GeneralDisorder

That really depends on how well it's been cared for - mostly as that applies to oil changes, etc. I've got customers with over 300k on EJ22's that are still perfect inside due to excellent maintenance and the use of synthetic oil. Though it *sounds* like it's been basically abused and neglected so that statement is probably true in this case. GD

Generally speaking - on the 60k belt cars I use the Mizumo kit. I have one customer that (despite my warnings) has been running a Mizumo kit for 80k. Not a single issue. The only problem I have had with their kits is that the "Kabuki" piston type tensioner rollers have a sleeve that's too short - you have to use the old sleeve from the original roller. No big deal since that's not a wear item. And they invariably include four cam seals in all their kits regardless of the kit being for a SOHC engine :-p. I never use their WP gaskets - I use Anearobic for both water pumps and oil pumps. Again - apart from these two idiosyncrasies, I have used at least THREE DOZEN of their EJ22 kits without a single failure. The single bearing idlers are not a problem if you change them at every belt change. This should be a no-brainer for $110 to $120 shipped for these kits. They aren't going to fail in 60k. Just not going to happen. The mizumo kits are by far the best deal going for EJ22 non-interferance 60k kits. RUN, don't walk, to this deal when you need to do a timing belt job on one of these cars. The parts for a 60k non-interferance EJ22 simply don't need to be of amazingly high quality - they are going to get changed again in 60k! For the 105k belt cars (97+ and '96 EJ25D's) I use NTN and Koyo idlers, NPW water pumps with the cast impellers, and Mitsuboshi timing belts. These I get from my local supplier that deals only in import parts and all components are Japanese. I don't mess around with the interferance engines. For jobs that don't require immediate parts aquisition I also have bought the kit from theimportexperts that has the Aisin water pump and Mitsuboshi belt. ALL of the kits I have ever bought from EVERY supplier both ebay and local purchased have had idlers with Japanese bearings. Usually NTN. GD

Count the teeth between the marks. If you haven't done one of these before that's the quickest method to check your work. GD

That won't neccesarily show a valve that's just been slightly bent at the stem just below the face. They will still seal but the flexing back and forth durring closing and opening will cause the head of the valve to break off some number of thousands of miles from now. The engine is an EJ22 Phase-I and it IS interferance. If it ran decent before this then just do a HG and timing belt job on it and check out all the valves. GD

Yep - any synthetic will get you beyond 300k on a non-turbo. As for the turbo's - Mobil 1 or Rotella T6 are the best choices - commonly availible, inexpensive, and both get good oil analysis results. GD

The Subaru dealers ONLY pull heads with the engine in the car. They must spend a lot on those lower back support belts. I wouldn't do it but many people have and the dealer does them that way. Personally I'm not in that much of a hurry and I prefer the overall higher quality job that's done by pulling the engine. GD

Mobil 1 is good stuff. It's run sucessfully in Subaru's all the time. A freind of mine has 100k on Mobil 1 in his 350 HP STi and it looked like the day it was made inside when we did the t-belt job. He and I have both switched to the Rotella T6 synthetic though. Better additive package. GD

You really want to risk having a slightly bent valve that may break in 10k miles and destroy the engine? For the price of $100 in gaskets and possibly some $15 valves? You are a bigger gambler than I. GD

Valves are almost certainly bent. If you can't get the pulleys lined up for a belt install you will have to pull the heads to find out the extent of the damage. If you are lucky you will just have to replace a few valves. If you can get the belt on it you can do a compression test. But that's not always definitive. If a valve is only a little tweaked the seat and spring will pull it into alignment every time it closes and eventually the head of the valve will break off from the constant flexing of the stem. Then you will have to find another engine. Once a valve gets sucked into the bore - it's over. Broken/cracked pistons, gouged up cylinder walls, etc. GD

It won't fit. The Outback uses an all-metal radiator with different mounting holes on the top and the bottom. Cooling capacity wise it would be fine. But I wouldn't do it - brand new radiators are about $80 to $100 shipped on ebay. Sometimes less. Not worth the one-off factor. GD

That's a turbo distributor. Can probably make it work but I don't know which of those goes to the coil and which go to the knock detection box.... GD

The whole deal about the cometic gaskets and "optimized" coolant flow is just smoke and mirrors. The FM hasn't got any trouble cooling itself using untrimmed Subaru OEM gaskets. The whole point of this build is that it's cheap - can't do much in the way of special parts without ruining the price/performance ratio. Though I suppose if the cost isn't too much higher than OEM then it probably isn't going to hurt anything either. GD

Means the transmission type doesn't match the MAF type. Either you have a MAF for an auto with a manual ECU or the MAF for a manual with an auto ECU. GD

Have your tank epoxy lined. I just did an '83 coupe tank - $215. GD

Ah indeed - I was thinking they meant the engine wasn't running.... IE: ignition coil *off*. I suppose you could read it either way.... so just to clarify the charge indicator light is on when the key is OUT of the ignition lock? GD

Yes there is - '99 to '01 Impreza's had a phase-II EJ22 (The EJ223) that drops into the 99 to 04 phase-II EJ25 cars. There's a post in the new-gen section where a fellow not far from me put a phase-II EJ223 that I sold him into an '03 Legacy. Worked great. But I haven't seen any difference in the reliability of the phase-II EJ22 vs. the phase-II EJ251/3 - they seem about the same. I've seen/heard of both engines going bad for one reason or another. Usually lack of frequent oil changes does them in. They dropped the EJ223 after '01. The 223 was 147 HP - the 251 is 165. Too similar to bother building both. GD

HID's are a very bad idea unless you have custom lenses that can properly project the light. In fact they are illegal in most areas unless they were equipped from the factory.... even if you have lenses that are designed to use them. Still illegal to retrofit them unless they came on some sub-model of your vehicle. The factory lenses on your GL are refractor lenses - designed to throw the light in all directions. They are not intended for the high power output of the HID systems and sould not be used in conjunction with them. There are much better bulbs out there than what your can buy in most parts stores - Osram and others make high-powered bulbs that are approved for use in your lenses. But anything that makes more light output will suffer in terms of longevity. I do the Maxima alts still - they are $110 plus shipping - my junk yard costs have gone up a lot in the last two years due to changes in ownership. I have a really nice Bosch reman unit here right now. Let me know if you want to upgrade. It's an easy swap. I just need to know if you have a single groove or double groove belt pulley. GD

The light is supposed to be on when the voltage potential is higher at the battery or the alternator - which it always is when the engine isn't running. GD

An average sized flat blade screwdriver has always done the job just fine for me. I guess I'm just old school like that. GD

The rating in the manual for the older stuff may not be what you think. There are several ways to calculate octane and it is probable that Subaru listed the octane as the RON (what they list on pumps in japan) and since what we list at the pumps in the US is the AKI number ((RON + MON) / 2) there is multiple points of difference between the two. 87 on our pumps is equivelent to 91 in Japan. You should always use the lowest octane rating that does not result in detonation. There are more BTU's per gallon in lower octane fuels (they burn more easily) and thus your fuel economy will be best with the lowest octane that does not result in detonation or in the ECU pulling your timing. GD

How much are you thinking this will cost you? It's not unusual to spend $2500 on an EJ swap when you are having the work done and you want the engine fully resealed, properly wired, etc. There's easily $1500 in parts - low mileage engine, wiring harness and stripping, adaptor plate and drilled flywheel, fuel pump, radiator modifications, radiator fans, etc, etc. Just depends on how much you want to do yourself and how much you want to shop around. Quality used engines aren't cheap. Sure you can get one with 250k on it that burns oil and looks like a BBQ pit inside for $200 from your neighbor's friend's uncle.... but in the scheme of things is that really what you wanted? GD

True I don't like that. But it's about not having to do things a second time - that's what I don't like. When a car leaves my shop I want to insure trouble-free operation for the life of the timing belt. It's a very short-sighted mechanic that looks for repeat business by not replacing cam and crank seals with timing belt jobs. GD

Gear has to come off to replace the crank seal anyway. You weren't seriously considering not replacing *that* were you? GD

You have self adjusting valves. You need to reseal the oil pump - to include the lip seal behind the pulley, and change the cam case o-rings. If that doesn't cure it - replace the lifters with rebuilt units, replace the oil pump, and replace the banjo-bolt releif valve springs in the cam spray bars. GD

ALWAYS replace the o-ring. It's about age and the breakdown of rubber. Has nothing to do with which engine you are working on. It's true the pump screws don't back out as often by why risk it having an o-ring that's going to cause problems in 10k? That's silly. It's like 7 bolts and some sealant. GD