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OIL LEAKS AAAAHHHHHHH (ej22)


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I bought a 97 impreza L that had been sitting for a while. I noticed a small tick, and a small oil leak on the front seal, and had planned on doing the whole oil pump/timing belt deal. NOW there's a worse leak on the back side, that drips down onto the exhaust. It drips much worse than the front seal. I probably lose about half a quart a week. Where is it coming from? IMAG0362.jpg

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I don't think that's a wise course of action unless there are compelling reasons to think serious damage resulted from sitting (unlikely). Just reseal it and be on your way. Even engines that don't sit will start leaking after many years and miles.

 

Why spend the money on a replacement engine that you will have to reseal before installing anyway? Just reseal the one you have.

 

GD

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Yeah if it's not a turbo it's a 2.5. You'll get a boost in power out of the 2.5 but you'll have to swap some parts around to use it and even then I'm not entirely sure if you can. I'm no expert, but I know there are some big differences between the phase one 2.2 (pre-99) and phase two 2.5 (post-99).

 

I'd stick with the 2.2 and do the reseal. There is a $3 O-ring on the back of the block that can dry out and leak. The separator plate kit is like $35, and the rear main seal hardly ever leaks, but it's only $15 or so from a dealer.

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the 2.5 and 2.2 doesn't matter, they are swapped all the time. the problem is the changes that happened in 1999 making this swap unpalatable for most. it requires some digging into and working out/around some issues, it's not a simple swap.

 

EJ22's (even EJ25's) easily see really high miles, if the engine is in decent shape and properly addressed now (resealed, complete timing belt kit with pulleys and tensioner, and water pump), i would be more worried about 15 year old transmissions, starters, alternators, tensioner pulley bearings, clutches, etc than an EJ22 with 180k. but of course there's no way to know it's past history and condition positively...but that goes for most engines.

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  • 9 months later...
180k is barely broken in for most of the 2.2's. If they have had any normal amount of care they will just keep on going.

 

GD

 

thanks partially to general disorder I was able to bring my 250k+ lego back from the dead! PROPER maintenance is KEY!!!!!! and my story is proof that even if you trust a shop and watch them do the work they can still screw stuff up! if you want it done right do it yourself along with obsessively read and check your FSM! just watch a video about head gasket torque procedure if your skeptical. torque it right every time! subaru's are very reliable and if you only repair whats broken the rest usually lasts for a LONG TIME. my goal with my impreza was 300k.... I'm hoping to take my lego to 400k, granted I recently replaced the whole timing and pump shebang

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