JDM Engine replacement: Experience? Good/Bad?

[Skizix67]

Need a new engine "09 OB w 2.5L SOHC.  Hard to find & High$.  Looking @ JDM engines from Japan.  Anyone used them?

[heartless]

why do you need a new engine? what specifically is wrong?

have you tried looking on car-part.com?

[idosubaru]

7 hours ago, Skizix67 said:

Need a new engine "09 OB w 2.5L SOHC.  Hard to find & High$.  Looking @ JDM engines from Japan.  Anyone used them?

Get a new Subaru short block with 36,000 mile warranty for $2k: 
https://www.subarupartwholesale.com/p/Subaru_2009_Outback/Engine-Short-Block/49223018/10103AB820.html

Or rebuild the heads with new headgaskets. 

If you do that you shouldn't have head gasket worries and end up with a warranty.

But yes JDM engines and transmissions are used all the time, I've bought a few as well as many other folks. That's why there's multiple sellers of them around the US selling a bunch of them.  No particular supplier has any secret sources for "better" JDM's - they're all sourced similarly from Japan, so focus on which supplier is easiest to work with regarding distance/potential returns/etc.

[Numbchux]

I've bought one, and plan to buy a couple more.

I just bought on eBay, paid with a Credit Card through PayPal. This gives me 3 separate avenues for accountability/charge dispute. Read the sellers feedback history, make sure they have a decent history, and have been selling engines for some time (I noticed at least one seller that had a decent rating, but almost exclusively on small parts...).

 

Best practice is to swap the intake manifold and all wiring over from the old engine.

 

The link that @idosubaruposted is for a bare, new shortblock. This will have a 1 year warranty.

Call your local dealership and ask about remanufactured shorblocks. These are about the same price, but come with oil pan, pump, water pump, thermostat, etc, and come with a 3 year 36k mile warranty.

[laegion]

21 hours ago, Skizix67 said:

Need a new engine "09 OB w 2.5L SOHC.  Hard to find & High$.  Looking @ JDM engines from Japan.  Anyone used them?

I have...and I definitely have some advice.
Make sure you buy from an importer who doesn't require the engine to be put in by a mechanic to have a valid warranty. #1 most important. Make sure they do compression tests and ask for the results.
If you go that route plan to swap your intake over to the new motor. I wouldn't worry about wiring necessarily unless they cut wires on the engine side as with the lower mileage they are likely in better condition than original. However many will go with the intake anyway.
If you are not sure what kind of issue your engine is having and it is possible it's a fuel delivery issue. Then buy some remanufactured/cleaned and flowmatched injectors and install them. The JDM ones are likely clogged from drying fuel.
Change the valve cover gaskets and sparkplugs before install.
Check that the flywheel or flexplate bolts are torqued to spec.
Plan on doing a full timing belt and water pump.
Probably not a bad idea to pull the oil pan, inspect for dents, make sure the oil pickup tube seal is good. They are often left sitting on the oil pan for long periods of time and it can be damaged.

[idosubaru]

8 hours ago, laegion said:

I have...and I definitely have some advice.
Make sure you buy from an importer who doesn't require the engine to be put in by a mechanic to have a valid warranty. #1 most important. Make sure they do compression tests and ask for the results.

Do some have a policy that they warranty DIY installs? I’ve never seen a JDM engine supplier that, as an official policy, will warranty a DIY install.  If an employee says it via email or phone that they will, that adhoc comment for expediency to make the sale may not stand in the event a warranty claim if it’s counter to policy.  And if you have a some kind of repoire with them, you may get warranty replacement without proof of their requirements. But usually their *official policy* (though it’s not always followed) is no warranty for DIY install.

Ive seen various damaged connectors due to their exposure during shipping. Newer engines are worse with all their oil solenoids, vacuum pumps, etc. I just splice in from engine being replaced. Easy. 

I’d look for it like you said but I wouldnt rule every engine out without a compression test. Def worth doing but statistically it’s a low enough chance I would still buy it if there’s other compelling reasons to do so. 

 

[1197sts]

I just put one in a 2001 LL Bean. The JDM replacements are a good option on the EZ30 engines. Shipping prices are getting quite expensive now, but not much you can do about that. Like previously mentioned, re-use your intake manifold and wiring, put in new seals, plugs, thermostat, where appropriate.

[el_freddo]

The H6 is a very different beast in the HG swap department, much cheaper to drop in a JDM second hand engine. A mate of mine did the same over here as it was cheaper and less than half the km’s than what his engine had on it. 

Cheers 

Bennie

[laegion]

2 hours ago, idosubaru said:

Do some have a policy that they warranty DIY installs? I’ve never seen a JDM engine supplier that, as an official policy, will warranty a DIY install.  If an employee says it via email or phone that they will, that adhoc comment for expediency to make the sale may not stand in the event a warranty claim if it’s counter to policy.  And if you have a some kind of repoire with them, you may get warranty replacement without proof of their requirements. But usually their *official policy* (though it’s not always followed) is no warranty for DIY install.

Ive seen various damaged connectors due to their exposure during shipping. Newer engines are worse with all their oil solenoids, vacuum pumps, etc. I just splice in from engine being replaced. Easy. 

I’d look for it like you said but I wouldnt rule every engine out without a compression test. Def worth doing but statistically it’s a low enough chance I would still buy it if there’s other compelling reasons to do so. 

 

I don't believe I have seen any that specifically mention DIY installs but I have seen where they didn't specify that it had to be an A.S.E. certified mechanic who installed the engine to get a warranty. They just stated the warranty policy and didn't mention it. I went with one of the former because the engine was a few hundred cheaper...and I regret it.
However it's possible I just missed the fine print somewhere. I also wish I had purchased through ebay as they give an additional layer of protection and then even another through paypal...

I'm just a bit sour on my own JDM swap...

[Numbchux]

AFAIK, the warranty for a DIYer is generally 30 days, and they just give you another engine. And they expect to get theirs back in exactly the condition it was sent. As such, I waited to order mine until I was 100% ready to put it in. I had all my gaskets, timing components, etc. on hand. The old motor was out with the intake manifold off and ready to use. So I swapped everything over (kept everything I removed from the JDM engine in a box) and was ready to start test driving about 3 days after it arrived.