AdventureSubaru

Done it for CA emissions a number of times. Fill the gas tank to between 1/2 and 3/4, get the engine up to operating temp, drive 55mph over as flat a surface as possible for 3-10 miles at a time. Cruise control is your friend. Usually takes about a half hour of such driving to get that monitor up. Sometimes longer. For some reason, the cars with manual transmissions take longer than the automatic.

Yeah. We've been running one for 2 years with the crank bolt tightened down extra tight. There's also a kit out there that drills and bolts the crank pulley to the crank sprocket and fixes the issue. Never a need to replace the cam shaft.

Yeah. if it's not on the trans and seated 100% (3 separate little clunks to get it in) it crushes the trans pump and the trans is shot. You killed your trans. But you're not the first to do it. Do a search on here and there's a good write up for seating a torque converter. On cars with the 2.5 motor, it should only have 1/8 of an inch between the trans bellhousing and the back of the torque converter at the starter. Hunt for a good used trans via car-part.com and row52.com - craigslist is a good source too. Make sure the final drive ratio is the same. Look up the trans code on yours and compare to other potential transmissions. Generally they follow the motor with a few exceptions. Usually if it came with a 2.5 it needs a trans from another car with a 2.5 and same for 2.2. You can cross any of these if you swap the read differential from the donor car into your car. They have to match. With some good hunting, I've gotten good transmissions in the $100-$300 with good research a bit of negotiation.

I'd be leery if it was running when it was hit. More likely to need a valve job than to incur damage from that camp pulley breaking. it's certainly worth the cost of a good block though which gives you some room to negotiate since the rest is unknown. $300 is still a decent price for a short block. Offer less and maybe get a deal. If the valves are toast, heads on these SOHCs are so simple. Pull 6 head bolts and remove the head. Don't even have to take the valve covers off. Clean them up sanded smooth. Resurface them if desired, but with these first gen gaskets, it's really optional. they are very forgiving. $50. job for new head gaskets. Follow the torque sequence to tighten head bolts and done. Once the motor was out, the whole process took about 2 hours the first time I did it. Most of that was spent sanding and cleaning the block and head surfaces. I have a set of single port EJ22 heads that I'm selling cheap to clear out the garage. If you end up needing a set, let me know. Would be around $150 shipped to the lower 48

There's a C clip on the back of the TC shaft that needs to be squeezed. Was the TC fully seated before the engine was installed? When the bolts from the flex plate are tightened into the Torque converter it should pull it forward by about 1/4 inch. If not fully seated it crushes the trans pump. Is it not going into gear at the shifter? (Wont shift out of park?) In which case there's a release with a screwdriver inside the car. Owners manual gives instructions. Or shifts into drive but wont move?

X2 on the POR15. it's good stuff.. I've had success with the Rustoleum rust converter. Home Depot and others carry it. my process was to grind or sand the rusted area and get the lifted/bubbled paint off, more is better. Then apply a coat of rust converter, and several coats of paint on top.

Do the forester/outback lift. Makes it way stiffer (Especially forester) and unless you go way up in tire size will give you lots of room to load it up. Used is okay. New KYB struts with used springs would be ideal and still pretty cheap Added benefit will be more ground clearance for snow, trails etc.

I've done similar swaps. Will require a 95-98 USDM EJ22 intake manifold. I think the 2.0s were still dual port exhaust so everything else should bolt right up.

Ok. 2.2 heads fit in large flat rate boxes so shipping both would be about $35. and you can have both heads for $100. Figured it's an option but you can usually source them locally as well. car-part.com is best. 96-98 heads will be single port and ideally you'll get one that matches EGR vs non EGR but there are workarounds for both to avoid a check engine light. Sprockets for sure would need swapped but the trouble will be on the intake, throttle, sensors. will require some fab work to make it ever run and then who knows how well. The block can be used from any 1990-2004 and probably beyond but the heads as a rule need to match.

Can it be done? yes. Are you wasting your time? Probably. You need to swap cam and crank, but you will also end up having to fab an adapter for at least the the throttle body if not the intake manifold. Plus there's a crossover somewhere for MAF vs. MAP sensors. It can be done, but more than likely the best course of action is to find either a good used motor or a good set of heads. I have a set of single port Phase 1 EJ22 heads if you're interested.

work done on it recently? I'd pull it and see if the bolt is loose or an issue with the pulley itself. Check that the key is still there. Had one that was really mangled once. Had to just over tighten the bolt and has held for nearly 2 years on that car. There's also a kit that can bolt pulley to the crank sprocket if necessary. In all likelyhood, tighten the bolt or replace the pulley. I have a couple good used ones if you end up needing one, message me.

That fuel rail will likely be your idle issue. Did this once on a motor swap when I installed a fuel rail minus the O rings. Every time I started the motor, it revved way high. Once the seals were installed, it idled nice a smooth.

EL Nino is what they are saying. In California it's a big deal since theres been several years of drought in a row now and El Nino makes for a wet winter. So far, so good. Still got a ways to go to get the water tables back up

If you know you're replacing the sensor anyway, here's the process I used the last time I had one really stuck. The o2 sensor specific socket would flex and slip. I dropped the exhaust from the heads and the trans exhaust support so it could flex down. Then from under the car I cut the o2 sensor off about an inch above with an angle grinder. Then I could slip a socket over the top (21mm? Cant remember exactly) and with a breaker bar it spun out just fine. Heat and some PB blaster are a good combo as well.

It wont line up exactly. trans cooling lines are on the side for outbacks. I think the outback/legacy radiator is longer. With some zip ties and rerouted/extended trans cooling lines it can fit and do its job as long as it allows space for the cooling fans. If not, return it and get the right part.

I miss a good romp in the snow. Just rain here in California. Hoping to get some snow for my kiddo to play in when we go "home" for Christmas

EZ30 in an Impreza. It's been done a few times. Certainly more of an affordable build. Find a Tboned LL BEAN outback or one with a blown trans and start going to town.

Nice score. For $300 if it moves on it's own power, you got a deal. Heck, scrap prices are around that, Jerky acceleration in lower RPMs often means plug wires. Can also be MAF sensor or fuel delivery. As far as rust, just make sure then important parts are sound. Even if it's scrap metal and some ugly welds, it's better than driving a compromised vehicle if theres any serious rot. Seen and done some very cheap and ugly repairs like that. Safety first.

Seeing as illinois is rust belt area. Look at the rust condition. Particularly on the back half of the vehicle. Some rust on the rear quarters is normal and cosmetic. Look at brake lines and seams for leaks.Surface rust vs. rot that can cause the structural ridgidity to be compromised. Often rear strut towers etc. would be first affected. Some rust buckets are still very stout. Just becomes a factor as the more rust, the more difficulty when you do any work on it.

These head gaskets tended to leak externally for a while. Look under the block at the head gasket seams for leaks. A little weeping is not unusual, but if it's more than that, it's something to consider. If the PO has records of head gaskets done and done well, it's a big plus. Most of these motors will have had it done by this point but not all. Overall good car and good motor. Just not as bullet proof as the 1990-1998 EJ22s.

Those wont seize up but i've commonly had them crack on removal. Easy enough to fish the pieces out if the trans is out, but a pain when it's still on the car.

As these motors get up there in miles they commonly develop leaks. Usually these are slow and not gushers. If it's dripping onto the exhaust, it's often the oil separator plate. This has a dealer upgrade made from stainless steel to replace the plastic one which leaks. As mentioned, crawl around with a flashlight and see where it's coming from. Check your fluid levels. (Oil in particular is essential.) If you are not losing oil rapidly, the easy solution is to simply top off oil in between changes. If your fluid levels stay topped off, you can run with leaks indefinitely. My 97 Impreza did the same when I had it. Leaked from the separator plate and dripped right onto the y pipe. Smoked a little from under the hood and would smell when sitting at a stop light. That leak combined with a few other minor ones would lose about 1/2 quart over an oil change cycle. Worked out fine as I'd just add some oil every 1000 miles. I'd do an oil change. Buy 5 quarts. Fill with 4.5 and keep the last half to top off.

Still air in the system. Not sure if there's a burping procedure or if you just need to add more coolant

Certain parts have reputation to go Subaru only - as mentioned CVs, Plug wires, head gaskets etc. will fail readily unless they are fuji (Or NGK in the case of plug wires) But RockAuto and others are fantastic when you are okay with a slightly lower quality but much lower price. Closeout sales on things like brake pads etc. have made for some very cheap maintenance and repairs.

RetroRoo would be ShawnW