AdventureSubaru

Rare as hens teeth now. Couldn't assign a dollar value. Would be like the show condition brats on ebay. Find the right buyer and it's worth stupid $$$. Especially if it's verified with receipts/documentation/warranty or anything like that. Some of the new parts in there simply do not exist anymore so folks have to either cobble used stuff together or move on to EJ most of the time.

Hubris.

Congrats on the new family vehicle! My uncle and his family drove excactly that - 2005 Odyssey up until this past summer when they were in a pretty rough accident in it. The whole family was in it. 2 adults, 3 kiddos and while the van is done, everyone walked away with only minor bumps a bruises. It did its job. They bought it new and it was very dependable. Guess what it was replaced with - another odyssey. Congrats on #3! We found out #2 is in the oven about a month ago. Maybe I'll be in the market for a van before too long.

Good motors for sure. I don't know anyone who doesn't respect them. Simple, durable - good motors. I learned to drive on one and have put a lot of miles on my EA cars from the past. Still would be if not for all the road salt. The emphasis here is that there's no room to gain much horsepower on them. They go on and on. Just not very quickly. Those who seek any significant performance increase have to step up to the EJ platform (Which was based on the EA.)

The EA platform is part way through its slow fade into oblivion. If no new ones turn up, you'll have to take the step down to used parts via craigslist, the classifieds section or car-part.com

I upload them to photobucket. Then you can copy the IMG code and paste it into the text and it shows up here. Keep at it. Transmission swaps on these cars are easier than most would think. I picked up an 05 outback sitting in the driveway with no forward gears waiting for some better weather and maybe the completion of my garage and I'll be doing it again. Keep aware of the wiring and hoses so nothing gets kinked or crimped. Spread the weight around a lot if the trans is being jacked up on the pan. Be 100% sure the torque converter is seated before mating the engine and trans. otherwise it's just a matter of nuts, bolts and a little wiggling. Making sure your fluids are correct and full. First time I ever did it I jacked it up by wrapping ratchet straps through the interior of the car and raising the trans that way. Took a lot longer so I use a trans jack nowadays. Also helps to jack up the motor from the front when connecting the trans so the angles line up. You'll save an hour of wiggling and pushing by doing so.

Post up some pics of the differences. We can guide you through it. Only way i can think that it gets screwed up is if the torque converter is not fully seated it will crush the pump and your transmission is only useful as a boat anchor or to hold down a tarp.

Sounding like a thrown rod. Often on these motors they punch a hole through the top of the block right behind the engine stamp. Assuming so, the next step cost effectively is finding a good used motor. You can use a 96-99 dual overhead cam 2.5. Most of us prefer the more reliable 90-98 sohc 2.2 motor. They cost less than the 2.5 and last longer and are simpler to work on. The 1995 2.2 motor from a legacy or impreza will be direct bolt in. 96-98 require that you get the y pipe for the exhaust along with the motor as they switched to single port. The motors from manual cars run fine but will throw and egr code. There is a workaround with an egr intake manifold if needed. Ditto to the 90-94 motors. I have a write up on a complete remove and reinstall on here. Takes about a day the first time. If you put a 2.2 in there, keep thebflex plate from the 2.5. Slightly larger diameter so it matches yoir trans.

You can swap the legacy springs over but would lose some height. Best is to get a lightly used set of struts/springs as an assembly and just bolt them in. Gives 2-3 inches of lift and you can clear up to a 28 inch tire. I have this set up with some 3/8 HDPE spacers on my 98 legacy and did the same with a 97 Impreza outback a number of years ago. Also helpful but not necessary (Unless you are maxing out tire size) is the trailing arm brackets from a 97-99 legacy outback. Keeps the hub centered in the rear wheel well. Read the sticky at the top for lifting an impreza. Everything on a legacy is identical except the rear tophats will have the same bolt pattern as an outback and wont need drilling.

What a deal! Only $13,000+/- more expensive than an EJ swap to get 20 fewer HP than an EJ22! :banana:

Is it really much cheaper or easier to go SPFI EA over EJ? No adapter needed but both are going to send you down the rabbit hole for wiring, ECU, Fuel pump etc. Given the volume of available parts cars of EJ over EA - I'd suspect I could do an EJ swap cheaper than a SPFI switcheroo. I've gotten a few parts/fixer uppers for under 300. Shoot, my daily driver lifted legacy was purchased for $200. Could have dropped that stuff into an EA car on the cheap if I wanted.

Pull the motor. Will save a few hours. replace the retainer clips with new ones while you're in there and grease eveything well. Generally this is the time for a clutch kit too unless you know it's very low miles.

Solid plan. Should work out fine.

I think that ej22 would have to be free for it to be the most economical route. Maybe not even then. If you want to run carb then go for it. Usually the way to go is to find a cheap wrecked one or one with a bad transmission so you have all the parts and a full template of the wiring. Around here parts cars like that can be had for 500 or less. But certainly to each his own. Both will be nice upgrades. Or get a good used ea82 and drop it in

Hope it works out. But again, ill remind you, we already know what the ea81 can do. We've already done it.some still are doing it. Somevof us are doing it to otber platforms now. Mine is a 2005 outback about to get a lift and 31 inch tires after spring thaw. I do miss the simplicity of the ea platforms though. Cut wrenching time in half.

Yes RAD. I'm seeing either a double standard or a big oversight here. You claim to want significant performance increase and then say that the ea81 power is just fine. Make up your mind here. If the ea81 is fine just fix it and drive it. Or find a good used one out there and drop it in. You can keep them running cheap off used parts. It will stay the same low powered but dependable driver they always were. If you want blazing speed out of the car you are wasting your time with thatvmotor and youve seen too many movies. You're just not going to find what you seem to be looking for. A high powered inexpensive ea81 simply does not exist. Scratch that. A high powered ea81 does not exist. If you want power you need something in your engine bay capable of generating power. If you want original and true to the brat. Get the ea81 running right and keep it going. A weber can give a little more pep if tuned well. But still not a fast car, which is okay. I go that way. Ive replaced several dohc 2.5s for a 2.2 sacrificing horsepower for simplicity and reliability. As you seem loyal to the ea81, you need to get comfortable with what the ea81 is. Not what you want it to be or imagined it to be but what it is. A simple, reliable and low powered little motor that you may spend more time finding parts for than the time it takes to actually do the repairs to. Again, this is okay because its real. But if you think you're going to make it much faster on a stock motor without frying it quickly, you're just another dreamer that will come back down to earth when the reality we've told you about shows up.

Have someone double check me on this. GD can probably confirm, but if you swap everything off that manifold to the 2.2 manifold from hannas and bolt it in, you should be good to go. I don't see any reason it shouldnt work. You'll probably need plug wires from a 98 but they are good preventative maintenance anyway.

Thankfully (and on purpose) they are both federal emissions vehicles. California pigeon holes everyone buying a new car into the restrictive/high maintenance emissions but used cars bought out of state can be brought in an registered. My wifes car came from Oregon and my 98 from who knows where (previous owner must have been from somewhere else) but both are "normal" Now the battle begins to keep them rust free as neither has a speck of rust just yet.

Glad to hear the Impreza did its job. Pound for pound these are the safest vehicles on the road. We have had similar experiences. I order some of the closeout parts on Rock Auto. Cheaper ceramic pads lasted about 15-20,000 miles. It was hilly country, plenty of dirt roads and we tow sometimes with ours. I dont mind changing pads a little more regularly but we're going to pay a bit more for a higher quality pad on the next replacement as rotors will be due as well. I think some of the materials wear out quicker based on the heat/friction they produce but i've not researched it much.

Start with an oil change - 10w30 is fine but just get the standard oil. Do not run synthetic. These motors seem happiest on cheap oil and frequent changes. (3000-3500 miles) Fresh oil quiets them down a lot most of the time. These motors had hydraulic lash adjusters until 97 when they switched. This is likely the tapping. They are very noisy after sitting for a while or if oil is too thin/low. A few days of driving on a fresh oil change should yield a noticeable reduction in noise. you'll notice it will get louder again after sitting a while or on cold mornings. These motors are tappy - especially as they get up there in miles. If it doesn't go away after this, get a video so we can take a listen. But very likely it's just the HLAs. Done a number of motor swaps and a junkyard motor sitting drained of oil for a few months - you'd swear it had a rod knock or piston slap or something. A few hours driving and they purr.

Don't be nervous. It's new to you but old hat to us. I've probably done this maneuver about 6 or so times fixing up some of these cars just like this. I just completed them with no check engine lights before I'd sell them to anyone. Its a common swap for these cars because the 2.5 motor for these years was trouble and the 2.2 was easily dropped in. Worse comes to worse, buy the parts, drive out to western PA and i'll put it in for you. If the tube is the one that comes off the back of the EGR port to the head, then it's a good start. You'll need the wiring harness as well as an EGR solenoid and Vacuum switch valve I believe. (I don't have the car in front of me.) Best would be if you can find someone to just sell you the manifold as unbolted from the motor. it comes with the solenoids and everything all attached and read to go. That way you just unbolt the manifold, unplug the wires, hoses and such and switch them out. Someone will sell you one for $100. Put a want ad in the classifieds here. Someone has to have a parts car or motor around and help you out. The $75+45 and such at hannahs is pretty steep all things considered til you add wiring and solenoids and such that should just come bolted to it. drilling and tapping is one way to do it, but a pain unless the motor was already out. http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/137829-using-a-non-egr-engine-in-subaru-with-egr-exhaust-gas-recirculation-valve/ That work around is the simpler solution. You can get parts from home depot or similar for $15 and put it together in 15 minutes. I cut off the EGR tube and used a few small hose clamps over a rubber tube slid over the EGR tube.

Sad to say but quick wont happen in fabbing or ordering custom wheel adapters. Your best chance is to find a set of 14 or 15 inch Peugeot rims here or elsewhere or look up redrilling the hubs to a 6x140 such as the toyota, nissan and chevy trucks from the 80s and 90s.

I havent seen it done before but in theory it would work. If it were me, I'd stick with the EJ18 as its already plenty of power for a loyale and as reliable a motor as Subaru ever made. Some frankenmotors bolt together and run like tops. Others seem to be plagued by demons that can't be explained, wont go away and don't make any sense. Save the 2.5 for another project or part it out to get some cash for other work later on. . i'm a big fan of the K.I.S.S. approach. "Keep it simple stupid" That's just me though

Yup. Good call. There's a number listed on car-part.com so someone will have it,

Cheap Options - scour car-part.com, craigslist, etc and see what can be scrounged up on the cheap. The good thing about these motors being mostly obsolete is that they are often cheap when they do turn up. EA81 either fixing yours or putting in a replacement. the 81-84 wagons and coupes and the hatch through 87 and brats had these motors. The EA82 is just a little newer, a little more pep and has timing belts but a good motor that is mostly bolt in. 85-92 loyal, gl dl and such As the situation sounds like money is tight and you wont be doing the work yourself we can save the EJ talk for a later date. But for now if you can score a cheap motor or donor car you can at least get it back on the road and start prepping for further stuff down the line. My parents live in Ontario not far from where you're at. Actually drove to Lake Elsinore and bought a grill with them not long after they moved. With that big population nearby there's probably a few old school subaru junkies that can help wrench on it with bribes of pizza and/or cold beverages. if you get to the point of having a good motor to drop in there, you might turn someone up here or on some of the local subaru clubs/groups on facebook. if you were in my neck of the woods, I'd offer some time. A motor swap on these cars is cake compared to the modern stuff. takes only a couple hours if it goes smooth. Especially on those rust free california cars.