I have seen a bunch of posts about placing 2.5's into STi's or into Impreza chassis. Has anyone changed a 2.2 to a 2.5 in 90 - 93 Legacy chassis?

i have not done it in a legacy. but what i will tell you is, it will fit. pretty much any engine will fit in the car. you will just have to make the wiring and stuff work.

 

if you have the time and some know how. go for it...

 

-=Suberdave=-

I dont know if I would consider it an upgrade. Depends on the 2.5 your putting in there. If its a rebuilt or had h/g done, then good. If not, then stay with the 2.2 for a couple hundred miles.

Check out www.bbs.legacycentral.org JasonGrahn did this swap on his first gen legacy. Do a search by his name, and you should find his post.

You'll be sorry.

You'll be sorry.

 

and why is thad ?

and why is thad ?

The 2.2 is arguably the most reliable motor in the Subaru stall, virtually bulletproof. If the same could be said for the 2.5, I'd have to eat my words.

You'll be sorry.

 

+1

The 2.2 is arguably the most reliable motor in the Subaru stall, virtually bulletproof. If the same could be said for the 2.5, I'd have to eat my words.

 

The reason for the change is HP and Torque. The 2.2 has a tendency to stress crack between the cylinders. The 2.5 does have a head gasket issue that is resolved somewhere in the late 90's. The dealership installs a form of Subaru stop leak in every 2.2 and earlier 2.5 they change the coolant on to help "seal" the coolant leaks at the heads and between the bores.

 

I have 187k+ on the 93' 2.2. I have another '02 Legacy with 80k on it. While both get about the same mileage (93-20/25 and 02 21/26) at last checks. The 2.5 just feels more powerful. The issue I am starting to have is parts for my 93'. If it was not for the $1000 I spent last year removing the air ride and placing KYB adjustables with outback springs under it I would sell it for a newer model. I just can't get over how well it handles now.

 

Lastly, I the older model legacy is much better in the snow. The differential and the limited slip feel tighter in the 93'. Since that is the main reason I bought it. I am having a hard time convincing my self to trade up to a newer model that is worse in the snow.

 

Thoughts anyone?

Check out www.bbs.legacycentral.org JasonGrahn did this swap on his first gen legacy. Do a search by his name, and you should find his post.

 

I just sent him a message. Thank you.

or you can do a shortblock swap like I did. it involves no wiring whatsoever, and I estimate the power to be about 170. you treat the ej25 shortblock as a direct replacement for the ej22, except for the gaskets. the compression will be 10.8:1. while you have the ej22 heads off I recomend gasket match them and do a very mild port job yourself on the casting flaws, as well as remove the restrictors from the exhaust manifold(weld slag on the interior of the exhaust runners).

recipe:

1 good condition phase 1(DOHC) ej25 shortblock

1 set of ej25 DOHC MLS headgaskets(multi layer steel, Napa sells them)

1 1990 legacy

it is fun and torquey, but not fast by any means. maybe close to a stock turbo legacy.

supposedly the swap works the other way around. 2.2 in place of 2.5, plug and play...

Thank you!!! I was hoping to find the Subaru stayed consistant.

Not to seem ignorant (to late) but why would you swap to a lower displacement engine? Less torque, less HP, My '02 with a 2.5 even gets 1MPG on average better that my '93 2.2.

ej22's are very solid engines, less prone to stuff like popping head gaskets(a moot point IMHO given the new MLS gaskets that are available), are available cheaper, and use slightly less gas than an ej25. all of that appeals to a lot of the old fogey types.

but I would NEVER swap an ej25 for an ej22... unless of course it was of the closed deck variety and/or had a snail attached.

they are all good though.

Since when did EJ22's have a tendancy to crack between the cyls? That's the first I've heard of it.

I'm pondering throwing a 2.5 shortblock into my car for the extra power. I already done the 2.2 swap into the loyale, so using the 2.5 shortblock with the EJ22 heads on it would be easy.

 

10:1 comp = high octane gas= $$$

 

But the extra torque....

 

I'm torn.

I drive a 97 outback that from the factory came with a 2.5 and I replaced with a ej22.

 

The previous owner had 3 sets of head gaskets done. 2 by the dealer and one by an independent before he decided to just get rid of the car.

 

I put a rebuilt 2.2 in it with delta cams and I have driven other peoples cars that have rebuilt ej25 DOHC and SOHC's in them and I can honestly say the only time you notice the power difference is right off the line getting the car moving. After that its a wash in fact I think the 2.2 is quieter in High Rev's than the 2.5 is.

 

If the timing belt breaks, who cares.

With the 2.5 you can't "who cares" anything.

If I ever blow a radiator hose (unlikely cuz I spoil the car) I don't have the risk of blowing the ever so wimpy head gaskets.

No valves to adjust. Ive got the hyd roller rockers on 95 2.2 heads.

I can replace spark plugs without cursing and I can use the cheapie NGK's instead of having to buy Platinum plugs because I hate changing out the plugs on the DOHC 2.5's. (and ej20's for that matter)

 

If you have to have 15 horsepower at least spring for the SOHC engine or just get an 2.0 turbo and be done with whining about power.

I drive a 97 outback that from the factory came with a 2.5 and I replaced with a ej22.

 

The previous owner had 3 sets of head gaskets done. 2 by the dealer and one by an independent before he decided to just get rid of the car.

 

I put a rebuilt 2.2 in it with delta cams and I have driven other peoples cars that have rebuilt ej25 DOHC and SOHC's in them and I can honestly say the only time you notice the power difference is right off the line getting the car moving. After that its a wash in fact I think the 2.2 is quieter in High Rev's than the 2.5 is.

 

If the timing belt breaks, who cares.

With the 2.5 you can't "who cares" anything.

If I ever blow a radiator hose (unlikely cuz I spoil the car) I don't have the risk of blowing the ever so wimpy head gaskets.

No valves to adjust. Ive got the hyd roller rockers on 95 2.2 heads.

I can replace spark plugs without cursing and I can use the cheapie NGK's instead of having to buy Platinum plugs because I hate changing out the plugs on the DOHC 2.5's. (and ej20's for that matter)

 

If you have to have 15 horsepower at least spring for the SOHC engine or just get an 2.0 turbo and be done with whining about power.

 

what'd you do about wiring? if you swap heads and intake, don't you also have to swap wiring and ECU??

not if he retains the stock injectors and sensors.

or you can do a shortblock swap like I did. it involves no wiring whatsoever, and I estimate the power to be about 170. you treat the ej25 shortblock as a direct replacement for the ej22, except for the gaskets. the compression will be 10.8:1. while you have the ej22 heads off I recomend gasket match them and do a very mild port job yourself on the casting flaws, as well as remove the restrictors from the exhaust manifold(weld slag on the interior of the exhaust runners).

recipe:

1 good condition phase 1(DOHC) ej25 shortblock

1 set of ej25 DOHC MLS headgaskets(multi layer steel, Napa sells them)

1 1990 legacy

it is fun and torquey, but not fast by any means. maybe close to a stock turbo legacy.

 

FYI: Subaru now sells an updated multi-layer steel HG for the DOHC EJ25.

 

 

Also, have you considered an EJ22T, which makes more power than either the n/a EJ22 or the EJ25?

 

If you're set on an EJ25, I'd try real hard to get get the newer SOHC engine. Less HG issues, and maintenance is WAY easier.

If you put the EJ22 heads on the EJ25 block, will the exhaust manifold and intake manifold bolt up to the heads?

 

Only the cylinder block would be changed.

Bump for shortblock swap confirmation.

you treat the shortblock as a direct replacement, everything will swap over onto the ej25 from the ej22 and there are a few things you have to swap like some brackets and things.

intake manifold: using the same heads so non issue

exhaust manifold:as above, and all dual port ejs use the same pattern.

deck height is the same on ALL ejs.

ej22t is a great motor sure, but they are now expensive and you will be going to turbo which involves a host of other parts that you need. good thing about the shortblock swap is that it is a drop in replacement with no wiring, converting crossmembers, turbo parts, etc. looks exactly like an NA ej22e from the outside. as far as power, I'd say that my motor is on par with or has a little more power than a stock ej22t. mine has nowhere near ej22t potential of course...

deck height is the same on ALL ejs.

 

Key info. Thanks.