I have a automatic 99 subaru legacy and last year the timing belt pulley broke. I found a motor to put in it which I got from a 5 speed wrx It is a ej25 motor, when I got the wrx it started up with no problem. We put the wrx motor into my subaru...and nothing..It was turning over but would not spark...Since it came from a 5 speed we unplugged the cam sensor, still nothing. We put a brand new coil pack in, still nothing. It wasn't getting fuel until we replaced the timing relay plug. It gets fuel now...but still no spark. I have talked to countless mechanics and no one knows for sure what it is, some tells me it is the computer but others tell me it isn't. Any idea what could be causing this?

What year WRX did the engine come out of?

I think your problem is incompatibility of the WRX engine with the engine wiring and electronics with your 99 model. I have a 99 Leggie, and had to replace the motor several years back. After research on this forum, I was advised to only install a 2.2, or a 2.5 motor from model years 95-99. A WRX motor is from a later model year Subaru from the early 2000+ years. Converting the wiring and electronics is going to be difficult. You will need to find someone who has made the WRX conversion to tell you what can be done. Whoever sold you the WRX motor should have warned you of the compatibility problem. 

 

Thinking further, I bet the WRX motor is turbocharged, 99 OEM motor is not. This creates further wiring and electronics issues that are not compatible.

Edited May 31, 20169 yr by Rooster2

do the crank sprockets have the same 'tab' pattern?

 

anyway - there could be some wiring harness issues.

It came from a 02 wrx

neutral safety stuff is different - maybe a clutch switch circuit needs to be 'fooled'?

What is a clutch switch circuit?

WRX with a 2.5 would be an STI turbo and that engine wasn't available in the US in 02.

 

If you got a non-turbo SOHC 2.5 it had to come from an Impreza Rs, Ts, or an Outback Sport.

WRX would have been a 2.0 turbo. DOHC

 

So did you do a turbo swap, or use a non-turbo SOHC 2.5?

It is not a turbo, I think it was a junk yard motor put into a wrx.

I think all WRXs have had turbo motors from day one of US introduction. Like you say, someone may have installed a non turbo in the 02 WRX. Posting some motor pixs to us on the forum may help identify what motor you have. There will also be some motor ID stamped into the top of the block to help identify the motor. Helping us with more info, is the best way for us to be able to help you.

Maybe someone stuck WRX stickers on a plain Impreza.

 

But anyway, which wire harness did you use? The 99 or the 02?

Have you made sure power is getting to the ignition system you have?

here is a pic of the engine, it was a wrx, has all wrx parts just a different engine. We used the harness from the 99.

Alright then, disparity of the vehicle it cam from aside, if that harness plugged in correctly then You have to pull the timing belt off and swap the crankshaft timing sprocket and the left side (drivers) camshaft timing sprocket with the ones from your old engine.

Around 00-01 they changed the number of teeth on the back edge of the sprockets that the crank and cam sensors read. Your ECU is getting confused by incorrect crank and cam signals, so you're not gonna get a spark. Swap those two sprockets and you should be good.

I don't have the old engine any more.

Post in the classified section here. Plenty of people here have spares that they'll sell for less than going to a junkyard. Get them for a 99 engine.

Not sure which one..?

there are three possible parts for your car, the description is somewhat ambiguous:

"99 Legacy GT" is an EJ25D which has two drivers side cam sprockets. you need both or intake or exhaust?

 

"the left side" suggests you only have one - which could mean it's a 99 Legacy (not GT) which are Phase II EJ22's, or a swapped GT with a Phase I EJ22 (a very common swap)

 

if it's a Phase II there are also sometimes two different trigger marks on the crank and cam sprocket

ECU only reads the crank and left side cam sprocket. Get the cam sprocket from a 90-98 2.2. It fits the 2.5 just the same.

Crank sprocket can come from either 2.2 or 2.5 from 90-99.

 

Need a cam sprocket with 7 reluctor teeth on the back.

Need a crank sprocket with 6 reluctor teeth on the back.

 

This assumes that your car is in fact a 99.

Can you post your VIN? That will tell for sure.

4S3BD6759X7250999