2005 Forester X engine interchange question

[wavekayaker]

Im not very familiar with the SOHC 2.5s and couldn't find a good answer, so hoing you guys can help.

 

My dad's 2005 Forester X (non turbo) had something seize and break the timing belt at highway speed. (I replaced the timing components with the e-bay kit ~ 10k miles ago, so not sure what went).  The car has 204,000 miles.  If we find damaged valves, I'm not sure pulling the heads and repairing the damaged valves is the way to go. 

 

The question....  Do the 2005 Impreza and 2005 Forester have the same engine.  I found an Impreza engine w/ 36K for $1400.  My dad would like to keep the car for another 100K or so, and its in great shape ( southern car, no rust).

 

Thanks for any help!!

[matt167]

does not seem so. Forester 2.5 intake gaskets are showing for 2004-13 Forester only. no others, suggesting the intake manifold and heads are different than any other. Unless the electronics are the same, they are deffinetly different engines and are not a direct swap

[wavekayaker]

There's not much info out there on the diffearances!  Was ACVS started in 2005?  I see some things yes....some things maybee.  2005 seems to be a transition year.  I wish I was in front of the car to look at it.  I should have it here this weekend to start the tear down.

 

Thanks for finding the info on the intake gaskets Matt.  I wish it was as simple as just keeping the intake from the Forester on the Impreza engine, but sounds like there is more to it than that. 

[wtdash]

Hi,

Everything I've read states the '06 was the first year of the AVLS (AVCS was on Turbo engines). Read up on the Cars101.com site -look for Archives on the left column and then choose your year and model to compare.

 

And they should be swappable...although you may need to swap the Intake Manifold (not hard).

 

Go read over on Subaruforester.org, too.....lots of 'swap' posts there.

 

GL,

TD

[wavekayaker]

Update. Thanks for the input guys. Finally got the car here to look at. Something got on the belt and it broke. All the idlers and pullys were in good shape, but the crank gear and the idlers near the crank had surface rust. The drivers head would not rotate, so I figured it was smashed. I ended up getting a 2004 Forester engine w/ 117,000 miles for $1000. Put on a new Gates timing kit and Aisin water pump. I used the 2005 intake (2004 was way different). The crank and cam timing pullys were different and the knock sensor was different. Neither engine was ACLV (Thanks TD!) Other than that it was very straight forward. Engine runs good.

 

When my dad called to get the engine he told them he had a 2005... They wouldn't sell him the engine. He had to call back and talk to someone else. Crazy the faith people put into a computer program! (But the computer said it won't fit!!!)