99 Engine swap pricing?

[faunjoustino]

--- 1999 Subaru Legacy Outback 2.5L DOHC 4EAT AWD ---

 

Hey all! 

In anticipation of a engine swap I was talking with my local shop that is insanely experienced and truly honest, fair and professional their name is Kaiju Motorsports here in Henderson, Near Las Vegas Nevada. Let me know if there any other shops out here so far this seems to be the top notch shop in Vegas.

 

They quoted me about 17-25 hours @110/hr for a swap with a 2.2L or 2.5L, they said it would be that many hours due to all the inevitable issues that pop up with an engine swap like wiring and other mechanical hiccups. 

 

Is that a fair quote for guys who 100% know what they are doing? its not just swap and that's it they make sure it fully functional and kinks are worked out before the job is "done"

 

also if I'm buying an engine what else is necessary to purchase? I imagine its not just buy 1 engine and that's it, I'm sure there will be new gaskets or wires or ecu i have no idea.. so what else am I looking for when "buying an engine" so I can price things out ahead of time.

also let me know if swapping to an H6 ez30 is a better idea since i want to lift this thing 2 inches and make it a camper and i doubt that the 2.2 will make life very enjoyable loaded up with camping gear, they quoted about 25-35 hours for that. 

[ThosL]

The professionals will no doubt offer good advice here.

My own experience was with a 99 where the head gaskets were failing;  I found an economical shop in northern Vermont that swapped out a 2.2 for the 2.5 Outback; less power but I got some years out of it.  I paid around $1200 or so all in.

 

Edited January 14, 2022 by ThosL

[heartless]

Not a pro by any stretch, but i am going to suggest that you forget about the EZ30 - not an easy swap at all. would require MUCH more than just swapping the engine.. ECU, wiring, possibly exhaust.. yeah, you do not want to go there.

For my money, either the EJ22, or EJ251 with a head gasket job (using upgraded gaskets - not the stock ones - GD can provide excellent info on that) - either one would be vastly superior than the EJ25D you currently have. The EJ251 would have slightly better power over the EJ22. Both my previous 2002 Forester, and my current 2004 Forester have the EJ251, and with good maintenance are good engines.

As for pricing.. again, no expert, but seems a little bit high to me (more in time required than $/hr).. altho pricing varies considerably across the country - location dictates a lot, so maybe not out of line for your area. to check, you could make a few phone calls and ask for a ballpark on the job..

Regardless of which engine you get, i would recommend doing a FULL timing service* before it goes in, and reseal of the rear separator plate - unless it is obviously damaged there is no need to touch the rear main seal - do not let them tell you otherwise. 99.99% of the time any oil on the backside of the block is coming from the separator plate.
I would also recommend going thru and replacing all vacuum lines and coolant hoses while everything is easily accessible. there are a few small ones around the throttle body and under the intake that are kind of a pain to get at.
probably would not hurt to change the PCV valve either... spark plugs (basic NGK copper core), and wires, if needed (OE or NGK only), and accessory belts - power steering, alternator, AC..
Exhaust manifold gaskets will be a necessity.

*Full timing service includes water pump (Aisin w/metal gasket), thermostat (OE ONLY!), idler pulleys, belt, tensioner if needed, and a check of the backing screws on the oil pump. Would also recommend new radiator hoses at this time as well.

Do as much in the way of maintenance as can be done before the engine goes in.. save yourself headaches later... if everything is done prior to install, you should, theoretically, be good to go for 100k with little more than the periodic oil changes required.

 

[idosubaru]

18 hours ago, faunjoustino said:

--- 1999 Subaru Legacy Outback 2.5L DOHC 4EAT AWD ---

 

Hey all! 

In anticipation of a engine swap I was talking with my local shop that is insanely experienced and truly honest, fair and professional their name is Kaiju Motorsports here in Henderson, Near Las Vegas Nevada. Let me know if there any other shops out here so far this seems to be the top notch shop in Vegas.

 

They quoted me about 17-25 hours @110/hr for a swap with a 2.2L or 2.5L, they said it would be that many hours due to all the inevitable issues that pop up with an engine swap like wiring and other mechanical hiccups. 

 

Is that a fair quote for guys who 100% know what they are doing? its not just swap and that's it they make sure it fully functional and kinks are worked out before the job is "done"

 

also if I'm buying an engine what else is necessary to purchase? I imagine its not just buy 1 engine and that's it, I'm sure there will be new gaskets or wires or ecu i have no idea.. so what else am I looking for when "buying an engine" so I can price things out ahead of time.

also let me know if swapping to an H6 ez30 is a better idea since i want to lift this thing 2 inches and make it a camper and i doubt that the 2.2 will make life very enjoyable loaded up with camping gear, they quoted about 25-35 hours for that. 

Subaru book time is 12 hours. *exactly* what they are doing the other 5-13 hours?  I mean list it out for that 10 hour up charge  

“wiring or mechanical hiccups” is insufficient, and meaningless.

There are no wiring and mechanical “hiccups”. Anything like that should be addressed as they proceed not paid for ahead of time like insurance you probably won’t need.  

Shops don’t upcharge your tires before they’re installed just “in case” studs break, TPMS crack, or a wheel is bent - they encounter an issue, tell you the issue, options to resolve it, and you both work it out.

Same here check exhaust - note if there’s rust and potential costs if that’s problematic.  If you’re ordering a JDM engine then SAY it specifically, there’s maybe 1-2 hours extra work for potential wiring or shipping damages. But you didn’t say JDM so we cant even be generous with a minuscule 1-2 hour up charge.

It seems like they’re trying to make it sound like particle physics so you sign and trust their Einsteinian skills.

This sounds harsh but mostly for illustration and clarity since all we have is a text screen - Why are you paying top dollar, praising their skills, and come here to ask for advice on what parts to get?  

That’s just bizarre. I’m not even a trained mechanic never worked in a shop and I’ve already made more sense and given more quantitative Subaru specific information than they have in 6 minutes.

They should be leading that charge if they’re that good and qualified and expensive.

[idosubaru]

I’m all for paying a good shop. I’m the weird-o that pays contractors more than the bill they give and tire shop more than they charge. Pay them if they’re good. 

But also if they’re good Id expect more clarity.

They should say $1,500 for an engine swap plus any additional amounts for unforeseen issues we encounter and ask you about. 
 

Or additional charges for headgaskets. Timing belt…..what brand parts, be specific, write it out. 

You should be installing all new Subaru or AISIn timing kits. Belt pulleys and tensioner. 

GD charges like $2,500-$3,000 I think for an headgasket Job. He’s quoted his prices here before. Look them up. And he’s incredibly clear abs thorough. 

If I were you I’d be seeing how far the drive is to Portland and see if you can make  a trip to let him do it. 
 

 

Edited January 11, 2022 by idosubaru

[faunjoustino]

2 hours ago, idosubaru said:

Subaru book time is 12 hours. *exactly* what they are doing the other 5-13 hours?  I mean list it out for that 10 hour up charge  

“wiring or mechanical hiccups” is insufficient, and meaningless.

There are no wiring and mechanical “hiccups”. Anything like that should be addressed as they proceed not paid for ahead of time like insurance you probably won’t need.  

Shops don’t upcharge your tires before they’re installed just “in case” studs break, TPMS crack, or a wheel is bent - they encounter an issue, tell you the issue, options to resolve it, and you both work it out.

Same here check exhaust - note if there’s rust and potential costs if that’s problematic.  If you’re ordering a JDM engine then SAY it specifically, there’s maybe 1-2 hours extra work for potential wiring or shipping damages. But you didn’t say JDM so we cant even be generous with a minuscule 1-2 hour up charge.

It seems like they’re trying to make it sound like particle physics so you sign and trust their Einsteinian skills.

This sounds harsh but mostly for illustration and clarity since all we have is a text screen - Why are you paying top dollar, praising their skills, and come here to ask for advice on what parts to get?  

That’s just bizarre. I’m not even a trained mechanic never worked in a shop and I’ve already made more sense and given more quantitative Subaru specific information than they have in 6 minutes.

They should be leading that charge if they’re that good and qualified and expensive.

Haha doesn't sounds harsh I get it and I always appreciate you guys, and the advice you provide!

 

Im not explaining everything they have explained to me about the car, this was a rough quote they gave without even looking at the car, so the quote is worst case scenario.

 

I havent paid anything yet and havent had any work done, I used the words "wiring or mechanical hiccups” not them so im not sure what all is involved with it but I imagine "wiring" is probably 1 of the things that could take extra time and being that the other half of the car is old and was sitting for 2 years I assume there would be some issues that spring up that should be addressed.

 

Aside from that im sure you can agree that doing my due diligence to make sure im getting the best service at the best price, is a good idea, which is why im asking questions here as well as getting quotes and asking questions. The more knowledge I seek and questions I ask the more it benefits me and my vehicle.

 

But with all the advice from the community here and the Subaru mechanics im sure ill find the right people at the right price.

[idosubaru]

Good. That changes things. 

Most calls for a quote are mechanically unfamiliar, neglectful, and sometimes want the cost of a spark plug change to fix their head gaskets. Customer calls are unreliable, poorly diagnosed, lack scope and human nature is such that the poor information usually favors the customer  

Shops have to quote high, assume the worst, and hope shady customers go elsewhere.

[GeneralDisorder]

That's a mildly-high quote. And I fear they have no idea what they are talking about.....

An EJ22E swap from a 1995 automatic takes no more time than pulling and installing the original engine. This is generally about 6 hours. If you also figure a complete reseal of said engine (good idea), then you can probably figure about 14 hours. Doing HG's on-up. A qualified tech can probably do this in half that. But we consider the worst possible scenario - heli-coil many threads, lots of cleaning and prep, etc......

251 bottom end swap is similar - should be about 14-16 hours at MOST. 

Shops do quote high. Hell.... I know this better than anyone - people ask me for quotes on the most outlandish things you can imagine - we are really a high performance speed and tuning shop that does repair and maintenance to keep the lights on in the winter, etc. Many of my customers don't trust any other shop because I'm honest to a fault - I charge what is needed to pay my employees a proper living wage and keep my lights on. 

 I'm also not in the repair market in your area of the country so it's really hard for me to determine an "honest" quote. 

GD

[el_freddo]

Do your research on the forum of the options to swap out the EJ25D to something more reliable. I know I’ve read many of GD’s posts about this and many other active members have done this with the same results and the same comments to be made. 

With the wiring issues mentioned etc, I was initially thinking you were talking about doing a full engine swap including wiring loom, but that’s not necessary unless you’re moving to a factory turbo engine. Then it gets full on in the wiring department! 

Get onto those threads about swapping out the EJ25D  

Cheers 

Bennie

[faunjoustino]

On 1/11/2022 at 6:42 PM, GeneralDisorder said:

That's a mildly-high quote. And I fear they have no idea what they are talking about.....

An EJ22E swap from a 1995 automatic takes no more time than pulling and installing the original engine. This is generally about 6 hours. If you also figure a complete reseal of said engine (good idea), then you can probably figure about 14 hours. Doing HG's on-up. A qualified tech can probably do this in half that. But we consider the worst possible scenario - heli-coil many threads, lots of cleaning and prep, etc......

251 bottom end swap is similar - should be about 14-16 hours at MOST. 

Shops do quote high. Hell.... I know this better than anyone - people ask me for quotes on the most outlandish things you can imagine - we are really a high performance speed and tuning shop that does repair and maintenance to keep the lights on in the winter, etc. Many of my customers don't trust any other shop because I'm honest to a fault - I charge what is needed to pay my employees a proper living wage and keep my lights on. 

 I'm also not in the repair market in your area of the country so it's really hard for me to determine an "honest" quote. 

GD

 

Total came out to $4,319.37

does this seem high enough to just swap the engine out?

[idosubaru]

The decision to swap or repair should be based on how much you trust that this engine wasn't severely overheated before and how good is the warranty on the used engine? 

Multiple times over a long period of time or really hot for an extended period of time are bad for the lower end bearings.  I'd pay $1,000 more to repair that engine then take a gamble on a 25 year old used one that may have overheated before, been repaired (how well), and potentially deal with used engine warranties....if you know it wasn't likely overheated much in it's past.

That's the worst engine Subaru ever made due to the headgaskets. The random nature of them overheating, they didn't (when they were younger) mix oil/coolant, loose coolant, or fail compression tests.  So they confused people all the time who swore it wasn't headgasket, would limp it home replace radiators, or water pumps, or whatever other guess they hoped would fix it.  Then since the overheating was random - they'd think it was fixed.  And drive it a few more months and it overheats again and wash-rinse-repeat, replace the thermostat for annother round of overheating and limping along.  That's dangerous for bearings.

I'd base this on what you know about the two engines more than price. 

20 hours is a lot, you don't replace Subaru head bolts, and the heads need resurfaced, not a full valve job.  But I can understand it's quicker for them to charge you $100 and install clean bolts and they're probably not set up to adjust those valves like I can in my own fancy harbor freight equipped garage. LOL

Edited January 13, 2022 by idosubaru

[faunjoustino]

55 minutes ago, idosubaru said:

The decision to swap or repair should be based on how much you trust that this engine wasn't severely overheated before and how good is the warranty on the used engine? 

Multiple times over a long period of time or really hot for an extended period of time are bad for the lower end bearings.  I'd pay $1,000 more to repair that engine then take a gamble on a 25 year old used one that may have overheated before, been repaired (how well), and potentially deal with used engine warranties....if you know it wasn't likely overheated much in it's past.

 

 

So when i drove this car 2 years ago it was overheating and my dad had a bottle of coolant in the car because it kept loosing coolant, I think it was evaporating in the overflow tank from getting too hot, but not 100% sure. 

So I have no clue how much is was overheated other than when I drove it , and what do you consider overheating? Anything past the middle of the gauge? temp 3/4 to H? what exactly is excessive?

Because when I drove it to its 2 year temporary grave site, the gauge was going from middle to about 3/4 to H and I would pull over let it "cool down" for about 15 mins throw some of the coolant from the overflow back into the radiator and or water, after each stop it cooled down a bit and was stable for about 5 mins and If my memory serves me correctly I think the temp gauge ended up moving towards H pretty even with me stepping on the throttle, as in Id give it some gas and it would climb to about 3/4 to H and I would slow down and it would drop a bit. 

 

Its hard to say how long I actually drove it like that but id say all together NOT including pulling over and waiting about 15-25 mins of slow careful driving and pulling over when it got about to 3/4 to H.

 

what do you think? 

[el_freddo]

3 hours ago, idosubaru said:

That's the worst engine Subaru ever made due to the headgaskets. 

I’d argue it was the EA82, then made worse with the EA82 turbo... 

But it’s definitely the worse EJ series engine of all time. And it’s reputation tainted the EJ251’s, coupled with the dodgy factory head gaskets that leaked early and externally it cemented the general EJ25’s reputation as poor. But with the correct HG used in the EJ251 onwards with a swap job done correctly they’re a very reliable engine. 

As for the OP, the best EJ25D “hybrid” build I seem to read about over and over is the EJ251 bottom end between the EJ25D heads. Can’t tell you what HGs to use though, and this is the important bit to get right! 

Cheers 

Bennie

[GeneralDisorder]

That shop doesn't know what they are talking about. So many flaws in that quote. 

High Points:

You don't buy a head gasket "kit". You buy the parts individually - it's much cheaper. About $100 cheaper than their quote. Or more. And that's OEM Subaru retail pricing I'm talking about. Subaru only sells a complete gasket kit and those are not a good deal as they cover multiple engines and include many things you do not need and will not be using. 

Head bolts are NOT TTY and do not require replacement except on an individual basis if they are damaged or corroded (not typical). At least they got the pricing right. But they don't understand these engines. 

This engine does not use Super-Blue coolant and never did. That came 10 years later in 2009. And it eats plastic cooling system components. I would avoid it at all costs on vehicles not designed for it. It is NOT better than standard green. 

Subaru oil filters are junk - made by Honeywell/Fram (lowest bidder) for the USDM only. Even Subaru Japan will not allow their use on the newer engines. WIX is much better with an up-front bypass valve design. Amsoil is better yet although right now the EA15K12 filter is back-ordered due to production delays related to the short supply of steel to make filters. 

Valve stem seals are a good idea and resurfacing is absolutely required but they make no mention of the need (and it IS needed) to check and adjust the valve lash on the heads. Many of the shims are NLA from Subaru and this may require grinding the valve stems to adjust the lash, and also the shims are generally not in stock for the 25D - requiring often a 3-5 day wait to get these parts. 

They have too many hours for the head gasket replacement, and insufficient labor/parts for the cylinder head work. 

They have 6 liters of oil listed for an engine that takes 4.3 liters (4.5 quarts). 

There's likely more if I want to read between the lines but I've already started drinking and IMHO this shop is not qualified to work on this engine. 

GD

Edited January 14, 2022 by GeneralDisorder

[idosubaru]

5 hours ago, faunjoustino said:

So when i drove this car 2 years ago it was overheating and my dad had a bottle of coolant in the car because it kept loosing coolant, I think it was evaporating in the overflow tank from getting too hot, but not 100% sure. 

So I have no clue how much is was overheated other than when I drove it , and what do you consider overheating? Anything past the middle of the gauge? temp 3/4 to H? what exactly is excessive?

Because when I drove it to its 2 year temporary grave site, the gauge was going from middle to about 3/4 to H and I would pull over let it "cool down" for about 15 mins throw some of the coolant from the overflow back into the radiator and or water, after each stop it cooled down a bit and was stable for about 5 mins and If my memory serves me correctly I think the temp gauge ended up moving towards H pretty even with me stepping on the throttle, as in Id give it some gas and it would climb to about 3/4 to H and I would slow down and it would drop a bit. 

 

Its hard to say how long I actually drove it like that but id say all together NOT including pulling over and waiting about 15-25 mins of slow careful driving and pulling over when it got about to 3/4 to H.

 

what do you think? 

I’d look at local used engines and see if you can find one from a wreck or blown trans or rust or otherwise suggestive of running fine before the wreck, etc. and look up their warranty.  if you find one like that the answer gets easier.

Better to know your options before deciding. Right now we have no clue what your options are  

Long reasoning for that answer:

Excessive would be engine running while it’s pegged or near H. They usually overheat instantly and can’t really be “cooled down…driven….cooled down” much except for really short distances once they start overheating that bad.

Exhaust gases get pushed into the coolant and cavitate or otherwise prevent coolant flow (which is why the cabin looses heat).

And keep in mind you don’t know what you’re comparing it too.

If you can verify a used engine is coming from a wreck, that doesn’t guarantee it’s never been egregiously overheated but it’s better than not knowing anything.

If you think yours was overheated a lot, a used engine from a wreck or blown trans, etc would be my preferred solution.

Ive got one in my garage that’s never been overheated. I told a friend what to watch for and he called me the day he had symptoms. I built him an engine to replace it (he’s a great guy I did it for free), his mechanic installed it for him and I got the old engine.  You want to find one like that (unlikely) or wrecked, etc.

Anyway - check with local yards and see if any come from wrecks or blown trans where presumably the engine was running fine before it was junked. 

[idosubaru]

3 hours ago, el_freddo said:

I’d argue it was the EA82, then made worse with the EA82 turbo... 

EA82s were not commonly blowing at 16,000 miles under warranty, receiving headgasket TSBs, and extended head gasket only warranties.

TSB/warranties were on later EJ25s.  but those are “better” and still needed legal help, TSBs,band extended warranties.

The sentiment that EA82s were bad is largely a function of age or a small, skewed (more EJ25s than EA) sample size. They were already old when forums started.  They were never high value cars in most areas of the US, which typically means reduced care and maintenance.

Few people commenting between EA82s and EJ25s were *equally exposed* to the large number of both engines new, zero miles, under warranty.  You don’t need to be but most people see best that way.

Im not even against EJ25Ds. Just know what you’re getting into snd do jt right. Get a good one install new headgaskets snd resurface and they’re a reassemble engine. Just a few more issues, less forgiving, and labor intensive than others. 

[el_freddo]

Agreed with that last paragraph. 

As for the warranty stuff that’s good info and justified. Having several EA82 engines in my L series they’re a serious PITA to keep oil in them with their crap OHC box setup. That was a design flaw to meet the marketing of OHC performance. I truely believe the EA81 was destined for the L series until the OHC performance catch cry wasn’t met. 

Anyway, I digress from the topic at hand. There are most likely more EJ25Ds on the road than there were EA82s. There are certainly more EJ25s overall! 

I really like the EJ251 in my sister’s RX Liberty (1999/2000 model). It pulls like a freight train and with the proper HG swap, shaved heads and DIY valve grind it’s still going strong at 470-480,000km. Very happy with it. 

Cheers

Bennie

[ThosL]

That's a lot of money for an old vehicle.  I'd look at competitors in other towns or states, though the tow would cost.  North of $4K for a top to bottom engine swap and rebuild is pretty extreme.  If you did a thorough search for Subarus that would be as good as that one, and may be available for under $5K.  

[heartless]

i am sitting here looking at the timing costs.. OMG is that WAY overpriced!!!

the total of JUST the timing components is $689.35 - plus taxes... that is some serious raping there.

a good Aisin timing kit is about 1/3rd that cost - just purchased one for our 2004 EJ251 at a cost of $244 & change - i would expect one for the EJ25D to be similar, possibly a little less and yes, this includes the water pump, all the idlers, etc..

and i have to agree on the EJ251 - with proper care, they are a good motor.. my 2002 Forester had one, as does the 2004... the 02 had similar mileage when I sold it and was still going strong. I personally have no experience with the EJ25D, based on info from this forum, i tend to avoid them, LOL

[idosubaru]

7 hours ago, heartless said:

i am sitting here looking at the timing costs.. OMG is that WAY overpriced!!!

the total of JUST the timing components is $689.35 - plus taxes... that is some serious raping there.

a good Aisin timing kit is about 1/3rd that cost - just purchased one for our 2004 EJ251 at a cost of $244 & change - i would expect one for the EJ25D to be similar, possibly a little less and yes, this includes the water pump, all the idlers, etc..

and i have to agree on the EJ251 - with proper care, they are a good motor.. my 2002 Forester had one, as does the 2004... the 02 had similar mileage when I sold it and was still going strong. I personally have no experience with the EJ25D, based on info from this forum, i tend to avoid them, LOL

It's las vegas...I guess we should expect excess.  lol

I agree. At the same time, many shops have to have simple one size fits all solutions that are easily repeatable for the dozens of different vehicles/years/makes/models they see monthly.  Imagine doing this for every quote, phone call or question on 50 different engines in a month.  One size fits all solutions are typically wasteful but they are common place in almost of business.  Lots of shops do this, or use aftermarket parts, or don't replace the ideal parts (just the t belt or belt and pump, etc)

That's the norm. 

The surprise isn't those - but the shop that can dial it in for platform specific service on each engine type. That's where manufacturer specific service can be helpful.

I agree with you but I don't necessarily call them evil or cheats.  Their business (and maybe reputation) is apparently good enough, or Las Vegas crazy enough,  the market allows them to do it. 

[heartless]

yeah, i get it... and this is probably one of the biggest reasons I learned to do stuff myself.. despite the fact that "women dont work on cars" lol

buying the components individually is ALWAYS going to cost more, always. And buying direct from a dealer.. yeah..

 

[idosubaru]

On 1/15/2022 at 8:41 AM, heartless said:

yeah, i get it... and this is probably one of the biggest reasons I learned to do stuff myself.. despite the fact that "women dont work on cars" lol

Oh right on.  I know you get it.  I was thinking about the op, didn’t want op to think the shop is completely off base or dishonest.

[heartless]

4 hours ago, idosubaru said:

Oh right on.  I know you get it.  I was thinking about the op, didn’t want op to think the shop is completely off base or dishonest.

about the only thing I think the shop is way off base on is the labor hours..  I also realize that most shops have a "shop time" listing that is used to estimate pricing.. but i still think the 20hrs is excessive.

and yeah, go look up prices for the parts, even at the Subaru discount places, and the prices are not that far off when looking at individual parts - thus the reason for the Aisin kits.. a third of the cost, and quality parts.

I am lucky enough to have a decent shop near me that is reputable, and i trust enough, to take my car to when I am unable to do things for various reasons.. stuff like wheel bearings (dont have the equipment), alignments, etc..   And they have no issue with me bringing in parts that I have sourced myself.

 

[faunjoustino]

On 1/13/2022 at 5:52 PM, GeneralDisorder said:

This engine does not use Super-Blue coolant and never did. That came 10 years later in 2009. And it eats plastic cooling system components. I would avoid it at all costs on vehicles not designed for it. It is NOT better than standard green. 

Ok so.... Keep in mind this car just got done sitting for two years and I just turned it on 2 days ago.

Just changed the valve cover gaskets, spark plugs, oil and oil filter, thermostat and coolant. 

I just filled my system to the brim with Super-Blue..... 

car has been running fine and just yesterday my upper radiator hose kind of sprayed itself loose. I was driving starting getting slightly over middle on the temp gauge, parked it and checked the hose came right off and the plastic port on the radiator was broken off and stuck inside the hose. 

Its hard to tell if the plastic was already broken or not but considering that 2 years ago I remember seeing coolant coming out of that hose and I'm only just now remembering this and the car sat and parts are brittle I'm hoping that It was already like that because even though what you said about it eating plastic I don't think it would eat it in barely 2 days.. or would it? I'm not sure

I'm replacing the radiator anyways because looking at it now it literally curved from being hit apparently. but what coolant should I be using? can you provide me a link to the right stuff? and is there anything i should do other than drain the blue out and replace it?
 

[idosubaru]

16 minutes ago, faunjoustino said:

Ok so.... Keep in mind this car just got done sitting for two year

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/prestone-all-vehicles-50-50-antifreeze-coolant-gallon-af2100/7020013-P?navigationPath=L1*14922|L2*15020|L3*15924

Ask the auto parts store. It’s the half a century old ubiquitous generic green coolant available anywhere. Prestone or other brands. but the full strength snd mix yourself 50/50 with distilled water. If you don’t have an owners manual get one - it lists all the fluids and weights. 

Old radiators fail, I’m not a shop/mechanic and I’ve lost count of how many radiators I’ve replaced. The area you mentioned is a frequent fail point. When it cracked is immaterial, it was bent, sat for years and old.  Install a new one.