AdventureSubaru

I guess the other advice i'd have is that the value of marital bliss vs marital strife. My wife and I get so frustrated at each other over things far less expensive than a $2800 car repair bill. Eventually one or both of us have to bite the bullet. if your husband is dead set on doing it his way, it may not be ideal but you'll get the car going again, and if it does need help further down the road, then it may be time to look at a 2.2 swap. if you can talk him into it, it will likely save you some $$$ and keep the car running longer. But I've always believed that family is far more important than money and possessions. Letting him do it his way wont be the end of the world. I've been there, been stubborn, made a doofus of myself and apologized later and I'm grateful that my wife puts up with me in those times and loves me anyway. So choose your battle and how much it's worth in dollars vs. frustration. And whatever happens to the motor - 2.2 or a rebirth of that 2.5 we can help give you some helpful tips and advice to keep it running as long and healthy as possible.

reading the original post if the mechanic can and does "completely rebuild the engine" then the cost is not that far off, and assuming he does it right, the engine should be ready to last another 120-150k before large scale work is required. Make sure that a complete rebuild of the block is in order here. The rod bearings on these motors were small and in my experience rarely lasted past 200k. If the mechanic is going for the quick fix of new timing kit and new/rebuilt heads, it's just a very expensive band aid. The car will likely develop a rod knock in the next 30,000 miles and you'll again be looking at tearing the engine apart to fix it. If it is indeed a true motor "rebuild" then you're not getting taken at that price. I would still consider it less desirable than an EJ22 swap due largely to cost. But if the motor gets rebuilt properly, any mechanics shop will include a warranty on the work and you wont have to worry about engine failure for a time since it would be their problem. If however, he is charging you $2800 for the quick fix, he's not crazy on the price (I've heard of far worse in this crazy state) given the time, parts etc. involved, but you are not looking at a long term solution as the motor is still likely to fail before 200k

They are pretty close between outback and baja. If you want to get noticeably lower, you want stock 00-04 Legacy stuff under there. Fronts from 1990-1999 Legacy or Impreza will do the same but the rears must be 2000-04 $188 each for used struts is crazy expensive. Shop around and you'll find them for more like $50 each for the whole assemblies. KYB GR2s are $52. each on rockauto. Your baja would sit the same as a legacy so if you're wanting to go lower still than a stock legacy you'll need the lowering springs. At this point you likely will no longer clear stock tires though.

Yeah. Start with new plugs and wires. NGK brand is recommended on these cars because they last 4 times longer than most other brands. That may very well solve the issue. PCV, fuel filter are next on the tune up list. If the problem persists, it may time time to look at the fuel pump

Here's a good $400. motor in sacramento. 1999 was a crossover year. It's a match if it's an EJ22 motor or DOHC EJ25 http://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/5004077478.html

Sounds like the bearings went out on the timing sprocket and it has bent valves. That seems a little high on the estimated resale value. Recent headgaskets etc. are a selling point but I would only credit it to be just a little above kelley blue book value. Conventional Subaru wisdom for this car and others with the 2.5 motor is to locate a good used 1995-1998 Ej22 motor (Usually $300-$1000 depending on where you get it, mileage etc). and install it to replace the 2.5 motor. (the 1990-1994 motors work too but you'll also need an intake manifold from a 95-98 Ej22 motor. Those 2.5 motors like yours made better horsepower but were not very dependable and are far more complex and expensive to fix. You'll save a lot of $$$ and have a car that is 20 horsepower less but far more dependable. The EJ25 motors (In your car right now) usually needed headgasket replacement around 100,000 miles and would fail again or burn up rod bearings between 140-200,000 miles. The ej22 will commonly last 300,000+ miles without any major servicing. Well worth a little less pep at the throttle. I can help you source good motors in the area as I live in the bay area and regularly see these motors pop up for sale or in cars being parted. Car-part.com is a great place to source it. You'll pay the cost of the motor, labor for a remove and install and a set of exhaust gakets/oil/coolant and that's it. For about half the quoted mechanic cost,you'll have something more dependable and just as valuable.

Exedy is the preferred brand for subaru. Kits are best priced on ebay and amazon. Scratch the rear main seal off the list unless it is leaking (Weeping is ok) there is higher likelihood of it leaking after replacement than if it's left alone. Inspect the clutch fork for cracks etc. re-grease the ball on the clutch fork and the shaft/throwout bearing. There's a good writeup on the whole clutch job if you need it, I can post a link. Gives good photos etc. on the whole process.

On those motors the head gaskets will weep long before they go. I'd say most I've seen over 100k have some visible seepage. The primary sign of failing headgaskets will be bubbles in the coolant overflow while the car is running. Unless you have reason to question the head bolts, go ahead and reuse them. I've tossed some that were on the rusty side but if they are in good shape, no reason to replace them. Just dip in oil and use em. When test driving, check for torque bind of the transmission by driving slow tight circles and feel for shuttering like a truck in 4wd on pavement. It's usually fixable but still a good check to know what you're getting into. Timing belts at 110k and every 80k-ish thereafter. Gates kits are good and a few others recommended out there.

That's what they asked for on his car. Might be different depending on which ref you get. May be worth some phone calls to ask your local branch. He took it to either Santa Cruz or Watsonville

The bullet casings are a nice touch. Ryot is the twin car. He's down near L.A. and yeah, I think his is dual ranged. Same set up I think. 6 inch lift and big honkin wheel spacers. But there are a few others out there. WagonRyan had/has one that I think he took the lift off of. Monstaru built Stella and I think that car belongs to another member. Tron is selling the 6 inch lifted one that I think was built by scott/SJR

Oh crap. Someone leaked the secret to lifting a subaru. Now there's going to be a run on 1/4 inch steel tubing. Better stock up before it's gone! Just messing since all of us here are in the loop and it's common knowledge. We all know how to do it. Props for having a nice rig but it's just blocks and spacers. Not sure why your mechanic would try to be secretive about it. A google search will give anyone the answers to what he/she did. great for romping around. I drove a lifted impreza for years and am about a month away from lifting my 2000 Outback. Makes a lot of trails and destinations more accessible.

NW Auto recyclers in Lake Stevens lists a 93 Impreza in their inventory that is FWD 5 speed.

Welcome to the forum. I've not done a EJ22 retrofit yet, but I know there's a lot of writeups on here about it that can answer a lot of the questions, or someone will chime in here for them. I know about the smog stuff since I'm in the same state and researched similarly after some EJ22 swaps in place of EJ25s. Your smog check will be good until it expires. You'll have 2 options when smog is due for the car after the swap. 1. Typically most pragmatic as CA laws are asinine. Make the swap look as stock as possible.Swap the stickers under the hood to match the motor. Count on the guy doing the smog to not recognize the difference between an EA82 and an EJ22, smog it and drive it. 2. Follow the letter of the law. Schedule an inspection with a DMV referee to inspect the swap and sign off on it. Expect them to spend hours looking for every imaginable detail to find as many things as possible that will be required for the swap to be legitimate in their eyes. Buddy of mine has been having issues following this with an outback with an EJ22. Has EGR to match the outback and outback exhaust with 3 cats. Since the engine came from a 99 Legacy, which was non EGR and had only 2 cats he's having to replace his intake manifold, exhaust, and ECU. Even though the whole reason these refs exist is to minimize emissions and both EGR and the third cat help REDUCE emissions, They openly acknowledge that their jobs defeat the purpose of their jobs, but still require that absolutely everything be a match even though the end result is both worse and more expensive.

2.2 swap will deliver plenty of pep and is way above stock HP for the rest of the drivetrain. I'd be hesitant to add a turbo for 2 reasons. 1. general consensus is that you can't add much boost without damaging the motor. You'll be compromising reliability by running it at all. The larger the power benefit, the shorter your engine life. If you keep it in such a way as to not damage the motor much, you wont see much power which negates putting it on in the first place. Kind of a circular - damned if you do and damned if you don't. 2. With much more power above stock EJ22 I think you'll be looking at short axle life. Are you keeping stock brat stuff behind the engine? Transmission, differential, driveshaft, axles wont stand up as long since they weren't made to handle that sort of power. i think it was Allied Armament that put WRX turbo stuff in a GL and started snapping axles on their first drive. It just didn't stand up to the horsepower. The solution would be if you put all EJ stuff under there and be able to run AWD instead of front which probably requires custom driveshaft (Unless the Impreza is the right length) and more parts, work and $$$. Been done on GLs though using XT stuff. If it's all EJ, I'd search for a 90s legacy turbo and move past the regular EJ22. Just my thoughts. I'm not knowledgeable on the specifics of the turbos because I've always been leery of them. In my mind, I know enough to stay away from the cost and hassle. Ej22 in a brat should make it plenty fast. You can always go with a lightweight flywheel and pulley to add a little more zip without compromising reliability. Brats weigh far less than the legacys and imprezas the EJ22 was designed to move so you should see more speed as well.

It sounds like reality check time. You can probably find a basketcase WRX in your price range needing a motor or trans because some yahoo destroyed it being mr. fast and furious. But usually those cars have been thoroughly abused and will have many more problems down the line. Turbos add extra wear, tear cost and hassle. What's her need for it? if finances are a concern it's not the time to be buying a money pit just because you want to go faster and make PSHAW! sounds between hard gear shifts. Getting a good used Impreza that she can drive while she saves for what she really wants may be a wiser way to go Buy a solid driver and keep it clean or get one in need of a little repair and drive it while making it nicer to increase it's value. Sell it when you have the extra $$$ saved and use the car money and the saved money to buy a nice WRX that hasn't been thrashed all over for someone showing off. Sounds like you're stretching to get to something that is not likely to end well. If a killer deal comes along go for it. But if a person has abused a car so far as to destroy the motor on a car that young, you can bank on other things being ready to quit as well. Subarus are reliable cars but even they don't stand up to the use of the abusive and ignorant crowd that seems so fond of the WRXs. Fast, Reliable and Cheap - You can have any two of those.

Yeah, they bolt in just fine. I know all the 1990-2004 legacy Impreza and Forester interchange for sure. Probably more beyond that. The only variable is the angle of the front of the brackets may need to be bent slighty with a pair of pliers/vice grips to sit flush and bolt in. Otherwise no modification is needed.

x2. make sure that top bolt is a little extra snug and just drive it.

I put the fill tube in the mail yesterday BTW.

I had that happen after doing a 2.2 swap in a 97 Outback. It skipped a few teeth on it's first test drive. Found the tensioner was weak so I swapped that bracket and a 99 style tensioner, reset the timing and was good to go. That's probably your best bet if you suspect the tensioner. You already have the parts off the 2.5 motor. A few extra bolts and you should be back in business.

No worries. They're all built to replace stock. I'd just run them.

As the EJ22 is one of the most reliable motors Subaru made, unless you have cause for concern, there's not much need for headgaskets etc. as they can easily last 300k. 2.5 motors were another story, but you've got a great motor there. All of the larger performance modifications like 2.5 block high compression motor etc. will lesson your reliability some. My opinion - go over it thoroughly looking for any leaks. Replace valve cover gaskets etc. if necessary. Do timing belt & components with water pump. (I'm a big fan of the gates kits on Amazon but other good options have been listed) Don't mess with the oil pump if it's not leaking. Ditto to the rear main seal. Look behind the flywheel/flexplate for the oil seperator plate. if it hasn't yet been replaced with a stainless steel upgrade one, replace the plastic one with the upgraded version. Bout $30 from Subaru and fixes the inevitable oil leaks from it. New NGK spark plugs and wires are also a good routine/tune up idea to get peak performance. Install and drive. There really isn't a whole lot to maintaining a healthy EJ22. If treated well this is a 300,000+ mile motor so head gaskets etc. are a little redundant at 162k unless you think it was overheated. As mentioned, this motor in stock form is a large power upgrade. it will deliver plenty of power moving a little 914 around.

Same with the exceptions that for a 95 legacy you don't need to drill a hole to fit rear strut top hats. And that the trailing arm bracket swap on a legacy is optional whereas the impreza runs out of space fast if they aren't swapped over.

No problem. I'll write it all down as I go. If anything is goofy and takes any fun tricks, I'll try and document it in the pictures i'll be taking.

I'll second the mass air flow since you had to mess with it to replace the air filter. Check the connection. Try throwing a junkyard one in its place. Do you have a check engine light on? If not MAF it may be coincidental time for plugs and wires.

Welcome! What's the list for the upgrades/modification? Good to see another lifted Ej series out there. I don't want to know how quickly you're going to eat through wheel bearings though with that width. Looks like the stance is pretty level though so the axles seems happy. Nice rig!