eventoday Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 Ok i am sorry. i seem to post a lot of questions. but i have a 97 outback 2.5 with 190000mi. i got it from my brother in michigan and have been having nothing but trouble with the engine. i ended up rebuiling it myself thanks to a tb idler failure ( i am not much of a mechanic) now i have a ton of oil leaks and other leaks. it runs good but i am scared to drive it any distance. i know my brother kinda of rallied the car a bit and drove in sand and mud quite a bit. i am finding these used japanese long blocks with 40-60000 miles for like $1400. does anyone know much about these? i am thinking of buying one. it looks like they are pretty much complete. i am thinking that a newer one will have better sensors and computers and what have you. i rent cars alot cause like i said i am scared to drive mine. sorry about the long post. just trying to get some opinions. oh yeah my girl wants to get a newer car but we can't afford that and thought this might be a better alternative and keep the car alive for a long time to come. thanks jake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 due to condition of the car and financial reasons your best bet is to swap a 2.2 liter motor in it's place. all you need is a complete 2.2 (including power steering pump and hoses) and it'll drop right in. plugs right into the existing wiring and computer, direct swap. if it's not a 1995 2.2 you'll need the first section of exhaust too...the y-pipe that bolts to the 2.2. if you have that it'll bolt right up. i have a motor i'd sell you for $250 if you were on the east coast. around here you can also find 2.2's in pull it yourself yards for $125 no problems. i would never buy a used 2.5 and expect much from it. (that's just me, others would be fine with it). i bought a low mileage 1.8 earlier this year and it had a bad headgasket. others have bought them no problems. $1,400 is alot more than you need to spend and the 2.2 is more reliable in my oppinion. post in the parts wanted forum here, someone close to you probably has a 2.2 for cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LosDiosDeVerde86 Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 this is what i understand: as far as i know there's a japanese law that states that an engine has to be replaces at a certain mileage (around 40k is what i've heard) which means that most jap engines have been beat to hell and back, had little or no maintinence, and are overall in poor shape, which is why they're so cheap. i suggest you try to find out information on that as well as try to find someone that's bought one of those used jap blocks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 a few on here have bought them with good experience. it's also been said that they require heftier fees and taxes as the cars age so the older they become the more likely they are to get rid of them...at an early age. at a certain mileage/age, not sure which it's driven by, those costs don't justify not buying a newer vehicle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eventoday Posted June 26, 2006 Author Share Posted June 26, 2006 i had heard you could put a 2.2 engine in and i have found them a lot cheaper. so you can pretty much just drop a 2.2 in. not much in the way of alterations. i would actually prefer the 2.2 just because i hear they are way way way more reliable. huge power loss? i am on the wst coast right now and would like to find a low low mileage one that will last me a long time. if anyone has one let me know. and maybe let me know if it is easy to drop in as it seems. i called atarco motors in sacramento ca and they told me i couldn't swap. but i have heard people on here talk about it thanks again you guys rule jake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LosDiosDeVerde86 Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 i had heard you could put a 2.2 engine in and i have found them a lot cheaper. so you can pretty much just drop a 2.2 in. not much in the way of alterations. i would actually prefer the 2.2 just because i hear they are way way way more reliable. huge power loss? i am on the wst coast right now and would like to find a low low mileage one that will last me a long time. if anyone has one let me know. and maybe let me know if it is easy to drop in as it seems. i called atarco motors in sacramento ca and they told me i couldn't swap. but i have heard people on here talk about it thanks again you guys rule jake as far as i understand, all EJ's are easily swappable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerFahrer Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 as far as i know there's a japanese law that states that an engine has to be replaces at a certain mileage (around 40k is what i've heard) which means that most jap engines have been beat to hell and back, had little or no maintinence, and are overall in poor shape, which is why they're so cheap. Do you have a source for that? I've never heard that before. If you're finding these used "Japanese" engines on eBay , then there's a 99% chance they're not Japanese. People will put anything in an ad to sell it, but I can pretty much guarantee you those engines are just out of a regular USDM Subaru. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LosDiosDeVerde86 Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 Do you have a source for that? I've never heard that before. If you're finding these used "Japanese" engines on eBay , then there's a 99% chance they're not Japanese. People will put anything in an ad to sell it, but I can pretty much guarantee you those engines are just out of a regular USDM Subaru. as far as i know there never was a 2.0 twin turbo for a legacy in the US. please correct me if i'm wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
970subaru Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 youre not wrong. ej20tt's, ej20g's, and ej20NA's are common imports. how many miles on this rebuild? new seals may take some time to stop leaking so run cheap rump roast dino oil for a while. however maybe you borked the seals on installing them. I wouldnt go with the japanese engines myself, all the ones I have seen were beat to ************(ej20g's). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megell Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 this is what i understand: as far as i know there's a japanese law that states that an engine has to be replaces at a certain mileage (around 40k is what i've heard) which means that most jap engines have been beat to hell and back, had little or no maintinence, and are overall in poor shape, which is why they're so cheap. i suggest you try to find out information on that as well as try to find someone that's bought one of those used jap blocks[/quote Another internet rumor is that the cars in Japan just rust out in a few years and won't pass inspection. Cars may only be 4 or 5 yrs old. I don't know if that's true or not, but I did buy a 4eat trans for my old 90 Loyale turbo sedan from one of the used Japanese dealers and I was happy with the transmission after it was installed. It was clean inside and outside and came with the converter. It was several weeks though before it arrived. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWet Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 I have personally had good experiences with JDM imports. I have bought several over the years, the first one some 25 years ago (BTW, it is still running fine, thank you), and haven't had any problems except with one Nissan tranny that had a very weak synchro, and the importer replaced it under warranty. One thing to note with JDMs is that they only guarantee that the engine will match, not the intake/exhaust/ancillaries. So, if you are considering a swap of a JDM 2.2 for your USDM 2.5, you may end up with "issues". Not really an issue if you get a USDM 2.2, other than waht grossgary pointed out. You mentioned that atarco said that they wouldn't interchange... that may mean that you can't LEGALLY interchange them, and they couldn't do it for you. California is pretty sticky about such things. (Don't get me started on my efforts to "smog certify" my 71 Datsun!!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eventoday Posted June 29, 2006 Author Share Posted June 29, 2006 someone said new seals take some time to stop leaking? i don't understand. my car does drive better and better everyday since the rebuild. if that makes any sense. would rebuilt heads need time to brake in. any ways thanks for all the help. if and when the engine does go i will look into the 2.2 swap. anyone know how much power i will lose. i live in tahoe where there are some big mountains to cross. thanks jake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 this is what i understand: as far as i know there's a japanese law that states that an engine has to be replaces at a certain mileage (around 40k is what i've heard) which means that most jap engines have been beat to hell and back, had little or no maintinence, and are overall in poor shape, which is why they're so cheap. i suggest you try to find out information on that as well as try to find someone that's bought one of those used jap blocks Actually japapnese MV Law makes it tougher each year for the car to pass inspection. They have an inspecion prgram that makes our in the states look like breeze, and fees gfo up every year on the car. The other reason these cars are around is that there is no used car market in japan. Also cultural Japan is a society that prides itself on having the latest and greatest. No one over there wants a four year old or older car. Also unlike here, when the japanese tighten emission controls on cars, the new standards are retroactive to all cars on the road no matter how old. Thats a huge reason as to why there is a good supply of cars. http://www.cse.polyu.edu.hk/~activi/BAQ2002/BAQ2002_files/Proceedings/Subworkshop4/sw4a-6Kawamata_Final.pdf go to page 10 nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 After doing more research on this, i found out that in some areas of japan older cars are juts banned from being registered, so they become automatic junk. Alsoi realize japan isnt all the big, so cars dont get a lot of miles on them Sort of like finding a car in hawii with a few 100,000 miles on it, thats alot of laps nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LosDiosDeVerde86 Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 hmm, very interesting nip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firstwagon Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 JDM's are becoming a big market here in Vancouver, BC. There are several dealers that specialize in importing mint low mileage cars that would otherwise be scrapped. i.e. http://www.buysell.com/StaticPage/DealerShowrooms.aspx?spg_id=309&linkID=BC2533075 There a couple in my parking lot at work (a Skyline and a TD TLC). I guess it's good for Japan's economy (and an interesting source of cars and parts for us) but I think it's a very wasteful system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LosDiosDeVerde86 Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 JDM's are becoming a big market here in Vancouver, BC. There are several dealers that specialize in importing mint low mileage cars that would otherwise be scrapped. i.e. http://www.buysell.com/StaticPage/DealerShowrooms.aspx?spg_id=309&linkID=BC2533075 There a couple in my parking lot at work (a Skyline and a TD TLC). I guess it's good for Japan's economy (and an interesting source of cars and parts for us) but I think it's a very wasteful system. wow, there are some really cool cars on there for cheap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 paw slip ignore this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 JDM's are becoming a big market here in Vancouver, BC. There are several dealers that specialize in importing mint low mileage cars that would otherwise be scrapped. i.e. http://www.buysell.com/StaticPage/DealerShowrooms.aspx?spg_id=309&linkID=BC2533075 There a couple in my parking lot at work (a Skyline and a TD TLC). I guess it's good for Japan's economy (and an interesting source of cars and parts for us) but I think it's a very wasteful system. yes and no. Tokyo, and japan in general had a HUGE pollution problem that went uncehcked untill the mid 1980 (where do you think the smog monster came from in the Godzilla series). It may seem wasteful for them from the way we see things, but not from thier side. they were having huge health problems from the pollution. Health care is more costly then cars to the goverment. The goverment doesnt pay for cars, but does hospitals. JDM is there way of recycling cars untill the US govt finds something wrong with it. Personally im not keen on entire cars being shiped. Parts i dont mind. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eventoday Posted June 29, 2006 Author Share Posted June 29, 2006 hey so i now found a 2.5l long block from cns motors. it is a jdm import. these engines look like they come with everything from intake to to power steering to altenator. looks like everything. and you could just drop it in. says it has 40-60000 miles. wouldn't you think that all the parts on the long block would be worth it since my cars has 190000 miles of michigan salt on it. they want $1100 for it. wait wait sorry it says it is a sample picture and that it requires you to use your intake and other parts. sorry jake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 hey so i now found a 2.5l long block from cns motors. it is a jdm import. these engines look like they come with everything from intake to to power steering to altenator. looks like everything. and you could just drop it in. says it has 40-60000 miles. wouldn't you think that all the parts on the long block would be worth it since my cars has 190000 miles of michigan salt on it. they want $1100 for it. wait wait sorry it says it is a sample picture and that it requires you to use your intake and other parts. sorry jake is that 40-60,000 miles or kilometers? nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LosDiosDeVerde86 Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 is that 40-60,000 miles or kilometers? nipper most of them for sale are listed in miles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 most of them for sale are listed in miles. thats odd since in japan they use kilometers. i guess they do the conversion. i would still buy one either way as they usually have more power then us engines. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LosDiosDeVerde86 Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 thats odd since in japan they use kilometers. i guess they do the conversion. i would still buy one either way as they usually have more power then us engines. nipper yeah, i might down the road of life when i have more money and time for hobbies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerFahrer Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 as far as i know there never was a 2.0 twin turbo for a legacy in the US. please correct me if i'm wrong. No correction needed. You are right. But there are countless EJ22 and EJ25 "Japanese" engines for sale on eBay all the time, when they're really USDM engines. Those are the ones I'm referring to. If it's an EJ20TT or something like that, no it is not USDM, but it doesn't necessarily have to be JDM either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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