Any engines comparable to EJ22 in later Legacys?

[1997reduxe]

Just wanted to troll for results on this if I could.

My bro and I are longtime fans of the EJ22, but are

looking at "branching out" into the later Legacys.

Like post-2000 body style.

Are any of the later Sube engines anywhere as reliable

as the EJ22?

Thanks for any ideas.

Dan

[GeneralDisorder]

All the EJ251's and EJ253's are great engines - properly maitained they can approach 500k. You just have to watch for external coolant/oil weepage from the HG's. Figure on doing the HG's immediately on anything you buy.

 

As with anything including the EJ22's - look for signs of abuse. Heavy varnish deposts under the valve covers, melted plastic bits, etc.

 

Subaru's in general are more prone to developing rod knocks due to abuse - usually running them low on oil one way or another or repeated overheating due to coolant leaks.

 

GD

[1997reduxe]

Thanks.

Anybody have opinions on the 6 cylinder engines?

I've seen mention of the H6 on here, but have no idea

as I've been teminally locked in the 90s...

[johnceggleston]

the ez30, 3.0L, is supposed to be good but they are only 10 years old. but their track record is good. but that is a big jump from the ej22. mine gets crappy mileage around town.

 

the ej25, not as much.

 

but what i don't understand is why subaru isn't building an economy car with the ej22. all the US car makers are into it.

 

5 years ago there were only 3 hybrid type econmy cars on the market, today there are over 30. of course there are also a lot of gas guzzlers as well.

 

but what could subaru do with the ej22 and a lighter, smaller chassis and more efficient systems? they are bound to have improved some stuff in the last 10 years. could they get it to rate over 30 mpg??

 

anyway i think i will stick with the ej22. ALL of subarus new cars are bigger and heavier. if tuned correctly they get good mileage, but it seems to me it is pretty easy for them to not get good mileage. then you have a big, heavy car that gets crappy 20 - 22 mileage.

 

how about this, a AWD subaru wit h a ej18 / ej22 FWD in the front and an electric motor in the back, RWD. when you need AWD turn both on. on the hiway use one and around town use the other. when you need more power, use both.

it would probably be too expensive.

Edited June 9, 2012 by johnceggleston

[1997reduxe]

Yeah, believe me, living here in Houston with all the giant trucks etc you get a real taste of the American need to continue rocking on with gas guzzling.

 

I can't understand it, though it seems to just be a pride thing, like no disaster or possible eco-crash will deter us from 12 miles per gallon.

 

I did have a friend who drove every day 50 miles to work downtown and in his Prius used about one gallon each way. Now that is smart.

Thanks again John.

 

Good public transit article:

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/04/12051097-public-transit-ridership-rising-sharply-advocacy-group-reports?lite

Edited June 9, 2012 by 1997reduxe

[GeneralDisorder]

Subaru needs to bring back a form of the justy. With a direct-injected FB based engine in the 1.0 liter range.

 

They are now pushing ~145 HP from the FB20 in the new Impreza. I'm sure something in the 1.0 range could make 80+ HP and could easily pull in MPG figures in the high 40's or 50's.

 

Offering an AWD option with decent ground clearance in the small, fuel efficient class would be a real winner from my perspective. Something to replace my EA81 hatch with. The Justy was a real POS and since then Subaru has lost sight of it's roots - small, fuel efficient alternatives to big trucks that will still take you where you want to go. IMO they haven't tried hard enough to grab that market sector and it seems like they have all the technology to do so. About the only competitor in that bracket is Suzuki and they are a long way from competing with Subaru on popularity or dealership support.

 

I want two things - FAST awd sports cars, and an AWD fuel efficient camping/hiking/fishing/etc rig that will take me way out and cost little to operate. Are those two things so difficult to offer?

 

Subaru is really missing the boat here. There are TONS of people that would buy such a car. Lots of people would love something more efficient but can't bring themselves to buy a higly efficient comuter that has 12" tires and gets stuck on wet leaves. It's impractical to own for the way they live their lives. But special purpose vehicles aren't in the cards either. So they are stuck with an enormous Outback that gets 25 MPG or an EA81 that is getting really fricken old.

 

GD

[1 Lucky Texan]

no P'ups, no rangers or S10s anymore.

 

They would clean up with a small pick-up.

 

and a diesel hybrid. Probably should find a way to run the electric on the front axle to get better regen braking, but might not be necessary. Or put the e lectric as part of the flywheel.

 

didn't they have an all-electric kei car in japan? R1e ?

[1997reduxe]

All the EJ251's and EJ253's are great engines - properly maitained they can approach 500k.

GD

 

GD, I was just wondering, so what's up with the EJ252? Was there some particular problem with them?

 

Thanks again.

Dan

[idosubaru]

GD, I was just wondering, so what's up with the EJ252? Was there some particular problem with them?

no, they're just not as common. all the SOHC EJ25's are basically the same motor IMO. easily interchangeable.

 

EJ25's have more headgasket, piston slap, and rod bearing issues than EJ22's.

 

the headgaskets can be preemptively repaired and there are upgrades to the OEM gasket that should provide better reliability with them.

 

the rod bearings as GD suggested are likely heating/oiling/maintenance related and with some luck and inspection may be mitigated.

 

i rarely see EJ22's with rod bearing issues. which is odd considering how old those motors are getting and no doubt have been overheated due to coolant loss, clogged radiators, inop fans, etc. but maybe they're just all rusting away here.

[GeneralDisorder]

GD, I was just wondering, so what's up with the EJ252? Was there some particular problem with them?

 

Thanks again.

Dan

 

 

Nothing really - just used for a single year in some 2000 models - not sure which exactly. Rare to see them.

 

Generally the differences between the 251 and 253 are minor - the fuel and ignition management are the big differences. The long blocks generally interchange without issue. I would assume that is true of the 252 also.

 

GD

Edited June 11, 2012 by GeneralDisorder

[1997reduxe]

And just as a point of interest in my first research I did today

looking around at the H6 engines, I notice that they went to a

timing chain vs belt? After all those years of belt experience?

That's a pretty amazing change. But then I'm obviously way behind the times.

Gonna have to look into that.

Dan

[bhazard]

Uhh the current Impreza is rated at 36 mpg highway, I'd say thats pretty efficient for a modern car with AWD standard. I'm sure 40 mpg on a highway trip is easy with the 5 speed. Only thing I dont understand is why does the legacy now have a 6 speed standard, while the impreza and forester are still stuck with 5 gears?

 

The main drawback of the EJ25 over the (older) 22 is the interference design...

[1 Lucky Texan]

And just as a point of interest in my first research I did today

looking around at the H6 engines, I notice that they went to a

timing chain vs belt? After all those years of belt experience?

That's a pretty amazing change. But then I'm obviously way behind the times.

Gonna have to look into that.

Dan

 

some newer H4s have a chain now too.

[danbennett2u]

I have heard the H6 in the 2001+ cars is pretty reliable, no HG issues that I have heard of. I have heard of people mentioning idler pully issues but that seems pretty minor to me. Timing chain is a plus to me.

The FB 2.0 seems a step in the right direction but is too new to make judgment on.