26 replies to this topic

[Prwa101]

Need to know what's good on, it's not running cery rough but i can tell in a small rpm change
a really high pitch continious scweek noice sounds like a cyl wall in and out.... And it's knocking now.... Sounded and sent like SOMTHING broke or snapped.

It started while I was driving.... There almost 240k on it... Any ideas?

Edited by Prwa101, 26 October 2012 - 03:33 PM.

[soobie_newbie67]

The answer your gonna get is a rod bearing went.

[Prwa101]

The answer your gonna get is a rod bearing went.

****....... That's what I was hoping it wouldn't be... New engine? Or rebuild? Or 2.2 obd2? If it will fit....

[soobie_newbie67]

Well. If you didn't drive it too much like that it might be rebuildable, if the cranks not trashed. Even at that you can just get a new crank. You'll have to ask someone else about ej22 swappin.

[Prwa101]

Well. If you didn't drive it too much like that it might be rebuildable, if the cranks not trashed. Even at that you can just get a new crank. You'll have to ask someone else about ej22 swappin.

Hardly drove it maybe 2mim.... But I'm 30mmiles from home and don't have a way to tow it... And it also has 240,000 on it.... It wouldn't be a pain to rebuild a high mileage engine...

[soobie_newbie67]

Miles means nothing when tearing down an engine. It's still the same process. You might just find more to replace.

Edited by soobie_newbie67, 26 October 2012 - 04:18 PM.

[Subruise]

drop a 2.2 in. it can be done. google, my friend

[Fairtax4me]

The only things that would keep me form rebuilding are a hole in the block, or a badly scored cylinder wall because of something like a loose wrist pin or broken valve. If the crankshaft is a little scored, you can have it reground and polished and install undersized bearings. Assuming your machinist doesn't want to charge you more than a good crankshaft is worth.

[Prwa101]

The only things that would keep me form rebuilding are a hole in the block, or a badly scored cylinder wall because of something like a loose wrist pin or broken valve. If the crankshaft is a little scored, you can have it reground and polished and install undersized bearings. Assuming your machinist doesn't want to charge you more than a good crankshaft is worth.

Good to know, it would be me rebuilding it. I don't have the money to pay someone else to. And I've don't almost everything on this engine other than a rebuild. I've got a book... I got it half way home, sqweeking and am goin to have my brother Tow me the rest... Just needed to get outa portland... When I get it home I'll check the cost for rebuilding it compaired to a new used engine... I know I can get a 2.2 obd2 at the yard for 450 it only had 69k on it, it was a little mangled from a wreak but engine looked in tackyt...

[Prwa101]

How much would a rebuild cost? And how long does it take a person to rebuild it?

[3Pin]

I would find another 2.5 motor and possbly trans and drop the whole thing in and start over. Some would say, just the motor.

Good luck.

[Fairtax4me]

How much would a rebuild cost? And how long does it take a person to rebuild it?

To just do the short block, bearings, rings, have the crank machined, and have the heads resurfaced, probably 400 - 600 range or higher depending on where you get your parts, and what needs to be reconditioned. I would tear it down to bare block halves and check out the crank first before ordering or buying any parts. Take the crank and rods to the machine shop to have them checked. Rods that get knocked around too much can end up with the big end stretched into an egg shape which means they need to be machined or replaced if stretched far enough.

A 2.2 swap is a viable option if you can't afford to have the car down for a long period of time. You can yank to the 2.5 out saturday and have the 2.2 back in and ready sunday and drive to work monday. This is also a good option if the 2.5 engine is damaged beyond repair.

A rebuild will be at least a week (again depending on what needs to be done at the machine shop, and how long their turn-around is) possibly longer if you haven't done one before. Tools are also a factor. You might want a ring compressor. I've installed pistons without a compressor before. It's much easier with one, but using a ring compressor comes with it's own risks. A cheap compressor could leave you with broken rings, scored pistons, or cylinder wall damage.

Some machine shops will build the bottom end for you for much cheaper than a regular shop would, so you might ask about that if you don't have some of the tools needed for a rebuild.

There are a few good videos on Youtube for how to get the block apart. You might want to check those out.

[Prwa101]

Well I got it home... Drove it 10. Miles to get outa town and had my brother tow me home... Going to call around and see how much for a 2.5... Going to be a fun week... In the mean while class.. And making sure it's not a idler pully sqweeking Lol.

As for rebuilding don't have the time right now, but I have the tools. My grandfather was a mechanic for years and I have my own set I use. Prolly going to go with getting an engine in there ASAP and rebuilding this one for later...

Are the ej22 obd2 plug and go?

[Fairtax4me]

The year range is pretty thin for the phase 2 engines but yes, a 2000 or newer ej22 should plug and play.
99 and older may work if you swap cam and crank sprockets, but I'm not certain of that. I don't know what wiring differences there may be. The usual way to make a 2.2 work is to swap intake manifolds, but I think the phase two intake ports are different.

[Prwa101]

The year range is pretty thin for the phase 2 engines but yes, a 2000 or newer ej22 should plug and play.
99 and older may work if you swap cam and crank sprockets, but I'm not certain of that. I don't know what wiring differences there may be. The usual way to make a 2.2 work is to swap intake manifolds, but I think the phase two intake ports are different.

Thanks for the help man! Should know by Sunday what I'm doing... Sucks I don't have my lifted ej'd gl done.... So close...

[GeneralDisorder]

The biggest problem with rebuilding is usually the heads - the cam journals can be scored and this really isn't something you can fix. At the point where you are looking for a set of good cams/heads its probably better to just get a good used engine.

Rebuild on a short block is going to be about $300 minimum if you do all your own assembly. The cylinders need to be honed and you will want the block hot tanked. Then you need rings and bearings which is about $150. Usually you end up replacing the rod that failed so there's expense there as well as misc. o-rings, sealant, etc. Then you need gaskets to put the motor together and there's another $150 there at least. If its chewed a rod then the oil pump is toast so there's another $150..... To do a rebuild you will definitely have $100 bills flying out your butt.

My machine shop charges about $900 to go through a bottom end. That's not including head work....

GD

[johnceggleston]

The year range is pretty thin for the phase 2 engines but yes, a 2000 or newer ej22 should plug and play.
99 and older may work

actually the ej22 went phase 2 in 99, all of them. so 99 - 00 ej22 will fit, legacy or impreza. but there are lots of ej25s out there that you can use.

using an earlier ej22 will be quite a project and not recommended. even if you are just trying to prove it can be done.

you can use a short block from 97 - 03/4 i think. i know the 99 ej25d is the phase 2 block with the phase 1 heads. so it would make sense that you could go the other way.

let us know what you learn.

[Fairtax4me]

My machine shop charges about $900 to go through a bottom end.

Wow! That's a chunk of change! There's a place about 30 minutes drive my me that will recondition and build a small block pushrod V8 for about that. Clean everything, valve job on the heads, true the main & cam bores, bore and hone, size and fit the rings and all the bearings. You drop off a mess of parts and pick up an assembled short block and rebuilt heads.
Of course parts are much cheaper, a set of standard oversize pistons is only about $50, New rods are about the same. If the crank can't be re-sized or is warped it's only about $100 for a new crank. He charges about $75 for a gasket kit with new head bolts. Around $1100 bucks you have an entirely rebuilt engine ready to bolt together.

I guess if it costs that much out there just to have the block reconditioned you're better off just finding a good used replacement.

[Prwa101]

Well update.... The lower right timming idler bearings started falling out and cocked sideways pushing the belt I to the timming cover.... So it's still alive! Explains the faint knocking and screaming! 2000$ bill went down to 100$...

Thanks guys! Time for a good fix

[Fairtax4me]

Dun dun dunnnnnnnnn!

Well now don't we feel sheepish if that's all it turns out to be?

[GeneralDisorder]

Wow! That's a chunk of change!

That's $900 fully assembled including all the new bearings and rings and usually a replacement rod for whichever one went out completely.

It's more expensive than a SBC because the parts cost more and the labor is higher - both because in your example they aren't doing the assembly work and because of the more involved process of splitting the block and of boring/honing the blind cylinders of a Subaru block. The main journal webbing makes it a lot more work to do boring and honing.

GD

[Prwa101]

Just got an late email back from Mt. Tech Subaru in Portland and they want 1700$ for a ej25 with 90k on it. So they have pretty good prices if any one is in the market.

Got all new idlers for 98$ at napa, just need to find a new sprocket bolt because my is wracked...

[Fairtax4me]

You can get a matching bolt from a hardware store if they carry metric in that thread size. I'm pretty sure those are grade 8.8.
10.9 would be better, but those are harder to find. Doesn't need to be rated any higher than what's stamped on the head of the bolt.

[Prwa101]

You can get a matching bolt from a hardware store if they carry metric in that thread size. I'm pretty sure those are grade 8.8.
10.9 would be better, but those are harder to find. Doesn't need to be rated any higher than what's stamped on the head of the bolt.

Yeah that where I'm headed after I get my brother from class. I'm shooting for grade 8, if they have better ill get that. I know ace has metric because I got some other bolts for Something a whole back.

Thanks guys! I'll prolly be working on it in the dark tonight.... The luxury of not having a shop

[oregoncoast]

Just got an late email back from Mt. Tech Subaru in Portland and they want 1700$ for a ej25 with 90k on it. So they have pretty good prices if any one is in the market.

Got all new idlers for 98$ at napa, just need to find a new sprocket bolt because my is wracked...

You can get your motor repaired with a warranty, or a good used one for a lot less, pm me if interested....