logic23

I agree with grossgary: replace the hub if you have the choice. Its usually cheaper and faster. I've run into problems with the machine shop not pressing the bearing right. The hubs assembly at our local yards are 30-50. The bearings are like 90 the last time I checked plus the machine shop cost.

in addition to the clips etc. you should grease the pivot point for the clutch fork. If they run dry they chirp like a bird. The 2001 legacy I drive chirps so did my 95.... real annoying. Also separating the engine from trans is tough from time to time. The dowel pins get frozen. I use a real thin screwdriver to get it open then go to two bigger one then the prybars down either side. I flop the a/c and the power steering pump.

I think a subaru 2.2 engine in a bug might be a bit too much power. I worry that it will be too much in the van. The porche engine I have in it now gets it to uncomfortable speeds. I think I will try and use a couple honda civic radiators (the real small ones) and mount them on either side where the factory air intakes are. I'm pretty good with wiring so im not to worried about that. I helped a high school kid put a mazda 323 engine in a 71 bus and I got it so you could still use the obd plug. Plus it would be nice to have water-cooled heat in the old air cooled bus. mmmmm heat.

I'm in the same boat...too many paying jobs to justify taking up the space for restorations etc. Luckily they all run and drive but the 71 bug. Have you messed with the subaru engine in an aircooled vw? Thinking of doing it with my 79 bus. I really want to take it on some trips but I really dont trust VW engines anymore too many breakdowns or near breakdowns.

Sometimes its all by itself by the passenger strut tower says FWD real big.

Ok first of all wheel bearing are real hard to nail down. They are making the sound when the entire weight of the car+you+buddies is on them. Yes it could be from the back...as you turn the wheel from side to side you are shifting weight from one side of car to the other. The best way to test a wheelbearing is to remove the cv joint so you can feel/hear the bearing minus the transmission etc. grab one of the wheel studs and spin the hub as fast as you can. if the bearing is bad you will most likely hear or feel it>> either gravely sound or you wil feel catches in the rotation. Even after all this it still might feel good and be bad. Have someone drive and move around car to see if you can hear where its coming from. I have gone as far as to have a buddy drive the car and I hold on to car and skateboard next to it (dangerous but effective). DONT BE FOOLED - a bad tire (cupped) can cause a very very similar noise. I replaced a rear bearing on my first subaru legacy... turned out to be the tire I dont even replace teh bearings now. I go to teh junkyards and get the whole spindles waaaay cheaper/faster.

grossgary is right. Nothing beats rust better than a good oxy/acetylene torch. It can make the difference between broken bolts and ones that come out and can be reused. Be careful you are close to the gas tank. A mapp gas or propane torch won't get the bolts hot enough. also a good tap and die set is good to restore the nuts and bolts. Then reassemble with anti-seize compound. Taking your time and using the right tools (including the torch) will make all the difference. good luck

Yeah it seems like the 95-98 2.2 is still the most reliable in my experiences. The 2.5 DOHC not so much. Now it seems like the "redesigned" phase 2 engines (both 2.2 and 2.5) suffer from the same HG problems. Seems like the best thing to do is to get early 95-98 2.2 and figure out how to get them to work in the phase 2 cars>>>adapter plate so that the later intake will fit it... I don't know. My last watercooled VW was a 94 golf.... vw started using lots of cheap plastic parts, plastic water pump impellers. They are fun to drive but I'm to paranoid of having to fix them. You need too many special tools to work on them: super torex special holders to do timing belts. I have a buddy who used to work at the dealer I send my watercooled VW stuff to him. I have a 57 bus 60,000 miles unrestored original paint, 71 bug that is in process (slow process) of restoration, 79 convert fuel injected 74,000 miles and a 79 bus daily driver with a 78 912 s engine in it. Rebuilding some subaru engines might be a good winter project. I'll keep it in mind. Right now too busy swaping engines and getting some legacy wagons ready for some friends.

Be patient and be ready to remove the whole rear end including the struts and rear spindles... doing it this way is almost easier. Be careful with the bolts going up into the frame. The weld nuts can break loose in the frame. If this happens you will have to make an access hole in the frame to get it apart.

Do it yourself... its as easy as easy gets.

As far as the 2.2 being fine thats what scares me. I've seen three posted on craiglist that are bad (phase 2). I've been toying with the idea of doing the lower ends. The only way to keep it reasonable would be production style 5-6 at a time. I've been wrenching professionally for 13 years. I was trained and still work with a 75 year old blind mechanic. We used to do a ton of old air cooled vw stuff including complete engine rebuilds. Those were a huge pain: line boring etc. I think a subaru engine would be way easier. I have two phase 2 2.5 engines neither are rebuildable. One has a burnt piston which took out the cylinder and the other has a rod out the top. Seems like doing the HG at 100,000 miles would be fine for preventative maintenence especially if the updated HGs are a "fix". With the recent findings I dont know if the phase2 2.2 is any better replacement for the phase 2 2.5. Out of the frying fan into the fryer. Sorry to scare anyone but as mechanics we are only seeing the sick ones there are many many more that are well and will continue to run problem free for a long time. Its all about knowing what the potential problems are and trying to prevent them. I am just trying to avoid the worst case of engine blows up in the middle of kansas in the middle of winter. That is the whole reason I quit driving VW's long distances.

OK so what happend to the 300,000 mile 2.2? A thing of the past? So to be safe do we pull the engine at 100,000 miles to do the belt,seals and headgaskets? I have many customers that i've talked into buying subarus because of how little work has to be done on them. Now I feel like i've lead them astray. Are the lower end problems symptoms of headgaskets>>> oil burns up>>>engine locks up or water into oil>>>bearing wash out. I can replace engines all day but I need to stand behind the product.

Has any one else noticed the increasing number of phase 2 engines with thrown rods? I have replaced three 2.5s with bad lower ends and i've seen several craigslist adds for either cars with bad lower ends or people looking for "good lower ends". Is this the curse of the phase 2 engine? Whats going on? Any thoughts?

regardless i would have it resurfaced most machine shops will do it for $30-40. its not so much the grooves as the warpage. You will not be able to see this its like trying to see a warped brake rotor.

All the egr pipes i've seen go from the drivers side head to the intake manifold... don't think egr will be an issue. The block is a low milage 95 2.2 and the heads are 2000 impreza 2.2.

I have been part of a lot of these threads about what will work with what so here's a new question: will 2000 2.2 heads fit on an early block. I know the tentioners are different so im guessing you can put the later one on the early block to keep the timing belt count correct. Any thoughts/experiences?

I would go after the fuel injectors then ignition (wires, plugs, coil pack) My 95 legacy wagon did this and it was the wires my 96 wagon did it and it was a bad injector. they are easy to get to and switch... watch out for the gas its at high pressure. Take a the top fuel line off and put a rag over it to keep the spray out of your face..

lurching like no power lurching....like when you first learn to drive a stick? It could be a bad fuel injector that doesn't have a good spray patten at low rmp.

"if you have a blown 2.5 phase 2 that you want to replace with a 2.2. ." this was a typo....oops. Not trying to confuse the issue. I had thought of an adapter plate to go between phase 1 and 2 2.5. Then it would just be a manifold swap.

Sounds like clutch chatter. Bad pressure plate or flywheel distorted from heat. Either the flywheel needs resurfaced or and/or a new clutch. I always do both at the same time.

Why do people keep acting like this isn't worth the time? The phase 2 engines go for over $1,000. The early engines go for $400 seems like a worth swap to me if you have a blown 2.5 phase 2 that you want to replace with a 2.2. Ive been trying to figure out a similar swap. I have both Phase 1 and 2 2.5 engines on the floor in my shop. The cam issue might not be an issue at all. The big one is the components. Like posted before you will have to switch the harness and the throttle body( which has the throttle position sensor and MAP sensor.) The only thing that is questionable is the fuel injectors. THe type 2 computer might not open them correctly. The injector plugs are different but if you file off the ears then it will plug in. I might Try this switch for the hell of it in the nest couple weeks ill let you know how it goes.

I dont know about the 2000-04 head gasket issue being benign. I have replaced three phase 2 2.5 engines in the past 2 weeks that all had lower end issues that I'm guessing were due to the headgasket leaking>>cylinder burning oil>>> rod knocking>>>rod goes through block. I am driving a 2001 legacy thats just burning anti-freeze and runs a little hot when the coolant level drops too low. I don't know why subaru stopped making the 2.2. I hope that subaru doesn't go the way volkswagen did and start making poorly engineered vehicles that look flashy. Lets hope not.

it was the tan variety... i think i saw the door panel there w no switch... it was already off. I could swoop it for you if you would like.

So today I found a 2001 outback in a junkyard that sells stuff for cheap. I was able to get the alloy wheels (225's) and a ton of other interior options. So my questions are: are the outbacks struts longer to accommodate the larger wheels? will the struts fit a 2001 legacy? second questions is about a set of tweeters in the rear cargo area. I know a lot of subarus are wired for alot of the extra options. Does any one know if the wiring is there in all the legacy and outback models to install these and if not how do you wire these up?

The dual metal gear engine was a replacement for a 2001 forester with a rod sticking out of the block. Yeah it was weird when I took the timing cover off and saw 2 metal gears. Counted the teeth on timing belt and got 223 (i think this was the count). same number of teeth as other 2.5 phase 2 engines I've worked on. Engine is in car and is running great.