dxrflyboy

Unfortunately, the USDM Impreza only weighs about 400 lbs. less than the Legacy and is less aerodynamic, giving it a highway mileage rating that is, at best, the same as a Legacy. Granted, with a few luxury options stripped out of it, the car may weigh less elsewhere, but I think the Impreza's aging platform is due for a more compact, economical redesign.

The piston crowns will be different between the two engines. I also doubt that the EJ18 combustion chambers are small enough to add adequate compression for NA use. But the only way to know for sure is to measure the cc's of the chambers and piston dishes for both engines.

Hmmm.....Subaru calls it an EL15, but it sure looks like an EJ. That has my curiosity up. I wonder what's different about it. If the block dimensions are the same and parts are interchangeable with an EJ (I'm not saying they are, just speculating here), then maybe Subaru is getting creative with engine designations. In any case, I now want to know more about this engine.

One of my biggest concerns is the integrity of the transmission. Punks are trashing their 5-speeds by dumping the clutch in their EJ20T WRXs. Add the torque of the EJ25T to it and the strength of the trans. becomes even more questionable. I would not want to boost the output of the engine to STI specs without adding the 6-speed STI trans. behind it. The 6-speed is said to handle twice the horsepower of the 5-speed and it should - it's a monster! That said, the Legacy GT is more my style, and the Spec. B comes with the 6-speed for '07. That would be MY choice.

Could you post some pics please?

Wix (Napa, Carquest) & Purolator (Motorcraft + other lookalike brands) = GOOD Champ (STP, AC, + other lookalike brands) = CHEAP FRAM (Pennzoil + other lookalike brands) = NOT CHEAP & NO GOOD Recommended filters = ABF (Anything But Fram)

There are some minor differences between the 06 and 07 models, but mostly with option packages, cup holders in doors, etc. An audio system is available in 07 that allows you to plug an iPod into it.

For the record, head gasket leaks are still occurring as late as the 2004 model year. I haven't seen any '05s apart yet (at least not for HG leaks or slap)...

It will say EJ18 or EJ22 on top of the engine, just behind the crankshaft hub on the RH block half.

Water will condense on cool engine parts from time to time. EJs will frequently have water droplets under the oil cap. Mix a few oil drops in with it and you have white goo. It's nothing to worry about unless there are other symptoms.

The internal sleeve of the control arm bushings are bolted tightly to the chassis. The outer sleeve swivels with the arm. The rubber in between the sleeves flexes to allow movement. The bushing bolts should be tightened with the suspension loaded in the "at rest" ride height to minimize stress on the rubber. Tire wear on the inner edge is caused by either negative camber, toe out, or a combination of the two. Toe is the most critical tire wear angle, and if the inner edge wear is the same on both tires, toe out is the most likely problem.

If it's pulling hard to the LEFT, your problem might be in the RIGHT brake. Did the rotor separate from the hub? If it did, the caliper will squeeze the pads against a stationary rotor, making the pedal feel normal, but with no braking on the RH side, the car will pull hard to the left. You may not even be able to see the problem without taking everything apart, unless part of the rotor is gone.

A BOV is a performance enhancer that prevents backpressure between the turbo and throttle body from slowing the turbo down, which creates excessive lag. The blowoff valve is a simple, quick, cheap, dirty alternative to a bypass valve, which recirculates the pressurized air back to the turbo inlet. I often see WRXs with the BPVs removed and replaced with BOVs. Aside from making a whoosh noise when you shift, all this does is waste the air that the turbo just pressurized by dumping it and create more lag.

Appropriate, since it's a RHD model. Look at the wipers. You can also see the RH steering wheel inside the sedan on the lower right, as well as the Leone plate on the front.

Most 2005 Outbacks had 16" wheels. Exceptions would be XTs, Limiteds, LL Bean, and H6s. I'm not aware of all the brake hardware differences between them. All 2006 Outbacks had 17" wheels, but a more basic version of the Outback is available for '07 with the Forester 16" steel wheels. In all likelihood, the 16s will bolt onto your car with no problem, but you should try a 16 on the front and back to be sure before you buy a set.

Look for wires shorting out against the steering column. Unfortunately, you may have cooked the ECU by shorting it out.

You can count on the Impreza 1.5R being geared quite a bit lower than the 2.5s here in the US. Anyone who as ever driven a Scion xB knows how low gears affect acceleration for a small engine. The xB moves out just fine at low speeds, but when cruising @70 in the top gear, the engine is revving in the mid 3K's. Combine that with a few hundred pounds of hardware removed for the euro version, and you have a car with a small engine that gets the job done without a problem. One thing I am curious about: Does Subaru sell non-AWD versions of the Legacy and Impreza outside the US? Or is non-AWD limited to other non-US models?

1963 was many years before the Clean Air Act, the Arab Oil Embargo, CAFE standards, etc, etc, etc. Automakers are fighting an ongoing battle to build vehicles that meet increasingly stringent US safety, mileage, and emissions requirements and still perform reasonably well. As a result, cost and complexity are constantly increasing.

They should both have the EJ22, unless the Legacy is a GT.

The construction of the 2.2L gets a little fuzzy in the late '90s. The general consensus is that it became an interference engine in 1997, but was still a phase I engine. It still had the same lower profile cylinder heads and the deep cam covers as before, but it had single exhaust ports, unlike the dual ports used previously. The phase II engine came out in 1999, with the same style heads as the phase II 2.5L, but with single exhaust ports. This engine was last used in USDM cars in 2000.

OUCH! I've seen that before!

Older Legacy GTs, Outbacks, and '98 Foresters can be a gold mine if you don't mind pulling the engine and putting in new head gaskets. Sometimes you can pick them up for a song, replace head gaskets and seals, and then make a few bucks selling them.

We're changing headgaskets on '03s and '04s. I HOPE the problem is fixed on '05 and newer cars. At least SOA publicly recognized the problem in early '04, so one can only hope that the updated HGs were used in engines thereafter.

Check for signal from the crank sensor when you are cranking.

Chances are you shouldn't need to do anything to them. They almost never wear out.