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kaltree

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Everything posted by kaltree

  1. Well, I thought I would drop a quick update. It's been nearly a year now since the swap, and things have been great. The new EJ22 has roughly 15,000 miles on it. On a recent road trip, I recorded 29.6 MPG on the highway. No issues that I can think of. I am told there may be a slight seepage of oil around the left-hand valve covers, but that is the only issue (and quite minor, in my opinion). The engine is quiet, and plenty powerfull - granted the EJ25 may have had more power, but was not running at full potential with all the issues I had with it. With gas prices where they are, I am glad I went with the EJ22. Kevin
  2. Thanks for the clarification on the intake manifold Emily! I updated the original post to reflect this as to not mislead anyone... And as far as hassle factor goes, this '95 EJ22 was amazingly easy to install (from what I heard from my mechanic). I think the hardest part was taking the time to build the custom bracket, and getting to the bolts that connect to the transmission... All of which are very minor in my opinion. - Kevin
  3. Not sure. I went off the recommendation from CCR. If I remember right, the big issue is making sure the EGR system and exhaust match up. I'm sure there's lots more, but will have to yield to the experts on this site for more details. Anybody know for sure if this will work? Fat Tire is good beer... And after all the issues with the EJ25 - a beer sounds really good.
  4. Sounds like you got a great deal. Can't beat that!! Sounds like a great deal on the Fat Tire too!
  5. The existing computer (as far as I know) is a direct match with the 2.2L. Others who know this for sure - please chime in...
  6. That's true. A headgasket job tends to run around $1200. That's the low-end price, assuming the heads are in good shape. Being the heads are aluminum - they are prone to warp and crack. Each head costs around $600. Total cost for heads and a gasket are around $2400. That comes with a 90-day warranty and the chance the gasket could blow again. I opted for a more reliable solution with a good warranty.
  7. Engine was $2105.00 (including shipping) Installation was $600.00 (including extra parts, fluids, etc) Total: $2700.00 (and now has a 3 year warranty on the engine!!)
  8. Well, it's finally done. For some who have been waiting for this, I apologize as I am lazy. For the last year, I had been struggling with the EJ25 that came with my '97 Outback. I came to the conclusion that I too suffered the infamous head gasket failures. The engine had overheated so many times I honestly lost count. The EJ25 never overheated to the point of boil-over, but came very close. Since these engine have aluminum heads, there was a good chance the heads were either warped or cracked or possibly both. I absulutely loved everything about the car, except the engine. Since I still owe on the vehicle, it was not a good choice to sell the car and hope to find a used car for less than the cost of a new engine. So, I came here looking for solutions. It came with high recommendation to contact an engine builder called "Colorado Component Rebuilders, Inc". Their website is http://www.ccrengines.com/. I worked specifically with Emily, who happens to know everything imaginable about Subaru engines. After talking with a local mechanic and setting up the project, I then saved pennies. Went ahead and ordered a 1995 EJ22 with a 1995 Intake Manifold. CCR installed the manifold for me to save time later. They did a great job. It was a little difficult to locate this part, but being a custom job like this I didn't mind. Everything matched up perfectly except for the bracket to support the power steering lines. My mechanic made a custom bracket to support these lines. It took about 8 days or so for the mechanic to do the installation, but he did an excellent job. If you are reading this from the Boise, Idaho area - Ken at Oasis Auto is the man. There were some issues getting things going. Turned out the 4 of the intake lifters did not want to pump up. After trying lots of things, we contacted Emily again at CCR, and the overnighted a new rocker-arm assembly complete with new lifters to fix the issue. Worked like a charm. Now that the engine has a wopping 600 miles on it (as of 11/8/04) - I can give a little progress report. From a power standpoint, the EJ22 is just as good as the EJ25. The ONLY time I notice any difference in power is being on the freeway and flooring it. I'm still breaking in the engine, so I expect things to tighten up just a little. The engine is SO tight as it is. Runs so smooth and is SO quiet when comared to my old EJ25. The EJ25 had roughly 130k on it when it was retired. I have some pictures of the before and after results. You can see those here: http://www.altreephotography.net/subaru. Feel free to post questions here. I'll be checking back as often as I can. If you couldn't tell, I am VERY pleased with the results. No more overheating. Quiet engine. Runs great. Big thanks to Emily at CCR for her patience and time, and to Ken at Oasis Auto in Boise. Great work guys!! - Kevin Altree
  9. I had this problem when my engine ('97 EJ25) severly overheated once due to bad head gaskets. The problem only happened that one time and never since. Course, since then I've also replaced the engine with an EJ22. I connected my ODB2 code reader just to see if anything was listed, but it was clear... Does anyone know if the transmission fluid gets pumped through part of the radiator for cooling? Had a mitsubishi that did this. My thinking is that if the radiator got really hot, this might cause the fluid to run too hot, which could cause the sensor to trip. Just a random guess though...
  10. Last week I had a '97 2.5L AT Ouback. Usually saw 21 city / 30 highway. Next week I will have a '97 2.2L AT Outback. I will be interested to see the changes... Yes - it's a blast to drive. Just wish she was a WRX.
  11. I have a 1997 Outback with 130,000 and it *had* a 2.5L Phase 1 engine. I had the exact same symtoms as you mention, but also had the bubbles. I tried every approach you did. Swapped thermostats twice, flushed the entire system too. Without a doubt, I know it's the head gaskets. If there are hydrocarbons, it's a head gasket. The local subaru dealers in Boise really suck. They totally missed the diagnosis. Infact, they said that to diagnose the issue - the car had to be overheating while they were looking at it. Funny thing is - if it were overheating, I wouldn't be driving it. Something else to check... In my car, if I reved the engine to 2500 rpm, it would typically reduce the temperature. My guess is air bubbles from the gasket were building up and blocking the cooling system. By reving the engine, this was forcing the water pump to increase the pressure and would eventually push the air-lock through. Just a guess though. At this point, my engine has severly overheated so many times that I know the heads are probably shot. It's $600 per head and another good chunk of change for whatever else is needed. I decided to replace the engine with the EJ22, a 2.2 Liter engine provided from a company called "Colorado Component Rebuilders". My outback is currently in the shop this week getting the new engine installed. Total cost will be around $2800 or so for the new engine. The issue I ran into is I love the car. Gets better fuel economy than an SUV, and still drives like a car. The car just fits me great - but had a crappy engine. So, I decided to replace the engine with what most Subaru mechanics describe as Subaru's "bullet-proof" engine, the EJ22. Hopefully, this will give me another 100k... Best of luck in your delima. I feel as though I am nearing the end of this major pain in the ... Kevin
  12. That's exactly what I'm doing. I did however replace the factory head unit with an Alpine CDA-7830 (?). The unit has a rear line-level input that I simply plug my iPod into. This was way before Apple and Alpine signed a deal. It would be really nice to control the MP3 player from the head unit though. Also wired in a power adapter for my iPod from the back of the cigarette lighter. Removed the ash tray (as I don't smoke) and the MP3 player, along with power and audio sit right there perfectly. This is in a 1997 Subaru Outback... There are several other makers who sell head units with aux. audio connectors. I know JVC has one anyway... I'm sure Kenwood probably has something too. Have fun! Kevin Altree
  13. I too have put more than what a person ought to into their car (outside of repairs). Upgraded brake system, stereo/speaker system, street tires and winter tires. Overall I've had the car for 3 years and have put roughly $1000 into the car each year. Most of that was to get the next best part - but a majority was from unexpected part failures. Not sure where your going about this board being super negative. I guess each person has their own idea of what a good car is. I personally love the car I have - and it actually troubles me and keeps me up at night thinking about replacing her. Hence the reason I can't bring myself to do it and will be giving her a new engine - one that will hopefully last a lifetime. Overall, I find the people and their information here on USMB to be extremely helpful. I used to own a Mitsubishi Galant. Just try to find a board like this for that car... Kevin
  14. I feel your pain! For me, this is my first Subaru and I purchased the car knowing or at least thinking that by spending the extra cash for a Subaru that the car would last nearly forever. I certainly didn't expect happening to purchase probably the worst engine Subaru ever made. On the up side, once I can put away an extra $2500 or so, the car will be getting a new engine. I too have highly considered selling my Outback and purchasing something small such as a Honda accord. I mostly commute between school, work and home. It's those weekends when I go camping and hiking that the Outback is perfect. This is the main reason I am thinking about replacing the engine. - Kevin
  15. Very sorry to hear you are also having the same issues as me. I too have a 1997, with the 2.5L DOHC in an Outback wagon. I love the car, but despise the EJ25 engine. Worst engine I've ever seen. I'm faced with the same choice. I am choosing to swap in an EJ22. Every mechanic I talk to says the EJ22 is the best engine Subaru has made. The absolutely wonderful folks at Colorado Component Rebuilders at http://www.ccrengines.com/ have been a joy to work with. They have both the EJ22 and EJ25. They recommend the EJ22 as well. Also, they offer USMB members a "slight" discount, which can help make this process slightly less painful. I would recommend also writing Subaru. Not that anything will come from it, but if enough people complain, they will get tired of it. I've been writing to a very nice lady, Wendy Clough. She has been good at writing back. Unfortunately, nothing was helpful to my situation. You can contact her at "SOAMail<no--spam>@sun.subaru1.com". I ask that people please respect the person on the other end - as they are people too and just doing their job. If you wish to report your issue to them, use the email above and remove the "<no--spam>" from the address. Best of luck. Kevin Altree
  16. Hey Skip. Just registered myself as yet another head gasket victim on your list... Thanks for the pages and all the time you took in documenting the procedure. Overall, how did your project go? Any unexpected side effects that weren't planned for? Thanks! Kevin
  17. Ranger83 - By chance, how much are you looking at spending to have the gaskets replaced? Thanks! Kevin
  18. Thanks a ton guys. rweddy - You know, I thought about doing the swap, but there's so much involved financially and mechanically. I've heard you need to replace the computer, which I guess if your spending $3000 for an engine, another $500 for the computer isn't too bad... I sent SOA a nasty note from their website. Mostly pointing out the need for a recall. Don't worry, I was politically correct... Unfortunately, I don't have any information at all about Colorado Engine Builders. Just a reference from the local subaru mechanic. I think commuter gave me the correct information. I think my mechanic got the name a little mixed up. He was pretty worked up about how disappointed he was about the EJ25... Commuter - Thanks for the link. I'm sure these are the guys my mechanic was referring me to. He's a great mechanic, but gets stuff like that mixed up sometimes. I'm sending them an email to get the quote... I know I'll be in shock, but I imagine after picking myself up from the floor it's probably the right thing to do. I've never done an engine swap, but know people who have. If a person has the right tools, on a scale of 1 to 10, how bad is swapping out the EJ25? Thanks a ton everyone - you all ahve been very helpfull!! Kevin
  19. I'll second that one. I had to cut my fuel hoses off. Tried everything to ease them off, but no luck. Thinking I was prepared I bought some extra fuel hose to have around before starting the job. Two problems with it. It was too large of an inner dimension and it wasn't designed for fuel injection . I ended up walking 4 miles to the nearest auto shop and bought some real fuel line. The dealer felt so bad they gave it to me for free. I would also recommed doing the job while it's cool outside and the engine is cold. I tried it in the afternoon with a hot engine and I disconnected the tank fuel pump. Started the engine, and it wouldn't die. It just kept running. I'm sure it would've been fine to work on, but the idea is to run the engine with the fuel pump disconnected and wait for the engine to die. Disconnect the hoses to the filter, replace the filter, reconnect hoses, reconnect fuel pump, start car, check for leaks. Very easy job. Just too a minute to find out where to disconnect the fuel pump... Good luck. I hear they recommend that job every 30k... Kevin Altree
  20. Just called our local Subaru mechanic/guru. He hates these 2.5 engines. He's actually to the point to where he doesn't want to work on them anymore. He doesn't feel good about just doing the head gaskets, because he's seen a couple cases where after the head gaskets are replaced, the compression breaks out the bottom end of the engine. He actually recommends just replacing the engine. I guess there's a company called "Colorado Engine Builders" that are supposed to be putting out pretty good 2.5L engines. My largest concern is will the rebuilt "new" engine suffer from the same issues my current engine has? How long before the head gaskets fail? I've heard there are several revisions of these gaskets, telling me SOA is guessing at trying to fix the problem. Still amazed there hasn't been a recall, as it sounds as though all RJ25 engines will suffer from this. It sucks as I did the timing belt last fall, fixed the oil pump gasket leak (also another issue with the engine). (~$300 dealer fix) Any other advice? I'm game for replacing the engine, but will need to save pennies. Sounds like the engines from Colorado Engine Builders are around $2800, and comes with a 3 year, 36,000 mile warranty. Cost for my mechanic (not a dealer) is $800 to swap the engines (and is much more competant that any dealer I've delt with). I'm a college student, so paying for this will be very difficult... Anyway, any other advice is greatly welcome! Kevin
  21. Thanks for the info. Good tip about the thermostat. No doubt about SOA. It's sad since the engine has 126k on it. I bought the outback knowing that typically Subarus run forever. I also had a choice between the 2.2 and 2.5. These days, I'm really wishing I had sacrificed that little extra power for reliability. So far I estimate I've been spending around $600 every summer on unexpected issues... In talking with a mechanic, sounds like the Forester is really starting to show lots of issues as well. Only problem, is the outback is perfect for what I do. I can't imagine being happy with anything else. Need to cram one of those Honda or Toyota engines in the outback... Thanks again! Kevin
  22. Attention all Subaru engine gurus! I have a '97 Outback with ~126k miles on the 2.5L engine. Back around Easter of this year the car overheated, but luckily was noticed quickly. The problem hasn't been too bad until recently when on a 4 hour trip, the car overheated 4-6 times. What I've noticed to be a consistent way to cause the overheating is to drive the car at freeway speeds for a length of time, and then slow down to a stop or near stop for a while. Ambient air temperature doesn't seem to matter. It could be 50 or 100 degrees outside. It's about a 99% sure thing - the car will overheat. I've heard bubbles moving from the radiator into the coolant reservoir, and this makes me very suspicious of failing or dead head gaskets. I've taken the car into two separate Subaru dealers, and they claim that unless the car is overheated when I bring it in, that they can't do anything. Sounds like crap to me. Also, the right side of the engine seems to have a louder tick than the left. Not sure what that's about either. Back when the car overheated around Easter, I checked the coolant and it was a very ugly color. The coolant was changed out 6 months prior, along with a new thermostat. When the car overheated, I drained everything and put a new Subaru thermostat in - but that wasn't the issue. It seems that somehow, air is entering the cooling system, and then the car slows down, the water pump is moving slower - allowing the air to create a blockage, causing the car to overheat. Any other ideas on what this could be? Does this sound like the infamous head gasket issue? How can I be sure of it? Also, if it's the head gaskets, then the engine will need to be dropped. Anything else I should consider fixing or adjusting while the engine is out? Thanks guys - this board has been an awesome source of valuable information!! Kevin Altree - Boise, Idaho
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