JDM engines... any good? worth getting one?

[themoneypit]

ok, so i see them listed all over ebay.. they all claim they have less than 60k miles, and most have warranty for 90 days. im prob going to need a 2.2 or 2.5 for my 97 OBW. one auction said that in japan it is mandatory that they remove the engines before 65k.?. if this is true, why is that?? anyone here have good/bad luck with one of these motors?

[Fairtax4me]

I wouldn't bother. They have all the same problems that the US market engines have, and you pay twice as much (or more) for them trying to ship them over here. Plenty of good used engines here in the states that will make good replacements.

[themoneypit]

I wouldn't bother. They have all the same problems that the US market engines have, and you pay twice as much (or more) for them trying to ship them over here. Plenty of good used engines here in the states that will make good replacements.

 

the ones im talking about are here in the states and range from 700 on up in price.. im not talking about importing one from japan.

[mdjdc]

If you decide to buy the ej25, you will still be best served by replacing the head gaskets and timing belt. In my humble opinion, you are better off just using your engine and doing a HG job. We have all been where you are and the cheapest solution is to go with what you have and fix it right the first time. If you use Subaru gaskets, you will be just fine. I have dine it several times and only had one problem. I had bought a car with blown HG's and after the reseal I found a rod knock. The lady that owned the car had continued to drive the car after it had overheated rather than pullin over. Basically, she toasted the motor by not being prudent.

 

That doesn't seem to be a problem for you as you would be able to hear it as you are driving.

 

Good Luck

[EastCoastEJ22T]

I've done about 10 JDM engine swaps in my life (8 honda, 1 Mitsu, 1 Toyota) for friends and family. All the honda swaps went smooth and simple, the other two were a little tricky, but they were more complex and i was less familiar with the systems.

From what i read about subaru's you run your USDM manifolds and sensors, and just swap the long block, keeping it fairly simple. As far as EJ25's go they all (USDM/JDM) have the same headgasket problems....so you should probably go through any JDM engine and do the (head gaskets/ t-belt/ tensioners/ water pump/ cam-seals) before dropping it in the car. That said JDM engines are low mileage, usually very clean and free of corrosion. If you can get one for a good price, go for it.

 

I use a company in Montreal and they ship to your door within canada for free.

 

Nothing puts a smile on my face like coming home from work to find a JDM engine vacuum wrapped on a pallet sitting in the driveway.

[idosubaru]

Nah, bad deal, just get one in the US. The EJ25 headgaskets were blowing with 30,000 miles when they first came out...this isn't anything new or age related. They have issues, there's no point in paying top dollar for an unknown.

 

For around the same price I'll sell you an EJ25 that I know is good - I have two - 80,000 and 120,000 mile motors. Gotta be better than an unknown that got shipped half way around the world.

 

Keep in mind - any EJ25 you get you'll want to put new timing gear on it. At 10+ years old it's not wise to risk that on an interference engine. If the tbelt breaks you'll have internal engine damage.

[themoneypit]

Nah, bad deal, just get one in the US. The EJ25 headgaskets were blowing with 30,000 miles when they first came out...this isn't anything new or age related. They have issues, there's no point in paying top dollar for an unknown.

 

For around the same price I'll sell you an EJ25 that I know is good - I have two - 80,000 and 120,000 mile motors. Gotta be better than an unknown that got shipped half way around the world.

 

Keep in mind - any EJ25 you get you'll want to put new timing gear on it. At 10+ years old it's not wise to risk that on an interference engine. If the tbelt breaks you'll have internal engine damage.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270485237823&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT heres one i was looking at. for 650.. i emailed him, he said if i put a bid on it, he would end the auction and sell for that price.. how much would you have to get for yours gary?? have t-belts and new HGs been done on either one? let me know bud.. thanks

[themoneypit]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SUBARU-LEGACY-OUTBACK-96-99-late-model-JDM-2-5L-engine_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem414aa4f8e5QQitemZ280425199845QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories heres one that claims "factory upgraded head gaskets" and also the one that says "its mandatory in japan for them to remove the engines between 50-60k miles...." noones chimed in yet as to wether this is true or just a claim by them..

[bheinen74]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SUBARU-LEGACY-OUTBACK-96-99-late-model-JDM-2-5L-engine_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem414aa4f8e5QQitemZ280425199845QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories heres one that claims "factory upgraded head gaskets" and also the one that says "its mandatory in japan for them to remove the engines between 50-60k miles...." noones chimed in yet as to wether this is true or just a claim by them..

 

Its pretty hard to rack up a lot of miles on a car when you are driving on an island, not like they can take a trip across the country as easily. I could be wrong on this.

[lmdew]

95 2.2 is all I swap in. I've seen many 2.5 with the HG done, only a year later a rod lets loose because the bottom end was damaged by overheating.

 

Hey, if you are doing all the work yourself and you know the engine was not overheated do the 2.5 HG.

 

Forget is posted, good 2.2 are getting hard to fine.

 

You should go for the 2.5

[idosubaru]

Moneypit - yes i've heard that before too about mileage - i've heard it's an emissions mandated thing. Low mileage isn't necessarily a great thing, that can mean lots of short trips which fall under harsh conditions and require more frequent oil changes because it's not good for the engine.

 

That being said, it's still the same motor with the same head gaskets. Without quantitative proof i would not assume it's got any new updated gaskets. I've gotten a JDM engine with bad head gaskets before, fun, fun. They offered to send me two new head gaskets It was a good deal, but I'll pass on doing that again when there are plenty of other options.

 

I can certainly match whatever price they give you. Their motors are not likely coming with timing belt gear and head gaskets, so we can hash that out. Email me if you're serious....looks like you are, but I'll run through what I got and we'll talk that way.

Edited November 17, 2009 by grossgary

[idosubaru]

Those pictures look just like the one i got - shiny black parts....which ended up being black paint and it was obviously cleaned and prepped to look good. I can see paint in the pic's. Mine came from Cleveland, don't recall the name of the place, probably doesn't matter I'm sure the risk is fairly low.

[themoneypit]

Moneypit - yes i've heard that before too about mileage - i've heard it's an emissions mandated thing. Low mileage isn't necessarily a great thing, that can mean lots of short trips which fall under harsh conditions and require more frequent oil changes because it's not good for the engine.

 

That being said, it's still the same motor with the same head gaskets. Without quantitative proof i would not assume it's got any new updated gaskets. I've gotten a JDM engine with bad head gaskets before, fun, fun. They offered to send me two new head gaskets It was a good deal, but I'll pass on doing that again when there are plenty of other options.

 

I can certainly match whatever price they give you. Their motors are not likely coming with timing belt gear and head gaskets, so we can hash that out. Email me if you're serious....looks like you are, but I'll run through what I got and we'll talk that way.

 

PM sent.. their motors are complete and ready to install they say.. has all timing belts and stuff still on them. they however, only warranty the motor and internals, no bolt on stuff.

[Olnick]

"its mandatory in japan for them to remove the engines between 50-60k miles...." noones chimed in yet as to wether this is true or just a claim by them..

 

In a nutshell, owning and operating a car in Japan is extremely expensive so people drive less, often only on weekends, thus keeping total mileage low. Also, Japan's very stringent safety inspections are frequent (biannual?) and expensive. Parts and repairs are very expensive too.

 

Couple that with a cultural tendency to have "the nicest and the newest" and you find people there opting to send their "old" cars to the recyclers, cars that may have just 40k to 60k miles on them--barely broken in by our standards!

 

As a result a thriving business has built up to pull these low mileage engines and export them to other countries, including the US.

 

Are they a good buy? I have no idea, but I am sure there are good arguments both pro and con.

[idosubaru]

has all timing belts and stuff still on them. they however, only warranty the motor and internals, no bolt on stuff.

are the timing belts new though? they could be 10 years old? that's not typically acceptable on an interference engine particularly.

[svxpert]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SUBARU-LEGACY-OUTBACK-96-99-late-model-JDM-2-5L-engine_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem414aa4f8e5QQitemZ280425199845QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories heres one that claims "factory upgraded head gaskets" and also the one that says "its mandatory in japan for them to remove the engines between 50-60k miles...." noones chimed in yet as to wether this is true or just a claim by them..

 

 

i read: "● Factory improved head gaskets and block "

meaning the factory always has new improved headgasket designs that have been used while assembling the engine.

it also states in the auction it is a longblock but if you read down further, it says there are accesories on the engine. there confused on what a "longblock" is and they sell engines?

[themoneypit]

i read: "● Factory improved head gaskets and block "

meaning the factory always has new improved headgasket designs that have been used while assembling the engine.

it also states in the auction it is a longblock but if you read down further, it says there are accesories on the engine. there confused on what a "longblock" is and they sell engines?

 

they will only warranty the long block, thats what they are selling you. the other bolt on goodies are considered "extras" that are not covered under their warranty, but come with the engine.

[hankosolder2]

I have installed three JDM engines- 2 Hondas and one Subaru. The Subaru was a '95 EJ22, w/o EGR. Got it for $500-550 (don't remember which)- much less than most junkyards around here wanted for 150K mile + engines. Tight as a drum, uses no oil, quietest EJ22 I've ever heard. It was a true JDM engine, as the plug in the intake manifold for the vacuum booster was set up for RHD, there was a pressure sensing switch added to the PS pump and a few other detail differences. Engine came with PS pump, alternator and A/C compressor.

 

As the others have said- any used Phase 1 2.5, regardless of country of origin is a crapshoot.

[The Scooby]

there is not a law or regulation to remove and replace the engine's at any time in japan.

 

ive used them before without issue, but also i always pull the heads, send them out to be milled, replace the HG's and the complete timing set as well as all the seals.

 

good luck

[bheinen74]

I had a JDM engine once, it was in my 91 RHD Honda Civic EF9 SiR hatchie.

wooah.

That was a running machine, 8200RPM redline stock, vtec kick in at factory set 5300 rpm+. was like a turbo from 5300 to 8200.

 

Now, I do recommend a JDM import at 650-900 over a used USDM engine that can run a little less. Reason in miles on the JDM is going to 99% of the time be less than 75km, which is about 45k in miles.

[coldfusion21]

Unless your not comfortable doing it yourself you should just pick up a known good USDM engine and slap some new gaskets and timing stuff on it. That way *you* know what has been replaced and *you* know it was done right.

[john in KY]

Fifth, we appreciated the benefit of having the dealer handle all the paperwork and other requirements. When you buy a car in Japan, you must pay various fees. In addition to taxes, you must pay for insurance and a mandatory inspection (called "Sha'ken"). You should get additional insurance to adequately cover your liability in case of an accident. Our dealer handled all of this, so after some faxing back and forth and about a week of waiting, we showed up with the money and picked up the car. Our dealer came with very high recommendations, or we wouldn't have been so trusting. In case you are interested, the name of the dealers is "Kelly's" and they are located next to Yokota Airforce Bases (and they speak English very well there).

Sixth, and last, "Sha'ken" (mentioned just above) must be paid every two years on older cars. The amount of Sha'ken goes up depending on the size, engine size and age of the vehicle. During the Sha'ken process certain repairs must be made, and it can get very expensive. On the other hand, it helps insure that your vehicle is well maintained, so you're much less likely to have it breakdown in between. However, the fact is that as cars get older, Sha'ken becomes more and more expensive. Eventually, if the car stops running well or reaches a certain age (even though it's still a good car), you may have to pay a fee just to get rid of it. This is the reason why there are so few older cars in Japan. When cars hit about 60,000 kilometers (maybe 40,000 miles), people start to get rid of them. You'll find very few cars on the road with more than 100,000 kilometers (66,000 miles). Many of these used cars are shipped to other countries, like Australia and New Zealand, where people love the endless supply of cheap, slightly used cars from Japan.

[The Scooby]

I had a JDM engine once, it was in my 91 RHD Honda Civic EF9 SiR hatchie.

wooah.

That was a running machine, 8200RPM redline stock, vtec kick in at factory set 5300 rpm+. was like a turbo from 5300 to 8200.

 

Now, I do recommend a JDM import at 650-900 over a used USDM engine that can run a little less. Reason in miles on the JDM is going to 99% of the time be less than 75km, which is about 45k in miles.

 

where is the proof that they don't, unless you fly to japan and pick your engine out how can you say for sure thats the miles it has?

[bheinen74]

It is REALLY hard for any car, car engine, etc, to go much over 75k in Japan. its a small island, they have strict inspections, 99% of the people there wouldnt be caught dead driving a car older than 4 or so years. Its a status symbol to have a new car, new gadgets, newest phones, best techonology applies very much to what they drive. thats why.

 

"

Owning and operating a car in Japan is very expensive. The country is small and made up of several islands, so rust is a problem. Japan has a great puplic transportation system and very strict smog laws. Cars are inspected every 3 or 4 years. Just the inspection fee averages $1500.00, plus the repair cost, which is usually several thousand dollars. Gasoline cost 3-4 times what it costs in the USA. Cars are used mostly on weekends or daily to get to a train station. Cars with any body damage(including rust) are considered unsafe by authorities and cannot be used. Labor is very expensive, so many cars with minor body damage and perfect low mileage engines and transmissions end up getting recycled. Japanese citizens have a propensity for owning and driving only the latest model cars. It is a point of national pride for them. These conditions result in Japanese drivers not driving very much.

 

 

So, NO PROOF at all, but common sense with facts tells the proof.

The average mileage on our engines is 30-40 thousand. This is an average based upon the average mileage of a car in Japan. Japanese vehicles are driven an average of 5000 miles a year for 5-8 years. This is the average. Your engine may have more miles or less miles. There is no way for us to know the exact milage on any particular engine."

Edited November 24, 2009 by bheinen74

[torxxx]

I say stay away from them. I have a 99 forrester EJ25 SOHC in the shop on an engine stand and I'm fixing a bunch of stuff that they broke when the pulled the engine out.

 

My buddy paid 1800 for the engine and then shipping to alaska. so he paid like 1400 for the engine. not worth it considering all the work I have to do to it just to get it in the car.