ZX2Fast Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 The 2.2 in my Legacy L is getting weak. Wide open it won't go more than 80 mph and struggles to get there. I'm getting 20 mpg or less on the highway and I get 17 mpg pulling cars with my ZX2. The engine is quiet and doesn't use oil, but after 260,000 miles is appears to just be worn out. I'm sure the automatic tranny isn't helping. I picked up a 99 Outback (1 owner!) at a public auction hoping I could do a swap. I was a bit of an impulse buy since I didn't have time to research before it came up for bidding. I figure if I can't use it, I can part it out to break even. Anywho, I was reading the 4EAT to 5MT swap someone else is doing but it appears it won't apply to me. I have the FSM downloaded from here and I've used it before but it doesn't seem to be complete or maybe I'm just not good at using it. I want to do a how-to, complete with pictures, for this swap. I would need good detailed wire diagrams (or splices from someone that has done this) so I don't have to spend all of the little free time I have (wife is disabled from a stroke and we have a 3 year old, I don't have much spare time) figuring out the wiring. I have another car to drive so at least I don't have to worry about that. You can see examples of other how-to's I've done (I've gotten quite good at it over time) just by searching my nickname. I have video's on You Tube and several written how-to's all over the web. I drove the Outback around the lot at the shop and it doesn't make noise, the engine is strong (shows 208,000 but it is a Jasper rebuild) and runs great even on the fuel that is 3 years old, that is how long it sat before the auction. It started on the first turn of the key (engine had to turn about 8 times) with a jump and I drove it onto the car dolly. Don't worry, I took the bolts out of the rear shaft before I towed it. I had fun drifting it around the lot since we still have packed snow on the ground. The clutch grabs strong and doesn't chatter and I didn't detect any slip, though with snow on the ground it wouldn't likely slip anyway. If there is anything you need to know about the car (it is the EJ25) to aid giving me instruction on this swap then please ask. It seems the mechanical part is straight forward but I am worried about the wiring. I've done over a dozen swaps (mostly on ZX2's) and the wiring wasn't too difficult. Even on the Eclipse (1998 model) it was as simple as swapping the whole donor harness over and cutting the hole for the master cylinder. I'm also interested in swapping the heated seats over to my car so details on that would be helpful. I'm also wondering if I should put the EJ25 heads on the EJ22 block (rebuild the shot-block of course) so I could put a low-boost (under 10 psi on something smaller like a Super 60) turbo kit on it later. Thoughts on that would be helpful. I'm wondering too if I should take the small scooped hood from the Outback and turn it functional later with a TMIC. Oh, things that I've already done to the car that might not affect the swap but I should mention, I have swapped the springs from a 1997 Legacy GT because they were stiffer and I took the front brakes from the LGT as well. I also swapped that air intake since it had fewer turns and bends and I eliminated the resonators. The Outback has a receiver hitch on it that I'll be taking as well. Maybe later when I boost the car I can use it as my car tow vehicle and let that old, high mileage (260,000) turbo ZX2 get a break in the winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnegg Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Wide open it won't go more than 80 mphcheck your timing, ther belt could have jumped a tooth. it sounds like you should just drive the 99, why swap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo F Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 If I were up to doing Subura engine swaps I'd actually go the opposite- get an Outback with blown HG's and swap an EJ22 in it . I personally like the look and the higher stance of the original Outback but like the reliability and fuel of the EJ22 (although I agree your EJ22 has got something going on if you barely are getting 20 MPG. My '98 L is getting 24- 27 MPG mixed driving and I can pass anybody on the road if I need to. Actually read the recent threads by a couple of folks puts EJ25 DOHC heads on a EJ22- sounds intriguing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZX2Fast Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 The Outback is totalled. The back is pushed in far enough that the rear hatch and rear doors won't fully close, actually the rear hatch won't close at all. I'm confused how the EJ22 could be so much more reliable than the EJ25. Is the EJ25 not just an over-bored and larger combustion chambered EJ22? If the timing was off a tooth on my EJ22, would I not get a cam phase or sync code? EDIT: I think I read that the EJ22 is closed deck while the EJ25 is open deck. That would explain the difference in reliability. I'm still kicking around the idea of putting the EJ25 heads on my EJ22 block after rebuilding the block. If that could take 250 crank HP I would just build my own turbo kit for it so I don't have to bother swapping or notching the sub-frame. Or, I could get stock WRX turbo goodies and notch the frame and then box the frame back in with plate metal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZX2Fast Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 There is a 2004 Imprezza at the auction this week. Build date 01/03. Any reason I can just take that sub-frame, engine, transmission, and ECU/harness, then put that all in my wagon? They don't have a picture of the strut tower plate but it is turbo and VIN 6. I'm a bit worried about the transponder key, not sure how to address that. At least, I'm reasonably certain it has a transponder key. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zues Marine Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 if you buy the whole thing...yeou'll have everything you need to put it in the legacy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnegg Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 If the timing was off a tooth on my EJ22, would I not get a cam phase or sync code? no it usually does not throw a code until a complete failure. if swapping the wire harness is work you are willing to do, yes, you can swap that engine into your 97. but it is usually easier to buy a car with the engine you want, that is running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZX2Fast Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 I could probably get that Imprezza for less than $2k. I haven't seen any good running turbo Imprezza's for that cheap. Fair private party value is $5000. I don't have $5000 to spend on it. Am I right in thinking it has a transponder key? It is missing the key so I can't look at it. Of course it would be easier to get a WRX, but then it wouldn't look like a Legacy wagon and go like a WRX. I could sure mess up some ricers heads with a turbo Legacy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnegg Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 i don't know of any suabrus in the 90s that had a chip key. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivant Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 You say your engine is worn out, but doesn't use any oil. The first thing I would do is give it a compression test. If compression is good then your problem won't be a worn out engine. Maybe a quick check to see if your cambelt timing marks line up is needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivant Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 no it usually does not throw a code until a complete failure. if swapping the wire harness is work you are willing to do, yes, you can swap that engine into your 97. but it is usually easier to buy a car with the engine you want, that is running. I had my cambelt out by a couple of notches and didn't get a code. I drove it round a bit to see what it went like. It wasn't missing but it was right down on power, so back home and reinstalled it. Goes great now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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