Install a 2.2 into a 99 leg outback. Need advise from the best

[raptorman6600]

I currently have a 99 legacy outback with a 2.5 and believe it or not the head gasket it great, however, there is a nasty bottom end knock. After a little research, this is what I have come up with.

- Engine builders around here don’t want to touch since its not a conventional style engine

-since this thing is a 99 apparently only the 99 engine will work,

-its difficult to find a good engine that was produced for only 1 year, that are noted for problems, and that is reasonable.

Since there are so many known issues with the 2.5 engine and much fewer with the 2.2 I would like to swap it in since they are cheaper and easier to get a hold of. This is what I understand thus far about swapping Subaru parts.

- 1995+ with a 2.2 engine will allow for obdII , and for exhaust to swap

-The engine mounts and bell housing bolts are universal and no problem to swap any Subaru engine

*Some have had issues with starter blots, or rather the lack of starter bolt holes?? Information was sorta vague on this topic....

Option #1

*Discrepancy with the 99 in particular seem to fall with a vastly different sensor setup, however I am not sure if those are related to the block, the head or the intake. The being said,

**if the sensors in the blocks are the same, but the heads and/or intake are different, would it be possible to swap the 2.5 heads/intake onto the 2.2 block ?

if so that would allow for the same sensors to remain

 

Option #2

If the information above is correct and head swapping is not possible, then is it more feasible to acquire the engine wiring harness and computer from the 95 car that is donating the engine?

*Not sure if that would directly plug into the rest of the 99’s wiring, or if the 1999 car was just wired and setup totally different from the mid 90’s 2.5.

Basically what I’m asking is, what would the easiest route be to swap a 2.2 into a 99 outback and what am I looking at?

Otherwise, is there another engine besides the 99 2.5 engine that would swap in with little difficulty that is 1.) more reliable, 2.) easier to find 3.) reasonable to find with low miles?

[lmdew]

I have a 99 2.5 SOHC from a forster with 140K on it. $400 + shipping from CO and its yours.

 

I've done lots of swaps 96-98 Outbacks using the 2.2 from a 95 it swaps right in.

 

On the Trans Starter stud missing, you can put in a heli coil in the trans hole and then bolt the starter up. Do this while the engine is out.

 

How many plugs are on your engine to firewall harness? Two?

[logic23]

i drive a 99 OBW that I installed a 2.2 in.

This is your best option.

The 99 has the phase 2 bolt pattern but any 2.2 95-98 engine will work.

95 is the best as it has dual port exhaust which is the same as the 2.5.

If you get a later (96-98) 2.2 you will need to get the y pipe.

also getting an engine out of an auto is good because the manuals didn't have egr valves.

If you find and awesome low mileage engine w/o egr use it, drill the block for egr then add an auto egr maifold later ( this is what i did)

The 2.2 is the most reliable engine you can put in your car.

You might have to drill/tapand install a stud for the bottom starter bolt.

Good luck

[subaru360]

4 less bolts, leave them out, that's the only difference doing a 2.2 swap into a 99.

 

No need to drill/tap anything, just grind down the head of the lower starter bolt for clearance and put it in from the bellhousing side before installing the engine.

 

I have done at least 5 phase 1 2.2 into 99 legacy swaps. It's no big deal.

[tricked919]

I had the absolute exact same problem ...only my knock started about 1000 miles after the headgaskets were done. Apparently the heat got to the mains.

 

I did a EJ22 swap from a 95 lego sedan. I had never pulled a motor in my life, let alone swapped one with a different motor. I can turn a wrench but this was way beyond any task I'd taken on previously. The 22 I found was a mess. I spent a couple hours every night for a week cleaning it and changing all the gaskets, seals and a new timing belt. I also took off a lot of the newer parts I had on my 25. On a friday night I prepped the 25 to come out - on saturday morning I went and rented a hoist and by roughly 1pm I had an EJ22 in my 97 Outback and running great.

 

I had a few minor issues with vacuum lines. There was vac solenoid for the fuel evap system that was on my 25 and not on the 22 and I had to find a way to bypass it.

 

The one word of advice I have.... MAKE SURE YOU GET THE DOWNPIPE!!!

The EJ22 head is a single port exhaust. The 25 has a dual-port. I got my EJ22 from a junkyard and I made it crystal clear I needed the Y-downpipe. They told me they couldn't sell it because there was a catalytic converter in it. There is no converter in it - that's BS. So anyway, they pulled the motor the day I was to pick it up and apparently the tech ignored the orders and cut off the pipe because he couldn't break the studs off. They spent a week trying to find me a single port Y-pipe for an EJ22. So make sure the EJ22 you find has a Y-pipe and do whatever you have to do to get it.

[raptorman6600]

I have a 99 2.5 SOHC from a forster with 140K on it. $400 + shipping from CO and its yours.

 

I've done lots of swaps 96-98 Outbacks using the 2.2 from a 95 it swaps right in.

 

On the Trans Starter stud missing, you can put in a heli coil in the trans hole and then bolt the starter up. Do this while the engine is out.

 

How many plugs are on your engine to firewall harness? Two?

 

sry, the forester and imprez were both updated in 99 with the sohc, while the legacy retained the dohc, however I keep hearing they toyed with the sensors to make it almost interchangeable with previous 2.5s without getting into wireing

[raptorman6600]

i drive a 99 OBW that I installed a 2.2 in.

This is your best option.

The 99 has the phase 2 bolt pattern but any 2.2 95-98 engine will work.

95 is the best as it has dual port exhaust which is the same as the 2.5.

If you get a later (96-98) 2.2 you will need to get the y pipe.

also getting an engine out of an auto is good because the manuals didn't have egr valves.

If you find and awesome low mileage engine w/o egr use it, drill the block for egr then add an auto egr maifold later ( this is what i did)

The 2.2 is the most reliable engine you can put in your car.

You might have to drill/tapand install a stud for the bottom starter bolt.

Good luck

 

4 less bolts, leave them out, that's the only difference doing a 2.2 swap into a 99.

 

No need to drill/tap anything, just grind down the head of the lower starter bolt for clearance and put it in from the bellhousing side before installing the engine.

 

I have done at least 5 phase 1 2.2 into 99 legacy swaps. It's no big deal.

 

 

well the only reason I ask specifically for the 99 is because some people are telling me that the 99 is special, rather the sensors are different and there are apparently more then the previous year, and I am not sure if it only pertains to the heads or the sensors are different on the block as well. Since these lego blocks are so versatile I would swap my 2.5 heads onto a different block if the heads are the only issue for the 99 2.5.

[subaru360]

well the only reason I ask specifically for the 99 is because some people are telling me that the 99 is special, rather the sensors are different and there are apparently more then the previous year, and I am not sure if it only pertains to the heads or the sensors are different on the block as well. Since these lego blocks are so versatile I would swap my 2.5 heads onto a different block if the heads are the only issue for the 99 2.5.

 

No sensors are different. Plug and play.

[Gloyale]

 

The one word of advice I have.... MAKE SURE YOU GET THE DOWNPIPE!!!

The EJ22 head is a single port exhaust. The 25 has a dual-port. I got my EJ22 from a junkyard and I made it crystal clear I needed the Y-downpipe. They told me they couldn't sell it because there was a catalytic converter in it. There is no converter in it - that's BS. So anyway, they pulled the motor the day I was to pick it up and apparently the tech ignored the orders and cut off the pipe because he couldn't break the studs off. They spent a week trying to find me a single port Y-pipe for an EJ22. So make sure the EJ22 you find has a Y-pipe and do whatever you have to do to get it.

 

Or use older 90-94 heads, or complete engine. Dual ports bolt right up.

 

They catch to that way of doing the swap is you must transfer the EJ25 enigne/intake portion of the wirng harness onto the 2.2 manifold. Also, as I found today, you need to swap Throttle bodies (not needed using 95+ motor) in order to use the correct TPS.

 

And in an attempt to keep CELs at bay, I switched over the EGR solenoid, although it's not hooked to anything....no EGR...ports on the throttle body capped.

 

But really, it all prestty easy......Just did this swap today.

 

90 ej22 into a 97 outback. no cels........yet