wrxsubaru Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 We have a 90 leagcy that has a imported engine swaped in it and is not using the distributor, but what the ej22 uses, and now there is oil leak from the distributor. I was wondering were the oil is coming from, and could i just block off the hole for the distributor since the engine is not using it? THANKS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avk Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 Is the distributor on the rear facing side of the right cylinder head, driven by the camshaft? If so, it can be replaced with a factory cover plate and O-ring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerFahrer Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 I'm a little confused by your post, wrxsubaru, as you are saying the imported engine is not using a distributor, but whatever the EJ22 uses (which is a coilpack, which in turn has nothing to do with oil)... So I'm not sure why you are looking to fix a distributor leak when you're saying there is none? I'm not trying to be rude, I'm just telling you what I read... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alias20035 Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 I am fairly positive that ALL "EJ" engines use coilpacks, especially since you need a cam and crank sensor to control the coilpack you are now using, neither of which would be present on an engine with a distributor. Are you sure its not the rear camshaft seal? Most EJ18/EJ20/EJ22 engines have reversable heads, meaning that there is no dedicated right and left head assemblies, just dedicated left and right valve covers. So basically to change a left side head to a right side head, you turn the camshaft around, and move everything (not much) that is on the "front" to the "back". It is an ingenious design. The newer EJ25 heads don't seem to have this reversibility, my 2001 Outback has no rear camshaft seal (at least not one that I can find). The rear camshaft oil seal is a common point of failure. A $3 O-ring gasket fixes the seal for another 80-100,000 miles. Be sure to check out your valve cover gaskets for leaks as well. Why did you install the 110hp EJ18 in a Legacy which barely got moving with the 130hp EJ22? How is your fuel economy? I would expect no improvement in city mileage and perhaps 2-3 MPG on the highway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerFahrer Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 There is no rear camshaft seal on the driver's head. The only reason there is on an N/A passenger head is because if it was turbo, the turbo would get its oil supply from there... And yes, it is prone to leaking, and it is also the easiest oil seal on the whole car to replace... However, I did not know you could switch heads on either side of the engine on EJ engines! Alias, where do you remember seeing that? I'd like to read up on that myself... I too am pondering your decision to swap a EJ18 into a car previously equipped with an EJ22. I don't feel the EJ22 is underpowered as Alias does, but downsizing 400cc and losing 20 hp doesn't seem logical. It's not a reliability issue either, since the EJ22 might very well be Subaru's best built engine ever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alias20035 Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 Originally posted by subyluvr2212 There is no rear camshaft seal on the driver's head. The only reason there is on an N/A passenger head is because if it was turbo, the turbo would get its oil supply from there... And yes, it is prone to leaking, and it is also the easiest oil seal on the whole car to replace... However, I did not know you could switch heads on either side of the engine on EJ engines! Alias, where do you remember seeing that? I'd like to read up on that myself... I too am pondering your decision to swap a EJ18 into a car previously equipped with an EJ22. I don't feel the EJ22 is underpowered as Alias does, but downsizing 400cc and losing 20 hp doesn't seem logical. It's not a reliability issue either, since the EJ22 might very well be Subaru's best built engine ever! It was in some old magazine from the late 80's describing the design process of the Legacy. My Canadian 93 Legacy (built in Japan) had a cam seal on both sides and many thread holes around it which I am sure would fit timing covers, and pulley assembly. It also had a separate turbo oil and coolant feed. I have seen US EJ22's and they are different, and I think its mainly due to emmisions requirements, which may have nessistated different heads (for EGR for instance). I am fairly positive that my 93 had NO EGR since it did not have any EGR problems in 8 years or 466,000 km, and it also did not have anything like the EGR pictured in the Haynes manual or the one that was present on my US market 85 GL wagon. My 2001 also does not seem to have EGR, unless it is hidden somewhere, it is definitely not on the intake manifold, and there is no additional piping from the lower side of the head like on my 85. In fact when I need a head replaced (replace a US model head with a Canadian model head) on my 85 the EGR pipe had no where to connect to, so the dealer left it loose and disconnected the EGR vacuum line. My 85 then had a permanent "EGR" warning light condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legacy777 Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 The 90-94 legacies did not have any EGR equipment. from 95-99 or something in there I think they had them, then in 2000 I think they didn't have them.....it's been very sporadic, and i believe a lot of it is due to what the emissions were that year, and the advancements they made in engine designs. I would think they would prefer not to use an EGR system unless they have to in order to keep emissions down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrxsubaru Posted November 25, 2003 Author Share Posted November 25, 2003 First ithought the engine that was being put into the legacy was a ej22,but it turned out to be a ej18,it has a distributor, and it is leaking oiliam positive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frag Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 My 96 does'nt have an EGR system. Just adding to the knowledge bank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avk Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 EGR was only with AT, at least on 2.2l. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrxsubaru Posted November 25, 2003 Author Share Posted November 25, 2003 I think the distributor is driven by the cam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinsUBARU Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 picture of the problem perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrxsubaru Posted November 25, 2003 Author Share Posted November 25, 2003 I dont have a digital camera, but the distributor is on the back of the engine toward the fire wall, on the passanger side and the oil is leaking onto the crosmember and I think is leaking on the exhust shield which produces a very burnt oily smell by the time the car is warmed up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hondasucks Posted November 26, 2003 Share Posted November 26, 2003 I thought that it was the EJ16 that had a distributor, and the EJ18 and EJ22 used DIS? (I know the EJ16 was never imported, and I suppose a japanese EJ18 might use a dizzy but I'm not suire.) Just remember what I heard... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alias20035 Posted November 26, 2003 Share Posted November 26, 2003 Originally posted by avk EGR was only with AT, at least on 2.2l. My 85 GL 5 speed had EGR.... Do the US 5spd EJ25's have EGR?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alias20035 Posted November 26, 2003 Share Posted November 26, 2003 Originally posted by wrxsubaru First ithought the engine that was being put into the legacy was a ej22,but it turned out to be a ej18,it has a distributor, and it is leaking oiliam positive. You'll have to pull the distributor to get the O ring out. Hopefully the O ring is the same size as the rear cam oil seal on US EJ22 cars. If not you should be able to locate a replacement gasket from the large selection most auto parts stores carry. If it is a cork gasker, you could try "Form a Gasket" or get some gasket making cork and make your own. You should also be able to use "Form a Gasket" to replace an O ring if you can't find one. I can't think of a reason why this would not work. Is the oil leaking from between the distrib and head? Or is it leaking into the distributor and then out of it? If the internal seal on the distributor is gone, you will not be able to find a replacement here in North America. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avk Posted November 26, 2003 Share Posted November 26, 2003 alias: I meant the EJ engines discussed here, it had to do with differences between RH and LH heads. Not sure about 2.5l. He said he just wants to block the hole, maybe parts can be swapped from the bad engine? Originally posted by alias20035 My 85 GL 5 speed had EGR.... Do the US 5spd EJ25's have EGR?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alias20035 Posted November 26, 2003 Share Posted November 26, 2003 Originally posted by avk alias: I meant the EJ engines discussed here, it had to do with differences between RH and LH heads. Not sure about 2.5l. He said he just wants to block the hole, maybe parts can be swapped from the bad engine? I am sure the "hole" could be plugged somehow, hopefully the standard EJ22 rear cam cover and seal will fit. I am concerned about what holds the distrib in place, surely not just a few bolts, either the distrib has to slide more than an inch into the head, or the camshaft extends out of the head into a bearing within the distrib. If the distributor is just a "passenger" and not doing anything, I would take it off and see if the US EJ22 cam cover will work. Failiing that reinstall the distributor with the form a gasket trick and let it be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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