2.5i motor swap DIY

Finally came into an issue at 155k miles with head gaskets finally failing slowly on my 2010 2.5i 6 speed. I got prices from a couple local and trusted mechanics of around $1500 to replace head gaskets. That’s if everything went as planned. A cracked head or block would immediately blow up the price. Though not common it’s a possibility. Even if everything went as planned I’d still have a motor with 155k on it.

Started looking for a lower mileage motor from junk yards. Found one from a reputable yard that had very good pics of car before it was torn down that I felt proved to me mileage that was stated was actual mileage. So $1400 for a motor with 71k on it.

Now for the fun part.

 

Tools needed:

10,12,14 mm 3/8” 6 point sockets (have both regular and deep available)

3/8” ratchet

3/8” socket swivel joint

Floor jack

Two jack stands

Wheel chocks

Channel lock wrench

Cherry picker

Flat head screw driver

Pry bars

 

 

***Im gonna write thread then come back with pics

 

 

1. Get car up in the air on jack stands with rear wheels chocked. NEVER GET UNDER A CAR FOR ANY REASON WITHOUT IT BEING SECURED ON JACK STANDS.

2. Remove battery.

3. Remove air intake.

4. Remove drive belt.

5. Drain coolant and remove fans and radiator. For hoses stuck use the channel lock pliers to gently twist and they’ll come free. Harnesses for the fans unplug by pulling out instead of pushing in like normal harnesses.

6. Remove power steering pump. Leave hoses attached and just move to where the air intake box was. There’s 3 12mm bolts, 2 from front and one pain in the ass from the back.

7. Disconnect alternator and a/c harnesses and move harness to the side.

8. Remove alternator and put into pile with intake, radiator, fans etc.

9. Remove a/c compressor and move to the side where battery was leaving the lines attached.

10. Front of motor should look something like this.

11. Unplug throttle body and remove being very careful not to bump it or move the flap. Drive by wire throttle bodies are very finicky and if messed up will probably have to be resynced to the ECU. I carefully put this on my passengers floor away from anything that could hit it.

12. Unplug main engine harness and two smaller harnesses for the tranny. I have a 6 speed though auto would definitely have more harnesses to unplug here.

13. Remove starter

14. Disconnect fuel lines. Both can be disconnected underneath driver side of intake manifold. Low pressure can be pulled off closer to center of intake manifold, High pressure has a blue clip holding end of metal line after two fittings. It’s located under manifold after rail mounting bolt on top of manifold. Tried to get a pic but doesn’t show it that good.

15. Unplug the two o2 sensors and unclip wiring from just below timing belt cover.

16. Remove exhaust manifold.

17. Remove 4 14mm bolts from tranny into engine, mark what bolt goes where, they are different lengths.

18. Remove the two 14mm nuts, this is where the 3/8” swivel socket attachment with a 14mm standard depth socket was used since axles are right there.

19. Attach chain and bolts rated to hold the weight to eye holes. Hook up cherry picker to take tension off front motor mount.

20. Remove bolt from front motor mount.

21. Use pry bars to separate motor from tranny.

22. Being careful the motor is clearing the transmission input shaft pull it out of the car.

 

 

***More to come later.

how much for a JDM EJ253 compatible with yours for US Spec 2010-12 outbacks and legacys.

 

easy to spot as its the only ones with a plastic intake on a EJ253. and the JDM importers just started getting them in.

 

_______

 

as opposed to

 

... the last of the EJ253 foresters / impreza had metal intakes in the US 09-11

(single layer steel head gaskets too,.......

.before the early = awful FBs came:eek:).

how much for a JDM EJ253 compatible with yours for US Spec 2010-12 outbacks and legacys.

 

easy to spot as its the only ones with a plastic intake on a EJ253. and the JDM importers just started getting them in.

 

_______

 

as opposed to

 

... the last of the EJ253 foresters / impreza had metal intakes in the US 09-11

(single layer steel head gaskets too,.......

.before the early = awful FBs came:eek:).

 

 

I think the JDM ej253’s were around $2500 on eBay when I was doing some research. Mileage couldn’t be verified by me though.

Every ej253 in a 5th gen has a plastic intake manifold that I’ve seen. Motors from foresters and Imprezas wouldn’t fit. 10-12 Legacy’s have completely different mounts. When I get to a computer and post the pics there’s only one mount at the front.

 

I did however look into the 3.6. Would be a problem getting it to run. Would need a stand alone ecu. Wiring aside a 3.6 has never had a 6 speed attached to it from the factory.

I could be wrong, but I think the mounting holes are there regardless of what car it came out of, you'd just have to transfer your mount over.

just for comparison purpose vs. a typical ej253 rebuild. (edit: HG/timing kit job).

 

here is one in Jersey for $1900 from a known dealer.

(others I was looking around the port of NY/NJ were $2500).

 

https://www.jdmenginedepotinc.com/product/10-11-12-subaru-legacy-outback-forester-2-5l-sohc-engine-jdm-ej253-l031222/

 

 

to save freight I remember a guy going from Baltimore to queens, NYC to pickup a JDM EZ30D in a 98 camry sedan. (tied the trunk shut).

 

edit: but good luck with the rebuild. ...nice to have a manual when all the CVTs may just crap out at anytime.

I could be wrong, but I think the mounting holes are there regardless of what car it came out of, you'd just have to transfer your mount over.

 

5th gen is totally different. I’ve always thought it was a test run for the fb motors. Unless somebody has put an older EJ anything into a 5th gen Legacy that I’m not aware of.

 

just for comparison purpose vs. a typical ej253 rebuild.

 

here is one in Jersey for $1900 from a known dealer.

(others I was looking around the port of NY/NJ were $2500).

 

https://www.jdmenginedepotinc.com/product/10-11-12-subaru-legacy-outback-forester-2-5l-sohc-engine-jdm-ej253-l031222/

 

 

to save freight I remember a guy going from Baltimore to queens, NYC to pickup a JDM EZ30D in a 98 camry sedan. (tied the trunk shut).

 

edit: but good luck with the rebuild. ...nice to have a manual when all the CVTs may just crap out at anytime.

 

Something I noticed about the jdm motors...Different drive belt/s. They have 2 which is what the raptor superchargers are designed off of. USDM 5th gen has one 6 rib vs 2 5 ribs.

I need to get to a computer to upload these pics.

The block is the same, as any ej motor, the mount holes for the front are there. I don't know if the oil pan is different, but that could be swapped.

The block is the same, as any ej motor, the mount holes for the front are there. I don't know if the oil pan is different, but that could be swapped.

 

I was pretty sure from research I’ve done 4-5 years ago. Did a lot of reading about it back then.

 

A lot could change though. Any ej257’s in 5th gen gt’s?

 

If so. I’m not even gonna worry about trying to finish this thread since there’s about 1000 swapping Subaru motor threads on every forum.

I was pretty sure from research I’ve done 4-5 years ago. Did a lot of reading about it back then.

 

A lot could change though. Any ej257’s in 5th gen gt’s?

 

If so. I’m not even gonna worry about trying to finish this thread since there’s about 1000 swapping Subaru motor threads on every forum.

 

I know Islandborn has a STI block and I believe s2 as well since they are both aftermarket built blocks. The differences are really external, which is not surprising given Subaru's history.