Jump to content
Ultimate Subaru Message Board

Is this engine worth rebuilding?


Recommended Posts

Right after I posted this I found a ej22 at my local junk yard. It was pulled from a 95 legacy that was rear ended and totaled. It has 268,000 on it but was checked out before being pulled and was labeled "a good runner". They couldn't find any compression numbers for it though. I'm just gonna replace head gaskets, timing belt assembly, cam seals and main seals. Anything else I should replace?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, lmdew said:

The HG on the 2.2 are not much of a problem.  I would not do them unless you know they are bad.

Check out www.car-part.com

I'm sure you will find one with lower miles.

Alright. I'd like to check the condition of the cylinders at the same time. It's pretty oily on the underside, I can't see any sign of coolant and the oil doesn't show signs of contamination. 

Car-part may have one with lower miles but I only paid $200 and it's already on the stand in my garage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It’ll look like every other subaru’s cylinders - visible crosshatching... what more do you want to look at? 

If the HGs are not blown, don’t touch them. I got five years from my junk yard HG’d EJ22 before they started leaking. They didn’t have an easy life in my hands either - boiled the coolant on a soft beach crossing, froze the block up in our high country (used the wrong coolant - rookie mistake!). Two years after the freezing they let go when I gassed the AC for the first time in having this engine. 

New HGs and she’s still going. Wish I did the rings at the same time but didn’t know about this practice back then. 

I’d do the cam belt kit and water pump, all coolant pipes, front and rear engine oil seals then shove it in. If you’re removing the intake manifold for whatever reason, I’d replace the coolant crossover pipe O rings too. 

Cheers 

Bennie

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

odds are that the oiliness is from the cam cover seals being shot, not the headgaskets.

make sure you reseal the oil separator plate on the back of the engine.. if it has a plastic cover, get the metal replacement & the screws to go with it (the screws for the plastic cover are too long to use with the metal one).

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, moosens said:

Indeed , be prepared with a bullnose Phillips screwdriver and you might find tapping on it as you turn helps break them free. They can be bears. 

I’ve got one of those hammer drivers for that job. Makes those oil seperator plate screws child’s play ;) 

Cheers 

Bennie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He’s right again. Just that I would take that chance. Adds to the budget and only you know what your finances dictate. Roll dice , don’t roll dice. But the engine is a solid performer and odds are you’d at least get a year out of it. For all we know maybe that’s all you expect or want from it. I’ve been there. Grab a winter beater so I can work sidejobs and make many thousands of dollars from a $500 car.... done that. Worth it. 

Actually at the same point now with my 2003. I’ll do the headgaskets because I really want to keep this car. That’s my expectancy. Not a favor to my budget but we hope times plays out well and the job becomes even more worthwhile. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all the info and input guys.

I'm going to do the head gaskets along with all the other stuff mentioned. It would be my luck that they blow as soon as I put it in the car.

Right now I'm working on figuring a way to do a compression check while it's on an engine stand (cold obviously). Also, what numbers am I looking for?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A normal good-running NA engine will throw about 190 compression in the car. After sitting I would expect it to be lower. As long as they are even the number doesn't matter. If I pulled a cold compression from an engine that had sat on a shelf I wouldn't be surprised to see all of them around 100. 

GD

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Zip Tie said:

When I do the head gaskets, do I need new head bolts? I've seen people say yes and no.

No.  Reuse them. Subaru says so in the FSM.  Subaru gaskets and reuse the bolts.

head prep, cleaning and lubricating threads and proper torque is where you want to pay attention.

If you don’t want to clean the old ones or they’re pitted and damaged, get new ones.  I’ve never replaced head bolts, I did like once 10 years ago on some outlier engine 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If they are pitted from rust, etc. then replace them. If they aren't just clean them in some mineral spirits. DO NOT wire wheel them. You will remove the anti-friction coating they have. Use Amsoil assembly lube (a LOT of it) for head bolt lube after chasing the block threads and making sure they are brain-surgery clean. 

GD

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...