idosubaru

trans will bolt up and engine will physically fit just fine on the engine crossmember. bolt the 2.0 heads to the 2.5. in the US market 1998's are Phase I and later are Phase II (with both being offered in 1999). you'll need to determine if that's the case there as well. same phase engines are easy to swap - but swapping across Phase I and II is far more challenging and most people avoid it.

fixing and trading it in is not a good option. you'd get very little trade in. if you got $2,000 it would be as much juggling numbers as actual trade in. EJ22 won't need headgaskets replaced. Ej25 yes install new Subaru or Six Star headgaskets. also install a new timing kit on anything you get - the gates kits on amazon are cheap.

keep calling/looking around. if 25 places refuse to rotate tires then something is wrong with: A. the tires B. the customer (approach, attitude, demands...)

these essentially repairs the "ears" and bolt holes only - not the sealing surface. like this: http://g35driver.com/forums/attachments/intake-exhaust/138657d1307119502-easy-exhaust-flange-repair-05-sedan-muffler-mid-pipe-saves-img_2707.jpg the donut gaskets are thick and robust - so they can seal badly rusted parts fairly well. but if the front of the pipe is gone - then the basic split flanges won't work. there are quite a few varities i'd look online and see what you can find that might work. another easy solution is to get a piece of pipe expanded on both ends with the ID large enough to accomodate the OD of the original pipe - so the original pipe just slides into it. cut the flange end off both the converter and the rear pipe slide this pipe in between them. ends can come expanded or just do the free loaner tool and get a pipe expander to expand the ends - they are heavy duty to work with though. keep the cut out of the original exhaust as small as possible and it'll only work if it's straight with no bends to manuever. likewise a shop can weld in a similar patch for $35 - $70. takes them 15 minutes and almost no materials.

yes, use the correct headgasket - i think you match the headgasket to the block - but make sure all the coolant and oil passages line up properly.

don't look at "long life" that means harder rubber compounds that aren't as good in traction. get good traction if you need it. in mountains where parts of roads dont' see day light hardly at all in the winter and stay snow covered on switch back steep grades and start to pack, freeze, .....all seasons will not get you down those without sliding. i don't know OP's conditions but that's how it is around here.

The Torque Converter Seal is leaking. A fairly rare failure on Subaru's but it can happen as it's just a seal. I would expect it more from a car that had an engine or transmission swapped previously.

nice hit. the 01 forester and 99 forester are the exact same engine so it'll be the same process to replace.

That's probably about right and will seem high in many ways. $100 per strut and $120 per strut labor. Struts are $100 - with a $40 coupon (TRT41 online code) the struts are $60 from advance auto parts: http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/monroe-oespectrum-strut-71448/19711192-p?cm_mmc=ACQ-_-Google-_-GPLA-_-19711192&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=19711192&ci_gpa=pla_with_promotion&ci_kw=&iv_=__iv_p_1_n_g_a_pla_with_promotion_d_6201684_f_online_s__o_19711192-145219_z_US_j_71042597542_i_en_d_c_v___vi&gclid=COPilNK7pMACFShp7AodJEcAnw#utm_source=acq&utm_medium=google&utm_campaign=gpla&utm_content=19711192 Can get the struts for $250. But that's not what a shop will charge you for them. They have to maintain relationships with suppliers, have them delivered, look up parts, etc.

that sounds about right - a year/10,000 miles on those cheap headgaskets. best not to use cheap headgaskets on that particular motor. can probably get away with them on some Subaru engines, but not that one. Subaru MLS only or Six Star. don't replace the head bolts, waste of time. Subaru tstat is preferred - there's a HUGE difference, here's a picture showing the difference: http://subaruvanagon.com/tom/Cooling/Thermostats%204%20sm.jpg

most Subaru people get KYB's but i doubt you'll really notice a compelling difference and Monroe would be fine, i wouldn't hesitate to run them. 97% of the improvement is going to come from just replacing them, the other 3% will come from how the job is done, whether mounts/springs are replaced, and what brand. i would think more about the 97% not the 3%. the stiff steering is usually the steering ujoint/coupler, often times rusty. replace with a used one, they're super easy to replace (it's like one bolt - slihtly hard to get to but easy). being easy to replace and that they don't fail terribly often, used makes sense here. you're unlikely to notice any difference with power steering fluid change, Subaru's are rather robust when it comes to power steering and brake fluids, but new fluid is a good thing.

i've had the tube inside the transmission once. i remember trying to get it out, multiple things not working, but i can't recall how i eventually got it out. if the TC wasn't fully seated when you bolted the engine and transmission together - the oil pumps usually crack and the transmission is toast. i'm not sure how to determine if the pump is damaged from this point. you can spin the engine by hand and get the oil pump to move oil through the ports, i've done it before and seen the oil squirt through galleries, heads, cam cases, etc. i would guess you could attempt the same with the transmission, but i'm not sure how well it would work or if it would be definitive. you can pull the front diff - replace the ATF pump - and then reassemble in the reverse order. it's not often done but it has been done before.

None of these will cause further damage or leave the car stranded/no start condition, etc. Rarely a knock sensor can get bad enough that the car does drive poorly because it retards the timing - but that usually takes awhile and they're still drivable. 1. yep, knock sensor needs replaced. they're like $15 on ebay and easily replaced - takes 20 minutes. the other two i'm less familiar with - probably just a leaky hose or rusty fitting/line somewhere. the fuel filler hoses often rust behind the passengers side rear wheel well. i think your car has an evaporative emissions electrical component back there. if so and it's monitored by the ECU at all - that would be a likely culprit. i've replaced a few of those fuel filler hoses and solenoids. this is probably very likely. the best approach is to clear the codes and see which one comes back first, it's not uncommon for one code to "cause" others.

It can "boil" for other reasons and look like exhaust gases pushing out the coolant overflow. Did it loose fluid? Are the fans coming on? Is the radiator clogged? Is the tstat failing? (Is it an aftermarket tstat or Subaru?) Huge difference between the two. If any of those cause overheating - the coolant can boil and push out of the overflow as well. There's still a good chance it's the head gasket, but verify first before diving in. Do not replace the head bolts. It's pointless on Subaru's, they are not the type of bolt you replace and entirely reusable. EJ25 headgaskets fail all the time. It is best to be very thorough in the repair: 1. use Subaru gaskets or Six Star head gaskets 2. resurface the heads 3. resurface the block if you can

Timing belts are cake walk if you're a mechanic. Subaru timing belts require no special tools and can be done easily in a couple hours. Here's a sub $3,000 Subaru in NY: http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/67-classifieds/158338-fs-nyc-02-outback-sedan-h6.html The engine won't be as easy to replace or repair if you have issues. But getting way more car for your dollar and it's more up to date on maintenance items. Aside from some headgasket issues, these are excellent engines. With no timing belts they have almost no maintenance - plugs, valve cover gaskets, and oil cooler gasket are about all they ever need.

EJ22's are awesome engines indeed. Mileage isn't the issue - previous maintenance is the issue. Though mileage does affect value...more on that in a minute. Have you searched craigslist, autotrader, and ebay? These era Legacy's sell for less than $3,000 with fewer miles. Get one for $1,500 - $2,200 and put $500 into a new timing belt kit install. Maybe the guy selling the car would do it for you - a Subaru person can do that 1995 timing belt in less than an hour, it's really easy. I routinely do them for free for friends and relatives, I have no idea how many I've done. Another option, if you are otherwise pleased with your OBW: install an EJ22 in your current OBW: 1. Buy an EJ22 for $250, they are a direct/plug and play swap for the EJ25 (if you buy he right one) ($250 is what i paid for the last one i bought with low miles) - $400 (www.car-part.com) 2. Install timing kit for $100 3. Mechanic install for $300 - $500 (local mechanic installed a friends engine I sourced for them on the website above for like $250 - $300 last year) 4. Sell your currently good running EJ25 for $500 Final cost: $200 - $400 (maybe less) and you keep your known/higher valued/lower mileage car. All I have is words you typed so this may be off but you said you're looking for reliability (headgasket) - but you're paying for a bunch of things that add none of that - trans swap, wheels, and brakes. There is zero added reliability in those items. Looks like it's roughly priced like this: $1,500 car $500 in wheels/brakes $1,000 in transmission. $3,000 final cost A car is never valued at "Value" plus cost of all parts that were installed. IMO that's about a $1,500 vehicle. $2k - $2.5k if it's got new clutch, pressure plate, throw out bearing, pilot bearing, resealed separator plate, and timing belt kit. Actual, practical and reliability driven items. A performance transmission in a non-performance application, it's worth is limited to novelty. For average consumers of cars like this, it adds no value to the vehicle. For the small contingent that likes it, they have to decide what that means it's worth. A 16 year old starting school and wanting a tricked out ride to talk about may very well pay a premium, but I wouldn't call that average market driven pricing. The wheels and brakes are aesthetically nice but are inexpensive and easy to install, i'll sell you a set of WRX wheels and brakes for $250. They add no reliability, which is what you insinuated you're after and what I would prefer in a car like this too.

Woah, all 6 cylinders has to be somethign that can affect it all. Fuel - beginnings of a cracked fuel pump cap and oring failure? Electrical (as CNY_Dave pointed out) Timing (mechanic suggests this sounds fine). The H6's don't have spark plug wires, but they have COP's which would be unlikely for all 6 to fail.

JCE's first guess of a cracked flexplate is starting to sound likely.

Gates kits on Amazon for $115

some you have to grind the case to make clearance for the larger LSD chunk. look at where the LSD case is ground and copy that.

no power at all points to the power distribution which would be: 1. battery 2. terminals 3. cables (no cables are bolted right - they're all soldered?) 4. the main fuse box bolt on connector from the battery terminal power. *** I would have a multimeter or some kind of tester poised to test for power at the fuse box next time it happens. It's fairly easy and worth the learning curve for avoiding a tow call. The main fuse should have 12 volts at all times in the fuse box - very simple to check.

Correct - in this case (not true of older swaps) - the intake manifolds are interchangeable. Just bolt the Ej251 intake to the EJ22. or keep the EJ22, doesn't matter. *sometimes* you have to also swap the drivers side cam sprocket (remove 17mm bolt) and crank sprocket (it slides off). there are two styles of triggers on them. you can either check to make sure they're the same, or just install the EJ251 sprockets on the Ej22 and be done with it for 100% certainty. might be nice being a first timer to just keep the Ej251 sprockets with the vehicle. Since you should be installing a complete timing belt kit anyway - it's not really any additional work. Ej22's are interference engine so if the timing belt breaks or any of the pulleys or tensioners fail, you'll be needing a head job and valve repair. the timing belt kits are a steal on Amazon - $115 for everything, nutty. I would use an EJ22 flywheel though I think the difference will be negligible either way. It wouldn't surprise me if older EJ18 and EJ22 flywheels are the same. Phase II EJ22's: 1999 Legacy EJ22's 1999-2001 Impreza EJ22's Keeping in mind that during those years Legacy and Imprezas can have EJ25's and in 1999 the Legacy EJ25 is a Phase I, the Impreza RS is a Phase II EJ25. Thoroughly confusing.

I just went and checked before I +1'ed your comment, was surprised it looks like they changed their stance, now says 7,500 miles for 4 cylinder engines, earlier for 6. http://www.cars101.com/subaru/maintenance-2014.html

Subaru's are generally not cost or time effective to rebuild. If you have gobs of time and like to learn/tinker - then do it. If not, don't. 10 years ago when I had three less kids and lots more time I'd do it. Right now time is way too valuable for it to be worth my time when there are other options that are reasonable. I'd probably buy a good block and bolt the existing heads to it. Nearly any year EJ25 block can work (make sure to use proper headgasket) so that expands your options/reduces cost. www.car-part.com I have a good EJ25D block with 135,000 miles if you're around the north east or south east.

Not a big deal at all. Remove some fluid - an old large eye-dropper (like for basting turkeys or old science kits) works too. Or prime some of that clear aquarium hose into a bucket. then follow directions on the bottle.