JTCoyoté

Assuming the block is a zero deck, thin bearing, '98 EJ25d with its leaky poorly designed cam seals, oil all over the highway like a paving truck, pouring from the stock DOHC heads. The stock compression ratio of this oil and coolant "sprayer" is 9.5 -1.. ...so, you can expect at least a 10.5 to 1 ratio with the stock SOHC EJ22 heads as replacement... A definite PREMIUM FUEL situation, with added reliability and about an 8 to 10% power boost... ...and... the best part... oil that stays inside the engine, and antifreeze that stays out of the crankcase, cylinders, and exhaust ports.... inside the cooling system where it belongs... these last bits are indeed a priceless result of this marvelous head swap! JT

The solution to my stripped idler bosses... Drill the idler bolt bosses out to 29/64" and tap the holes to 1/2"x20TPI, 1" deep... Cut a 4" length of 1/2"X20TPI all-thread and chuck it up in the lathe 3-jaw with 1" or so running free... Face it, center drill it, then drill it to a depth of 1.15" with a 1/4" drill. Next, finish out the hole with an S drill, and tap it to M10 -1.25...part the piece at 1" length, Set it aside and repeat the drilling, tapping, and parting process 2 more times. Blow out the chips from the new threads in the bosses as well as from the sleeves then give them all a blast with ether to clean and prime the threads for the Locktite... Place a jam nut on each mounting bolt and run the sleeve on 5 or 6 threads then jam it fairly tight... screw the jam bolted sleeves into the block to test each for depth and flush final fit. Now you're ready... Coat the internal block and external sleeve threads with Red Locktite, making sure both surfaces are lightly yet completely coated. Keeping any excess glue clear of the area where the jam nut will rest, slowly tighten the bolt until the jam nut is snugged tight against the clean surface of the boss. Let it cure for 24 hours. Using 2 wrenches, release the jam nut and remove the bolt. You now have tight, forward loaded inserts that are at least as strong as the original threads and fully capable of taking the 26-32 ft.lbs of torque for secure idler operation. Cost: about 6 bucks. (with the proper equipment of course.) JT

Related only because it involves heli-coils, is the "nest of little metalic worms" I uncovered this morning... while replacing the much worn timing belt, idler, and tensioner bearings on my EJ22... I discovered that all but one of the idler/tensioner bolt bosses had been heli-coiled when half of the internal threads broke loose and were still adhering to the bolt threads as I removed them. I knew something was up when it took considerable force to loosen them... Insight, anyone... (Timesert?) JT