Ok at work I have a 2002 Legacy Outback Sedan with a SOHC EJ25 with a bad rod knock.

 

I have a 1996 EJ22 sitting on the floor that has like 50k miles on it. I found out today that they arent swappable because the 02 intake is about a half inch wider.

 

My boss is trying to tell me that I can use the EJ25 heads and put it on the EJ22 shortblock. That way we can use the 02 intake manifold. For some reason this doesnt some do-able to me. EJ25 is a slightly wider bore isnt it? He's claiming that he talked to some other subaru mechanic that had done the swap before from 99 to an 01. but the engines being 6 years apart and the outer parts on the engine being different I dont see it happening.

 

I dont have a spec book close to me and I'm used to the older engines so I'm figuring the 2.5 has a bigger bore than the 2.2 not a longer stroke.

 

What do you guys think?

 

All in all, we want the 02 running again and the cheapest EJ25 I can find is for 1600 bucks out of a wreck and the timing gears are busted

I can't say for sure off the top of my head....I'm pretty they'd be swapable. Matt Monson, who is a member on nasioc and the legacycentral bbs would probably know for sure. I would suggest trying to post on the legacycentral bbs or PM him.

They are swappable, but you're gonna drop your compression ratio throught the floor...

 

http://wac.addr.com/auto/obs/turbo/ejcalcs.html

 

You'd also be best off buying the head gaskets from cometic, they've got them made for putting 2.5 heads on a 2.2 block