Subaru EJ25 interchangeability: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Sept. 17, 2008 4:35 p.m. psteav New Reader

I've found a '99 Legacy locally that's cheap enough that I may buy it, fix it, and flip it for a profit. It's a clean GT model that I would seriously consider keeping myself...if it weren't an autotragic. Owner says the "crank's gone out on it." I'm looking around, it seems that this was the maligned EJ25 DOHC motor, correct? (I thought they had head problems...not crank problems...but I digress). Assuming it is the crank:

1) Is the bottom end toast, or might it be salvageable? I don't know yet if the motor is stuck or just knocking. Owner hasn't responded to that email yet. 2) Assuming it's toast, what engines will have an interchangeable shortblock? I'm willing to swap over all the peripherals from the DOHC motor and do a new timing belt. I've seen JDM EJ25s for ~$1000...will they work (again, just the shortblock?). What about the newer SOHC 2.5?
Sept. 17, 2008 6:42 p.m. ignorant UberDork

subaru = lego's.

youu're fine to swap motors pretty easily.
Sept. 17, 2008 8:21 p.m. nasaregistrar Dork

my 99 2.5 auto outback legacy has a wicked piston slap when cold, a vibration when in Drive at a stop that goes away when you shift into neutral, already did the head gasket thing, an leaks oil out the back of the engine....

awesome appliance car though, and really good in the snow. I drive it about 600 miles a week, and get about 26 mpg on the hwy
Sept. 17, 2008 8:26 p.m. Hocrest New Reader

psteav wrote: Owner says the "crank's gone out on it." I'm looking around, it seems that this was the maligned EJ25 DOHC motor, correct? (I thought they had head problems...not crank problems...but I digress).

I've heard of a few where the HG problem was let go too long and the water/coolant in the oil ended up messing up the crank bearings.
Sept. 17, 2008 10:54 p.m. fornetti14 New Reader

I like my '99 Forester with the SOHC 2.5L. Valve clearance is adjustable on the early motors but that might not have anything to do with the crank problem on the car you're looking at. I have heard of the crank bolt backing out and messing up the crankshaft but that was more on old the 2.2L. This link from SubaruForester.org may help: http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f66/ej25-problem-info-40078/
Sept. 18, 2008 4:30 p.m. ddavidv SuperDork

Plug your application in over at www.car-part.com. It's based on the Hollander interchange, so anything that comes up there will work. You should be able to figure out the year/model spread pretty easily (and maybe find an engine while you're at it).
June 30, 2009 2:43 p.m. Duke Dork

So, what year did the 2.5 get cured of the HG problem? I'm looking into replacements for my daughter's bent GF8, and I see the newer generation Imprezas have the 2.5. Was that solved in 2002 when the bugeyes came out?

Also, does anybody know the timing belt interval on those cars? 100k miles?

There are a boatload of 2000-2002 Legacys out there as well... which goes back to when the EJ25 got its act together.

Any info is appreciated.
June 30, 2009 2:51 p.m. wherethefmi Dork

www.nasioc.com should help you out a lot there's TONS of Subaru knowledge there.
June 30, 2009 5:03 p.m. ddavidv UltraDork

Subaru 2.5 head gasket failures explained No guarantee that the newer ones won't do it either. There's been some failures, though more sporadic, on post-02 cars. The TB replacement interval is 90,000 miles.
June 30, 2009 8:38 p.m. griffin729 New Reader

Duke wrote:

So, what year did the 2.5 get cured of the HG problem? I'm looking into replacements for my daughter's bent GF8, and I see the newer generation Imprezas have the 2.5. Was that solved in 2002 when the bugeyes came out?

Also, does anybody know the timing belt interval on those cars? 100k miles?

There are a boatload of 2000-2002 Legacys out there as well... which goes back to when the EJ25 got its act together.

Any info is appreciated.

IIRC the Phase II motor came out for MY2000 might have been 99. My 01 has the SOHC. NASIOC definitely is one of the better if not the best Subaru forums.

Edit: Ok Yeah, great link. Um, I didn't need to post did I?
June 30, 2009 8:38 p.m. Duke Dork

Wow, that's a good link. I'd already spent some time at NASIOC but the sheer volume of info there can make it hard to separate wheat from chaff. Thanks for the tips!