davebugs

I'd let them have another crack at it. Shoddy workmanship and lack of pride in a job well done don't set well with me. Probably why I do most of my own work. I had someone break into my Van here at home last week. Drivers side window. The shop "got it all" or they'd definately get to try until they got it done correctly. Not rocket science - this IS their trade. They even have the correct trim tools and a lot more experience in doing the job.

Our local glass shops clean up the breakage as part of the job. You mean other places (or other places in the country) this isn't done?

I believe I'd swapped coil (and thus plug wire styles) in the past on 2.5's/

Often you loose the high RPM's first. And look for something like a fuel delivery problem, plugged cat, etc. Now I've learned to check the alternator first. Never has been fuel delivery or a cat.

Yea - I'll stick to 2 pieces. I've passed on auto cars with the engine or TC locked up for this reason. Just wondered how dificult/practical it was. I believe I'll continue to pass them up.

Even an auto?

I've taken to buying Matco and Snap-on on Ebay. Often new. Beats the truck prices for sure. Still should be warranted if I ever have a problem. I did buy the Blue IR impact at Sears for 199 on sale a year or so ago. I'd say don't be in a rush if you can help it. Keep your eyes out for specials. CL is a crapshoot.

You'll end up replacing the crank seal and the oil pump Oring. might as well do the cam seals and a timing belt. Assumign the WP is in good shape you shouildn't have ot touch the front end for quite a while. I forget if 2.2's that old have the larger, thin Orings on the drivers side front and passenger side rear of head. But that would be about the only thing left on the front to leak.

GG, This is why I always have the radiator flushed and pressure tested when I get the heads done. Probably been a lot of miracle cures run through this before they did the HG's. I'd check the t-stat, perhaps a generic WP? and have the rad flushed/checked myself. I have limited water at the garage and support my local radiator shop (they are disapperaing you know) and let them handle it. That's a SOHC that typically leaks externally. If it looks like Suby HG's I'd look elsewhere first.

Nipper has the full answer. The short answer is how good to you wanna get at removing this engine and doing HG jobs on it? You may save a few bucks, maybe not. Why take the chance. Do some searching here. I use FelPro extensively on Subaru's and VW's. The only time I NEVER use Felpro is for Suby 2.5 HG's. And it's all a result of info posted here. And I've never had to redo one.

Minor changes through the years it seems. Basically the Y pipe (some early 90's had the car right at the Y. Then the 2 cats cats. Then a spring/flange kinda joint that takes a donut teasket. Prone to leaking, rusted flanges. Flexes when someone drops the Ypipe at the heads. Then a short section of pipe followed by the resignator, followed by a longer pipe (6' + or so is a guess) minor bend, bend for axle. Then the muffler. I'm talking 95-99 Legacies mostly.

First guess due to location and contacts is probably O2 sensor. And the ohter end fell down by the Y-pipe and you don't see it.

Thanks. Requirements vary a little from state to state. But it gives me hope about regulations/red tape if I work through the project list enough to get to doing another buggy or kit car. Kennedy has been making excellent products for years. I haven't seen disc brakes on the rear for an air cooled VW transaxle. But I haven't done anything new with mine in years and haven't hit the shows in probably 10 years to see what folks are doing lately.

What suspension front and back? Tube chassis or old VW bug donor? Licensed as what? Specialty car? My Dune Buggy was still able to the a Reconstructed VW. Now they won't allow a "hot rod" plate and I believe we have a "rebody" title but I believe they force a new vin# and a "specialty constructed" title. What safety and emissions did you need to do? Just curious. I have a friend who stops in and sees 3 2.2's on furniture dollies next to my buggy which needs rebuilt or engine swap with one of my air cooled engines (40psi in all 4 cylinders) with the pressure causing oil to leak mostly out of the generator stand. When I can get back to the bus and get it buttoned up if I decide to mess with the water cooled part and assuming Kennedy Engineering makes and adapter I may actually install the 2.2. Then the other question.... Why AC in a convertible?

Cool. Where is beverly? I have a donor 73 bug here. Have a street legal Dune Buggy. ANd a bunch of old air cooled's. Davebugs comes from the little kids in the neighborhood trying to say "Dave with the bugs". It ends up "dave mumble mumble bugs" Bought the donor to do a kit car. Then got too busy doing Subaru's. Currently I have the engine out of my 71 bus since fall when I got busy with real work. What brand is the kit? New kit that you're building or was it already built and you're "reworking" it? How will you need to license it in your state? Much safety stuff to meet?

What kinda kit car?

Hopefully someone with more experience on this year range will chime in. Engine doesn't care which tranny. Like 90-91 have one color injectors more prone to problems. I believe 92-94 have more reliable injectors. But I think 91-94 are all linterchangable as long as you're swapping the whole engine.

As GG basically says. No matter which engine choice both 2.5's should have HG's, resealed, Idlers, WP, probably tensioner, and belts, spark plugs, etc while it's all out. A 2.2 same thing minus the HG's. No matter how "tight" you are having the engine out and not resealing it and hanging a new timing belt just isn't prudent from a $ or time perspective. I see the idlers as the same thing. Use an Ebay kit. Better than not replacing them and much more reasonable than dealer or most parts houses. So it's significant work anyway you look at it. Personally fix the 2.5 that you know or 2.2 it. I really, really shy away from JY 2.5's.

That's cheating. That wasn't one of the proposed options....

Toss up. But other than HG's and reseals these engines seem to run forever. The new one should have HG's done as you state. I'd me more likely to stick with the engine that I already knew. For all you know the younger one has rod knock or something. Most here (includig me) recomment Subaru only HG's. No need to get better at this job by doing it twice.

You lucked out. I belive a new dipstick is cheap. I have some of those around here somewhere but a JY one or the dealer isn't so bad. Mine that were stuck seemed to have the Oring at the top (I suggest a new Oring for the bottom of the tube). I guess it's just condensation? ANd of course never being checked. I put a little ATF or Petroleum jelly on the tight ones at the top where they seat.

Yea Gary - you're screwed with that dipstick/tube. Makes you wonder how often it was removed - doesn't it?

Gary, I probably have a couple of tubes here. Sort of a common problem. IIR the dealer had the tubes for like 40-50 bucks. I try and keep 2 ahead but I'd have to look. Haven't been spending time in the garage lately. Not bad to replace. Hardest one is the top support bolt. I get it from the bottom IIR but you may be able to get it from the top. I believe a 10mm down at the pan (from memory so I could be wrong). I'd purchase a new Oring for where the tube hits the pan. But yea - those aren't fun. Often they get broken no matter what you do. For science sake I've taken some, put them upside down in a pan, sprayed PB Blaster, Liquid Wrench, ATF, etc and tried "working them". It's never ended well so I no longer experiment.

Yep. Odds are REAL GOOD the baffle plate/oil seperator plate is leaking and running down the back of the engine. And it's NOT the seal on the oil pan or the oil pan. You can't get to those back pan bolts without a lot of messing around, lifting the engine, etc. If youi're gonna go through all of that just pull the engine and fix the baffle plate. Do whatever other maintenance you want to, and re-install. Search around here for similar experiences.

Often it's an EVAP code and often caused by just not having the gas cap on correctly. Next time you get gas you get it on correctly. The CEL magically goes out shortly there after. Leaving you to scratch your head trying to determine what "cured" the car. For future reference the reader provided a P9999 #. Get that. Don't let them translate for you. Then you can search on that SPECIFIC code here. Yes - gas caps do go bad.