What motor can I swap into a 96 legacy outback wagon?

[Soarer]

So, I've got a super deal on a clean 96 outback wagon with auto tranny. The motor is blown though. I've heard that the ej25's are known for blowing head gaskets. Also, they're kind of pricey from the junk yards at over $1000 for a motor with about 80k on it. Can I put a 2.2 na motor out of a legacy in there without too much trouble? What about a 2.0 ej20t swap? Anyone ever done that?

[Matt Monson]

Search for Napphappy. He's got a pretty good write up on his 2nd gen Leggy swap. It's really no different than an Impreza when it comes down to it. Though you don't really want to put a 2.2L in there without changing the EM. It's going to overfuel it and have driveability issues.

Generally, doing the HG job on that engine properly (including milling the heads) is a reliable repair. It's the half assed repairs that blow their gaskets over and over and over...

[Soarer]

This particular motor spun bearings and is now locked up. I guess the right thing to do is just find a good ej25.

[BXSS]

I was also wondering if the DOHC 2.5 ECU could run a SOHC PI 2.2.

It seems like everyone has run a DOHC motor on a SOHC ECU (20Gs on 22t ECU, 2.5 DOHC on 1.8 ECU, & 2.5 on 2.2 ECU), but I have not heard of anyone running a SOHC on a DOHC ECU.

I know topfeed greys off a PII 2.5 flow 309cc & topfeed Greens off a PII 2.2 flow 261cc (I paid to have a set of each cleaned & flow tested), I wonder if there is a flow difference between side feed 2.2s & 2.5s.

If there is a flow differance would'nt using the 2.2 injectors trim some fuel from the start with the MAF/ECU compensating as well (if the car starts)??

SOHC 2.2 = $83.40+$10 core charge in this neck of the woods!

[mcbrat]

wouldn't a 95-96 2.2 NA hook right up?

[Soarer]

I'm 99% sure that it would bolt right in but the fueling is what I'm concerned about. I'd prefer not to change the entire wiring harness.

I wonder if I could use the ej25 wiring harness with the ej22 ECU....????

[mcbrat]

possibly if you have the 95-96 2.2 ECU (OBDII) anything older is OBDI and won't work with the newer harness....

[Soarer]

I've got a lead on a wrecked 2002 wrx wagon with 80k on it. I can pick it up for $2800. I wonder if it's worth swapping that motor in. What do you think a 96 outback wagon auto with ej20t conversion is worth?

[Matt Monson]

If you are thinking about what it's worth, then you shouldn't do a swap. Seriously. Swapped they are generally not worth anymore than unswapped. The only guys who make any money on swaps are the shops who get paid labor to do them. Doing your own swap and then trying to sell the car won't make you any money, and likely you will lose money because you can't even recover the cost of the swap engine. At least that's been my experience.

There's a local kid here in Colorado that was trying to sell his WRX swapped 2.5RS. His first asking price was $15 or $16k. The car sat for sale for months. Then he knocked it to $14k. Still no interest. He eventually went as low as $12.5K and still didn't sell it. Noone was willing to pay more than the $10K+/- value on the car even though it was a professionally done swap in a very clean car with all records since new. It's just the nature of the beast...

I "lost" about a grand when I sold my swapped SS last month. However, I look at it from a utility standpoint. In the year that I owned the car, I feel I got $1000 worth of value from it. I swapped it. I tracked it. I had a great time owning that car...

[Legacy777]

Yup.....It'd be crazy how little I'd get for my car if I were to sell it, when you compare it to how much money I've put into it.....

[Soarer]

Good advice. Thanks Matt.

I guess the real question is is it worth spending $1500 to get another ej25 in there to sell the car for hopefully $3500. I'd say that it's worth it to make between $1000 and 1500.

[Matt Monson]

What would be worth it would be to find a usable Ej25 bottom end for $300-500 and get your heads planed and install new headgaskets. Then you are in for more like $600-900 and can still sell it. As a buyer, I would personally trust a freshly done headgasket job with reciepts to an unknown history junkyard/importer engines...

[saske27]

pls help me i have ej20t matic i need the ecu pinout

[Legacy777]

Welcome to the BBS.

Can you provide information on what country the car originally came from, and what is the specific model and year?

Thanks