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swapping a 96 ej22 into my 2000 outback


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Well your first problem is that you're trying to replace a phase 2 Single Overhead Cam (SOHC) 2.5l with a Phase 1 EJ22, so the bellhousing bolt pattern is different and the wiring/sensors/injectors are different.

 

The EJ22 swap is for 96-99 EJ25d's which is the Dual Overhead cam (DOHC) 2.5l. These are the ones that blow the headgaskets internally and have a lot of problems. SOHC EJ25's blow the headgaskets externally, so coolant leaks out of the engine onto the ground, and this can often be fixed with a bottle of stop leak. Subaru sells it as "coolant conditioner" in small blue bottles.

 

What's broken with your engine? It may be easier to fix it than swap the EJ22 you got into it.

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Ditto on the last comment. I have a friend in MIlwaukee who has a good 2.5 of your era. Another friend of mine is looking to fix a 98 forester stick with a bad 2.5. It might a better match all around.

How do you want for your 96 motor?

 

I think the only other issue you might have is the EGR. Auto's have em, stick's don't.

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my engine hgas a broken wristpin so unknown damage internally

 

i bought a 97 obw with a ''bad wrist pin'' for cheap. (i already had the ej22 engine and i was looking for a way to use it.) turns out it was piston slap. i drove the car for 40k miles and with no engine work and just recently sold it.

 

what's your engine doing?

 

who told you it was a ''broken wrist pin""?

 

have you taken it to a ''subaru'' mechanic.?

 

your situation is probably not the same as mine, but non-subaru mechanics mis-diagnose things all the time. i don't even know if '00 have piston slap.

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ok i was told the ej22 was a phase 2...my engine hgas a broken wristpin so unknown damage internally

 

An engine from a '96 should not be a phase II if it's an EJ22. If memory serves the phase II ej22s have the spark plug access through the valve covers, whereas the Phase I engine have the spark plugs angling out of the top of the heads. If it's a phase I it's not a good match for your vehicle.

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cars get misdiagnosed would be a good idea to verify what the problem is. although knocking isn't unheard of for EJ25's, piston slap, timing tensioners, and cracked flexplates have been mistaken for engine failures before.

 

96 EJ22 won't plug and play into a 2000. there's no easy way around the snags to that. you can swap anything you want - if you swap the entire engine harness, ECU, and splice things in to make it work. most folks aren't looking for that level of work so you'll have to let us know what you're trying to do.

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thanks guys..im a newbie to subaru and am learning ...ok the 96 ej 22 wont work in my 2000 outback so ill pull the 2.5 and tear it down to see whats wrong. i already have an add in the local classifieds for 2000-2004 ej 25 out of an outback or a baja...i heard the forester and impreza motors wont work./

anyway ill let ya know if it was wristpin or not. anyone want a low k ej 22 1996? cheap

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i already have an add in the local classifieds for 2000-2004 ej 25 out of an outback or a baja...i heard the forester and impreza motors wont work cheap

 

FYI the JY's used to tell you that a 95-99 2.2 from an Impreza wouldn't work in a Legacy - and they were wrong.

Funny thing is the Impreze 2.2 was 100 bucks cheaper than a Legacy 2.2 delivered to my door with 6 month warranty. Basically 250 vs. 350.

 

The 2 JY's I bought the most from eventually caught on - I'd always ask for a 2.2 Impreza engine first and if none then I asked for a Legacy. Mind you these were typically to be swapped inplace of a 2.5.

 

But perhaps someone who knows here will tell you if it must be a Lecacy or Baja and why an Impreze or Forester engine won't work if they are easier or cheaper to find.

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It's not a broken wrist pin, I can tell you that. Rods or pistons go before wristpins do.

 

Before you pull the engine and tear it down, tell us exactly what it's doing or not doing, and we'll do a much better job diagnosing it than the shop you took it to. It may be something simple and straightforward to fix, or not a problem at all.

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It's not a broken wrist pin, I can tell you that. Rods or pistons go before wristpins do.

 

Before you pull the engine and tear it down, tell us exactly what it's doing or not doing, and we'll do a much better job diagnosing it than the shop you took it to. It may be something simple and straightforward to fix, or not a problem at all.

 

okay last spring my wife was driving it, it made a substantial noise and quit. we had it towed back, a few days later i tried firing it. it sounds like it wants to fire then no start and an occaisonal slapping (bang)sound.

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took the timing belt inspection cover off looks fine and turns when engine turns over

 

Check timing belt lay out for bad tensioner or pulley, even though the belt turns when the engine turns over. Like cj7135, this sounds like timing or bad valves related.

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You need to remove the timing covers and rotate the engine by the crank shaft with a socket until all your timing marks line up. If they don't, then that's your problem. To check the tensioner, just push down on the belt from the top on the right-hand side with your thumb, and any excessive play means the tensioner has failed.

 

There's a 99% chance you'll have to remove the engine.

 

sorry that last part about removing the engine could you elaborate

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ok im just heading out to do the teardown...off hand does the harmonic balance have to be removed to get al the timing covers off? thanks in advance so i can rent a puller .

 

you may not need one if the pulley has been off recently but i've always used a puller. mine always seem a little stuck and the risk of breaking something important is just too high for me. but it SHOULD slide off.

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i've always removed them without any special tools.

 

about 5 out of a butt load have been a real pain and i wish i had used a tool. :banghead:

 

technically you could remove the timing covers without removing the crank pulley....but you have to break them to do it. :lol:

Edited by grossgary
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ok guys i have a 3/4" impact gun on the harmonic balancer bolt and it wont move.is it reverse thread???
no, it's just a standard thread. they can be a workhorse to budge. socket and 3 or 5 feet of pipe is what you need or a gun with more torque. be sure you have the engine pinned so it can't rotate while you're hammering or loosening it.

 

keep in mind to tighten it really good when you reinstall too as they will back off and tend to cause a lot of damage if they do.

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