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99 OBW just completed EJ22 swap. Love it!


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I've always thought everyone was a bit harsh on the EJ25D engine. I loved the power output and response on mine. I bought the car with 86,000 miles and it appeared to have the origional head gaskets with no signs of leaking. During an engine re-seal, due to some broken exhaust studs, the engine got new head gaskets, a valve job, new timing belt and components, and a re-seal at around 127,000 miles. Afterwards, long story short, I was losing oil. It wasn't burning, or dripping. Figured out it was in the coolant, but no coolant in the oil. Leakdown test showed problems with the right head. It came back off, was checked at a machine shop, block was re-checked, cleaned and a new gasket went back on with the head. It cranked, came up to temp and sounded great, for 30 miles. Then something sounded like it wanted to escape the crankcase. I think a bearing went. Never ran hot. I will do a tear down later to necropsy it.

 

I was done with the EJ25D. I found a couple of 95 EJ22's around me and made a deal at a salvage yard for one, paid over the phone and went to pick it up a few days later. They pulled the wrong engne, got mad at me, refunded my money, and were general asses! Found another engine, drove 160 miles each way in a Suburban ($100 in gas) and picked up a very nice looking 95 EJ22 with EGR (Thanks Import Salvage in Marion, NC!). The engine has ~96,000 miles, clean oil, new looking NAPA oil filter, very clean looking coolant, and is just shiny!

 

Friday night I pulled the EJ25, Saturday I switched over the new baffle plate, tensioners, and clutch, hung the new timing belt, re-sealed the engine, figured out the vacuume lines, and bolted up the EJ22. Sunday morning I finished connecting everything. After priming the oil pump, it fired off on the first try. I ran it up to temperature, took a run around the block, then left for Easter dinner on a 90 mile round trip. I got one check engine code for IAC idle, and after loosening the throttle cable all was good!

 

I have been comuting in the car all week. I can barely tell the differance between the two engines. A quick start up-hill with the AC on might be a little slower, but otherwise I would never know. The interstate in no problem. 60,70,80, it likes to run! I am still shifting aroung 2500 to 3000 RPM's and dont feel the need to rev any higher on normal acceleration. The engine is very smooth and even quiet. I appear to be getting a bit better mileage ~27, 28 MPG, and will know more when I get gas tomorrow.

 

So the short of that is EJ22, Very Happy!:banana:

 

Anthony

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Thanks for you answers the other day Dave. I ended up tapping the starter hole into the tranny with a 12mm X 1.5 (what I had) then bought the wrong size bolt by mistake. I have one bolt holding the starter on until I get back by the store and it is working fine.

 

I love the idea of non-interferance and regular valve tappets!

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good job. don't overheat it or run it low on oil and that engine will outlast the car, great motors. one starter bolt is not going to be a problem until you get another bolt for it. i'm a big fan of my de-EJ25's too, i plan on lots of cheap trouble free miles. 50,000 maintenance free miles so far.

 

hopefully you adjusted the valves? they will burn exhaust valves if never adjusted.

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95 ej22 should be HLAs. but you already know that.
thanks, i keep loosing track of when EJ's switched. is there a simple run down of Ej18, EJ22, EJ25's? i was wondering recently if i should adjust my EJ18? probably do my EZ30 this summer, that should be fun. LOL
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I love these swaps, but good 95 2.2 are becoming harder to find. You guys need to stop this so I don't run out of engines.:grin:

 

When I was doing a lot of these I ran the yards around here out. Had to start using 96 & 97's.

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I thought about that. I used to have a Saturn EGR offset made to get away from using the one year 95 engine.

 

I didn't know if there was hood space. MY guess was it would take a few inches to make it not real abrupt.

 

Wonder how much of a market?

 

I may have connections at a foundry in the near future. I thought cast would be better and cheaper than machined perhaps.

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At some time somebody should know the designers of the 2.2. It was So good they were able to jack it up. These guys really did well for many of us. Everyone Knows Porche and flat four air -cooled. These watercooled flat 2.2 powerhouses are unique and there is a story about that. We should know some names.

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  • 8 months later...

Now that I've got some miles on this swap I thought I would post an update. It's been 20,000 miles since I switched to the EJ22. My thoughts.

 

Sometimes I miss the power of the EJ25D. With the AC on and needing to go, I wish there was a little more there.

 

The HLA's let me know when it's time to change the oil. Around 4000 or so miles I start hearing them tap a bit. Change the oil and they are quiet again.

 

The engine continues to run flawless, very smooth.

 

The MPG's didn't change. Get's the exact same mileage. ~ 23 to 25

 

If I had a car with a EJ25D with a known history that just needed head gaskets I would fix them, otherwise, I wouldn't hesitate to swap in the EJ22.

 

Anthony

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I just put a 19995 2.2 into a 1998 OB 5 speed. So far so good. Just curious, what RPM are you at cruising on the interstate at about 70 in 5th gear?

 

Just curious. Mine seems to be at about 3100-3200. My 2000 and 2002 both run at about 2600-2700 RPM at the same speed.

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Thanks for the feedback. The higher RPM doesn't concern me too much, but I wanted to make that others had the same experience. I got about 22 MPG on my first tank of gas and that was all city except for about 90 miles, so on the whole that isn't bad.

 

:banana:

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