Swapping a 2.5 for a 2.2.

[biggman100]

This has probably been covered before, but after searching for the last 3 days, i cant find a definite answer for a couple questions i have. I have a 99 outback wagon with a 2.5, that needs more things fixed on the engine than i want to mess with, such as water pump, timing belt, head gaskets, oil leak in the valve covers, plus i just got the car 3 weeks ago, and was told all it had was a bad thermostat, which turned out to be a split radiator, and after that was fixed i could only run it if it doesn't have a thermostat in it at all, and then today the water pump started spewing water every time i put any in, and i also don't know how many times the previous owner overheated it or how well he took care of it, so i want to just swap it for a 2.2, but i don't want to go get a 4 bolt bell housing 2.2, and find out i cant use it, plus i have rebuilt a couple 2.2's, and i am more comfortable working on those than i am the 2.5's, so my first question is does it matter if i leave out 4 of the bolts on the bell housing, so i can use the older engine? My other question is, i have read on here that 95 to 99 2.2's will swap with the 95 to 99 2.5, but every salvage yard i have talked to said that the 99 2.2 and 2.5 are one year only, so which one is correct? I have done several swaps where i put a 95 and 96 2.2's in 95 to 98 2.5 car's, but this is the first time i have messed with a 99 with the 8 bolt bell housing. And since i live in NY, the swap has to be done so that i wont have a MIL when it is all done. Sorry if this seems long, but i wanted to cover everything i could think of.

[biggman100]

Any relevant information i may have forgot to mention will be greatly appreciated.

[johnceggleston]

the 99 2,2 will not swap into the 99 obw 2.5L car.

 

but the 95 - 98 ej22 will, IF, IF, IF it has the needed EGR. this is usually found in the cars with the auto trans. so think of the 99 ej25 car as a 98 and swap away.

 

the 99 does have the 8 bolt phase 2 block, but every thing else is the same as a 98. just use the bolts that work and go ahead on.

 

ej22 swap list is the same for 99 is the same as the ej25 cars 96 - 98.

in order of preference:

1. 95 ej22 w/ EGR (usually auto trans car)

2. 96 ej22 w/ EGR (usually auto trans car) you will need the exhaust y-pipe.

3. 97 - 98 ej22 w/ EGR (usually auto trans car) need the y-pipe.

 

the 95 - 97 engines will have 2 small metal lines on the front of the intake near the top rad hose that you will not need. they are supposed to go to the charcoal canister, but the 99 canister is in the rear. so i connect them to each other and call it a day.

 

if if is an auto trans car, use the flex plate that came with the ej25 engine.

and if available use the power steering lines that came from the ej22 car. you don't need them but the install will be cleaner.

 

 

about your 99 ej25, it is probably puking coolant because when you removed the t-stat you also removed the gasket that seals the plastic pipe to the water pump. it sounds like you do have a bad head gasket and the overheating the seller failed to tell you about probably blew the rad. so a swap is probably best. but it may not be as bad as you think. but it is definitely UNKNOWN.

 

note: when talking to parts yards, i tell them what i am looking for, i never tell them what i am going to do or what car i'm working on. usually they only know what the interchange (what fits) software tells them and they get confused or say it will not work. sometimes they will void the warranty, if there is one.

 

good luck.

Edited October 20, 2012 by johnceggleston

[idosubaru]

but every salvage yard i have talked to

listen to us, not the yards, they don't know any more than the computer tells them, that's all they can go by. listen to us who are going by experience. http://www.car-parts.com is a great resource for parts but has the same limited scope on interchangeable parts though.

 

I have done several swaps where i put a 95 and 96 2.2's in 95 to 98 2.5 car's, but this is the first time i have messed with a 99

end of discussion - this is a done deal then, you've already done it!!!!!

 

96-99 EJ25's are all completely interchangeable, plug and play, same engine for this discussion. so the swaps you've already done are the exact same swap you need to do now.

 

My other question is, i have read on here that 95 to 99 2.2's will swap with the 95 to 99 2.5,

that's the only mis-information I see:

95 - 98 EJ22's. the 99 EJ22 is Phase II and different, ignore those.

 

Be advised we are talking *specifically* about your situation, there are some other differences - like all of this is not true for 99 Forester or Impreza RS which got the Phase II EJ25 in 99. So....make sure you follow our directions/advice exactly and don't assume the wrong things. Don't get a 99 For or Imp EJ25.

Edited October 20, 2012 by grossgary

[davebugs]

A 95 2.2 with EGR is a cleaner swap.

 

If you go with 96,97,98 2.2 you'll need it's single port Y pipe.

 

Other than that minor work for VC breather hoses and possibly some EVAP hose plumbing.

 

Really an easy swap.

 

Here is how clueless JY's are. When I used to do a lot of these I learned to ask for a 95 Impreza 2.2 auto(with EGR)engine first because they were 100.00 cheaper and the same engine! After this happened 20 or 30 times my favorite JY finally caught on.

 

The single port Ypipe can be hard to locate because when catalytic converters were more valuable the JY folks often got torch happy and cut the end of the Ypipe off rather than the small gap between the flange and front cat.

[biggman100]

"about your 99 ej25, it is probably puking coolant because when you removed the t-stat you also removed the gasket that seals the plastic pipe to the water pump."

 

Actually i should have clarified this a little more. I didnt just remove the thermostat and gasket and then put it back together, what i did is to take a junk t-stat, take the spring and plunger out so that it didnt restrict flow, and then put it back in with the gasket. It worked with no leaks for a couple weeks, and is actually still not leaking. The leak is out of the front of the water pump, not the area around the t-stat housing.

[biggman100]

Thanks guys for the info. This is exactly what i needed, so i can get the car back together and running.

[immulmen]

the 99 2,2 will not swap into the 99 obw 2.5L car.

 

but the 95 - 98 ej22 will, IF, IF, IF it has the needed EGR. this is usually found in the cars with the auto trans. so think of the 99 ej25 car as a 98 and swap away.

 

the 99 does have the 8 bolt phase 2 block, but every thing else is the same as a 98. just use the bolts that work and go ahead on.

 

ej22 swap list is the same for 99 is the same as the ej25 cars 96 - 98.

in order of preference:

1. 95 ej22 w/ EGR (usually auto trans car)

2. 96 ej22 w/ EGR (usually auto trans car) you will need the exhaust y-pipe.

3. 97 - 98 ej22 w/ EGR (usually auto trans car) need the y-pipe.

 

the 95 - 97 engines will have 2 small metal lines on the front of the intake near the top rad hose that you will not need. they are supposed to go to the charcoal canister, but the 99 canister is in the rear. so i connect them to each other and call it a day.

 

if if is an auto trans car, use the flex plate that came with the ej25 engine.

and if available use the power steering lines that came from the ej22 car. you don't need them but the install will be cleaner.

 

 

about your 99 ej25, it is probably puking coolant because when you removed the t-stat you also removed the gasket that seals the plastic pipe to the water pump. it sounds like you do have a bad head gasket and the overheating the seller failed to tell you about probably blew the rad. so a swap is probably best. but it may not be as bad as you think. but it is definitely UNKNOWN.

 

note: when talking to parts yards, i tell them what i am looking for, i never tell them what i am going to do or what car i'm working on. usually they only know what the interchange (what fits) software tells them and they get confused or say it will not work. sometimes they will void the warranty, if there is one.

 

good luck.

 

Correct me if I am wrong.

I have an early 1998 Legacy GT 5 speed car I want to swap a 2.2 from a late 1998 Legacy auto trany car [i will double check for the EGR].

Is this a direct swap using the 2.2 Y pipe? The flywheel from the 2.5 works on the 2.2?

I got the GT with the possibility of just a head gasket but it was way over heated.

Chris

Edited October 30, 2012 by immulmen

[biggman100]

I have swapped the 2.2 from a 95 auto car into a 98 legacy gt wagon, so it should work.

[davebugs]

The 2.2, it's Ypipe and I take the flywheel off the 2.5 and put it onto the 2.2.

Seal the baffle plate while you have access, leave rear main seal alone.

 

That 2.2 very likely has the EGR - I think 95 was the only iffy year.

[johnceggleston]

I have an early 1998 Legacy GT 5 speed car I want to swap a 2.2 from a late 1998 Legacy auto trany car [i will double check for the EGR].

Is this a direct swap using the 2.2 Y pipe? The flywheel from the 2.5 works on the 2.2?

 

yes, this is a go for swap.

 

use the ej22 y-pipe and then everything else you need from the GT ej25. using the late 98 ej22 has the benefit of matching all of the vac / evap plumbing. this eliminates any re-routing of vac or evap lines.

 

Removal TIP: removing the intake manifold make it EASY to reach the torque converter bolts on the ej22 if you are pulling it from the car. this is not an issue on the manual trans engine removal or install.