After owning 2 Imprezas 97 AT Coupe and 99 AT Sedan, stripping the 97 for all usable parts and scraping the rust eaten shell I think I know less about them now than before I knew subaru was a car. It's the little diffrences between the years and 2dr vs 4dr. I originally pulled the entire drivetrain from the 97 thinking all the parts would interchange with the 99 being how both are ej22 but that's not the case. Both have single port exhaust with different heads like spark plug placement, not sure about the ej22 phases, different AT trans. and so on. I'm not looking for easy answers just where to find the answers.

Edited May 27, 20178 yr by Slimthehippie

Ej22 started phase 2 motors in 99. Ej25 started phase 2 in 1999 in the forester and 2000 in the outback. (Although the 99 outback had kind of a odd phase 1/Phase 2 motor.

 

Your 97 2.2 will work in any legacy from 95-98, any outback through 99, only 98 forester, and any impreza from 95-98.

Thanks dp213 that helps. So what makes an ej22 a phase 2, meaning what are the dead giveaways? Was there any half years like 1999.5?

This is really simple: 

 

All 1999-2001 are Phase II EJ22's (legacy and impreza)

The 1997 is a Phase I. 

 

Phase II the spark plug wires go through the valve covers. 

Phase I - the spark plug wires go over top the valve covers.

 

Completely different electronics, intake manifold bolt pattern, and idle control. Both are interference engines. 

 

You could swap just the short blocks. 

Timing pulleys and tensioners, oil pump, and water pump are the same but the belt is different. 

If the tensioners are different you can just swap the bracket they bolt to and interchange tensioners. But 1997 is usually the newer style tensioner same as the 1999 and I'd use new tensioners anyway on interference engines. 

 

Can't really interchange heads and intake manifold easily or without workarounds and/or issues, mostly idling issues.

How much of a hassle is it to swap the phase 1 into a phase 2 car? I think I have all components, I stripped the entire 97 car. Also the 97 had cruise control and the 99 does not can I add the cruise to the 99 I also took the cruise module? Thanks for all you help.

You can swap the phase II wiring harness onto the Phase I intake manifold and attempt to work around idle and I'm not sure if you'll get a CEL that doesn't matter where I live.

 

Or swap Phase II intake manifold and heads onto Phase I block.

 

Or yes - do a complete conversion of parts. Wiring harness, ECU and engine.

 

I'd almost be tempted to reuse the existing wires, re-pin the Phase II wires into the Phase I engine connectors so it's all plug and play.

 

I've re-pinned other smaller connectors for similar reasons and projects, much bigger here but seems plausible even if you had to add one extra wire.

 

A friend has added cruise control to 1990's Subarus before without issues, should be fine.

 

The cruise control computers are transmission specific AT and MT so make sure the controller matches the trans.

Edited June 3, 20178 yr by grossgary

It would be FAR easier to use the intake manifold gaskets to build some one-off intake manifold adaptor plates and just bolt on the phase II intake manifold. Should be doable with some 1/2" aluminium plate.

 

As long as the sprocket trigger points are the standard 6/7 it should be fine.

 

GD