EJ22 swap ??'s

[tricked919]

I had the 97 OBW with the rod knock after replacing HG's. Everyone and their uncle said swap it with an EJ22. So here's the questions...

 

1.) If I understand correctly - I need an EJ22 from a 95-99 with an EGR valve to truly be a "plug-n-play"? ...meaning no mods needed. I'm good with a wrench, I can pull a motor and put it back in, but I hate electronics and jerry-rigging.

 

2.) Everyone says its cheap. That's great, but I can't find one anywhere. Any suggestions? I'm in far western NC.

 

3.) Isn't the EJ22 under-powered for this car? Either way - if its reliable, I'll take it.

 

 

You gys have been a huge help since I bought this lemon a month ago

[GeneralDisorder]

I had the 97 OBW with the rod knock after replacing HG's. Everyone and their uncle said swap it with an EJ22. So here's the questions...

 

1.) If I understand correctly - I need an EJ22 from a 95-99 with an EGR valve to truly be a "plug-n-play"? ...meaning no mods needed. I'm good with a wrench, I can pull a motor and put it back in, but I hate electronics and jerry-rigging.

 

'95 would be *truely* plug and play because it's both OBD-II and has dual-port exhaust. '96 to '99 is going to require the header to be changed along with the engine as they are single port exhaust.

 

2.) Everyone says its cheap. That's great, but I can't find one anywhere. Any suggestions? I'm in far western NC.

 

Have you called the auto-wreckers in your area? Best bet is going to be a running engine from a wrecked donor.

 

3.) Isn't the EJ22 under-powered for this car? Either way - if its reliable, I'll take it.

 

Not really, and it depends on what year you get. They increased the power of the EJ22's starting '97 with a second-generation engine that puts out 147 HP instead of the '90 to '96 which put out 135 HP. The EJ25 you have now is 165 HP. Yes you are going to lose some, but no - it's not at all "under-powered" really. Remember that up till '97 the Outback's were using the EJ22 from the factory and non-outback Legacy's continued to use them after the OB's switched to the 2.5.

 

You gys have been a huge help since I bought this lemon a month ago

 

That's what we're here for. It's a good car really - just has a problematic engine. Once you get that taken care of it should be good for a long stretch.

 

GD

[Olnick]

Just to further confuse things! Be aware that the EJ22 became an interference engine starting with the '97 model year. This may or may not be of concern to you.

 

Try a search. There's lots of good reading about the 2.2L and swaps.

 

Good luck.

[T'subaru]

you may have the option of going with a low k import jdm motor, I would check and see whats avail in your area.

[idosubaru]

right on needing EGR. unless your state doesn't test the check engine light and you don't mind ignoring it. i installed a non-EGR engine but CEL doesn't matter in WV. i like the cleaner look, better reliability, and fewer parts.

 

you're off by one year. as referenced in all the swap threads it's 1995-1998 EJ22, 1999 will not work.

 

a 96-98 will require swapping the exhaust header too. finding one is the only hard part, post here if you want one. functionally speaking it's only 2 or 3 more bolts.

 

the JDM motors i've bought had different wiring plugs and needed the intake manifold swapped which you can't do on these motors. so you'd have to also buy an intake manifold separately for an EJ22, unless someone says otherwise?

[johnceggleston]

look here: www.car-part.com , sort your search by distance to see what is close. you will probably have to search 95, and 96 seperately, but 97 - 98 will come up together. when you call, ask for the actual year of the engine you found, not the year of your car, and remember to ask if it is an auto trans. that is usualy the EGR indicator.

 

or craigslists, i neded a trans for a 95 lego and got a wrecked 96 for 400$. used the trans and saved the engine for a 97 GT that had bad head gaskets. i sold a few pieces and then scrapped it.

 

there are several sites that will let you search multiple craigslists location at the same time. i use crazedlist.org, but there are others.

 

if you pull and install yourself, you can easily do this for under $1000, probably under $700. less if you do not do the timing belt, seals, valve covers and oil seperator on the rear. but you will want to do those, it's worth it.

Edited May 24, 2010 by johnceggleston

[johnceggleston]

found this one, price is higher than some others but it is close and has an exceptional warranty. you will need the exhaust y-pipe with this one another $50??.

 

1996

Engine

Subaru Legacy

7 month warranty

161,368

A1HE0286

$650

Johnson Auto Recycling USA-NC(Asheville) 1-800-222-0815

 

 

or this one:

 

1995

Engine

Subaru Legacy

ran good per tb

154,031

A00028041

$350

Import Auto Salvage USA-NC(Marion)

1-1-800-962-8922

Edited May 24, 2010 by johnceggleston

[johnceggleston]

3.) Isn't the EJ22 under-powered for this car? Either way - if its reliable, I'll take it.

 

 

if you do find it a little under-powered, you can buy smaller tires when you wear out the ones you now have. dropping down to a 195/70/15 will help. you could even go smaller.

 

but i don't think you will need to.

[tricked919]

found this one, price is higher than some others but it is close and has an exceptional warranty. you will need the exhaust y-pipe with this one another $50??.

 

1996

Engine

Subaru Legacy

7 month warranty

161,368

A1HE0286

$650

USA-NC(Asheville) 1-800-222-0815

 

 

 

I owe you BIG TIME!!! I just called on this motor and am having it held. Going to check it out this afternoon (it fires up).

 

 

SOOO ...one last confirmation. Its out of a 96 Outback with an auto - other than getting the Y-pipe, there is NOTHING else I need to modify? I don't want any CEL's. The ECU will be OK with this motor and all the electronic connections jive - right? No extra vacuum lines or bolts that don't match up?

[johnceggleston]

. Its out of a 96 Outback with an auto - other than getting the Y-pipe, there is NOTHING else I need to modify? I don't want any CEL's. The ECU will be OK with this motor and all the electronic connections jive - right? No extra vacuum lines or bolts that don't match up?

 

there are only 2 things other than the y-pipe you even have to consider and only one is required.

 

1. required - when you do the swap, you need to use the flex plate (flywheel) off of your 2.5L engine. it matches the trans torque converter and has to stay with the trans.

 

2. not needed but is nice - the power steering lines on the 2.5L engine work, but there are mid-point mounts that do not match up to the 2.2L engine. so if you get the power steering lines off of a 95 - 98 2.2L engine and swap it as well, the mid point mountings will match up. again this is not required. lot's of people have done the swap and used the original 2.5 L steering lines.

 

the only other advice would be to read lots of threads about pulling and reinstalling the engine so you know what to expect and some tips to make it easier.

 

and take some pics of where the tubes go for reference, that will help. i did a 96 2.2L swap into a 97 outback last year or so and had no problems. all the plumbing should be the same.

 

by the way the 96 i referred probably was not an outback since it came out of an auto trans but that does not matter. it will drop right in.

 

you need to read up on re-seating the torque converter before you install the engine. if it is not right you can screw your trans. there is a great how to with pictures but the last time i looked the pics were gone. search "torqueconverter" and read the oldest first.

[tricked919]

there are only 2 things other than the y-pipe you even have to consider and only one is required.

 

1. required - when you do the swap, you need to use the flex plate (flywheel) off of your 2.5L engine. it matches the trans torque converter and has to stay with the trans.

 

2. not needed but is nice - the power steering lines on the 2.5L engine work, but there are mid-point mounts that do not match up to the 2.2L engine. so if you get the power steering lines off of a 95 - 98 2.2L engine and swap it as well, the mid point mountings will match up. again this is not required. lot's of people have done the swap and used the original 2.5 L steering lines.

 

the only other advice would be to read lots of threads about pulling and reinstalling the engine so you know what to expect and some tips to make it easier.

 

and take some pics of where the tubes go for reference, that will help. i did a 96 2.2L swap into a 97 outback last year or so and had no problems. all the plumbing should be the same.

 

by the way the 96 i referred probably was not an outback since it came out of an auto trans but that does not matter. it will drop right in.

 

you need to read up on re-seating the torque converter before you install the engine. if it is not right you can screw your trans. there is a great how to with pictures but the last time i looked the pics were gone. search "torqueconverter" and read the oldest first.

 

Killer advice - Thank You!

 

As for "re-seating the torque converter" what do you mean? Are you talking about a method for bolting the flexplate to it once the engine/tranny are mated up? I wasn't aware of any reseating procedures if the torque converter stayed put. I plan on using my new flexplate on the 2.2 motor and leaving the torque converter in the tranny during the swap.

 

I just pulled the motor out of mine last week to see if the knock was the flexplate - so I'm already experienced We got it out and back in the car in about 7 hours.

Edited May 24, 2010 by tricked919

[idosubaru]

the torque converter sometimes stays in the trans, good leave it there. If it comes out at all, even just a tiny bit, then it needs to be reseated. If you don't engage it properly the last 1/2" and bolt it all up then you'll ruin your transmission...well I guess it's not ruined if you like cracking auto trans cases open!

 

here's the key, you should never have to force the engine to push the torque coverter in. with the engine installed you should have to "draw" the torque converter and flexplate together with the bolts. if the engine looks like it's touching or pushing it in then it's not seated.

[johnceggleston]

the next thing to consider is how much to do to the 2.2L engine before you install it?

 

absolute minimum:

rear oil sperator plate / cover (subaru only part). it's behind the flex plate and they tend to leak, do it while you can. as good as you are at engine R & R why wait if you can do it now.

 

all the rest can be done any time but is easier with the engine out. and if you choose not to do the following, it only leaves you stranded if the t-belt or idler fails, not with a damaged engine.

 

reccomemded:

front oil seals and o-rings, cam & crank

oil pump reseal, o-ring and check backing plate screws

t - belt

water pump

all idlers

plugs

wires

and maybe the valve cover gaskets.

 

these things will run you 200$ - 300$, some parts, wires, seals & gaskets?, from subaru; some parts, water pump? t-belt and idlers, from the " importexperts" or the like on ebay.

 

 

happy motoring!!

[hankosolder2]

I owe you BIG TIME!!! I just called on this motor and am having it held. Going to check it out this afternoon (it fires up).

 

 

SOOO ...one last confirmation. Its out of a 96 Outback with an auto - other than getting the Y-pipe, there is NOTHING else I need to modify? I don't want any CEL's. The ECU will be OK with this motor and all the electronic connections jive - right? No extra vacuum lines or bolts that don't match up?

 

You will have to play around with the vacuum lines a little. I don't remember the details, but it's simple. There's no wiring though, and it works great when it's done.

 

Nathan