Purchasing a Legacy with rebuilt 2.2L

[recurve]

I've never owned a Subaru, but I'm trying to fix that.

 

I'm considering purchasing a 99 Legacy wagon, 5sp manual. The owner told me that it has a rebuilt 2.2L engine with 50K miles on it. The body of the car has 150K miles. He explained that the timing belt broke at 100K and they had "everything but the block" replaced. He's asking $4500. I'm concerned that the car was neglected, due to the t-belt failure, but because it's been rebuilt, perhaps that doesn't matter as much.

 

Is this an overly risky buy? My wife and I will be driving around town with our 15 month old and we need good, reliable transportation. We take occasional 1000 mile trips to the inlaws.

 

What should I look for or ask the owner, especially about the engine, when I'm inspecting the car?

 

Assuming that the car may have been neglected to some degree, what other problems could I expect from a Subaru with 150K?

 

This is my first post on this fantastic site, BTW. Thanks in advance for your advice.

[idosubaru]

that's an average deal....the engine work doesn't matter...who did it and how good of a job they did makes all the difference. since you can't garauntee that, then that is an added risk...maybe a small one, but an added risk. if you can get the paper work for the engine work showing exactly what was replaced and who did it....i'd lean more towards buying the car personally.

 

timing belts break sometimes, i wouldn't consider that neglect....it may be, but not all the time. the belt can break, the pulley bearings can go bad and break the belt as well.

 

i'd look around and compare deals. look up some subaru's on craigslist and autotrader and compare. i picked up a 60,000 mile 97 OBS for $3,600 this year. the kicker is some hail damage, dimples in the body. i'll trade that for an excellent vehicle anyday. i recommend 100,000 or less miles. subarus are good to 200,000+ sure, but wheel bearings, alternators, starters, u-joints, brake calipers, trans...all of these things have much higher failure rates at 200,000 than 100,000. i'd rather be closer to the 100,000 mile end if i were recommending something for complete reliability. i drive 200,000+ mile subarus' but i know how to fix them and rebuild my bearings, ujoints, replace alts and starters, i know what i'm doing. for strict out of the box reliability i like to recommend to friends something 100,000 or less. that's why i picked up the 60,000 mile OBS for my wife. but again...if the engine rebuild was indeed done and it has all new components that is a very good thing. were the pulleys/tensioners replaced?

 

paper work on the rebuild would be nice, verifying what and who did the work in case there are any questions.

[subeman90]

personally I wouldn't worry about it if they can provide some documents like gary said. you know the saying....sh@# happens. I know someone who broke a t-belt and it only had 40k on it. Sure you hope it never happens but like I said... sh@# happens. if the overall cond. is good then I say try to get them down a little and take it.

 

 

For reference: my folks bought a 99 sedan with 61k on it 2 months ago for $7800 cash/no trade at a mom and pop dealer.

 

Drive it and if you like it beat them up a little on price and buy that thing and enjoy the snow for once.

[gbrand]

Welcome to the board! My comments, I believe the 99's came with the 2.5L engine, which is an interference engine, unlike most of the 2.2L. That would be consistent with the story of the timing belt breaking and major engine work being required. Assuming it waw done right, esp. if the head gaskets were done with whatever the latest information/parts are to prevent leaks-a problem on early 2.5L's (search else where on this forum for more info) this could be a real good long lasting car. I would look at the numbers on the engine itself, to see what it really is. IF it is a 2.2L in a car that had a 2.5L originally I would look at the integrity of the swap out, and any inspection issues if you are in a strict emmissions inspection state/county. Let us know what you find out!

[Subarunation 713]

...I believe the 99's came with the 2.5L engine, which is an interference engine, unlike most of the 2.2L. ....IF it is a 2.2L in a car that had a 2.5L originally I would look at the integrity of the swap out, and any inspection issues if you are in a strict emmissions inspection state/county. Let us know what you find out!

The 2.2 was in many 99s from the factory (like my 99). The 1997 to 1999 2.2 Legacy and 1997 to 2001 2.2 Impreza and Outback Jr is an interference solid lifter engine like the 2.5 but without head gasket issues.

 

As to the original post my 2 cents is to keep looking. $4500 is not a really good price. I see 99 Legacys with 95 to 105,000 miles and in CHERRY condition for $4500.

 

Keep looking and keep posting. You can count on us for giving opinions on what you find!

 

Good luck,

Greg

[recurve]

I'm pretty sure that the 99 Legacy was available with both engines, and that the 2.2L became an interference engine around 97. (I've been reading copiously from this forum for hours ever since I test drove a 99 Legacy--I loved it). I'm pretty much set on a stick shift 2.2. Thanks for the responses so far. I'll let you know what I find out about the history.

[ccrinc]

The '99 Legacy had a one-year-only, interferential 2.2L engine. Sort of a hybrid between the EJ22 and the EJ25 SOHC engines.

 

All in all, it's a good engine, but when it fails, it fails catestrophically, and suddenly.

 

$4500 is not a bad price at all for a '99 Legacy. You could do better if you were in a different part of the country, but for NY State, not bad.

 

Emily

http://www.ccrengines.com

[shortlid]

I'm pretty sure that the 99 Legacy was available with both engines, and that the 2.2L became an interference engine around 97. (I've been reading copiously from this forum for hours ever since I test drove a 99 Legacy--I loved it). I'm pretty much set on a stick shift 2.2. Thanks for the responses so far. I'll let you know what I find out about the history.

 

Sounds like you like it! In Troy, NY the AWD WILL come in handy! If it is a 5-speed (I like them too) I say get it. Have you looked under it to see if there is any rust, and had a Carfax done on it?

[recurve]

The '99 Legacy had a one-year-only, interferential 2.2L engine. Sort of a hybrid between the EJ22 and the EJ25 SOHC engines.

 

All in all, it's a good engine, but when it fails, it fails catestrophically, and suddenly.

 

$4500 is not a bad price at all for a '99 Legacy. You could do better if you were in a different part of the country, but for NY State, not bad.

 

Emily

http://www.ccrengines.com

 

That's interesting. Why do they fail so catastrophically? What's different about them? If this engine is a hybrid, is there any problem with the HG like the 2.5?

 

About the price--I should also mention that the car has new brakes, a new clutch and almost new tires. I plan on taking him down on the price, so this may be a good deal.

 

(BTW, I can barely keep up with engine-speak. So dumb it down a bunch, if you don't mind)

[ferret]

The 99 motor was an Anniversary edition of the 2.2L. So Subaru at the time put a 'special' motor in these.

 

The block is basically a 2.2L block with the year to year improvements since it's introduction in the 1990 Legacy.

They then used the phase II , 2.5L Single Overhead Cam heads. These are 4 valves per cylinder as the previous 2.2L, but at a more acute (sharper) angle to the piston head. This allows more complete fuel/air mixture and decreases the emissions. However, this is also what makes this an Interference Engine. If the timing belt fails, A piston can come to top dead center when a valve is left open. The result is bent valves, possible valve stems damages (head is trash), and with the angle of the valve, the edge acts like a chisel edge and cracks or shatters the piston. Hence in a very few revolutions, the engine is destroyed.

Bearing this in mind, it's also a very good engine design elsewise. So long as you do the required maintanence, you should get many years of good service from these.

The 2.2L didn't exhibit the head gasket problems the 2.5L has. They may be on the recall list for the sealant, but I haven't seen the 2.2L leak externally.

As of 2004, I'm not aware of any manufacturer that now has a non-interference engine. I know there may be some I'm not aware of or have come across, but Timing Belt Service has now become a MUST and so have the parts that go with it, water pumps, pulleys, tensioners etc.

[rweddy]

99 was the last year of the 2.2 motor in the legacy as stated in other posts.

 

I would be more worried about who did the work on the motor. Unless it was done by a Subaru specialty shop I would walk away.

 

Also $4500 is not that great of a deal, especially with that kind of mileage and the motor issues.

I also wonder what other maintance was lacking if they did not take care timing belt. i.e. did they change the oil regularly? Probably not.