eryque Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 I'm curious to know if folks think there are any real problems with the EJ25 engine besides the head gasket issue. Are they otherwise as bulletproof as the EJ22? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsince77 Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 I will be interested to read what the experts think. I am not one, but my 97 OBW 2.5 has run like a champ for 195K and counting. Just regular maintenance (oil, filters, belts, plugs and wires etc.), one knock sensor, one starter. Other than the recent rear axle replacement, even the rest of the car has needed just regular maintenance. I would think having hydraulic valves and a non-interference engine would be a better set up. But as long as you do the jobs on time, no issues in the real world. Of course I have not had the dreaded head gasket problem. When I got the car, a long-time Subaru mechanic in Billings told me that he thought, and it was just a theory, that doing a serious intake/combustion chamber clean every 30k to 50k might help prevent the HG problem. I don’t know, but I have a clean engine and no HG problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eryque Posted November 10, 2007 Author Share Posted November 10, 2007 When I got the car, a long-time Subaru mechanic in Billings told me that he thought, and it was just a theory, that doing a serious intake/combustion chamber clean every 30k to 50k might help prevent the HG problem. I'm curious, how does one go about this sort of cleaning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 i'm not sold on that cleaning helping the head gasket issue at all. the EJ25's tend to loose bottom ends more than EJ22's as well. but this could be an artifact of the head gasket issue as well. they blow so often it's not hard to find one for sale that's already been replaced. 2 out or 3 i picked up this year already had new head gaskets on them (the other was blown). yes, other than that they are solid. the knock sensors tend to crack, no biggie. use Subaru or Magnecor ignition wires and NGK plugs only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodsWagon Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 Piston Slap. From light ticking to continuous knocking like my mom's outback does. Headgaskets. Knock sensors. Starter soleniod contacts. But other than that they're OK engines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xrturbo Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 It isn't completely bad overall if you are comparing to other makes but as far as Subaru goes it isn't one of their best. Things I have seen and experienced: obviously headgaskets, bottom end failure (seems to be mostly in the 99 blocks and some 98s), and I have also seen a few problems with cams locking up in the head. In my opinion they couldn't come close to any EJ22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eryque Posted November 10, 2007 Author Share Posted November 10, 2007 What do you guys mean by bottom end failures? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 What do you guys mean by bottom end failures?bearings - like rod knock or main bearings. i haven't actually disassembled one (why bother!?), but obvious internal engine failure. things like this are typically associated with contaminated oil - so i would guess, but this is just speculation , that the overheating of the oil and/or mixing of the coolant/oil aids this. problem with that theory is that when these headgaskets blow there isn't typically a mixing of oil and coolant, although it's certainly not impossible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaru360 Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 I see lots of EJ25's with rod bearing failure also. EJ22 is much more reliable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon38iowa Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 I'm curious to know if folks think there are any real problems with the EJ25 engine besides the head gasket issue. Are they otherwise as bulletproof as the EJ22? My'99 (Sohc) went 143K without the notorious head gasket issue.However, the deep rod knock was so anoying (I tried everything to correct it), I had it rebuilt. Since then,yea its been bullet proof. I like the power output of this non turbo engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsince77 Posted November 11, 2007 Share Posted November 11, 2007 I'm curious, how does one go about this sort of cleaning? I used seafoam into the intake, let it soak a while, then run until it stops smoking. There are some good instructions on this site someplace about it. I think i searched for intake clean or something like that. It was fun and spectacular. Don't have any idea if it helps the HG thing or not. Found it - http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=65012&highlight=seafoam+intake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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