idosubaru

Yeah the Gen 2s look far nicer and less dated so they have much greater appeal to get over their marginally worse reliability than Gen 1 which were real beasts, but that has been lost to time anyway. Like you said they are extremely old so time and history and unknown and sitting for lengths of time is a killer. Takes compelling circumstances to choose them over newer ones. We are tainted by rust too, for non rust areas maybe it could still be a reasonable option? Either way you’re right - it would be wise to include newer stuff when searching, there’s no practical reason to ignore them.

1998 or earlier EJ22 all the way. Install all new timing components. If it isn’t high mileage and wasn’t previously mistreated that’s about the easiest, most reliable, inexpensive 100,000 miles you can get. Id look for one that gives you the best sense of its maintenance history. If you can do an engine swap then you can buy any 1998 or earlier EJ25 and swap an EJ22 in it - they’re plug and play. That increases your potential cars to look at when shopping.

Is the clutch slipping? There’s not much more to the system. Pressure switches, clutch, and compressor? 1. verify properly charged. 2. Pressure switches - FSM should show how to test them. 3. clutch - is it switching on and off or making noises or slipping? 4. Compressor is weak FSM probably has some notes on pressures.

Flashing is multiple cylinder misfire. Install new Stock NGK plugs only.

Diagnose. Plenty of people post here “I think….but haven’t checked yet”….and end up being wrong. Yes plug and play if you get a single port EJ22 exhaust. It will bolt right up to your outback vehicle fine. Install a new Subaru or AISIn timing kit. I’d also install new cam crank seals and reseal the oil pump. The OEM are very robust and probably fine but at 20+ years old…. At most you swap the drivers side cam and crank sprockets (EJ25 crank and cam sprocket installed onto the EJ22). It’s not any extra work since the engine should get a new OEM or AISIn timing kit anyway. That cam distinction is usually an MT and AT difference so since both are AT engines it shouldn’t matter. But sometimes we can’t ensure the donor and mines heritage so it’s good to keep in mind. But either way it’s two 17mm so it’s not really any extra work.

Yes, I’ve seen it. I’ve seen the exact symptoms you had. Really old OEM tensioners will knock too but I’ve never seen an OEM fail. Aftermarket fail plenty even with low miles. Extraordinary since OEM are run for far more miles from new and have a much larger foot print for failure. Some aftermarket tensioners/kits come with a bolt, I’ve seen those aftermarket bolts snap as well. They have inferior quality and manufacturing probably at multiple levels. Materials quality and sourcing, foundry, design, labor, QA, non ISO or equivalent (not that ISO is all its cracked up to be)….it’s almost pointless to wonder where that cheap train derails. Get an OEM tensioner. We don’t say that 10,000 times a year for no reason.

Look at stars and reviews on Google, Facebook, Instagram, etc. Favor quantity when scouring reviews. In other words if an online Google and Facebook shows 4.5 stars and hundreds of reviews that’s a lot more robust than 3 anecdotal comments from friends or internet forums about how great a place is.

Yes Sir. Sorry I didn’t mean to suggest they’re exactly the same. They have the same valves and springs part numbers. And sitting them side by side it looks like they took the EJ25 head casting molds and reduced the exhaust ports to one instead of 2. But it was just an illustration that the Phase I and II EJ22s are vastly different. I didn’t mean much more than that by that comment. 1. Phase II EJ22s have headgasket issues 2. we know the best repair approach. Why it happens isn’t a discussion I like to enter online. Practically we know what to do as shown in #1 and #2 above So why doesn’t matter much Subaru tweaked the headgasket designs to mitigate the issue, so that’s often assumed as the root cause. that’s correlation, not causation. Just because Subaru changed the head gasket design doesn’t mean that’s the root cause. Indeed it didn’t entirely solve it - they’re still more prone to head gasket failures at high mileages than other engines, so it’s a little short sighted to single them out as 100% the only causative factor. Subaru would choose the easiest and cheapest way to mitigate. If it’s engine characteristics causing it, they’re not going redesign the block to replace everyone’s engines when a headgasket retooling can accomplish 90% of the intended result. But again that’s just an example, it might be wrong, but the frequent commentary that it’s 100% head gaskets to blame might be missing something too. Seems likely some unforeseen engine characteristics lead to issues, and redesigning the gaskets did a great job mitigating that. They ended up with better gasket tech - but the engine design forced it to happen and it’s still not as good as first Gen EJ22s

Yes Sir. Sorry I didn’t mean to suggest they’re exactly the same. They have the same valves and springs part numbers. And sitting them side by side it looks like they took the EJ25 head casting molds and reduced the exhaust ports to one instead of 2. But it was just an illustration that the Phase I and II EJ22s are vastly different. I didn’t mean much more than that by that comment. 1. Phase II EJ22s have headgasket issues 2. we know the best repair approach. Why it happens isn’t a discussion I like to enter online. Practically we know what to do as shown in #1 and #2 above So why doesn’t matter much Subaru tweaked the headgasket designs to mitigate the issue, so that’s often assumed as the root cause. that’s correlation, not causation. Just because Subaru changed the head gasket design doesn’t mean that’s the root cause. Indeed it didn’t entirely solve it - they’re still more prone to head gasket failures at high mileages than other engines, so it’s a little short sighted to single them out as 100% the only causative factor. Subaru would choose the easiest and cheapest way to mitigate. If it’s engine characteristics causing it, they’re not going redesign the block to replace everyone’s engines when a headgasket retooling can accomplish 90% of the intended result. But again that’s just an example, it might be wrong or it entirely correct, but I wouldn’t buy the frequent commentary that it’s 100% head gaskets to blame. I feel like it’s more likely unforeseen engine characteristics lead to issues and redesigning the gaskets did a great job mitigating that. They ended up with better gasket tech - but the engine design forced it to happen and it’s still not as good as first Gen EJ22s

You don’t need to change it. Brake fluid is listed in the 60k service interval. Therefore change it if you have an extended warranty (yours is probably too old to still be under warranty) or are a worrier. I’d recommend 100,000 for brake fluid. practically and mechanically speaking, average daily driver Subaru brake fluid is never bad by 60k. Actually it doesn’t even go “bad”. 200,000 mile old fluid you just need to push the pedal 2” instead of 1”. Still works fine practically speaking.

1. Repeat this to yourself - those maintenance packages are sales and marketing tools, not maintenance tools. You should never choose any of those. Look through the owners manual and pick out the items that need done. You need spark plugs, brake fluid, and air fitler. That's it. Pay for that and nothing else. Yes have an independent shop do it - perferably subaru specialists or familiar. Use stock plugs and filter only. Aftermarket are lower grade. The "inspection" stuff is 100% bogus - they're "inspecting" any car that comes to the shop.. It takes 8 seconds to scan 100+ different items while you're loosening the oil pan bolt. It's routine, never paid for - they're trying to find something to sell you and to make sure it's not goig to surprise you (it's a bad look if they change the oil and a day later you've got an issue they didn't tell you about). You don't need to change the brake fluid. 60k is very short. If you're on an extended warranty do it. If you're willing to skip - do it at 100,000 miles. It's a closed system and a 2013 daily driver Subaru will never experience any performance enhancement by changing the brake fluid. You won't even noticed any difference at 100k but that's a wise place to change it before it does get noticeably old. *technically* the brake fluid can be tested but very few places actually do that. But you'd pass the test unless this is some rebuilt, auction car, theft deal, sat outside in the weather with the hood up for 5 years....or lid off forever...which is highly unlikely.

No I didn't say that. The gasket matches the bore of the cylinder. Don't take what I said as a design engineering 101 class for Subarus. That wasn't the point.

Some people shoot in starting fluid or carb cleaner in the throttle body as a test that doesn’t require a gauge. If car starts for like 1-3 seconds then you know it’s not getting fuel.

other possibilities: Bad ECU - got a spare you can swap in? Bad sensor - ive seen O2,MAF, TPS cause issues without throwing a code. Bad wiring. I’ve fixed two with bad wiring. One had starting issues often - I massaged all the intake manifold wiring and found a bad spot where the wiring starts curving down from the TPS. I would just massage while it’s running or go over it abs keep trying to restart. Eventually messing with that one small area would lead to changes. Spliced in a used TPS connector with 6” of wiring on it. Fixed it. The other I couldn’t figure out but fixed it by swapping an entire intake manifold so I assume it was a sensor or wiring.

Okay, I'd check the fuel supply - check pressure if you can. If you can't check pressure, wait until it doesn't start and pull the main fuel supply hose in the engine bay and have someone turn the key while you watch how much fuel comes out out of the hose. Just need to watch it for like 2 seconds or less so we aren't talking much fuel. Catch it in a cup or in an emergency I've just run it right down the side of the frame rail carefully. It should flow out consistently, not dribble out.

Wow! how did you figure out to use water?!? These have electrical fuel pumps in the back. Fuel is a good place to check. Check fuel pressure when it stops running. 1. how long has it been running and driving? 2. has it recently sat for a long period of time?

You can swap the 2002 short block into the 98 but not the engine. In other words bolt everything from the 98 onto the 2002 block - heads, intake, etc. but I don't recommend doing that unless you know what you're doing. I think I needed to use thicker headgaskets for clearance when I've done that swap in the past. But it's been 10 years since I've done that same swap so I might be off. If it's an automatic you keep the trans with the original vehicle. 02 and 98 are not interchangeable for the transmission, if it's a manual you may have options.

Same OEM ball joint and OEM bolt all the way.

You can pop the hood and see the head gasket protruding from the head to engine mating surface. Just follow that seem until you see a part oft he gasket sticking out. Does it look new? Can you take a picture and post it here or a link to it so we can see? We can give you some feedback if you take good pictures of the gasket or any fluids. There's bound to be some CV splatter, or benign seepage, so don't worry about seeign some fluids - we can help tell the difference or where it's coming from for you if you get a good pic up.

Great car. If it's an automatic the transmissions are great, of least concern. Engine is great - keeping in mind what I wrote about earlier. Have a look at the engine with those things in mind. They easily see 200,000 miles. If it's been maintained at a local dealer - I'd stop in and ask if they can let me see the maintenance history of a car I'm about to buy and give them the VIN. They've done that for me a number of times.

*Install new Subaru timing belt and lower cogged idler at a bare minimum. Takes an hour, parts are roughly $125. $400-$800 at a dealer or $200-$500 at a local shop. Even if they have "a new timing belt" I still always install a new Subaru belt and lower idler. Because they usually don't change that idler which is prone to fail and aftermarket belts are known to fail early. They bend valves if the belt breaks. That is all I'd want to ensure before a long road trip and moving. Ideally the following are checked or considered or addressed as well: Brakes - clean and regrease the slides with Sil Glyde or some other high performance grease. If you're headed east this would be wise too as that higher end grease performs better in our salty/chemically treated winter garbage out east. Check the drive belt and battery connections and age. Clean and tigthen battery posts and connections. Spark plugs, wires, PCV valve, air fitler - general tune up stuff. Use stock NGK plugs only and Subaru or NGK wires and Subaru pcv valve. Very easy job on that vehicle. In the end a bad wire or plug will just give you a check engine light that's benign (you can keep driving) and you fix it when youi have time - so it's not a big deal or worry of a stranding situation. Not the case. There are two distinctive EJ22's for this discussion. The 99-01 EJ22's are not the same as the earlier subaru fan favorites of 1990-1998 EJ22's which were one of the best engines Subaru ever made. So that's why there's incorrect, or conflicting, statements. The 99-01 EJ22 heads are essentially Phase II EJ25 heads - the valves and springs are identical and even have the same Subaru part number, and the heads themselves are identical except for the exhaust ports. It's not like earlier Ej22's where the heads were completely different designs from the EJ25 and shared no parts. These are, by design, the same head molds, just tweaked for different exhaust ports. I'd still recommend getting it if it passes other assessment/requirements, but be aware of a few things when you look at it or in the future as an active owner of that vehicle. If they have the original manufacturer installed headgaskets from the factory they are prone to external leaks. Usually oil and it usually gets worse very slowly over a long period of time. You can wait and plan a repair for 10's of thousands of miles or just ignore it if you're not worried about drips here and there. The good news is this is of zero consequence for reliability. The bad news is it could have leaked/be leaking or have been repaired. 1. I'd be looking for signs of repair and who did it or if a Subaru gasket was used. 2. I'd be looking for signs of cleaning - squeaky clean, as if to remove lots of oil. Or clean in some areas and saturated in areas that are hard to clean. That would be a sign it's currently leaking and was cleaned up for sale. 3. It has no signs of leaks at all now or in the past and you just drive the thing 100,000 more miles - which is a very likely scenario.

Those H6's are the most recommended Subaru I've helped a lot of people buy/repair, many first time Subaru owners I know I helped them into an H6.. since all the Ej22's rusted out many years ago around here.

If that car sees any salt or rust prone situations, I'd consider Subaru or better grade bolt for the pinch bolt. Aftermarket metal is almost invariably more prone to rust than Subaru OEM and pinch bolts are annoying if they're seized.

You want to make sure you don't get someone who doesn't know what they're doing and covers it up to just pass inspection which can often mean trapping rust and water inside of it. Some places in areas with inspections will do this - just get it rhough inspection and there very well may treat an old Subaru like a Ford Tempo. You don't want that kind of a "patch". I'd almost want it more open than covered unless they do a really good job of attacking the rust directly.

Another question which is a better fit is: "Are there any oil induced failures or issues that oil choice could mitigate?" There are none. Most oil decisions/questions try to solve an issue that doesn't exist. With a 20 year old model, there's many thousands of examples with a total of billions of miles of opportunity for the greater Subaru community to see any issues, timing tensioner, or otherwise. The good news in all this - is it truly doesn't matter at all. So you'll be right whatever you choose. Enjoy the JDM i've installed JDM EZ30's as well.