I need to identify the model year of a Legacy GT engine.  How would I do so?

VIN stamped in the lower right corner of the bellhousing. 10 th digit is the year.

 

If no VIN, there are some other ways to get close by looking at head design(DOHC/SOHC, active valve control solenoids), intake manifold, etc.

Bell housing?  I don't have te transmission.  Only the engine.

 

My dilemma is that I was planning to swap this unknown year enginer in for the blown engine that was in a 2008 Legacy GT.  The engines appear identical (including all the stuff you mentioned) but the engine wiring hanesses show some differences.  I am thinking that I will have to swap the engine harnesses but that is MUCH easier said than done and I am afraid that at some point I will discover that this is not a viable plan...  Getting a bit frustrated...

Edited September 26, 201510 yr by Mikevan10

The term "bellhousing" includes the part of the engine that mates with the transmission. On some of the newer models the VIN stamp may be on the top.

 

If the harnesses are different, more than likely you just need to swap the original intake manifold onto the "new" engine. The manifold carries with it the wiring and sensors.

 

Pay close attention to ECT and knock sensor placement, swap those if necessary. Also make sure the heads have the same plugs on the AVCS solenoids, and the oil pressure sensors. Those may not be swappable, but I'm thinking they should be the same. The only other sensors left are the cam and crank position sensors, and the oil pressure sensor on top of the block. Those should be able to be swapped if they are different. (They should be the same)

 

If it TGVs at the bottom of the intake manifold, those may need to be swapped as well.

Thanks very much Tax!  I had already started removing the intake system from the "old" engine.  Your comments give me the push (and hope) I need to press ahead.  Thanks again.

Edited September 26, 201510 yr by Mikevan10

Just to close the loop on this, I swapped the intake manifolds, and all of the connectors plugged right into all of the sensors and solenoids, so at this point I am quite hopeful that my wiring issues are resolved.  What made the job lengthy was that I had started by trying to remove the wiring harness from the old engine before I realized (with help from Tax, above) that the engine harness is pretty much completely part of the intake manifold assembly.  So it was trial and error getting all the wires, hoses, etc. back in the correct places and relationships (i.e. this goes under that and that goes around this and.....).  But its looking good now.  A few more connections, reinstall the intercooler and radiator, install the new exhaust system and I'll be filling up the fluids!