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Just a EJ22 thought and request.


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170 k for most 2.5 dohc's I've dealt with. But never more and unsually less.

 

You are right ALL dohc 2.5's will neeed head gaskets. All.

 

BTW: yes I know thios is an old thread.

 

it's actually a good post.. My wife's 03 OBS has a slight oil leak and needs a clutch, so I say, "might as well swap the head gasket while the engine's out." since it has 103K on it...

 

so I'm calling it preventative maint.

 

what are people's recommendations on what to replace the HG with...

 

I've gotten on board with using car quest for parts, rather than Check/O'Reilly, so I would just use whatever Car Quest gets in for her model and year, etc. Is that cool, or do peopl have another recomendation?

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  • 2 months later...

Based on research I did a few years back (I did once have a 2.5L engine that experienced HG failure) it is very possible to maintain a 2.5L engine to very high miles but the driver must take great pains and meticulous care of the coolant issue.

 

 

The tiniest bubbles within the water jackets can lead to HG failure with that particular gasket installed.

 

 

I don't think Subaru engineers thought there would be so many failures...

 

--Damien

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  • 2 weeks later...

FWIW. . . .:clap:

 

We finally did the three-steel layer head gasket swap to the 03 OBS. Clutch, HG, Timing kit (with all the rollers), intake/exhaust gaskets, main seals and cam seals... This EJ25 (106K) should go forever now!! It hadn't failed, just a minor leak, but it was showing signs of HG weakening...

 

it's actually a good post.. My wife's 03 OBS has a slight oil leak and needs a clutch, so I say, "might as well swap the head gasket while the engine's out." since it has 103K on it...

 

so I'm calling it preventative maint.

 

what are people's recommendations on what to replace the HG with...

 

I've gotten on board with using car quest for parts, rather than Check/O'Reilly, so I would just use whatever Car Quest gets in for her model and year, etc. Is that cool, or do peopl have another recomendation?

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  • 3 weeks later...

My subaru-mechanic told me, that the EJ22 is not that reliable and dependable than the EJ20-engine. Don´t ask me why, maybe thais is because of different circumstances in Austria than in the US of A.

 

What do you think about the EJ20-engine? Mine has 170.000 miles on the clock and runs fine. A bit of rod-knock when it´s very cold outside, but otherwise fine and reliable engine.

 

Lukas

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I don't know a whole lot about the ej20. In the US we only got the 2.0 with a turbo.

But the 2.2 is a very reliable motor, mine has over 315,000 miles on it and the thing is still running strong. A bit of piston slap, but that's nothing much to worry about. Maybe some valvetrain noise, but that just means I should adjust the valves..

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Within a week I will be another user of an ej22. My ej25 died a few days ago and instead of sending the head to be rebuilt I am getting an ej22 from lkq. I also am spending $300 on the warranty (lifetime, includes head gasket and labor charges) just for the peace of mind.

 

I'll report back once I have experience with it.

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I have few questions-

 

Are the timing components on the ej25 and ej22 the same? I just bought all new ones for my now-dead ej25 and would very much love to transfer them over to the ej22. Also, is the timing belt the same? I assume not since the ej22 is a sohc.

Edited by bstone
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My subaru-mechanic told me, that the EJ22 is not that reliable and dependable than the EJ20-engine. Don´t ask me why, maybe thais is because of different circumstances in Austria than in the US of A.

 

What do you think about the EJ20-engine? Mine has 170.000 miles on the clock and runs fine. A bit of rod-knock when it´s very cold outside, but otherwise fine and reliable engine.

 

Lukas

 

In the US, the only EJ20s we got were turbos, so I don't think we can attest to longevity, since they're all in WRXs...

 

I'm pretty sure Australia had naturally aspirated EJ20s in a lot of cars for a long time (probably the same setup there in Austria). I know foresters had EJ20s into the late 90's early 2000s. . .

 

US NA EJ22s are simeclosed decks (I think), but the early gen turbo EJss wasa closed deck, so I think THAT would the bullet-proof EJ block. Especially since it only ran like 8 pounds of boost. But it was OBDI, so not tunable or easily modifiable. . .

Edited by superu
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to clarify an incorrect comment earlier in this thread: EJ22 intake manifolds don't bolt to EJ25's - unless it's the far more rare and less advantageous Phase II swap. those bolt up, but that's a far less common swap due to the lack of EJ22's as they were phased out, not much price difference, less catastrophic EJ25 SOHC failures, etc.

 

I have few questions-

 

Are the timing components on the ej25 and ej22 the same?

timing tensioner is the same (assuming it's the same style - it changed around 1997 on both EJ22's and EJ25's.).

timing pulleys are the same.

timing belt is different due to the longer DOHC belt.

 

don't personally care, but are questions are best for another thread lest this just turn into an ambiguous EJ thread that's long and difficult to sift through? a wide ranging thread with various, intermingled, and spread out information doesn't seem very helpful - you asked a really good question that will be asked or searched for again - a thread is a good idea if there isn't already one out there.

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  • 2 months later...

I have a 90 Legacy sedan with EJ22 and 4EAT.

 

The body is lousy, but the engine runs great at 115K.

 

I do oil changes at 3K intervals and keep an eye on things, as I should with a 22 year old automobile!

 

I am keeping my eyes open for a newer car, preferably a wagon, with a blown engine for which mine could be the donor vehicle.

 

How much later can I go in model years and still have something into which I can drop my EJ22?

 

I am in Maryland, where lots of salt goes down in the typical winter (which this winter has not been so far!) so cars do rust around here.

 

Also came across a clean used EJ22 engine with 109 on the clock, which I was thinking to buy to have a spare.

 

Would be interested to know what others think that engine would be worth if I try to get it.

 

Thanks in advance for any input, thoughts, suggestions, etc.

 

This board makes for great reading, lotsa fun!

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So now I am replying to my own reply!

 

After posting, I realized the questions had probably been asked and answered previously, so I used the search, and voila, I think I have some answers to my questions.

 

Happy February!

 

Here in the Washington, D.C. area, winter has been better thus far than Spring usually is!

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I know this has been posted 1000 times and yet I have to ask...when did the 2.2l motors change? I suggested a 1996 Subaru Legacy L with a 5 speed to my daughter...about 221k miles. Is 'that' 2.2l, one of the good ones or is it too new?

 

What's the definition of a "good one" ?

The 96 is non-interference, good. But that's when they changed to single port headers.. Some people would say bad, I guess. If she's just driving it around like a normal person it won't make any difference.

 

That one also has HLAs, means you never have to adjust the valves.

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  • 1 month later...

Howbout a 91 2.2 short block in a 2004 impreza 2.5 hole heads bolted right up little headgasket mod and timming belt modds runs perfectly and short block was 1000$ cheaper than 2.5 i can find 2.2s with good cranks but 2.5 phase 2 is hard to find and weak. I can ofer thiss engine cheaper and with more reliability.

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Howbout a 91 2.2 short block in a 2004 impreza 2.5 hole heads bolted right up little headgasket mod and timming belt modds runs perfectly and short block was 1000$ cheaper than 2.5 i can find 2.2s with good cranks but 2.5 phase 2 is hard to find and weak. I can ofer thiss engine cheaper and with more reliability.

 

Is this an April 1st special only?!! ;)

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No its for real just finished runing it up pulls good the nurled pisstons make it tight though needs lots of breakin time no piston slap thats for shure. I will be doing thiss swap alot as 2.5 phase 2 moters get harder to find. At least i can sell it with some reliabilaty. The 2.5 heads fitt the 91 block fine other than some small headgasket mods. Ask me what ej parts interchange with other ej parts i have a list. After my 200th ej engine rebiuld i started to mix and match a bitt i have so many moter parts that is easy to look at interchangabilaty and i have a planer so i can custom set the deck hights and head hights / comp ratios i do subaru moters all day every day. Todays engine is a 2.5 d bored .50 over with a 2.2 crank and 2.5 sti pistons and rods with lowerd deck hight with 2.2 heads reground cams going na into a 87 chaser with 5 speed high low. Customer whanted low compretion to be able to run low octane gas but still make toruqe

  • Haha 1
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"Howbout a 91 2.2 short block in a 2004 impreza 2.5 hole heads bolted right up"

 

So 2.5 heads on 2.2 block makes reverse frankenmotor, thus suitable for boosting, no?

 

See if you can figure out how to make a good 2.2 frankenmotor... could you bolt EJ20 or Ej18 heads to an EJ22 for upped compression? And what are the complications of goign twin cam (EJ20, right), vs. analler ports of EJ1*...??

 

Just wondering if there's a good way to up the compression on a NA EJ22 a-la frankenmotor head swapo...

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From what I've read, 1.8 heads on the 2.2 up the compression. Seen it around a few places, not sure if it's reality though.

 

I read a pretty thurough description of it but forget the source/:(

 

The take home message I got was the ports on 1.8 heads *although maybe it was AE18....) were insufficiently narrow to allow enough flow to make an efficient 2.2 frankenmoter... And aren't EJ20 twin cams, so then thte timing belt thing would be a problem?

 

While the EJ22 is an awesome motor i just think how super awesome it could be if it could be higher compression!

 

Maybe 98 or 99 EJ22 pitons on an older block, then shave the heads?

 

what do people think of that?

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Deck the heads and block both i like the 2.5 with 2.2 crank and rods and 2.5 turbo pistons makes a 2.3 destroker plane the block plane the heads put a turbo on it watch out the 2.2 we use a 2.2 b with 2.5 single cam heads and turbo it gives a good comp ratio and big volume heads or the 2.2 with 2.5 dohc heads works good to turbo or na the 1.8 we put the 2.2 turbo heads on it to lower comp and increase the flow then turbo it. The best one yet is the 09 sti short block with 98 2.5 dohc heads on it 10 psi of boost in my 79 wagon with high low thiss engine is fast. The race buggy uses a .50 over phase 2 2.5 with forged wiscos and 2.5 single cam ported and polished heads with 10 psi boost and 50 hp nitrios 2800 high stall and 4.44 gears thiss moter works very well comp tests out at 145 psi.

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