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Late to the party, if only doing clutch I drop the gearbox. On our 2000 Liberty/Legacy, I pulled the gearbox and managed to slide it back enough to work on the clutch and swap it out for a new one. This saved dropping the gearbox, I can’t remember if I managed to get away without removing the drive shafts. If I needed to it was an easy wiggle one way then the other with the gearbox because my model has diff stub axles, yours will have the male driveshafts into the gearbox to contend with. I used two steel rods that sat on the engine crossmember and the front gearbox crossmember piece. The rear crossmember and centre piece was removed, as was the gear linkages, tail shaft and exhaust. Where there’s a will there’s a way. These days I find it easier to drop the gearbox rather than lift out the engine. I put the car on ramps and go from there. If dropping the gearbox out all together I use a motorcycle jack and usually need to get the car up higher to clear the bellhousing as the engine comes out from under the car. Cheers Bennie

Alright folks, installed the new solenoid and still having the same issues. The CEL is now off and I'm not getting any codes from the ECU. Just checked for vacuum leaks again and it doesn't seem like there are any. Out of curiosity, I double checked my fuel pressure and am getting 19/20 psi. Is this close enough to the spec of 21 psi? And if so, would a good next step be to check the fuel injector to see if there are any issues going on there?

Thanks for the info guys! Yeah I figured it might be like that. Awesome! Thanks for your help!

My 2008 Subaru Outback Sport has been involved in a wreck and likely needs to be totalled. CarFax does not show a transmission or engine replacement but I bought it having been told one was replaced. The VIN is 4S4BP61C287310455. I think I found the transmission sticker itself so the first thing is "is this the transmission tag". I have attached the sticker. I have spent many hours trying to decode and just overwhelmed. There wasa another similar sticker about two inches away with no writing left that I can see.. I am trying to prove this is a replacement from the original transmission. I am going to go back tomorrow to the salvage yard and look on the passenger side door and just trying to do everything I can to prove this. Does anyone have any advice?

https://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/145506-ej251-engine-weighs-119-kg-262-lbs/?do=findComment&comment=1222275

If you have other engine maintenance to do, pull the engine. Yes either works. Reseal the oil separator plate behind the flywheel. RTV - gray. Get the metal plate if you'r is plastic.

As others have said,, replace them. Just the EJ22 had composite gaskets. The early EJ25's had single layer gaskets, they later went to MLS types. O.

I've done it both ways but without help or a tranny jack, i'd lift the engine. You have to get it up high and its no fun wrestling that weight. Yes you have to drain the coolant and separate the exhaust (don't forget to disconnect the O2 sensors), but I can do this without help. O.

Using your heads and intake manifold any 2000 to 2012 will work. Better options would be 06 up. In 05 Subaru went to Drive by Wire . The Radiator and water pump housing leads are in slightly different places, so don't cut those hoses you may need them. Depending on block year, you may need the radiator. You can use an Impreza block, but the oil pan is different. I believe those are the differences. If I think of anything else, I'll chime in. O.

I am looking for all options for a replacement engine for my son's 2007 outback wagon with a standard EJ- 2.5. The block is bad, the head are ok. I know that engines from an outback and legacy work. If someone can confirm which years exactly and do Impreza 2.5's or forester 2.5 blocks work? If so, which years? Thanks in advance.

2007 Outback legacy is it easier to drop the transmission to change the clutch or pull the engine? Odd question maybe. I can’t find any information on the weight of the 5 speed manual that’s in the car. I don’t have a lift but i do have a cherry picker. I’m just not sure if I can get the car high enough to drop the transmission. What have you guys done? Thanks

That was the first real drive I've done in it since getting the blower going and I did notice I had good heat at the feet so at least it's flowing through the heater core. I'm going to get a plan of action with this radiator since it's currently dripping and I'm going to be changing the lower hose that's been roadside-repaired with a union piece.

They're going 65mph in the photo... at that speed, it should be firmly at the bottom line, where the thermostat opens. EA81s aren't picky about thermostats, since they're on top like most older vehicles - it's the newer EJ motors that have them on the bottom that are super picky. My first guess would be a clogged radiator. Where on your temperature gauge does the thermostat open? From a cold engine, keep feeling the outlet side. It'll be cold and then suddenly hot when the thermostat opens. Then keep watching the gauge, and also note where the electric fan kicks on. These are your reference points for where the gauge should read. On level highway it should be at the point the thermostat just opens, and it should never exceed the point where the fans kick on, at any speed.

I noticed that as well when I was driving it. I do know that I have a seeping radiator and trying to get a plan in action to either get it repaired or find a replacement. I did order an OEM thermostat this morning because I know how finicky the EA81 can be about aftermarket thermostats and I have no clue what's in it. The good news is the fan does run, unlike the others that I had that ran the fan all the time. My brat with an OE thermostat usually sat around this line that I have marked and I watched it constantly. I am also going to replace the radiator cap. Are the Stant ones okay? I asked my dealer and I can't get an OE one anymore.

I, personally, would not worry about the temp gauge. To me, that’s where I would want it to be, about the middle. I have never owned an EA81, but my ‘04 Nissan, my daughter’s ‘02 Outback and my wife’s ‘17 Legacy, all run in the middle.

I always replace them. I have found water in the cylinders. #642 subaru MLS is the one you want. https://www.ebay.com/itm/132854879269

I'm not familiar with the older gens. Does each line indicate something? Like first line is where the thermostat opens, second line is "high normal op temperature", 3rd is "dancing with danger" and 4th is really not good? I've never opened an older gen FSM or owners manual, let alone seen an older gen in the flesh other than a BRAT at a car show once. Are the dash readouts known for any inaccuracies such as the 3rd gen oil pressure gauges being quite vague?

That’s where the thermo fans kick in! My brumby with that dashboard conversion (we never got them in the brat/brumby from factory like you guys in the states did) does the exact same thing when there’s not enough airflow through the radiator - typically when in traffic. Unless you were pulling highway speeds I wouldn’t stress about it, particularly if it came back down to normal op temp just above the first black line. Cheers Bennie

That temperature gauge is *way* too high. Address that promptly or you'll be getting to do head gaskets very soon. At highway speeds the needle should be at the lower black line, and it should never get to the second black line.

He texted me today and said it did not want to start. Crancks but not fire. If he sprays a little starting fluid in the vacumm port, it starts right up and will continue to do so for the day. Seems like when it sits, it's loosing fuel pressure. I suggested he Tee in a pressure gauge after the fuel filter to see what's happening. - Engine has been changed 2.5 to 2.2 swap. - He changed the fuel pump and filter to new NAPA units. I changed the 3 relays on the drivers side next tothe fuses. I have not had the time to dig into the schematics. That should be pretty much it, unless the fuel pump is not being powered.

I also changed my ball joints. Not sure why someone stuck this kind of bolt in the pinch area of the hub but luckily I had a spare:

Changed the axle seal yesterday on the driver side. Now that I know how to do it, I could definitely do it again. I think having a shop press would making it easier in the future. I do have a Harbor Freight gift card burning a hole in my pocket. You can see the damage on the seal here. Fixed a flashing issue on the turn signals too. Someone stuck too small of a bulb in it. Took it for the longest drive it's had since I got it. Tried to give her some beans to get any junk ran through the carb. 806970020 Adding this for anyone else: CV axle seals/LHD Left/driver side is 806727180 Right/Passenger side is: 806727170 2 o-rings are 806970020

The new knock sensor is a mid-range cost unit, likely Chinese manufacturer but I can’t find the paperwork to confirm. Today, I looked at the old sensor I had replaced to refresh my memory. It has a light crack horizontally around more than half the unit, but no track from obvious electric leakage and tests 560K ohms. I’d removed that sensor and put it back in a few times in my history with this engine, and didn’t find any difference in performance. The trouble code would show occasionally but ran fine. The code was why I looked at it a few times, and finally replaced it when the engine started acting up (coinciding with the roll-over wreck and moving it over to the Brat). The resistor showed up and I have a wire rigged to test the engine without the knock sensor, as soon as I can get to the mechanic’s yard. The voltage for the knock sensor, taken at the ECU, shows a hair over 4v, pinout chart is calling for 2.5v.

Well he hand a 2+ volt drop in the +battery cable going to the starter. He changed it today and said it made a world of difference. Was hard starting, CEL was on for knock sensor... Computers like good stable power! Hope it takes care of all issues.

https://jdmfsm.info/Auto/Japan/Subaru/--Old Models--/ You're going to want the Loyale Leone EA82 1989 Service Manual at the bottom. Basically scroll all the way down to get the wiring diagrams. Also section 2.7 has good electrical information and shows what pins go where on the ECU and to what sensors. :]