Ionlyhave3suubs

It seems this thread has remained active past my resolution of the problem, so I'm putting my resolution in. The problem with the way the engine ran was tracked down to two factors. Foremost, the transmission was junk and likely had damaged components causing the engine to strain. I swapped the transmission out for a 99+ 4eat from an Impreza rs 2.5. After the transmission swap, things were much better but not optimal. I then diagnosed a bad rocker assembly on the passenger side. I swapped it out with a good used one and it was good to go. I eventually sold it in favor of a 97 LGT sedan, also with a bad transmission. I needed a sedan so I could lock valuables in the trunk. I rebuilt the transmission under the supervision of a well experienced transmission rebuilder and it works great. In summary, I went the easier way on the swap to a compatible transmission for the 99.

Gary, I bought the car with the 4.11 trans and rear already installed. The 4.11 trans is no longer a viable trans due to obvious overheat. The fluid has the burnt smell. I have a friend who runs an independent transmission shop and he is helping me out with the transmission rebuild. Due to the apparent transmission damage, I am opting to rebuild the Outback transmission even though the car it came out of has a bit over 200k but on teardown the friction materials and steels have little to no visible wear. It was likely recently rebuilt or a low mileage swap. Due to all of these factors, my transmission guy and I determined the best option would be to rebuild the Outback transmission, swap out the front diff and bellhousing from the 4.11 trans that was in the car when I got it, and re-install. I am hopeful the smaller diameter GT wheel/tire combination will even things out with the slightly higher gear ratio. It would be a bit less work than pulling the diff from the Outback, and swapping it into the GT, plus the added work of removing the gears from the damaged Outback bellhousing and putting it in the undamaged bellhousing that came in the GT when I bought it. Additionally, I realize now I left out a fact in my original post that when removing the Outback trans from the donor car, It fell off of my cheap jack and the passenger side lower corner of the bellhousing hit the concrete floor in my garage, cracking the bellhousing. That was the whole reason I began opening up the transmissions in the first place. I guess the best explanation is the 4.11 kinda chose me based on the whole circumstance.

Thanks to all. I will be going with the 4.11 front diff to match the rear, even though it is probably not the original axle ratio that came in the car.

Gary, I just tried the wheel turning method and came up with 4.11:1. I suspected the 5mt to 4eat swap due to doing the wheel turn test, but not being sure I was doing it right and coming up with 4.11 ,and on the firewall in the place where a clutch master cylinder would be, there is a piece of aluminum tape over the hole. According to the plate on the strut tower, however it was equipped with a 4eat from the factory. I am guessing the rear diff was swapped out when the transmission was because the front diff is definitely 4.11. I was under the impression all 2.5 4eat ratios should be 4.44 Fairtax, I know the front diff ratios already. I have the front diffs removed from the transmission cases and have counted the teeth. I was trying to figure out the rear ratios so I could use which ever one I needed to to match the rear, since I have one of each of the front ratios.

I recently picked up a 97 Legacy GT sedan to use as my work car. I purchased the car knowing the transmission was in bad shape and would need a rebuild or replacement. I removed the transmission this week and had plans to swap in a 98 Outback transmission. I inspected the ring and pinion on both and determined the transmission in the GT which the PO advised was a low mileage JDM swap had a 4.111 ratio. The Outback transmission had the correct 4.444 ratio that should be in all of the 4eat 97-98 2.5 powered cars. I have searched the forums and not been able to find decoding information for rear axle ratios. I was only able to find a small sticker on the back of the rear differential housing with "T2" on it. does this indicate the gear ratio? If so, what is the ratio? My theory is the PO swapped out the original transmission with a transmission with the wrong ratio and damaged the transmission due to the incorrect ratio. The engine and transmission that were in the GT when I bought it were JDM swap according to the PO. He did not have the paperwork on the JDM engine or transmission. Both looked really clean, however the transmission is noisy and the PO said it slips at highway speed. The fluid smells burnt. To reiterate, I need to know how to tell the rear differential ratio so I match up the front differential correctly when I put a transmission back in. I know it should be 4.444, but since other things have been swapped and there is no paperwork for those items, I don't feel comfortable assuming it is still the original rear. I am starting to have suspicions this car may have been a 5MT car to start with. I'm guessing that information would be in the VIN somewhere. Can someone tell me where that is in the VIN?

Good, choice! I bought a 2002 Grand Caravan with less than 50k on it. 52k the transmission was cooked. It got so hot the differential had to be replaced in the trans too. This was in typical family use too.

It sounds like you are on the way to a really cool build. I am assuming you still have the original engine and transmission. Based on that information, It sounds like a good start would be to swap out your original transmission and rear diff for ones from a GT. They have a lower gear ratio which will help with getting whatever power you have to the ground. You will want one from a 98 or earlier. The 99 starts a new generation and will not be an easy swap, different harness and computer. While a H6 may be an option, consider how tight the clearance between the front of your engine and cooling fans is already. Probably only a couple of inches. The 00 up Legacy body is designed to accommodate the H6. An alternative would be building a 2.5 bottom end with 2.2 heads, 2.2 intake, 2.5 injectors. Cometic makes a head gasket specific for this application. Summit Racing Equipment sells the gaskets. Research frankenmotor, there's a lot of information on the message board.

Probably the easiest dual piston calipers to find will be from cars that came with a 2.5L engine from your car's generation such as the Outback, LSi, GT etc. If you are not opposed to and have room, sometimes it is beneficial to buy a parts car, and pull parts as you need them. That way you can be sure you have everything you need when "bolting on" an upgrade. Outbacks with bad engines can be had cheap, and you get the necessary 15" wheels if you don't already have them.

+1 on looking for used parts. Much less expensive. I have tried replacing a bearing and hub with new parts before. Huge pain in the posterior. Bolting in a used assembly, much less headache. If you don't want to do the manual work yourself, find a good independent shop in your area that is willing to install salvage parts. When it comes down to it, all cars run on used parts. New parts are only new until they get used once.

I am not sure what happened on the double posting, please reply to the other post.

I have just recently gotten back into wrenching on Subarus again. It has been a little bit since I have done any gasket work and I want to make sure I have good information before I start laying down hard earned money for parts. 1. I am looking to put together a frankenmotor with a 97 or 98 2.5 DOHC shortblock and 95 2.2 heads. Both EGR compatible. I understand I need to use 2.5 oem head gaskets. I have heard some recommend gaskets for a 2.5 turbo engine for this application, but have not heard a specific part number or vehicle type to order turbo gaskets for. 2. I believe I am correct that the remaining gaskets needed can be sourced aftermarket without issue, keeping in mind that cam and crank seals need to be the brown rubber, not the black. Fel-pro etc. ok for valve cover, intake, exhaust, oil pump, etc.? 3. Oil separator seal- Grey RTV good? I'm installing the steel oem replacement. 4. I read the thread on the Gates timing belt kits. Any other recommended aftermarket supplier manufacturer/supplier? 5. Different vehicle- 2006 Forester NA 2.5 SOHC- It is due for timing belt again coming up on 200k miles. Head gaskets are seeping oil at a slow rate. Minor annoyance, but I will probably do the head gaskets and timing belt all at once. I have never worked on one of these engines but expect it to be similar to the 2000 and 2002 sohc 2.5s I have done timing belts on before. Anything else I need to do while I am in there? Do I need to pull the oil pump and check the screws? anything else? Turbo or NA head gaskets? OEM or aftermarket? 6. The head gasket tightening steps? The information in my old Haynes manual I don't believe is accurate. Can someone post the head torqueing instructions for my 97 and my 06 please?

I have just recently gotten back into wrenching on Subarus again. It has been a little bit since I have done any gasket work and I want to make sure I have good information before I start laying down hard earned money for parts. 1. I am looking to put together a frankenmotor with a 97 or 98 2.5 DOHC shortblock and 95 2.2 heads. Both EGR compatible. I understand I need to use 2.5 oem head gaskets. I have heard some recommend gaskets for a 2.5 turbo engine for this application, but have not heard a specific part number or vehicle type to order turbo gaskets for. 2. I believe I am correct that the remaining gaskets needed can be sourced aftermarket without issue, keeping in mind that cam and crank seals need to be the brown rubber, not the black. Fel-pro etc. ok for valve cover, intake, exhaust, oil pump, etc.? 3. Oil separator seal- Grey RTV good? I'm installing the steel oem replacement. 4. I read the thread on the Gates timing belt kits. Any other recommended aftermarket supplier manufacturer/supplier? 5. Different vehicle- 2006 Forester NA 2.5 SOHC- It is due for timing belt again coming up on 200k miles. Head gaskets are seeping oil at a slow rate. Minor annoyance, but I will probably do the head gaskets and timing belt all at once. I have never worked on one of these engines but expect it to be similar to the 2000 and 2002 sohc 2.5s I have done timing belts on before. Anything else I need to do while I am in there? Do I need to pull the oil pump and check the screws? anything else? Turbo or NA head gaskets? OEM or aftermarket? 6. The head gasket tightening steps? The information in my old Haynes manual I don't believe is accurate. Can someone post the head torqueing instructions for my 97 and my 06 please?

I am considering the possibility of rebuilding the transmission myself. I have never rebuilt an automatic transmission before but have rebuilt engines. I am not sure where to start as far as where to get the technical information to rebuild it. Also not sure the best source for the parts,. Any special tools needed? I have no problem removing it. I also don't have a ton of money in the car so if I botch the job, no biggie if I don't put a ton into the rebuild parts. I would like to learn how to rebuild it.

You also have the option of using a 96-98 2.2. You just have to unbolt the Y pipe at the first connection set of flanges and bolt it to your existing exhaust system (with a new gasket of course). Sure you lose the dual port heads, but the 96-98 engines seem more plentiful (at least where I am). My first swap, I made the mistake of unbolting at the connection that is held together with bolts and springs (the one near the tail shaft of the transmission). That one is a bit harder to get to seal again.

Regarding the timing belt, When I get a used Subaru that I am going to keep or for a family member to keep, I always do the timing belt if it has over 100k miles. Peace of mind. Much cheaper than a complete valve job or replacing the heads. I don't trust service records from a shop I don't know. It might ​be ok for a while, but the timing belt has to come off to do the oil pump service mentioned above anyway. Seems kinda unwise to put a used belt back on.

This should make you a nice reliable car with the leaks sealed up and timing belt idlers and water pump replaced. It is likely the oil separator may also be leaking on the transmission side of the engine. This will appear as if it is a rear main seal leak because the oil will drip out from the back side of the engine. I noticed in the repairs done that the rear main seal was replaced. Did not see (may have overlooked) oil separator plate repair or replacement. If this is a concern to you, the engine (or trans) needs to be removed in order to replace it. These can get quite bad to the point of people chasing you down after you park to tell you your car is on fire (happened to me twice, it was only the oil dripping on the converter and smoking). If there is a leak there, buy a replacement metal (current part is stamped steel) one from Subaru and install it. The original plastic ones are very prone to leaking and very difficult to get sealed again. By the way, I have a couple of parts cars and if you need some used parts and don't mind driving to the Roanoke area e-mail me at johnnybgood163@gmail.com I might have something you could use. 90's Subarus are a bit hard to come by in the boneyards around here and most I have seen are picked clean.

Does the bulkhead harness have the transmission control computer in it somewhere?

I forgot to mention, The 97 Outback has already been converted to a 2.2 from a 97 Impreza Outback Sport. The 2.2 in the GT now is running like crap. Not sure what it's problem is, but it starts like a carburated car with a bad choke, doesn't want to stay running until it warms up, then you have to feather the throttle to get it to build RPMs. I have very little information about the GT's history. Was leftover inventory from a defunct used car dealership.

My current Trans has the following markings on the top drivers side of the bellhousing. There is a small sticker with "716403" then a larger sticker with "TZ1A2ZJEAA-WY". Is there a way to decode this? Second, I have a complete, wrecked 1997 Outback that the body is crashed beyond repair. The mechanicals (minus radiator and A/C) are still good. It still yard drives. What would need to be done to swap the engine and trans over from the 97 to the 99? I know there are electrical changes that would need to be made. Would it be a situation where I could take the harness and TCU from the 97 and plug it in to the 99? also where are the ECU and TCU located on the Legacy and Impreza models in the late 90's?

Well, I searched the "delayed engagement" and tried the "Trans X" transmission additive and have the same result. Just prior to adding the Trans X, I was able to get it to move a little bit in "Drive" but after the engine completed warm up, It didn't want to move at all.

Thanks for the information. The engine I verified to be a SOHC 2.2 before buying based on the "EJ22" stamp cast into the block and the single cam covers. The trans fluid I also checked before purchase and it was full. I will search the "delayed engagement" and see what that is.

I just bought a 1999 Legacy GT 2.5 wagon that has at some point had a 2.2 swap and has had some front sheet metal replaced. I bought it as a mechanic's special because the transmission is not working as it should. The previous owner said he had it moving around his yard under its own power, but when I attempted to move it around, it seems as if it is in neutral. When I unloaded it off the trailer today it acted as if it were stuck in park even though it was shifted to neutral (engine off, no battery, shift lock override engaged). Yesterday it rolled fine when the car was running and in neutral. I did not try starting it today because it does not have a battery. My questions are: Is there something simple this may be? I have several 1997 transmissions (one outback, one impreza outback, one legacy L) that are good (as far as I know) are any of these compatible with the existing trans? I am also a bit confused by the swap. I am not sure if the engine is the right type for a 99. How do I tell? it is hard to start but seems to run ok when warmed up a little. Any help is appreciated.

As a person who has had to sell one vehicle and buy another to make room for child seats, I recommend talking your child seat in to the dealership with you and test fit it in the rear seat with you and your wife sitting in the front and see how it fits. Back in the day when my youngest son was in an infant seat, we ended up having to give up our Forester for a vehicle with more rear seat room to accommodate the infant seat. I have always been a fan of the outback wagons and have owned one since '98. Check out the Outback if it is in your budget, if not you may want to consider pre-owned. The 97 Outback served me well and was still going strong at 272K miles when I was rear-ended a couple of months and it was totaled. The impact was a rear impact with a large SUV pulling a commercial mower trailer hitting me in the rear, forcing me into another commercial truck in front of me. Both ends of my car were demolished, but me and my son walked away without injury.

What is the best way to check/adjust the timing?

So should I just replace the knock sensor and see what happens? I don't think I have a known good one so I will need to purchase one. Are the non-oem ones ok or do I need to stick with genuine parts?