FLlegacy Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 My understanding is that late 90s all subarus in the US went to the 2.5 engine. First was the dohc or phase 1 then the sohc or phase 2. The phase 2 is the better of the two having been used from 99 to 2009 or so depending on model and options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLlegacy Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Check this out too may help may not... http://allwheeldriveauto.com/subaru-model-guide-and-tips/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtgodmage Posted March 7, 2015 Author Share Posted March 7, 2015 Can someone clear up what models exactly had the 2.2 l. I really want a sport but the 2.5 sohc still scares me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halwith Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 I didnt realize you had a 2.2 swap option to buy. You are crazy to no buy it immediately. It is the most best option for you and will be very fast and you will beat a civic racing. The 2.2l is the most reliable ever engine. Someone will buy it first if you dont. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YeuEmMaiMai Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 The FXT's 4EAT was nice -- I drove it. Thought it was pretty cool, actually. Aside from that one, though, I have not had good experiences (nor has anyone else, really) with Subaru's 4EAT. So, based on that, I wouldn't recommend it.  The 5EAT, properly cared for, is a perfectly hardy trans, even if a bit lacking in certain areas. dude quit with the crap already 4eat is leaps and bounds more reliable than many other transmissions out there. Hondamatic 98-02 4AT and 99-07 5AT.. just a quick browse through these forums and the other Subaru forums will tell you that in comparison to what you will find on Honda-tech.com or Acurazine.com, Subaru has nothing on them. Now if you are saying that shift quality is quirky at low throttle I would agree, it's not the best but its' not going to kill the transmission. I found that the newer thinner fluid is not well suited for shift quality  my friend's 98 legacy wagon has 250K on an original E4at and it is still running and shifting just fine.. Older Subarus around here are still for sale with 300+K on them and disappear faster than a keg at a frat party... just like any other automatic they have their quirks but unreliable is not one of them... for comparison my 98 accord ate the trans by 87K and my 02 CL-S at the trans by 71K, my friends 98 accord with a weak I4 at the trans at 93K... eff that  My understanding is that late 90s all subarus in the US went to the 2.5 engine. First was the dohc or phase 1 then the sohc or phase 2. The phase 2 is the better of the two having been used from 99 to 2009 or so depending on model and options. the phase 2 2.5L does not get better until they moved to the semi closed deck design.. a lot of the open deck 2.5L suffer head gasket failures well before 150K miles. Some engines also suffer from piston slap despite being well cared for and it is HIGHLY recommended that the original timing belt tensioner and single bearing idlers be replaced with updated parts... I was at my dealer and the dude had a single bearing cog that did 3K worth of damage to an engine that had less than 100K on it.... they were trying to work with Subaru to get some of that cost covered. on MY legacy the idler was leaking at 62K resulting a timing belt job being done at that time. I had the engine overhauled at 69K when I noiced a leak and since it needed a re-seal to solve it, I had them correct the piston slap as well with an updated piston kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLlegacy Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Can someone clear up what models exactly had the 2.2 l. I really want a sport but the 2.5 sohc still scares me What are you scared of exactly? This engine was put in every subaru model from about 2000 to 2010 they are nothing to be afraid of. If it needs head gaskets then replace them, glean some knowledge, and get on with life. There are more 2.5s without gasket failures than with end of story. Is it likely you will end up replacing them...yes at some point. I drove my forester for 2 years with leaking gaskets the engine never skipped a beat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halwith Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Dint listen to these guys. They don't want you to be happy. Get the 2.2l swap you looked at. They are the best ever and easy to work on. It will 100% not break anytime soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halwith Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 The 2.5l exploded like grenades for no reason. Everyone who owns one has provlems. Dont get the 2.5l there are no performance mods for it. But the 2.2l is well supported and will be faster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YeuEmMaiMai Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 ^lol they never exploded they just made lost of noise due to some design choices that have since been corrected Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtgodmage Posted March 7, 2015 Author Share Posted March 7, 2015 If i had more cash inwould have. But its been on craigslist for over a month was just re put upbat 100 dollars less. I really cant tell the engines apart or know what tp search for i noticed all there cars have the same copy and paste 2.2l swapbyadada. That 2.2s auto to. But i kinda want an outback sport but other then the 98 ls they didnt have the 2.2 right the only older sport infound says 2001 with a 2.2 aswell manual 800nless supposbly head gasket done to. Cam someone clear up what came with the 2.2 and didnt. Im confused. So if i choose a 2.5 sohc look at gasketnfor leaks buy from someone who can verify recent head replace. Let me ask this after a 2.5 gets the multi thixk gasket the subaru additive how long till that usually goes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halwith Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 The 2.5l always explodes like bombs and kills your whole family. The next best choice is the svx it will be the next fastest car and very good. It's also awd. The 2.5gt from 2005 up is also really great. It is wrx without huge insurance cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLlegacy Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 The new sti is the bestest choice everyone should have one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halwith Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Stop trying to lie to him guys. Let him have his fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oaklandmiLGT Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 I skipped a few pages because it was difficult to read, so please excuse me if this has already been stated. But if you want to learn how to work on car just work on your honda for now. IMO hands on is the best way to learn working on cars. Start with easy jobs like changing spark plugs, wires, replacing old hoses, that kind of stuff. And seeing that you can walk to work you have the luxury of not needing a car, correct? So you could have it inoperable for a few days as you work on it and not be hindered by that. Also, if you post questions like this your going to get bs responses. Research first and if you cant find any info, then ask. You can learn A LOT by reading through the forums. Shoot, the time you have spent arguing this you could have read through several of the informative threads on this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtgodmage Posted March 7, 2015 Author Share Posted March 7, 2015 I have tons of questions with not alot of time to read let alone no idea what to search. You guys really make me not want the 2.5. Like seriously lets say i found one with the metal gasket thats suppose to fix the head issues. How long would that last i been up 18 hours im going to bed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLlegacy Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 All 2.5s have metal gaskets. Buy if you found one that wasn't leaking and you changed coolant yearly and added conditioner each time. It would probably never leak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrTris Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 All 2.5s engines have metal gaskets. Buy if you found one that wasn't leaking and you changed coolant yearly and added conditioner each time. It would probably never leak. I don't think any modern engines run something like a cork gasket, at least not for something as important as heads.  The coolant conditioner is a great defense against leaking head gaskets -- When the 98s were blowing HGs left and right, most dealerships would take a car in, flush the coolant and add the conditioner, which was the first line of defense against leaking HGs and overheating; only after the problem persisted, did they actually tear the motor down and do the hard work.  Funny thing, it still didn't stop them from charging some people anywhere from $800 to $2k for that interim "fix". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oaklandmiLGT Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 OP, it seems you are under the impression the head gaskets can only last so long, as if they are gaurunteed to fail in x amount of time. Based on the reading i have done (which usually has to do with the ej255) as long as your coolant system is functioning properly,and you dont have air pockets in your coolant. So basically if you arent overheating, the head gaskets wont just fail. But if you're overheating you may warp the aluminum heads therefore they wont seal properly with the block. Therefore the miles a car has does not correlate directly to if the headgasket will fail. So, what car should you get? Which ever has been taken better care of. And how can you tell which has been taken better care of? Take it to a subaru specialist for an inspection. And not your friend that owns a wrx, i mean a real technician. If i were taking a car to be inspected i would prefer a subaru oriented performance shop such as oakos to do the job. Try google searching "legacygt.com headgasket failure" also theres many threads on legacygt.com that talk of reliability mods, problems to look out for ect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtgodmage Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 If i buy a 2.5bil make sure they have proof they used the newer gasket and used the additive no records no $$ i wish they used 2.2l in the 2000 01 sports so a 98 sport should have the 2.2 right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLlegacy Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 So it seems you are soaking up some of this info so I will let you in on more so you can understand the problem better. The issue with the 2.5 is technically the open deck design of the block not the gaskets. What happens is the cylinder distorts just a little during normal operation and eventually this movement causing the gaskets to fail. Early gaskets tended to delaminate quickly and leak. Newer style gaskets supposedly did not. Personally I used cometic gaskets when I redid my engine. It is going to be tough to find a car with records in the age range you are looking for. I would recommend a cold start to ensure there is no rod knock or piston slap although slap is common and is not really considered a problem just normal wear. And a long test drive to make sure the engine is fully warmed. You will want to check the coolant for any bubbling while the car is running and for general cleanliness. I will look for some pics to show you what a gasket leak will look like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLlegacy Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Here you go. http://s14.photobucket.com/user/solomondg1/media/car/IMG_0185.jpg.html http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/attachments/f66/11324d1206572712-head-gasket-problem-i-think-dsc04379.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtgodmage Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 almost picked this up today http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/4922081196.html but salvaged title 300 k kinda scares me. cheap tho i found a 03 with rod knock and a 2.2 for 200 on craigslist. kinda almost tempted to pick up a 2.5 or 2.2 block it self keep it at friends house learn to work on it change the gaskets and then pick up car. but im just going to get my licencee while i save. that info helps the pics help. i'd be fine getting a 02 03 sport but i want to make sure those have records of gasket change. surprised no one in colorado has posted in here yet. maybe i should seek out a subaru colorado club i'm still pretty confused what outback sports came with the 2.2. pretty set on a sport right now as the legacy 2.5 really turns me off. buddy mine had an 03 and the gasket just went under 20 k of owning it. also found this for 550 but soundslike alot of work i dont want to deal with tho i could buy that now and get all the parts now. labor would prob kill me and its prob not worth the chance. http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/4917048256.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtgodmage Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 Think we got a winner http://denver.craigslist.org/ctd/4925042697.html the dealership is next to the auto auction and i know this dealership well as i lived in commerce city my whole life and know alot people who bought they and hardly heard any bad stores. what do you guys think should i go down and drive this clean babbaaaaay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLlegacy Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Looks good. Give it a good look over and test drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtgodmage Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 Did you see the actual website has pics of the motor. I only got 500 right now bet they will want more down. There isny any subaru specialists in the area and my friends busy i might have to wait another week till my tax check hits. Dont think il ever see a 97 98 so clean. Plus at 5 k ibcould continue and save as i seen many 02 wrx wagons for 5 to 6500. I think that should just be the way i go. Unless you tell me the wrx from 02 03 were head gasket faliures like the 2.5s. I do know this obs is 1400 above kelly blue book wonder if i could get them to go lower. Found a 98 160 k alot work done with records for 3500 but i cant finacw that ugh if i got an auto id be lisenced in a few days i can't get the manual down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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