How long ?

[Ivant]

I was wondering does anyone know how long a legacy motor is expected to last before it blows. I have a 97 2.2L with 222.000ks on the clock and doesn't even burn any oil. The dragon was thinking of getting a new car, as she was worried that this one might stuff out at some stage. The thing is that the car has always had the oil and fluid changed on time since new and still runs like a dream. So I don't see the need to replace it while the motor and box are still good. I know nothing lasts forever, but how long would I expect it to last before something goes on it, just from old age. There must be a limit ?

[johnegg]

the ej22 engine will go 250,000 MILES with no problem.

350,000 if you take care of it.

that's 400,000kms to 560,000kms.

 

the 1 thing that will kill these engines is: no oil.

keep oil in the engine and it will run much longer than you need it to.

old oil, not changing it, will shorten the life of the engine.

 

having said that, it does not mean you will not have to replace the head gaskets at 450,000kms.

but that is a fairly minor expense if you get to drive it another 100,000kms. (spend $1500 and drive 100,000kms, cheap.)

or if you average it over the total number of kms.

 

the ej22 is by far the best engine suabru ever built.

it is reliable, easy to work on, and it will take a lot of abuse.

 

i ran one out of coolant one time and the engine quit running as a result.

after it cooled off and i added more coolant, it started right back up and ran great. it is still running today.

 

you could not do that to the ej25 engine with the same results.

 

if you take care of the engine, the car will die before the engine does.

 

edit: most folks will compare the cost of a needed repair to the ''value'' of the car.

this is bad logic.

example: ''the car is worth $2000, the head gaskets will cost $1800, it is not worth it.''

the cost of a repair should be compared to the cost of ''replacing'' the car.

how much would it cost to replace the car with one of similar quality and reliability.

[Stang70Fastback]

FWIW, my engine has 270k MILES on it. Head gaskets were replaced, but that has been the only MAJOR engine work ever done. Timing belts done at regular intervals. Hell, before the head gaskets were replaced the car was driven for many, MANY months with it regularly overheating (sometimes the temp gauge being pinned before pulling over to let it cool) because at one point we figured we'd just drive it into the ground. Then it became my first car. Head gaskets replaced and it's gone another 100k without any major issues even with all it was put through. And mine is the 2.5L, which is typically regarded as less reliable than your 2.2.

 

And mine is not an out-of-the-ordinary situation. As johnegg said, the engine will outlast a lot of other parts of the car if taken care of properly.

[86bratman]

the first "new gen" legacy of the family was a fwd 90 L, dad drove it any years on high insurance route, got passed down to me at about 240k miles. Driven hard until 330k when I got the 95 Brighton I had, it 90 was then sold to another guy who dd'd it for another 6-7 years before the body was too far gone. He said before the speedometer cable broke that it was showing 450k+ another year of driving.

 

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[Ivant]

Thanks for all the replies. These just made me want to hang onto this car.

[Stevo F]

I'm banking my on EJ22 lasting forever. That was part of my decision to buy a '98 Subaru with 90K miles vs. a new car that would come along with a $200- $300 payment for the next 5 years (I( need to save for my sons' college). I intend to the drive the Subaru for 18- 20K miles per year for at least 5 more years. I'm hoping for 10 more years at this point! Also hoping the oil was changed at least semi-regularly by the previous owner.

[pleaidestar]

My first 2.2 still ran ok before I pulled it for rebuild, had 232k and 2 exhaust valves were burned because I had to retap the sparkplug tube after po crossthreaded a plug into the head. The insert cracked it in the chamber. Besides that an original rear main and oil separator plate were leaky. Great motor and I'm rebuilding the heads to put in my 1st gen wagon to run another 200k.

[johnegg]

the only real challenge i see in owning and driving one of subarus ej22 cars from the 90s, is the overall age of the car.

they are going to have more service issues than a new car and that means down time.

so unless you have owned the car since new and kept up on all the maintenance,

having it in the shop for brakes, axles, or what ever other service could be a problem.

but even with this service / maintenance down time, it will still be way cheaper to own and operate than other used cars and some much newer cars.

[pleaidestar]

^since my wagon has been sitting for 6months I have replaced all of the axles, the rear endlinks, front endlinks, almost all the rubber I could get too so far..I really want this car to drive another 200k, trying to be proactive about this car, since my wife will be driving it daily when its said and done.

[twisty]

the only real challenge i see in owning and driving one of subarus ej22 cars from the 90s, is the overall age of the car.

they are going to have more service issues than a new car and that means down time.

so unless you have owned the car since new and kept up on all the maintenance,

having it in the shop for brakes, axles, or what ever other service could be a problem.

but even with this service / maintenance down time, it will still be way cheaper to own and operate than other used cars and some much newer cars.

 

thats why i have two of em. that and i do the work myself. actually, i have 5 personal vehicles and a work truck. only 1 is a true project (1979 CB750 honda) so i always have an alternative for the kids to drive until they get their own. i think even when the motors die a horrible death, ill replace and rebuild these subarus. i really like thes tyle of them, and im pretty well attached at this point.