13B S4 swap into my 85 GSL
10-25-09, 03:01 PM
#126
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Between Jacobs writeup and mine, you should have no problem with the swap....jacob took all the complications out of the wiring. You just need to make sure you have BOTH harnesses...
I would recommend finding a running donor car thats ugly and cheap and then you have everything you need! For fuel, GSL-se pump mounts fine with a small modification, which is listed in this thread. Then all you need is the GSL-se oil pan
11-04-09, 04:19 AM
#128
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WAIT! The first gen 12a front cover and water neck is interchangable with the 13b's? I am doing a S4 T2 Swap into my 82 right now and the same swap to my 83.... I just spent an arm and leg on se front covers becuase i was told they were what i "HAD" to have to get them to mount..... I know they need the pan and pickup tube, but the front cover from a 12a can be used?? Urg......
11-05-09, 02:51 PM
#129
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WAIT! The first gen 12a front cover and water neck is interchangable with the 13b's? I am doing a S4 T2 Swap into my 82 right now and the same swap to my 83.... I just spent an arm and leg on se front covers becuase i was told they were what i "HAD" to have to get them to mount..... I know they need the pan and pickup tube, but the front cover from a 12a can be used?? Urg......
I finally got the engine to start! messed with my ign timing and it fired right up...just need to clean up my wires, fix a coolant leak, get to a muffler shop and I'm golden!!!
Cant wait!!!
11-13-09, 04:18 PM
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****!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I cleaned up my wiring and put in all relays and ****, replaced leaking coolant hose. Started it up and found another leak. FIxed that one, started it up, smoked alot and died....more water???
Finally figured out I have coolant coming out of my exhaust manifold.... check oil dipstick, ******* coolant and oil on my dipstick. GODDAMN seals are bad or something....I could ******* cry right now!!!!!!!!
ANyone have any ideas???
I cleaned up my wiring and put in all relays and ****, replaced leaking coolant hose. Started it up and found another leak. FIxed that one, started it up, smoked alot and died....more water???
Finally figured out I have coolant coming out of my exhaust manifold.... check oil dipstick, ******* coolant and oil on my dipstick. GODDAMN seals are bad or something....I could ******* cry right now!!!!!!!!
ANyone have any ideas???
11-14-09, 01:48 PM
#136
Aww man really sorry to hear that. Water will develop out of your exhaust after your cats, but shouldn't be at the manifold. If it's mixed with the oil that's bad news to. If you have a cooling system pressure tester I would put some pressure on the system and see where it comes out. If water starts coming out the exhaust you've got problems.
01-19-10, 02:01 PM
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hey jacob, i bought another 7 that last week that i'm driving. So my plan is to upgrade the suspension and brakes on my 85 GSL while its down. Then, i'm going to upset alot of people and swap in a 5.0 HO mustang engine and T5 manual transmission.
The last rotary just really pissed me off. Hows your project coming???
The last rotary just really pissed me off. Hows your project coming???
03-25-10, 05:19 AM
#142
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Bummer about the engine being bad. I'm curious if you're still willing to help answer any questions anyone has about this swap? Looks like you're the only one with a walkthrough that started with a 12a, not gsl-se
03-25-10, 01:30 PM
#144
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I guess my major questions are about wiring. It kind of looks like there isnt too much to worry about with the ECU to engine, but more about setting up the coils, etc (basically everything driver side). I've seen your write-up, 3rd and final 7's asking about relays, and this one. Is there another? I think one other guy was talking like he had done it..steve84GS TII
Havent seen his write-up if he has done it
Havent seen his write-up if he has done it
03-25-10, 01:51 PM
#145
I guess my major questions are about wiring. It kind of looks like there isnt too much to worry about with the ECU to engine, but more about setting up the coils, etc (basically everything driver side). I've seen your write-up, 3rd and final 7's asking about relays, and this one. Is there another? I think one other guy was talking like he had done it..steve84GS TII
Havent seen his write-up if he has done it
Havent seen his write-up if he has done it
I'm on my phone right now when I'm in front of a computrr I'll post some links for ya
08-04-14, 02:50 PM
#146
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Hi irishpilot, Since your last post 1-19-2010 I was wondering, looking back would you do the swap again? I have a 1979 that I’ve used over the past six years as a daily driver during the summers. It’s in very good shape now. I have upgraded the suspension and installed an LSD from an 82 parts car that I had. Over the last two years I have been beating the crap out of it in autocross events and it’s starting to really smoke at times. It still runs good but coming down from high revs it really really smokes. It handles great with the R888 Proxies, adjustable Tokicos matched with Lovells springs and ST sway bar. It would be nice to have a few extra HP though. Rather than putting my spare 79 engine into it I have located an S4 from a 1988 convertible. The guy is putting in a TII engine/ trans for drifting so I could get the ECU and wiring harness, coils etc. The engine was new and installed by Mazda in 2007 and has been driven during the summers, not sure how many miles are on it but it’s still running in the car and sounds fine with receipts from Mazda for oil changes etc. I’m good at fabricating but wiring would be a challenge for me even after reading your great thread and the one by live2drive15.
Anyway, I’m trying to decide if it’s all worth it for an extra 40-50 horsepower?
Gary C
Anyway, I’m trying to decide if it’s all worth it for an extra 40-50 horsepower?
Gary C
08-04-14, 07:17 PM
#147
Hi Gary,
It is a little more troublesome going from 12A to S4 13B. You will have to source a GSL-SE Oil pan and front cover. You'll need to install either a GSL-SE Fuel pump, S4 Fuel pump (which means customizing your gas tank for a drop in unit), or an equivalent fuel pump of your choice. Also, the fuel pump lines from the tank to the engine will need to be enlarged to handle the increase in fuel necessary for the larger engine.
Then you just have to wire everything appropriately. Custom mounts for the coils, upgrade the fuse box to the 2nd Gen one is highly recommended, oil cooler (either GSL-SE or S4 will work with a little modification to the S4). You will also need to do the hybrid transmission that I went over earlier in this thread. You've already got an LSD rear end so that should handle the increased power just fine.
The wiring you could figure out! I did it, and without this write up!
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Jacob
It is a little more troublesome going from 12A to S4 13B. You will have to source a GSL-SE Oil pan and front cover. You'll need to install either a GSL-SE Fuel pump, S4 Fuel pump (which means customizing your gas tank for a drop in unit), or an equivalent fuel pump of your choice. Also, the fuel pump lines from the tank to the engine will need to be enlarged to handle the increase in fuel necessary for the larger engine.
Then you just have to wire everything appropriately. Custom mounts for the coils, upgrade the fuse box to the 2nd Gen one is highly recommended, oil cooler (either GSL-SE or S4 will work with a little modification to the S4). You will also need to do the hybrid transmission that I went over earlier in this thread. You've already got an LSD rear end so that should handle the increased power just fine.
The wiring you could figure out! I did it, and without this write up!
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Jacob
08-04-14, 08:54 PM
#148
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Thanks for the response, it's an old thread but just what I'm looking for now.
Doesn't sound too bad. Could a good fabricator modify the oil pan, that would be right up my alley.
What is the difference with the oil cooler, size or the hose length and fittings? The 79 has a good sized oil cooler not the bee hive. Some exhaust changes too.
My main question....is there enough noticeable horse power to make it all worth it? Would it be easier to get a Racing beat intake with the Holley and larger exhaust with a header maybe gain 15 HP or so? Put that onto my low mileage spare 12A engine, drop it in the car and be done with it? I think I would be satisfied with an extra 40 or 50HP whereas an extra15 would be a tease. The fuel injection would eliminate the sputtering issue these carbureted first gens have on the long left handers too. I'm talking myself into it as I write, there seems to be more positives to the swap.....
Doesn't sound too bad. Could a good fabricator modify the oil pan, that would be right up my alley.
What is the difference with the oil cooler, size or the hose length and fittings? The 79 has a good sized oil cooler not the bee hive. Some exhaust changes too.
My main question....is there enough noticeable horse power to make it all worth it? Would it be easier to get a Racing beat intake with the Holley and larger exhaust with a header maybe gain 15 HP or so? Put that onto my low mileage spare 12A engine, drop it in the car and be done with it? I think I would be satisfied with an extra 40 or 50HP whereas an extra15 would be a tease. The fuel injection would eliminate the sputtering issue these carbureted first gens have on the long left handers too. I'm talking myself into it as I write, there seems to be more positives to the swap.....
Last edited by Garyrotor79; 08-04-14 at 08:55 PM. Reason: spelling
08-31-14, 10:28 PM
#149
It seems to me that if you don't have smog to worry about, you could do a port/rebuild, upgraded carb, and exhaust and have significant enough power gains to be happy with the 12a. The swap is time consuming. I can't even tell you if it is worth it, because mine is still not driveable. I do know I had a TON of fun in all my FC's and the FB is lighter and will have the FC motor, so I think I will be happy. I never intended for it to be a very fast car, just a fun little cruiser windy road kind of thing.
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