1999 Forester 2.5 engine compatibility

[tbolt1003]

Our 99 Forester with 130,000 miles is in the shop again with another blown head gasket. The shop said the engine has been overheated too often and is now done, can't be fixed without doing a total rebuild. Cylinder #4 had no compression and they think the piston rings are shot on cylinder 4. The head was sent out and came back fine, no warpage or valvetrain issues found.

 

The shop suggested dropping a low-mileage 2.5 in after going through it and doing head gaskets, timing belt, etc., all the required things. I've heard the earlier 2.2s are a direct bolt-in. Any truth to that? My '95 Impreza has the 2.2 and is an awesome engine. I know they have less power than the 2.5 SOHC, but for a DD, is it worth looking at if I can't find a decent 2.5?

[Fairtax4me]

Worn rings will cause low compression. NO compression is a valve problem or a hole in the piston.

 

Regardless, the shop is right. If the engine has been overheated multiple times bearing damage is likely and the engine is not worth repairing.

 

You'll need an engine from a 99-03 Forester. Or 2000-2004 Legacy.

 

Search Car-part.com for used engines near you.

 

Another option is a rebuild from CCR.

Edited October 15, 2014 by Fairtax4me

[tbolt1003]

Thanks! Yes, compression was only 30 on cylinder 4 and there was a deep rooted knocking sound, so sure the bearings are shot. I'll try those sites. Thanks again, Fairtax.

[idosubaru]

1999-2001 EJ22's can work your 1999 Forester.  they came in 1999 Legacy's and 1999-2001 Imprezas.

[tbolt1003]

Thanks, grossgary

[idosubaru]

when swapping any 1999-2004 era Subaru (even if they're both Ej25's) it's a good idea to swap the drivers side cam and the crank sprocket onto the "new" engine.  there are two styles of triggers and i think they vary from manual to automatic but i find it simplest to just keep the d/s cam and crank sprocket with the vehicle.  if the trigger marks are the same then you can not swap them.

 

best to install a new timing belt kit with the new engine.  kits are like $115 for a Gates kit on Amazon for all new pulleys, tensioner, and belt.  makes swapping the crank/cam sprockets almost zero extra work anyway.

[tbolt1003]

I actually purchased the Gates kit through Amazon about 4 months ago when we had the head gaskets done the first time around.

 

For whatever reason, the shop did NOT use the Subaru gaskets when the head gaskets were done the first time around. This is not a Subaru specific facility. The passenger side of the engine developed a major oil leak between the block and the head about a month after the job was done. Took it back and they found the head gasket failed at an oil passage. I went to the dealer and bought the Subaru gasket for them to install. Car has been running ok since then, but started running rough with severe shaking at idle, throwing code for misfire on cylinder #4. I did a compression test and had 170 on cylinders 1-3, but 4 had only 30. Right after the test, the car started blowing coolant out the tailpipe and the telltale bubbles in the overflow tank appeared. Had it towed back to above facility where they determined the head gasket failed, but said the engine isn't worth repairing and should be replaced instead.

 

I came to find out our daughter was adding coolant and water almost every day for 2 weeks while driving to and from school before she felt the need to let me know there was a problem with the car initially and it had been overheating daily. I think the demise of the engine started back then and has been slowly becoming more and more terminal without us knowing.