Hey everyone! This is the biography of my first car. Well, This is part biography, part pre-death obituary. By now, my Legacy Outback has carried me 18,000 miles. Its on its second engine as far as I know, and will always have a pace in my heart.

If you live in or around the Wales, (western) New York area, youve probably seen or heard me. I apologize for that, the new exhaust is kinda obnoxious. 

I bought the car out of an ad in the Buffalo News in December of 2013, from a lady around Derby, NY. At the time, it only had 72,4xx miles on it!

Checked it out on a saturday, picked it up the next tuesday. 

I found a receipt in the glove box for the inspection of the previous year, with 72,076 miles. She only drove it about 300 miles in an entire year! Low mileage Subarus are near impossible to find, so I thought I had the best 97 ever! 

First night I was really thankful I bought a Subaru and not a 2wd 88 Dodge Dakota

 

Things quickly changed however, as I soon discovered the joys of car ownership and the cost of my freedom. 

Didnt stop me from the typical Subaru accessories, though 

"I can Jeep too!" East Aurora, NY

Wal-mart roof rack and a Subaru decal

#subiesandsunsets

show off them knock-off Hella Supertones

Magnafow 14832 and UEL headers, and probably my most favorite picture Ive ever taken

Edited June 5, 201510 yr by pginter96

Bought an EJ22E from, of all people, the Bishop at my girlfriends church.

original intentions were to just tear it down and see how it works, being a gearhead and such

pans for it quicky changed as my temp gauge started dancing in typical EJ25D fashion

I bought that motor in July (or some time around there) 2014

By december, my car was to the point of overheating every time I drove it. it was swap time.

Never having seen that motor run and just going off word of mouth made me nervous, but I had no other options. as a cashier at the local Tops supermarket and a shop intern at a Dodge dealer, I wasnt exactly raking in the cash.

so, with the extra manpower from a friend and the help of the wonderful people here on USMB, out came the 25 and in went the 22. 

have to unseat the dowels somehow...

ready to rip!

Maiden voyage in a snowstorm. yep, still goes sideways!

That motors been chugging along just fine, despite some scary noises (excessive valve lash and a wrist pin) its lasted over 6K by now. 

during teardown on the EJ25D, I discovered the lower oil ring on piston #4 had spun, pushed out the ringland and heavily scoring the cylinder wall. What surprised me is that there was no noticeable lack of compression, and damage like that happens fast. It must have happened as I was pulling it in the garage for the swap! 

And now the latest modification...

Have you ever seen a Subaru with dual side exit exhaust?

cold morning steam

A little problem caused me to have to run turndowns from a backwards glasspack (baffles dont do anything, its straightpiped) with metal hangars. That sucked for me and everyone in about a 2 mile radius. 

Again, if you live in the WNY area and have to put up with my noise, I really am sorry. its a little on the loud side... 

If it sounds like Im tring to blow up the motor by driving flat out everywhere, I am. I love this car but its time to move on to something newer.

and quieter.

much much quieter...

 

Nice write up.   Nice car too!

Is it a manual or automatic?

 

Really makes me miss my 96, same color scheme 2.2 and manual, that was a wonderful car too.

 

Quiet it down and make it a daily driver, or just find another Sub to be your daily.

 

Well the Action Wagon met its replacement the other day, a 98 Legacy Outback 5-speed. My parents ended up buying the 97 from me, they love it and wanted a better winter car. 

A lot of rust and a lot of miles (234,000), but it was cheap and runs great! Its my first manual car, and its a lot of fun.

Edited July 25, 201510 yr by pginter96