:-\so I have an 1990 Legacy wagon LS and I am going to replace the exaust headers cause the are cracking and getting tired of fixing them, so I was down at the Subaru parts store getting new valve gaskets set got bored waiting in line started looking at the newer Gen subs engine on display and noticed the hearders go to the front around the side then back, looking like a J instead of the Y shape that I have on my wagon. so....

 

I was wondering of I could fit the newer Gen Headers on my 1990 Wagon?

 

If could what year and model am I looking at to pull it off from?

 

WOuld it make a differnce in any way? Like performance, sound? anything?

What you saw was headers for a turbo. Very different and not applicable to your car. For one the entire engine cross-member is different to allow the up-pipe to connect with the turbo. Then behind the turbo you have a down-pipe which connects to a mid-pipe and muffler that are similar (but larger) than yours.

 

All the newer Subaru's still use the y-pipe layout for the non-turbo's. I don't know if a 2.5 liter header would fit but someone in the new-gen forum probably would know.

 

I have had good luck welding the headers on gen-1 legacy's like yours that have cracked. I've done a couple and haven't had a problem.

 

GD

yep, GD is correct. what you saw was a turbo header.....not applicable.

 

BUT, any dual-port N/A subaru header will fit. and there are options.

 

 

borla makes an unequal-length (and not just unequal, but tuned, primaries are exactly double the length on one side than the other) header.

 

there are a couple companies that make knockoffs for much cheaper. I have one on my wagon with a '92 2.2 legacy motor. sound awesome! I think I might have gotten a slight bump in low-end torque, but definitely sacrificed some power on the top end.

 

there are also a couple companies that make equal-length headers. MRT and OBX come to mind. these will yield genuine power gains, but at a sacrifice in sound (more high-pitched....kinda kills that wonderful subaru rumble).

i agree with GD and chux that you were looking at turbo headers. They can be modified to work in n/a application but it's really not worth doing.

 

06+ 2.5i's have a similar design to what you are looking for and they work properly with n/a xmembers. a lot of people like them because they are equal length.

OK, well I just saw the motor and the headers the headers stopped before the up pipe, so I was guessing all the new gen subs are like that. well any way thanks for the info.

Sorry if this is a partial thread jack. So the 06 2.5i would bolt right up with no problems to my 97 impreza that has a 1998 2.5 swapped engine, and I'm assuming any 2.2, for a nice little bump in torque. Will it also bolt up with stock exhaust. Most after market equal length headers seem to only have one cat if that(sometimes just a resonator), instead of the stock two. The after market equal ones don't have the two o2 sensors, usually only one and the routing isn't the same a stock, meaning custom work to make it work with stock exhaust. If this bolts right up it would definitely seem like a cheap and worth while mod for most if not all of us 2.2 or 2.5 owners searching for more power on a budget. I assume to protect it you would have to get a skid plate for a 06+ impreza since I think equal length headers are closer to the ground(don't know by how much though, anybody on the board know?) so stock aftermarket skids for 90's+ subes wouldn't work. Would a skid plate for 06 bolt right up or would it need to be moded. I have both a lifted 95 auto legacy with the 2.2 and the lifted impreza 5 speed, both runnig larger tires and any power gain at a good price is definetly needed

^I don't know all the details, but I can offer this. the borla headers, which have a pipe going around in front of the motor, don't hang down any further than the oil pan. so they will fit with any skidplate. from my brief glance at the newer ones, I suspect the same is true. if it safely clears the oil pan, it'll probably clear the exhaust.

 

also, '96+ 2.2 heads have one exhaust port on each. all other EJ-series motors are dual port. dual port headers are interchangeable.....single-port are different. But both of yours should be dual-port.