC or ??
  • Thanks! No worries. The stock one was easy to modify, I'll get a picture of it when I change the clutch for reference.
    drfink wrote: »
    Congrats man I'm pretty sure nobody's done this before. Sorry about not getting pics of the into shaft, I completely forgot, but looks like you got of figured out. I can't wait to see this thing on some boost!

    P06. I have the chip, burner and logging interface in the mail as of tomorrow hopefully. Really want to get the vss sorted before it all shows up.
    drfink wrote: »
    What ECU are you using? Obd1 non VTEC or ??
  • I thought about it, but there is no real spot I want to put it as space is all usable in the back. I do have a big Lithium pack I am going to stash as a second battery for camping power, to be charged while the engine is running and solar when not. Used mostly for my fridge, radio, and communications. That'll come after rack, bumpers and the interior 'upgrades'
    Ridge911 wrote: »
    I feel like I'm about to make a suggestion to you that you've already considered and discounted... you could relocate battery to the rear for more space in the engine bay...
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