Will 1991 Sport Sedan Oil Cooler bolt to MY 92-94 ?

[Larry Witherspoon]

Title says it all...From the parts manual it looks like the oil cooler assembly sandwiched between the block and the oil filter ONLY came from the factory on the 1991 Sport Sedan. Not on the wagon or any other model years. Does anybody know if the 92-94 EJ22T has attach points, and oil inlets ready to plug and play with the 91 oil cooler assembly bolts, connectors, nipples, hoses, etc. ?

[RoughDiamond]

Yes, you can use the oil cooler on really ANY Phase 1 EJ motor.

However, you will need the new adapter bolt (the long, hollow bolt that attaches the oil filter/cooler adapter), a water outlet nipple for the block, the water return pipe (from cooler to water pump), the 3 hoses and the pre-7/90 water pump (or the WRX/EJ205 water pump is the exact same). The only extra "attach point" is the water return pipe-to-oil pump point and the oil pump is already drilled/tapped for it.

If you can't find the return pipe, IIRC, one off an EJ25D Forester will work, and so will the oil cooler, but the one outlet of the oil cooler is clocked differently than the '91.

[Legacy777]

You can also use the oil cooler setup from an 02 WRX era engine as well. You will just need to use all the hoses & pipe from it as it's slightly different than the 91.

[mike-tracy]

I found that an oil cooler from an STI (with the revised oil pan that US cars got in 04/05?) didn't clear my standard oil pan. Other than that everything else I've tried worked.

[Legacy777]

Good info Mike.

Thanks

[cj91legss]

You can also use the oil cooler setup from an 02 WRX era engine as well. You will just need to use all the hoses & pipe from it as it's slightly different than the 91.

I used an 02-03 cooler with the 91 cross pipe on my engine.

[robertpaige]

In my opinion adapting an oil cooler isn't really worth all the work. And like rough diamond said, you will need a different waterpump (91 SS, 02-07 WRX). At that point I'd rather run an aftermarket external oil cooler.

[dscoobydoo]

In my opinion adapting an oil cooler isn't really worth all the work. And like rough diamond said, you will need a different waterpump (91 SS, 02-07 WRX). At that point I'd rather run an aftermarket external oil cooler.

Agreed. Less effort and better cooling benefits.

[Larry Witherspoon]

Hello RoughDiamond, Josh, Mike, CJ91, Robert, and Scooby. Thank you all for the insight. I was wondering why such a tiny oil cooler was fitted by Subaru, but figured they found it effective enough to include as original equipment. Even more curious was the production cut after only one year. But I had not realized engine coolant was piped thru it. OK, my turbo auto tranny sends trans fluid thru the radiator, and engine coolant thru my turbo. Guess I'm lucky they stopped short of sending engine coolant to my seat bottom! It's a cool approach (no pun), but I second the notion put forward by Robert and Scooby - aftermarket with less effort and better cooling will win this one. That's what I did to augment my trans cooling. Thanx again guys.

[robertpaige]

I think they tried to cut down production costs after 91' by removing things like the oil cooler, VLSD, etc.

[Larry Witherspoon]

Yes - I think the US or North American market was a testbed for the "detuned" Legacy Turbo, that came without an intercooler, then, the casting process that created the much desired closed deck EJ22T block was terminated for something less expensive, but still effective for the production line and world market

[Soobster]

Anyone know the specified tightening torque for the oil cooler connector (21317 AA011)? I have a leaking oil cooler gasket that needs to be replaced.

[cj91legss]

Nasioc says 40ft-lbs