laegion

What do you mean by "my engine blew"? That could describe a lot of issues...some of which could be fixed more easily or more cheaply than installing a new motor.

Yes; but not to convert it. They need to be changed because if the motor sat then fuel residue may have dried inside them and will cause you running issues.

In my state yes; but in my area, no. I do have a CEL but it's the infamous catalyst effeciency error. Nothing else.

It's not really about the added "load" it's about the added angle that the axles operate at. That'll effect any axle. The stock axles are plenty strong, there is no need for "heavy duty". I'm sure you kept the stock axles for rebuild? The only way to deal with the added angle is to add spacers on the subframes and various other components like the trailing arm mounts in the back. These were standard on the Outback because of the lifted suspension. It's really not an "opinion" when it comes to OEM vs Aftermarket. These are people who've worked on hundreds of subies over the years. This is knowledge from experience, not merely an opinion. I always wanted to go the cheaper route too, but I almost always regretted it in the end. I mean, think of how long the Original Equipment lasted on the car? It's nearly 30 years old and some of those parts are just failing now. I don't see how cheap aftermarket (i.e. napa, o'rielly, autozone cheap brand parts) can compare to that kind of longevity. They don't in my experience.

I didn't have to do anything with EGR on mine, If I recall correctly it has a port on the back of one head and it goes to the intake. They should be the same as what was on the original engine. You don't have to swap the entire intake, just the injectors and the nipple for the break booster.

Did you do timing belt or just the accessory belt? If not...I'd do that as well. Try to use all Subaru OEM, or from other OEM parts suppliers like, Nippon Denso, Aisin, etc. Replace your front and rear diff oil as well as the transmission oil. I'd use a high quality well reviewed brand of synthetic. Subaru if possible. Replace the PCV valve. Flush coolant if it hasn't been done in a while, and flush your break fluid and clutch fluid if they haven't been done in 30k miles or so. If you're bored and want to burn some money you could go through and replace suspension bushings. You could also replace the roll-stop motor mount, and other rubber mounts. etc. Also, If you don't have one already, I highly suggest buying a radiator fill funnel that locks onto and seals on the radiator so you can burp the coolant more easily. They are super handy. Oh, and if you don't have one, aquire a Field Service Manual...very very helpful.

I'm not sure that a viscous center diff would bind. I think that's only the wet-plate clutch style.

That was a good workout, good thing I always carry a scoop shovel in winter.

New tires, now it's time for some lift springs!

Oh, so you are well on your way to modifying. Nice! I still want lifted/stiffer springs on both of my cars. I have an '03 also. I haven't gotten skidplates on either yet. My '03 really needs one thought, but on my '95 the oil pan is tucked up pretty high. What kind of tires are you running? Another thing you might look for is a transmission with a deeper final drive ratio and a rear diff to match, if yours aren't already the lowest available. I'm pretty happy with how the '95 does on steeper stuff but I think that is one mod I'd like to do myself.

Is your car an auto or manual? Wagon or Sedan?

Unfortunately you'll likely never be able to go everywhere a lifted jeep can; but you can definitely make it through a lot of stuff most wouldn't ever expect. The Subaru does have some strengths offroad, especially the 2nd gens as they are fairly light. You may not be able to drive through all the deep ruts a jeep can but you can generally straddle most ruts. Really in my experience it comes down to carefully choosing your line on technical obstacles. Having a spotter and/or walking each difficult section before driving it. etc. The first upgrades I'd do aside from routine maintenance, is Outback Struts, Tires, and Skidplates, well before a snorkel. If you're trying to follow jeeps you will definitely need skiplates before a snorkel. Generally there is one large one for the front and one for the rear diff. There are auto lockers available for the differentials, a decent amount of aggressive tires in the right sizes, and lift springs also. So you can definitely improve your Subie's offroad ability. I have a '95 Legacy L myself that I put outback struts on, bigger tires, and a roof basket. It's gone on some pretty bad roads and lots of snow, and I usually have clearance to spare if I take the right line. However I'm mostly on mountain dirt and gravel roads; but some of them get really rutty and muddy at times. I have not tried to follow a jeep however.

How deep of water are you going to be going through? over the windows? The intake should already be at the hood line. If you're pushing water higher than that....I wonder if a snorkel will be enough...knowing how the door seals are on that generation. I highly suggest checking these and maybe replacing them.

I did notice a little more body roll after going with the outback struts; but hardly worth worrying about. My '95 handles quite well for a mid 90's economy wagon; far better than any SUV. The only time I've had any complaint about the EJ22 horsepower is when fully loaded and ascending a steep hill on the highway. I just downshift to 3rd (mine is an automatic, which in this generation is arguably better offroad) and let it rev a little higher and it makes at a reasonable speed. It won't be making any hill climb records but it does the job.

If you're going to be doing suspension upgrades then you can go with any legacy and put Outback struts on it to get the same ride height as an outback. There are also spacing blocks to bring the subframes and some components down lower to keep the angles on the axles ideal; but I've been running my '95 Legacy L wagon with Outback struts for something like 5 years and haven't noticed any significant extra wear. However if you do lift a legacy, I do recommend getting outback rear trailing arm mounts because they re-center the rear wheels which could be necessary if you plan on running any bigger tires. I highly recommend either going with a Legacy Outback or putting outback struts on a legacy if you're going to be doing that much offroad/backroads. While the stock ride height on the Legacy can get you a lot of places (I took mine over a lot of stuff most wouldn't before lifting it) but it will feel much more confident off-pavement with that extra 2". Like Heartless said; I very much recommend going with a model that has the EJ22 Phase 1. It's waaaay easier to work on as the spark plugs are on the top of the heads. On the EJ25D that was the only 2.5l available before the '00 model year, has dual overhead cams so you have to contend with the frame rails to get at your spark plugs, and there is just more engine in general in the way with the extra cam, and you still have the same number of valves as the sohc ej22. That coupled with the head gasket failures, even sometimes on new gaskets...makes the EJ22 a clear choice imho. Also, the EJ25D wasn't introduced until '97 so it wasn't even an option in the Gen1 Legacy.

I agree, the non-interference, dual port exhaust, phase 1 EJ22 is ideal, and in '95 and '96 you could get it in the outback with a manual. Of course the Legacy L always had that option with a manual, but it depends on if the OP is doing any backroads or overlanding style travel...hopefully they specify a bit more.

Also, I highly recommend cars101.com if you want to compare trim level and model year info on subarus.

I've never driven a 1st gen '90-'94 Legacy, but from what I understand they are extremely similar mechanically to the 2nd Gen '95-'99 Legacy, Body and interior wise there are pretty big changes between the two. I've owned a '95 Legacy for 7 years now and I have to say that I really like the car. It's simple and light and easy to work on. It doesn't have a lot of power but the low weight helps to make up for that. It might help if you give an idea of what kind of roads/terrian and weather you're planning on seeing on your trip. One thing that comes to mind is that 2nd gen legacies are OBDII, which can be more convenient when it comes to diagnostics. If you're going for a manual you will probably see a lot of cars with the 2.2l EJ22, stay away from the Phase II EJ22 engine, it's not as reliable. I believe '98 was the first year for the Phase II, or maybe produced in '98 for the '99 model year. Someone will know the exact year. Also, be aware of the EJ25D, from '96-'99 here in the U.S. It can be a good engine but only if the headgaskets have been changed by someone who knew what they were doing. Although this one is less common to see paired with a Manual except in a few models or if someone did a swap. I'm sure there are others who will comment with much more info about the differences between the two generations that I can. I don't know what used car prices for these models are like in your area, but I know up here in the PNW one can find a very nice 90's Legacy for $5k. I would watch out for anything with too low of miles though because any car that's sat around that much could have issues just from not being run or driven regularly; but it depends on how it was stored. Good Luck with your search! It sounds like you're going to have quite an adventure. If you have any specific questions about the 2nd Gen Legacy, I may be able to answer those. I've done an engine swap on mine and almost all of my own work on it except welding.

Yeah; the last part I remember seeing about the ej251. I was surprised to see that gasket pictured for the ej222; but usually that site's images are correct...I'm not going to order one just to find out though. lol. Curious though...