First Ej18 swap. Done a few 2.2 swaps to replace 2.5s but got a 96 Impreza outback with a 2.2. Existing motor has a botched head gasket job that is leaking bad and some tapping that has yet to go away and may or may not be a noisy HLA.

 

Local yard had a 95 Impreza with EJ18 with only 82,000 miles for $200. It's stilling in the driveway with intake manifold pulled and almost ready for to pull the motor and drop this one in tomorrow on my day off.

 

 

This is what I wasn't sure about. Not on any EJ22 I've seen and not mentioned in the writeups I've read. What is it? Do I cap it off or what do with it to drop in place of an EJ22?

It has to do with emissions i would just block it off. That's what i've done on ea81's and ea82's. From what i understand it has do with the exhaust recirculation system to burn off fuel vapor left after combustion.

i've done it to EJ18's before, just block it off on the engine side like he said.  if you look closely i think it's just the exhaust there so blocking it off makes it just like an EJ22 - no hole. 

you won't use the intake side because you'll use the EJ22 intake manifold on the EJ18.  swap knock sensor from EJ22 to EJ18, the hole should be there and threaded.