Alright, first off if this is inappropriately placed, feel free to murder me -you may end up doing me a favor...

 

Moving on, here's my dilema: I have recently purchased a 98 Forester S with leaking head gaskets. The normal course of action would simply be to fix the head gaskets, but it would be expensive. Prohibitively so for someone such as myself (single parent, no garage, no more money).

However, I do have a 90 Legacy LS with an extremely well-maintained EJ22.

I've searched the forums to the best of my (limited) ability, but what I can't seem to find out is whether it's feasible to swap the EJ22 into the Forester.

From what I can gather, the Forester running the EJ22 will be at worst, underpowered. However, considering the nigh invulnerability of the EJ22, I could probably live with it -I simply need a dependable, AWD, car.

I suppose if I could I find someone willing to do the HG on the cheap, I would just do that and not worry about convoluted engine removals/conversions, but as I am extremely limited by my financial situation, I'm looking at the least expensive alternatives. Like I said, I can live with driving an underpowered car as long as it's rock solid dependable (which my Legacy has always been -the 4EAT tranny in it, however, weeeell, not so much). I'm disappointed in the DOHC EJ25, but repairing the HG is a $1500.00 job, and if I simply can't afford something like that, all the while entertaining the possibility of having it reoccur later on, or have something else (bearings, etc) go wrong as well.

I would rest much easier knowing I had the reliable EJ22 to depend on instead.

Again, I'm simply looking at options at this point; maybe I'm reaching. Who knows. However, I AM becoming desperate at this point -the HG in the Forester are bound to go pretty soon -it's inevitable. So unless, I can find someone to help me do the HG repair locally, and not charge me a fortune, I'm going to continue the head scratching until I can come up with a solid plan.

ANY and ALL advice is appreciated and graciously welcomed.

 

Bob in NE Ohio

 

p.s. just an FYI -the Legacy has a bad tranny and it's got the rusting disease (the motor, however, is immaculate)

That 2.2 won't have EGR.

 

Some here have done that conversion because they have no inspection where they care about the CEL.

 

I coildn't do it here where I live in PA.

 

Your preferred engine is a 95 2.2 automatic (has EGR) or any 2.2 96-99 but yoi'l need it's Y-pipe.

 

Do some reading here.