idosubaru

The 4 would be fine all along the flat coastal areas you live. I’d definitely get the 6 if you’ll be going west or north and hitting mountains. Ive towed many loads in many Subaru’s. Cooling is the first notable issue across numerous platforms and models. They’re just not meant to dump that much heat - this is usually only seen when towing around or over limits in dyer grades at 85+ degrees and high humidity.

05-09s kind of suck relative to other years. They’re struts, power steering are garbage compared to 00-04s. Any 05-09 I get I can assume those trash items will need replaced, and it’s not like they’re any better in some way that makes it a trade off. 00-04 (or baja) struts are commonly installed as upgrades (direct swap) over 05-09s struts. and plan on $300 OEM steering pump or replacing aftermarket a few times to get a good new one. Wheel bearings are also more likely to fail. Those aren’t big deals and easily remedied in a way but they have no advantage to 00-04s....except they are newer. If it were for my family/friends I’d get a nice low mileage 00-04 southern/western rust free 03-04 Outback all day long over a lower grade 05-09. Fly or have it shipped - do whatever you need. I shipped a Forester like 400 miles this summer for like $350. Dirt cheap and expands my range for a better deal in the end. Or spring for a 2017+. In between is no mans land. Limited advantages for a little lower maintenance and reliability.

In June or July used prices were up 16% and people are paying stupid prices for some used items now. But it’s hard for me to believe some of that given the current climate overall. I got a great deal at auction on a 2017 forester in March when market crashed, and can’t match that price now. If prices are up, this is good for those who can sell their own vehicles. You’ll get a decent price for it, and can make up more on the selling side than you’ll loose on the buying side.

“the hazzards still worked”. I’m not being a troll - trying to clear up exactly what to look for. The hazzard (and blinker) lights are coming on but not flashing? If that’s the case, I would check the bulbs and sockets for corrosion. Even a working bulb can rarely cause issues with wiring, dash lights, and control button/switch functionality as it changes the current and resistance of the circuit. I’m traveling and can’t turn on my laptop to look up the hazzard wiring (relay or timer?) specifics.

To be clear - the EJ22 manifold bolts right onto the EJ18. Same manifold, bolts right up. If the EJ18 doesn’t have a knock sensor (some don’t), the boss is there to accept one. They fail often enough I’d install a new eBay $5 one before a 25 year old used one. OEM would be great but they’re probably $$$.

pull a part yards if you have any. there’s nearly infinite intakes and ECUs here: www.car-part.com

I wasn’t suggesting an EJ22. EJ18s are great, I’ve swapped them before and it’ll be great in an EA vehicle. Im suggesting to bolt an EJ22 intake manifold (and it’s wiring harness) onto the EJ18 engine and run an EJ22 ECU. So keep and run your EJ18 but with EJ22 electronics that’s more available, and less convoluted than older EJ18 manifolds.

Yes I think that’s it. The photo is so close I can’t see any reference points but that appears to be a stack of relays. it’s down in the drivers footwell looking up. I’m not positive the relay you need is there but I think it might be. how positive are you that the relay is the problem? It’s fairly common for people to ask where a part is only to find out later that it wasn’t the issue.

Awesome. Keep at it. That’s a lot to juggle keep it up.

Yeah those turbos are prone to all sorts of issues over time - all hoses seals and fittings are prone to age and heat degradation from the turbo. More heat, more parts, some weak design considerations, the stats are highly against old gen turbos. Pull the manifold and look for oil/coolant in the exhaust manifold from a head crack. Headgasket is obviously another possibility. Common failure too.

There’s a rack of relays above the fuse box down below the drivers left foot. Check those? All the relays there are the same, swap one one to test. Or it’s under the ask tray, I’m forgetting.

I found them. I must have tossed the EJ18, I have a 96 EJ25/EJ22 and 99 Phase II EJ25.

Oh man that’s awesome you’re providing for her, that is no easy task usually. Well done. sorry to hear about the job upheaval What a mess. If you need Subaru help from thousands of miles away (I realize that’s not actually helpful at all), hit me up any time.

Nice car. Yeah there’s a few XT owners here. I’ve owned a couple dozen of them since 1991 and have a couple right now. I usually am in the XT6 side of the XT world but there’s gobs of overlap and I’ve had both. Currently have the same car as yours but it’s in poor condition. Yes parts are scarce. There’s usually a few that everyone needs and wants and can’t find. Drivability wise it’s not hard to keep them reliable and running, so that’s the good news. The more perfect you want it in other ways, the more resources it will require.

Got it. I clicked on the eBay pics but they were onky pics and not the listing. And I don’t have connectivity that favors searching. Then the 96+ EJ18 ECU might be interchangeable with EJ22 ECUs since EJ22 and EJ25 of the same era are plug and play swappable. Auto/manual doesn’t even matter. If that’s the case he could use any EJ22 or even EJ25 ECU from a phase I 96-99, if his current set up is the later OBII variety.

Hey nip! There’s latent stress everywhere. I work with people (like when we came and cleaned your property after hurricane Sandy). Even for folks with no notable stress - Every decision, travel, meeting, trip, planning takes more emotional energy to think about - where when how new account logins, etc. Everyone is carrying more. Do what you need to do! They’re both good engines. You’d have to be picky, or have a compelling non daily driver need, to care in the end. If that’s the case, or might be in the future, choose accordingly. I drive a couple mountain switch backs and a dirt road to work, so for average commuting a 4 cylinder doesn’t do great either. It is better - like 23 instead of 19 so 20% better at most. not enough for me to worry about. I like to have both - daily drive either, the 4 for traveling/highway, and the 6 for heavy towing. If I end up with one of those for a period of time (sell one, working on one, someone borrows one) it’s no big deal.

I can’t find it. I couldn’t find any EJ ECUs and doubt I would have thrown them all away. But anyway I don’t have one I can send now. They won’t be hard to find, there’s zero demand.

honestly the older Imprezas are known for being capable of good gas mileage and have basically no known issues and will meet your needs just fine. the ones I’ve swapped didn’t have a knock sensors. I’m suspect of that 1996+ EJ18. Is there a part number to cross reference? the EJ18 was, for practical purposes, almost unavailable in 1996 and definitely not later as that listing suggests. That was it’s last year and a unicorn at that. There’s a strong chance that theres bleed over or hold over or prior year shuffling and all EJ18s are the same, old style. Maybe new exists but is definitely confirm before relying on an eBay picture. Id lean towards an EJ22 just because the intake isn’t a convoluted mess of hoses and contraptions, can be found without EGR, and easier to find parts. if this is for an automatic you’ll have the CEL on if you run it without EGR. but it runs fine like that. EJ22 intakes are cleaner and have knock sensor capability as well.

Good stuff. That had to feel good after all the effort to try it!

subaru block work i don't have much experience with, so don't go by me. but stock gasket for any standard oversizing is the general rule, i don't know if there are any caveats.

there's an EJ excel sheet online somewhere if you dig around people have shared that calculates all sorts of stuff, i used to have it but it's long gone.

Yep good job noting the bad boots, I'd assume the axle is bad, it's not common but happens. If you filled the joint with fresh grease and it's properly assembled then the metal bearing surfaces are probably damaged.

install carefully - the rear main is so much larger than other subaru seals it's easy to feel awkward getting it seated. i've had them canted slightly at various points of install but never had one leak. I've seen multiple old gen seals not mic to OEM specs and be too small and too large - mostly crank seals. Doubt it's as variable with EJ engines and most of that was probably years ago, but OEM only for rear mains IMO. Mostly out of curiosity, I can't imagine this happened, but if the block is split is it possible for the case halves to be out by enough to infringe on seal seating?

yes gasket matches the block, it needs to match the bore is the easy way to remember it. i'm almost certain it can be done but it's been 10 years since i've done one like that.

If everything is cleaned and machined the assembly is pretty easy if that’s any consolation. Pulling the engine and cleaning parts are the parts I hate most n