I'm going to look at a 99 Legacy 30yr anniv tomorrow. 126k , auto leather, sunroof, etc but it has an overheating problem. From reading this forum, it sounds like head gaskets. Is $1000 too much to pay for it? What else needs to be done at this mileage while the motor is out? I'm buying it for my son's first car and both of us will be working on it. I'm a fairly decent mechanic and hope to teach my son a couple of things. Thanks in advance.

I'm going to look at a 99 Legacy 30yr anniv tomorrow. 126k , auto leather, sunroof, etc but it has an overheating problem. From reading this forum, it sounds like head gaskets. Is $1000 too much to pay for it? What else needs to be done at this mileage while the motor is out? I'm buying it for my son's first car and both of us will be working on it. I'm a fairly decent mechanic and hope to teach my son a couple of things. Thanks in advance.

 

the HG's are the only problem?? Heck yeah I'd buy that. I had my HG, timing belt, water pump, and 3 pages of other things replaced for $2200 (which seemed kind of high) a month after I paid $4500 for my 98. So $3200 for a great-running car seems like a great deal to me.

 

I got ripped off by a local dealer, but I decided to just take the loss and get over it. I really love my car now.

$1,000 is a good price. Let's hope it has not been severely over heated. Does the motor run good? If so, I would think it has not been severely over heated.

 

On the 99, the engine needs to be removed from the car to properly replace the Head gaskets, as there is just no room to work around the motor to replace the HGs. Much written on this forum about replacing head gaskets. Use the Search function on this forum to read all about it.

I bought it this morning. Motor runs good. I didn't let it heat up. Coolant all over the radiator cap and overflow area. It has a new radiator. Pehaps a good burping is in order? Anyway, I bring it home tomorrow night.

$1000 sounds pretty good for the mileage, assuming the body is clean.

A new radiator is a sign of over heating. That is what I first noticed on wife's car. I first thought that replacing the radiator would solver the over heating problem. My guess is that my wife continued driving the car when over heating to the point of causing the radiator to leak at the seams. I can never get her to look at the temp gauge. Only gauge she looks at is fuel gauge.

 

You may get lucky, and it only needs a rad cap. It is a cheap thing to first try.

 

Early HG problem is intermittent. It will drive fine for a while, then over heat a few days later. Then drive fine for a while, and over heat. Pretty soon the over heating episodes get more and more frequent. Sounds like the motor has not been damaged by over heating. Replace the HGs, and you will be good to go for many more miles.

$1000 is a good price. Buy it, swap in a cheap 2.2, never worry about head gasket or engine problems again and drive it another 100,000 miles.

While I have the engine out, what else should be done at this mileage that I would have to yank the motor out again for it it failed?

I have my 98's engine out and we are changing all the gaskets that can be done. also changing the rear main seal. Might be a good idea since it's going to have it's heads removed.

While I have the engine out, what else should be done at this mileage that I would have to yank the motor out again for it it failed?

 

You should drop the EJ25D off at your local scrap metal recycling facility while it's out, get some cash for it and buy a 2.2.

 

Unknown history overheated EJ25D is just asking for trouble. You'll spend all your time and money doing HG's and a month later it'll have a rod knock. Especially with a teenage driver, who isn't going to be easy on it.

 

Lots of people have learned this the hard way.

Is the 2.2 swap a plug and play or do you need a computer, harness, etc?

Here is the answer given me for that exact question.

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=120538

Edited February 21, 201115 yr by MaddCelt

Is the 2.2 swap a plug and play or do you need a computer, harness, etc?

 

Plug and play. All the info is on this site, just use the search.

Isn't a 99 Legacy 30th anniversary a phase 2 ej22, not an ej 25?

 

I'm also not sure the phase 1 EJ 22 is a straight swap for the phase 2, but I may be wrong on that.

 

Nathan

i copied this from another thread. more to be found by searching ''ej22 swap''. this info applies to 95 - 99 cars.

 

the 95 2.2L engine from an auto trans car is a straight swap into a 96 - 99 2.5L outback, GT or LSi. i've done two of them. the reason you need an auto trans car as a donor is because all the 2.5L engines here, in the US, have an EGR system.

 

preference of donor engines for a 2.5L car.

 

1. 95 ej22 w/ auto trans - straight swap, use the flex plate / flywheel that came with the 2.5L trans, non-interference engine.

2. 96 ej22 w/ auto trans - use exhaust y-pipe from the 2.2L car and flex / flywheel from the 2.5L car, non-interference engine.

3. 97 - 98 ej22 w/ auto trans - use exhaust y-pipe from the 2.2L car and flex / flywheel from the 2.5L car, interference engine.

OK, I looked it up on cars101.com. Unless I'm completely misreading it, it's a phase 2, EJ22 in this vehicle. It's a 30th Anniversary Legacy, not an Outback, unless the OP has left something out. Why are people still posting info on 2.5 to 2.2 swaps? If I'm wrong about what engine is in this vehicle, I'm prepared to be set straight, I just don't want the OP to get incorrect info. I did once test drive a '99 Legacy 30th with a 5MT and that was DEFINITELY a phase 2 ej22 vehicle.

 

Nathan

Dumb question - how do you tell the difference between an ej25 and an ej22?

Everything I see seems to say 2.5. I'll find out tonight. http://www.newcartestdrive.com/printversion-review.cfm?Vehicle=1999_Subaru_Legacy&ReviewID=2732

There will be either a EJ22 or EJ25 stamped on the block.

There will be either a EJ22 or EJ25 stamped on the block.

 

Look in the gap between the PS pump and the alternator from the top.

if your car looks like the one in the link picture and it is over heating it is an ej25, i bet. of course there is always the possibility that some one else swapped in an ej22 but then it wouldn't over heat.

 

by the way, the sus pictured is my favorite car from the 90s. if that is what you are buying i am envious. so my response to your ''is it worth it?''

 

YES, EVERY PENNY!!!

if your car looks like the one in the link picture and it is over heating it is an ej25, i bet. of course there is always the possibility that some one else swapped in an ej22 but then it wouldn't over heat.

 

by the way, the sus pictured is my favorite car from the 90s. if that is what you are buying i am envious. so my response to your ''is it worth it?''

 

YES, EVERY PENNY!!!

 

That's the one! It has SUS and 30th anniv badging

Ah, you never said SUS- the "Sedan Outback." As others have said, it's probably a 2.5 then. My apologies. I was doing my best with the info I had.

Ah, you never said SUS- the "Sedan Outback." As others have said, it's probably a 2.5 then. My apologies. I was doing my best with the info I had.

 

hank, i went back through the posts after you brought this up and you are right. he never said ej25 or outback and we all assumed that ''over heating'' meant bad head gasket on an ej25. it looks like we just lucked out.

 

or maybe ''over heating'' does mean the same as EJ25.

 

keep up the good work keeping us straight.

Sorry for not including SUS. I'm still learning. Got it home last night.