looking for reliable 2.5 to 2.2 swap info

[ivans imports]

Bought a 99 2.2 impreza yesterday was knocking can hear the piston hitting the head i wonder about the phase two 2.2 this is third broken one this year i like the 89-96 2.2 seems way stronger and no slapen

[thealleyboy]

Gary, I'll definitely investigate the piston slap theory. That actually makes more sense than any oil-related failure. I might just get lucky for once...  

 

Regardless of severity of the 2.5 noise, I do want to start building up the 99 2.2 right away. I'm tempted to leave the head gasket alone based on my own experiences with the 2.2 - and from what others are saying. Tuff call...but I'll probably end up replacing it

 

By "ebay kits", I'm assuming you mean generic aftermarket sets that have filtered down to the open market. I'm not too picky on branding as long as the components are Japanese made. I know that low-quality Mexican and Chinese parts are  starting to show up all over - even at places like CarQuest and NAPA. Not sure if I'm ready to take that leap of faith with an interference engine... 

 

I might have to re-think my preference for open belts...along with everything else New-Gen related, gotta wrap my head around the idea of a 105k maintenance interval....John                   

[idosubaru]

unsure which/if any of the kits have Japanese pulleys/bearings.

 

if the EJ22 is a complete known good engine - i'd run it as is and not mess with headgaskets.  in this case (not true of older Ej22/EJ25 engines) you can bolt the 2003 Ej25 intake manifold right up to the 1999 EJ22 engine. you'll need a single port EJ22 exhaust manifold as those are single, not double port like the EJ25's.

[ivans imports]

And agian two in one week thiss ones a 07 outback run outa oil knocking is very sad 125000kms poor car never saw the negelt coming. What do you mean i cant go 10000kms without checking the oil !

[thealleyboy]

unsure which/if any of the kits have Japanese pulleys/bearings.

 

if the EJ22 is a complete known good engine - i'd run it as is and not mess with headgaskets.  in this case (not true of older Ej22/EJ25 engines) you can bolt the 2003 Ej25 intake manifold right up to the 1999 EJ22 engine. you'll need a single port EJ22 exhaust manifold as those are single, not double port like the EJ25's.

Gary, does plug and play apply to the timing components as well?  I'm shopping for a timing belt kit and there were some comments on various threads about swapping 2.5 sprockets onto the 2.2. Does the 99 2.2 maintain original 2.2 timing configuration, or does it have to be altered to work in a 2003 2.5 vehicle?   

[idosubaru]

no altering needed....sometimes you have to swap the cam sprockets if the timing marks are off in some Phase II engines...I haven't seen enough to know which ones are different. it's around 99-01 that i think it happens sometimes.  just swap cam sprockets.

 

but you asked about timing kits - that has nothing to do with timing kits....

 

you buy a timing for the engine - so you want a 1999 2.2 liter timing belt kit.

 

the sprocket and 2 pulleys are all the same/interchangeable from 1990 - like 2010 or something.

tensioners, an old style and new style introduced around 1997 so all 99+ are new style.

the belts differ though depending on vehicle/engine.

[thealleyboy]

I'll check for timing marks before dissasembling the timing belt and components.. Not clear what the issue is with the timing marks with 2.5 vehicles, but maybe it won't be relevant in my situation. thanks...John

[idosubaru]

the backs of the cam sprocket have triggers on them for the cam sensor....the triggers are different on some motors.

 

pics of back of cam with triggers on them here:

http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic.php?t=26912

 

around the 99-01 era those trigger marks may differ...if they do simply keep the sprocket with the vehicle.  if they're the same, which they usually are, no worries.

[idosubaru]

though keep in mind that thread is not about the differences i'm talking about, just the first pic i could find of the triggers.

[ivans imports]

putting a 96 2.2 short block with 99 2.2 heads togther today will tell you haw it works out will have to modify the headgaskets a bitt a few more drilled holes as have to use phase 1 headgaskets for the height

[idosubaru]

putting a 96 2.2 short block with 99 2.2 heads ight

what is different, i think i've done that swap before....

 

i've also put Phase II EJ25 heads on Phase I EJ25 blocks...which is basically the same thing since you can essentially swap Phase I EJ25 and Phase I EJ22 heads...???

[idosubaru]

putting a 96 2.2 short block with 99 2.2 heads togther today will tell you haw it works out will have to modify the headgaskets a bitt a few more drilled holes as have to use phase 1 headgaskets for the height

 

looks like there's no major differences, which has been my experience before...i think. i did a Phase II EJ22 engine vehicle and memory tells me it was a Phase I engine....

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1734851

[ivans imports]

Whent strait forward drilled 4 holes in gasket and planed the heads this is critical because the block is taller on early 2.2 the problem arises that the timing belt is way tighter fitt so by planing the heads thiss helped with that but was still very tight to get belt tentioner in anyway thiss engine ran flawlesly. Today a'm doing a 97 2.5d short block into a 03 legacy with a 2.51

[idosubaru]

W Today a'm doing a 97 2.5d short block into a 03 legacy with a 2.51

I've done that exact swap before as well, I use the EJ25D headgasket, the thinner headgaskets are risky.