Cam and Crank Gear Compatibility

[Zoltan]

So I just put in a different EJ25 in my USDM NA 2003 Forester EJ25 SOHC automatic. .   The motor I put in is an EJ25 but I dont know from what car. I just used the long block and swapped intakes.  Would not start and showing cam and crank sensor codes.  I found out the hard way (6 hours of taking the timing belt on and off) that the cam gear and crank gear is not the same on all EJ25's. Not a fun day.   Seems the sensors are the same.  I have already scrapped the bad motor.  My question is does anyone happen to know if there are only 2 types of cam and crank gears for a USDM  EJ25 SOHC.  This will make my search at the local pick and pull easier as I just need to make sure it;s not the one I currently have.  Thanks for taking the time to read this.

[el_freddo]

Ouch. Never throw anything away until a week after the job is done. Then you’ll need something the week later  Murphy’s Law. 

I believe there is only two types of crank and cam pulleys, but I could be wrong. 

Best bet is to find the same model and year build as your subi in the parts yard, then pilfer the crank sprocket and camwheel. 

Cheers 

Bennie

[Zoltan]

Yeah I tend to learn things the hard way.   The pick and pull does have my model but motor is gone.

 

[idosubaru]

Yes there are only 2 types.  One has like 10 trigger marks on the back just in a few places, the other style has a continuous run of dozens of teeth over the entire circumference. 

I think its usually, or always, a manual transmission and automatic difference.  You probably have a manual trans and it has auto engine and gears...or the other way around.

so get an EJ set from an auto or manual to match your vehicle.

 

[ocei77]

Must be a year/ gen thing.

I just swapped an engine from an 05 into my 5mt from an auto. The crank gears are exactly the same.

O.

Edited October 7, 2019 by ocei77

[Mike104]

These are the two crank gears (as idosubaru said)

 

Here are the two drivers side cam gears

When I swapped in a JDM EJ20 motor into my 03 Forester I kept the original intake manifold and swapped over the drivers side cam and crank gears as that was mentioned in several JDM swap posts.  Sorry you learned the hard way.

Edited October 7, 2019 by Mike104

[Zoltan]

No Worries. At least the hard lessons get burned into the mind.   I got it running nice now, and am so much quicker at timing belts as well.  Thanks ocei77.  I can also confirm that auto and manual sometimes compatable. On a side not I had to helicoil one of the idler holes as well.   Wow thoose Helicoil kits must be the highest markup product at an auto parts store, and no one seems to carry a generic brand. I wonder why?

[idosubaru]

14 hours ago, ocei77 said:

Must be a year/ gen thing.

I just swapped an engine from an 05 into my 5mt from an auto. The crank gears are exactly the same.

O.

certainly is a year/gen thing, none of this is true at all for 90-99 Phase I stuff or probably 05+ so you had zero chance of seeing it.  I should have said it but I assumed he’d check first before buying. 

Fewer trigger mark variant: 90-04

More trigger mark variant: 00-14

im pretty sure that there’s simply an overlap around 00-04 where both are used while they transitioned from the old fewer teeth style to the newer more teeth style