What cranktrigger does the EJ use?

Gustaf · Post by **Gustaf** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 1:53 am

I have an 1990 Legacy 1.8 with the SPI EJ18.

It looks like an VR cranksensor in the front of the engine, does it use a 36-1 or 60-2 wheel?¨

Does the EJ22 and EJ20G with MPI use the same trigger?

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 2:51 am

I'm not sure what terminology you're using, but at least here in the States, our EJ22's just have a Denso sensor that reads off the little flaps on the crank sprocket...

Gustaf · Post by **Gustaf** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 12:29 pm

yes but what kind of sensor is it?

Is it an Variable Reluctance (VR) sensor which triggers from an missing tooth wheel (36-1 or 60-2)

Or is it an Halleffect trigger? (Magnetic pickup)

Regards / Gustaf

Post by **Legacy777** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 3:07 pm

Pretty sure it's a VR sensor according to your description....but here's a pic of the crank gear for you to decide.

http://www.main.experiencetherave.com:8 ... P_2716.JPG

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 4:48 pm

I don't know if your sensor setup is the same as the EJ22 and EJ20G one. But, assuming it's the same setup as early MPFI EJ engines, it's a variable reluctance pickup. It's not a missing-tooth setup though. There are six pips on the sprocket, which are symmetrical about 180 degrees. One pip occurs at 97 degrees BTDC, one at 65 degrees BTDC, and one at 10 degrees BTDC. You can see one side of the sprocket near the middle of the picture Josh posted.

Gustaf · Post by **Gustaf** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 5:05 pm

Ok, i can't get the image working thou...

Thats a shame, I was planning on doing a convert to Megasquirt but then I have to build a new crank trigger. The alternative is to swap to an 2.2 MPFI engine. Does the MPFI have direct ignition and cam sensors?

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 5:43 pm

What I described was the MPFI sensor. I don't know for sure whether yours is the same or not. Not many of us here are familiar with SPFI EJ engines.

You could use MegaSquirt just for fuel and allow your factory ignition setup (it's based on a distributor, right?) to handle spark.

Or you could use a MegaSquirt with EDIS if you weld an EDIS trigger wheel to your crankshaft pulley.

Gustaf · Post by **Gustaf** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 6:03 pm

Yes i know but i need ignitioncontrol anyway if i turboconvert the EJ18. The biggest problem is the high CR.... =(

I have the EJ18 SPI.. whats your best tips to get more power?

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 6:43 pm

Like I said, very few people here have any experience with your motor, so we can't offer a lot of help unfortunately.

If you're going to do all the custom work necessary to turbocharge the TBI EJ18, welding/bolting an EDIS trigger wheel onto the crank pulley seems like a reasonable amount of effort. Then you get to do whatever you want.

Gustaf · Post by **Gustaf** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 7:48 pm

yes that is no problem, but it's not worth the work if you keep the 9.7:1 stock CR.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 8:13 pm

I dunno... I think if you have control over your ignition timing, lightly turbocharging with a 9.7:1 compression ratio can work. You'll have to run relatively retarded timing on boost, but with MegaSquirt and EDIS you can have exactly that.

You could go for the cheap option -- fabricate some thicker head gaskets to reduce compression a little.

Gustaf · Post by **Gustaf** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 8:22 pm

I'm running Megasquirt 'n Spark Extra on my Nissan Silvia S12 so that part shouldn't be any problem.

The compression ratio is thou... has anybody tried using dual headgaskets or dual headgaskets with an stellplate between on the ej22 or any other ejxx N/A engine? I could get the plates lasercut, maybe someone even has CAD drawings or EPS pictures of the headgasket layout?

The alternative is the machine the pistons, not a problem really but i saw that a gasket kit needed for rebuilding the engine costed almost 900 USD!!!!!!!!!!

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 11:01 pm

You can't go too thick between the heads and block before the intake and exhaust headers no longer fit. Turbo pistons should go right in if you want to use those to lower compression. They do on the EJ22s anyway. Why not convert to MPFI? An intake manifold with rails and injectors shouldn't be expensive and you could probably run a US EJ18 ECU with piggy backs if you don't want complete stand alone engine control.

Steve

Gustaf · Post by **Gustaf** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 12:54 am

the engine management isn't the problem it's the CR.

What differs the EJ18,20G and 22? Bore or stroke?

How have people solved this problem when turboconverting the EJ22?

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 1:17 am

People have turbocharged many engines with compression ratios around 9.7:1. Many people here in the US have turbocharged their non-turbo EJ25s, which all have at least 9.7:1 compression.

It is true that with higher compression there is higher risk of detonation. But, you can reduce the risk of detonation in other ways, including using a good intercooler, always using the highest octane fuel available, keeping the combustion chambers clean, and carefully tuning your spark maps.

The engine management is definitely a problem.

Some Googling turned up these numbers:

EJ18 bore is 87.9mm, stroke is 75.0mm
EJ20G bore is 92.0mm, stroke is 75.0mm
EJ22 bore is 96.9mm, stroke is 75.0mm

So it would seem that the displacement differences among these three engines is from the bore.

Gustaf · Post by **Gustaf** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 1:36 am

thanks alot for all your help, It leens against turboconverting an ej22 then and swapping that against my ej18.

Together with a megasquirt and edis it could be quite fine. What power levels are people reaching with converted EJ22:s?

Gustaf · Post by **Gustaf** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 1:46 am

Thanks alot for your answers! It leens against swapping the ej18 for an ej22 with megasquirt and turbo...

Does the EJ22 have the same heads as the EJ20G?

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 1:49 am

No problem.

The EJ22 and EJ20G have different heads. The EJ20G heads are DOHC while the EJ22 is SOHC.

There aren't very many turbo-converted EJ22s, but if you go to the Aftermarket Forced Induction forum on http://forums.nasioc.com/forums you should be able to read up on turbo-converted EJ25s.

Gustaf · Post by **Gustaf** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 1:55 am

great thank you !

Post by **Legacy777** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 3:05 am

try this link for the pic
https://www.main.experiencetherave.com/ ... P_2716.JPG

Gustaf · Post by **Gustaf** » Wed Feb 16, 2005 12:44 am

Thanks for the pic, i reckon it's the small pulley in the middle. Does anyone now how it looks like on the other side is the trigger wheel bolted to the pulley, in other words, could you replace it with another one with more slots?

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Wed Feb 16, 2005 5:14 pm

Yep, it's the small one in the middle.

I think the trigger wheel is cast/machined into the pulley... Josh can confirm or refute that.

Post by **Legacy777** » Wed Feb 16, 2005 6:25 pm

Yeah it's part of the gear. If a tooth breaks, the whole gear has to be replaced. I don't think you could really "add" any more slots to it without causing issues.....

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What cranktrigger does the EJ use?

What cranktrigger does the EJ use?