Need help with engine swap woes!

[Miss STI 12]

Hi everyone. I was pointed to this forum by NASIOC for help with some swap issues, hoping you guys have some input!

 

I have a 96 legacy outback with a bad body but good engine. I found a 99 legacy l with a perfect body but blown engine. The 99 was originally a 2.2 as is my outback, but the previous owner decided to swap to a 2.5. The headgasket blew and then he gave up on the project.

 

Here's my problem: the 2.2 is in the car and mated to the trans but the engine harness won't mate to the body harness. Originally we were told that the car had 2.2 electronics, a 2.2 head, but 2.5 block. Now I'm not so sure that's the case because the 2.5 engine harness won't work on the 2.2, BUT the 2.2 engine harness won't mate to the body harness, which we're now assuming is a 2.5 harness.

 

There's 3 main plugs that won't work so can we just cut the plugs off and splice the plugs in from the 2.2 harness, or do we just need to swap the entire body harness? Or are we missing something else completely?

 

Sorry for the novel! I appreciate any help!!

[86BRATMAN]

In a nut shell, you have a phase 1 ej22 for a donor, and a phase 2 ej22 recipient.  The wiring won't match between the two cars.  Best case scenario is to use the everything electronic off the 99's engine, engine harness, throttle body, sensors and bolt them to the 96 ej22.  You will have some cold start idle issues because the phase 2 engines use a different idle air control vlave setup. 

 

Recent thread of similarity to yours

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/136975-swap-1996-22l-motor-into-a-2000-legacy/

[Miss STI 12]

Hmmmm okay.

 

So would I be able to swap the body harness from the phase 1 to phase 2 car to work with the phase 1 2.2? Or would it be easier to swap all sensors and engine harness from the 2.5 to the 2.2?

[davebugs]

Transmission sensors are different, etc so you can't swap harness in the car I believe.

 

99 has 2 speed sensors, the older car 1 - for starters.

[johnceggleston]

do you have the 99 ej22 that was original to the car?

 

if yes, and the heads are still good,

swap the 99 heads and intake on to the 96 ej22 short block. (maybe the crank sprocket as well.)

this will put you back on the road, with no problems.

 

or bolt the 99 ej22 heads on to the ej25 short block.

this will also put you back on the road, with no problems..

 

and finally, you can bolt the 99 throttle body, and swap the 99 intake harness on to the 96 ej22 long block .

this should get you back on the road but you will always have a CEL, for something, i forget what exactly.

so if you live in an area where a CEL will fail an inspection, this is not a good solution.

 

99 legacy L is a phase 2 engine.

the engines  that are a plug and play swap are:

any ej22 99 - 00

any ej25 00 - 02 , (you MAY have to swap the 99 ej22 intake manifold and the cam & crank sprockets. they will bolt right on.)

 

03 - 04 will swap with some work, but you WILL have to swap the cam and crank sprockets and the intake manifold.

 

99 was a transition year, it may not be exactly like a 00. i'm not sure. but it is close enough so that you can make it work with the correct parts from the original engine.

 

good luck.

Edited May 23, 2013 by johnceggleston

[Fairtax4me]

Simple to figure out which engine is in it. And which heads are on it.

2.2 vs 2.5: 2.2 heads are single cam, 2.5 heads of that era were dual cam.

If single cam 2.2heads, Are the valve covers flat with holes for the spark plugs? Or are the valve covers rounded and the plugs go in at an angle above the covers?

 

To identify the block look on top of the block just under the alternator. It will say either Ej22 or EJ25.

 

It sound to me like the engine that was in it ran. So the electronics on that engine must have plugged in. Meaning the wire harness, at least, is original to the car.

It sounds like the PO did a 2.2 head swap onto a 2.5 block (quite common) he would have had to use the original 2.2 heads, intake manifold, and engine harness. The only thing different is the short block between the heads.

 

Take your 2.2 short block, combine that with the 99 2.2 heads (flat valve covers), and use the intake manifold that matches those heads. The wire harness goes with the intake manifold.

[Miss STI 12]

Thanks for all the input everyone.

 

We've got the throttle bodies swapped but the distributors won't swap and the one on my existing 2.2 won't plug into the newer engine harness, both ends are female. So now we're back to being stuck.

[Miss STI 12]

Looks like our last option is to do what Fairtax4me said.. taking the 99 2.2 heads and putting them on to the 96 2.2 block. Going to start that now..