idosubaru

replacing the head bolts is pointless. so everyone is right - if you want to replace them, do so. but in a more general sense i'd hesitate from borrowing techniques from one area and needlessly applying them to another - a bad approach in general. the better approach is to learn who to listen to/significant experience regarding a particular platform. in this case that means replacing head bolts gains nothing - but there are well known steps towards consistent EJ25 headgasket repairs. 1998 Foresters (and 1996-1999 legacy/outback) EJ25's: leak internally and blow exhaust gases into the coolant. this causes instant and random overheating. they were doing this under warranty 15 years ago at low mileages - many people don't know this and make false assumptions otherwise. due to the instant and random nature of the overheating these blocks also have significant numbers of lower end issues. 1999+ Foresters (and 2000+ legacy/outback) EJ25's: leak externally you can see the leaks, coolant or oil. Initial external coolant leaks of OEM installed headgaskets will go away 100% (nearly) of the time with Subaru Coolant conditioner (note every qualifying descriptor I added - very intentional). you can generally run them 50,000+ miles by simply making sure they don't get low in fluids - they start out leaking veeeery slowly and progress over long periods of time. they will not overheat. *replaced gaskets have alternate and varying failure modes - lots of variations to the above once the gaskets have been replaced. Headgasket Repair: 1. resurface the heads (and block if so equipped) 2. use EJ25 Turbo headgaskets (on 99+ foresters) 1999's have a delayed engagement into drive issue - readily fixed by an additive (which i generally say avoid but i's a good fit in this case) 1999's also have quirky speedometers - easy soldering fix - 30 minutes or less ocassionally 1998/2000's will have those two issues as well. check for torque bind in the transmission.

what he said - but if you have rust be advised it might a debacle of a job. take a sawzall to the yard and cut the suspension linkages so you can mess with the PITA bolts at home.

1. are the fans coming on? 2. when it's running really hot - the cabin heat is hot and STAYS hot for a long time - like minutes? 3. are there any leaks - is it loosing any fluid? these engines routinely blow headgaskets and they never mix oil and coolant so you need not waste your time checking for that. they blow exhaust gases into the coolant. a hydrocarbon test kit will verify exhaust gases in the coolant - but initial failures can pass these tests.

good job - those cheap headgaskets often last a year or less - you'd probably get the same miles out of them as limping along the current failing gaskets.

the lower cam tower metal reinforced oring (one per side) i've seen a few places, like thepartsbin.com (if they even still exist) - that carry them, but it's rare. the metal clip on orings in the cam towers. XT6's have one at every port - i think EA82's only have the large oval one - some headsets have them so they are available aftermarket. intake manifold gaskets - they have a coolant passage through them and aftermarkets are flimsy/thin/prone to leak. i'd buy crank, cam, and rear main seals from Subaru - i've had aftermarket seals not seat very well and leak shortly after install on the older EA engines. never had it happen with EJ's.

up to 2004 2005+ has active valves but you can still use one, it just won't use the active valve stuff. swap the intake manifold from your car onto the new block. and it's 2005+ that are drive by wire right - so swap your throttle body and route your throttle cable. or bolt your 99 heads onto the 2005+ short block.

what's the story on the EJ22 - was this a low mileage grandma owned car that ran perfect before you pulled it? or a craigslist special, requested cash, and met you in a back alley, never telling you his name or info?

teeth skipping: tensioner belt is too tight seems highly unlikely but camshaft is seized? unlikely but, is it turning over really fast - maybe valves are bent. while 1996 is non-interference this wouldn't be the first interference 1996 engine to bend valves...and even if it came out of a 1996 - that doesn't mean it wasn't previously swapped with a later model.

Yes it does work! it's actually very easy. Items #1 and #2 mentioned in that last post are the only issues and they both have easy work arounds as stated. Read my last response to see how it's done, i'm not guessing or making that up.

the axles changed in 2000 (for legacy/outback). that's a 2000+ axle but as mentioned it'll work in yours. i've installed newer axles on older Subaru's, I always knock the tone ring off, a couple taps and it slides right off the axle.

That is a general philosophy but is not the case here. 1996 EJ22 is plug and play into any 1996-1999 EJ25D. No wiring or ECU swapping or considerations are necessary. 1. Remove EJ25 engine (complete engine, intake, etc) 2. Install EJ22 and plug it in 3. It'll run That being said - the details of this swap are hard to follow - can you verify this is a 1996 EJ22 going into a 1999 EJ25D? Check: 1. for spark at all 4 cylinders 2. fuel pressure 3. timing marks

I wouldn't even care about the belt - though that is really old. The pulleys are the higher risk. There's a tensioner and 3 additional pulleys the timing belt runs across. The sprocketed pulley routinely fails (you can google search countless images/stories). Those likely weren't replaced the first time around - so those are all original and usually in low grade shape by now. I would be itching to replace all of the timing components for that reason more than the belt alone. gates kits are only $120 on amazon and make it economical and easy to replace everything - that includes the belt, 3 pulleys, and tensioner. those parts alone (no labor) are $300 - $400 from the dealer. That said your belt is old and 3 years past due based on time. The materials degrade over time, so the rubber is drier, been heat cycled, fatigued, etc. You're 3 years past due based on time.

if you're towing in flatland it's actually really easy. you can push a car in a flat parking lot and it's not that big of a deal. try pushing a car up even a very slight incline and it becomes a big deal. you can easily tow a Subaru one time, particularly in flat land. i've towed Subarus with Subarus, but you certainly need to assess the situation a bit. i'd tow with a GL if it was almost entirely flat, one time, and not across country. same thing when towing with a very undersized vehicle - flat land is easy, mountains are ominous. making a habit of it, steep grades, heavy traffic, 100 degree weather...those are much less ideal and substantially increase risk.

yep, run them. i don't see very many of them, but i've never seen a Phase II EJ22 headgasket leak. they're certainly no worse than an EJ25 in regards to headgaskets. they could only be an improvement. 1997-1998 EJ22's are also interference, so that's not a Phase II specific disadvantage. plug and play, super easy. 1. exhaust manifolds are single port so you need a single port EJ22 exhaust 2. swap the crank sprocket and drivers side cam sprocket (as mentioned 17 times above) - which IMO it should be getting a new timing belt and pulleys and oil pump resealed anyway so it's no extra work. 3. on Phase II's you can swap Ej22 and EJ25 intake manifolds (unlike earlier Phase I Ej22 Ej25 swaps you've done).

Phase I EJ25 is DOHC engines are found in: 1996-1999 Legacy and Outback 1998 Forester and Impreza RS Phase II EJ25 SOHC engines: All 2000 and up engines 1999 Forester and Impreza RS EJ22's 1998 and earlier: (1999-2001 are Phase II heads and the same dimensions....essentially the same head except the exhaust ports...as Phase II EJ25 heads): some years have HLA's and some have solid rockers - you probably want to determine which of those is most ideal for your situation and chose that way. 1995 EJ22's are dual port exhaust (same exhaust manifold as EJ25) 1996-1998 are single port exhaust parts acquisitions could go either way. heads match the intake and exhaust manifolds so that is all nice to get together and then swap whatever block you want - the blocks are completely interchangeable with nothing dependent on them so that's the benign side of the equation.

i'd be more spendy on some engines based on mileage and how long since they've been driven, but EJ18 or EJ22 are down at the bottom of the list in that regard. Im meeting the one friend I know that has an EJ18 or two tomorrow, though he lives like 7 hours away and i only see him once a year at most, i'll ask him the details if i remember.

Is the car ever parked over grass? That aids rust. Are you having other significant rust related issues - exhaust? Wondering if you're conditions are exceptional, beyond normal Northeast standards. How many brake fluid flushes have been done since you've owned it? I would suspect something is compromising the fluid and inducing rust internally. Or the piston boot seals aren't of good quality. I'd aim for making sure whatever you install (rebuilt?) has Subaru seals/dust boots. Subaru calipers are robust and routinely last the life of the vehicle, even in the northeast rust prone areas. That being said - of course rust is also a problem around here. Oddly if rust is an issue you haven't mentioned the super common guide pin issues - I have no idea how many rusty guide pins I've repaired in newer Subarus - it's common. Rusted pistons happen, but not nearly as common as guide pins.

They're not common but not hard to find cheap when you do find them. Might pay premium for a low mileage version. Compare prices on www.car-part.com, that's where I got mine. Are you wanting a low mileage one? The 100,000 mile EJ18 I bought from All Foreign in Pittsburgh was $150 a few years ago. It's at 230,000 now.

They're busy = demand is too low. They would have time if demand and money were there.

engine, body side wiring harness, ECU make or buy an adapter plate: http://www.sjrlift.com/index.php/catalog/engine-swap-parts/ej-ea-adapter-plate-detail lots and lots of wiring work: http://s11.photobucket.com/user/kingbobdole/media/xt6%20work/EZ30/000_0027.jpg.html flywheel/flexplate?

isn't it drivable without the dash? i've driven around Subaru's multiple times without any instrument cluster and associated bits in place, doubt the HVAC/Radio/dash stuff matters for drivability. not saying it's ideal but you might have options other than being stuck.

With a German car as your main transportation you might not be storing the Subaru as long as you'd hoped. lol tires degrade from sitting - i'd pay particular attention to those so they retain good winter performance if that's what you're saving it for - read up on degrading and storage. change the oil otherwise contaminants sit on bearing surfaces. charge the battery a few times. a few months probably isn't a big deal, many of us routinely let our subarus set for long periods of time (intended or no!)

gaaah! others aren't so simple! my Ford F 150 still has the pilot bearing stuck in it from a clutch job i started a long time ago. pilot bearing puller didn't work all the youtube tricks didn't work - grease, punching it out. no one seems to know how to get it out - i called a 30 year Ford technician and the tool doesn't work. high quality drill bits walk across the surface. a rsaw has no stroke length and bangs against the rear of the crank and bends the blade first stroke...i got a short stroke saw to try eventually.

So you're seeing this on the dipstick? Definitely coolant or could it be water? Are you taking a lot of short trips with this car? I think it's said that (you can google it probably) short trips can tend to contaminate oil with water.

is the radiator cap a Subaru cap? is the sealing surface in the radiator neck - where the radiator cap seats against - in great condition? are there any leaks at all - under the engine, crossover pipes, etc? i assume you have no rust to worry about otherwise there's lots of places to check for leaks. LOL