idosubaru

95-99 should be the ticket.

99 is a sucky year, some possible issues: the bellhousing bolt pattern changed in 98/99 so the forester will be different. but it's still useable. one will be a 4 hole bellhousing, the other has 8. the 4 line up with 4 of the 8 though if that makes sense. and starter will only have one holding it in place. you'll have to make the other or just go with one. not sure on electronic changes in 99 though....might be some differences there. i'd check the harness/plugs and you might migrate the 99 harness onto the 97 trans if there are any differences.

auto's are really tricky. even if someone here thought they knew i would guess they'd still be hesitant to say "for sure this and that...". this happens quite often...people want to know the final drive ratio of their trans and they rarely get a solid answer here. i think you're going the right direction by asking Subaru to look up the part number. impreza's and legacy's vary quite a bit (wheel sizes, EJ18, EJ22, weight, etc), so there's a chance they differ. but there's only two options - 3.9 and 4.11 so there's a chance they'll work too!?!? your best bet is to try and determine the ratio yourself. you can see the front diff teeth through the drain hole. you could conceivably mark them with a dab of paint and try and count rotations. the final fix is to just swap in a matching rear diff. so you could just install the trans and if it's binding, swap in a matching diff from the same car.

nipper put it this way in another thread: thanks guys.

you definitely didn't blow the headgaskets by doing what you did. most likely they aren't blown at all. all EJ engines are a bit tricky to get all of the air out of the system. i have a thread from just a week or so about it - i suggest you read that thread. there are multiple suggestions on how to get all the air out of the system.

woah, what's the motor from anyway? and why? sounds cool!

hmm. yeah i guess i'm stuck on how well the engine runs every but those steep hills. daily driven, thousands of miles, highway trips, runs fine...just the hills. (same description from the other guy with a non-EGR swapped engine too). i think you said before the MAP sensor may affect shifting and would be affected by vaccuum right?

might want to check the O2 sensor plugs (sensor and engine wiring harness side), make sure none of the wires/plugs were damaged during the engine swap. i've seen pins pull out before. also make sure the plugs are fully seated. if you end up getting a new cat, your old one is worth $120 at a scrap yard. new converters can be had for cheap (aftermarket).

DANG IT!!!! it always comes down to a device i don't have or know how to use! are you suggesting it's an engine running issue or something else? i wouldn't think it would be engine related based on someone else having the same issue with the same swap and different issue?

i've already mentioned you can do it yourself. if you can hold a piece of wire, you can read the codes yourself. none of the free joints will be able to do it for you, they have no clue on system components, they can only do engines. all the information to check the codes - i.e.: hold one wire and put it in the right place, is here to read the code yourself. try the similar threads listed below like nipper said. up across the top line there's a "search" function. practice using it, i suggest the advanced function and get familiar with it, it's extremely helpful. though it doesn't like 3 letter words so ABS wont' work. but *ABS and ABS* might.

it looks like a non-EGR engine causes some minor shifting issues in automatic transmissions. i'm going to entertain the idea of fixing it or learn something along the way if i don't. installing EGR isn't an option, i'll continue to shift manually. does anyone have any idea of why this happens or a solution? i think nipper said it was likely related to MAP readings which are tied into the EGR system? is there any way to find 96+ non-EGR transmission vehicle? would the TCU's differ at all? i had a 97 automatic Impreza OBS EJ22 that did not have EGR and it looked completely factory. as a matter of fact the engine is in my garage and the intake is in my Legacy. no EGR stuff at all, no plugged holes either. but i've never seen another, so doubt i can find one. and it's hard to believe they'd have a different TCU anyway. wish i still had that car.

this is a terrible deal, so i'll buy it to save you, got a phone number? ha ha, joking. it could definitely be the front diff, i've seen it a few times (bought a 96 legacy last year from pittsburgh with a blown front diff). you'll want to distinguish between the front diff and a front axle. i'm not sure how to tell you to do that, but i'm surprised your mechanic didn't try. should have drained the fluid (looking for chunks of gears) and driven it some. i would tread carefully based on the fact that he's trying to sell it and states "it will work itself out"...i bet that's not the line of reasoning he used to make the decision to buy a new car! hopefully it's a good deal? axle = little cheap job front diff = new transmission and $$$

i'm getting somewhere by a strange stroke of luck. a guy from the XT6 board that i haven't talked to in like a year emailed me with some questions. says his friend has a non-EGR EJ22 swapped Legacy (originally EJ25). here's the fun thing - he's emailing because it won't downshift when it's supposed to. so - looks like this is a non-EGR into an EGR engine issue for the automatics. time for a new thread....

yes, it sounds like head gaskets but it could be something else. how many miles and what's the history? at some point in the past something happened to this engine...might have been a previous owner. probably ran hot due to a bad radiator (based on age) or other failed coolant system component. if it helps, i can tell you it's not the oil pump! if you plan on repairing it, replace your PCV valve as that could be a simple fix to your oil consumption issues. but won't affect the coolant.

i'm a bit confused about the lines not being connected. i would connect those lines. bolt everything up like it's supposed to be and then bleed the system from the caliper bleed screws. bolt everything up. bleed all 4 calipers bleed them again (if you have to)! what method you use to bleed will be important too, make sure you know how to bleed properly or air will remain. you replaced both calipers? make sure you put the correct one on the correct side. swapping sides is easy to do on many since they look the same, but puts the bleeder screw at the bottom, making it impossible to get all the air out (guess how i know!?). and yes you should have primed the master cylinder.

only you know your full situation but what you're saying makes sense to me. seems the money spent on the tie rod, tires, oil leaks, a/c, engine repairs could probably be just as easily put into a newer car with fewer big ticket items. and if you get another car, then doing a complete tune up (timing belt and seals) isn't a costly ordeal.

all of the information you need to start tracking down this problem is here on this board. i didn't know anything about ABS, did some searching on here and fixed it myself. all it requires is grounding a particular wire under the dash (just above your right foot). i can't recall from memory, but it's all here on this site. for me it turned out to be the front passengers side ABS sensor. it's very simple. find the code, then let us know what it is and we'll help you fix or replace the part.

they offered? let them fix it! use Subaru only head gaskets, nothing else. might be worth looking for an EJ22 engine. they are rather easy to find around here for cheap. they're more reliable and you'll likely use a 95 model which is also non interference. if you choose the right one (tons of information here), it's a straight plug and play swap. since EJ25's (your engine) have more issues, there's also a higher demand. you could probably get a couple hundred for the motor if it's known to be good (just needs gaskets). with the gaskets replaced they sell for $750+ though not typically with 200k on them. if you replace the head gaskets and keep the EJ25 it is wise to consider replacing all the timing pulleys and tensioner as well with that mileage on it. that's an interference motor, if any of those pulleys seize or the tensioner fails that will cause internal engine damage. those parts are expensive and quickly add up, which means most people don't do it - which is another good reason to get an EJ22 swap going. with a 1995 EJ22 you don't have that problem...just a broken belt, and replace it as it's not an interference engine.

the interference info is also an EJ22 issue depending on year (1997+). someone put an XT6 engine in one as well. i'm not recommending that route, but it's a 6 cylinder. the SVX is wider, longer and taller but does fit in an XT6 engine bay (saw one two days ago!), so it's not waay bigger. i'd go for the SVX motor if it fits. highest hp of them all and excellent motors.

car downshifts fine normally, but not when going up a very steep grade. and it downshifts fine manually. fluid is good. the AT light does blink because it still thinks it's an AWD. another thought - i don't have an EGR valve on this thing and i recall my OBS doing nearly the exact same thing when the EGR/that filter, were having issues a year or so ago. it would delay shifting...on the same hills. wondering if the lack of EGR is affecting the shifting?

ha ha!!! 491,000 miles sounds way high for dumping another $1,000 into. i've picked up a bunch of nice legacy's between 95-97 for about the same price that were in excellent running condition. hard to say without knowing the condition, but if it needs much of anything else i think i'd be moving on. and you are correct, the proper way to fix this is to replace the transmission. subaru transmissions are reliable enough that installing a used one is typically a good option.

that's a ridiculously mis-leading comment to include in a thread for someone that needs help here. notice i didn't say it's "not true", it's just misleading and completely irrelevant for these reasons: to the original poster, please completely disregard that comment. it's obvious this comment isn't based on any real world significant ECU work on a Subaru. for those of us that have actually swapped dozens of ECU's, relax and realize it's done all the time without any "reflashing". plug and play is the name of the game. drive to my house and i have a yard full of subaru's and boxes of ECU's...i can swap them all day long and the cars run fine...been there, done that...dozens of times and so have others. IF for some odd reason your ECU did have software problems, the solution is not a reflash but to buy another ECU for $35 and install it. but that's not your issue anyway.

shifts fine manually and i doubt it's the valve body. what "tells" the car to downshift when going up a mountain? how does the computer "decide" to downshift? i'm thinking maybe i just need to swap the TCU to a different model. or - is there a way to determine which transmission i have and match the TCU to it? the car shifts perfectly manually and it's definitely not because of speed. it'll go straight into any gear i want too manually. it's not speed related, because it's obvious it should shift...barely lugging along up the grade when it should down shift.

1996 Legacy LSi EJ18 FWD automatic nothing in the car is original, i swapped out the engine, trans, ECU, and TCU. car runs and drives fine (it's REALLY fast!). when i climb a really steep mountain, say in 2nd gear, like the really steep roads with switchbacks and all. when i floor it, it won't downshift, it just lugs in 2nd. Any ideas on why it won't downshift?

the biggest hurdle is the adapter plate. the bolt patterns are different and you need to either make or buy an adapter plate. they end up being expensive, so that's usually not what people are after. the axles shouldn't be a problem. if it's a non-turbo there is a FWD impreza axle that is 23 spline, so that solves that. driveshaft may need work like he said. have to check with a shop and see what they charge to do that. most likely going from auto to manual will require lengthening, which is harder and more expensive since you have to use material to lengthen the shaft. though there may be other EJ shafts out there that are longer that might work better?