Will a 2.2L fit in a 2.5L

Hello everyone, new to the site and have a question. I have a 1997 subaru outback with a 2.5L with a blown motor. Also have a 1995 subaru legacy parts car with a 2.2L, with a good engine. Will the 2.2L fit in the 1997 outback and work so i can get around. The 2.2L is a standard and the 2.5L is a auto, thanks Gary

if the 95 is an obd2 it will you will need to swap flywheels

This is exactly what I was trying to do but I couldn't find another Outback so I'm swapping it into a Legacy Wagon. A lot of people have a 2.2L swapped in when the gaskets blow on a 2.5L.

The 2.2L swap is possible, but you'll want to get the 2.2L automatic ECU. Either that or swap transmissions too and use the ECU you have in the 2.2L now.

 

And daddywagon is right. The automatic transmission in the 1997 requires the flex plate off the 2.5L engine if you want to keep that transmission. Since you have to swap the ECU anyway it would save you a lot of trouble if you just left the manual transmission on the 2.2L and swapped the whole thing in as one piece.

The 2.2L swap is possible, but you'll want to get the 2.2L automatic ECU. Either that or swap transmissions too and use the ECU you have in the 2.2L now.

 

And daddywagon is right. The automatic transmission in the 1997 requires the flex plate off the 2.5L engine if you want to keep that transmission. Since you have to swap the ECU anyway it would save you a lot of trouble if you just left the manual transmission on the 2.2L and swapped the whole thing in as one piece.

 

the 95 2.2L engine out of an auto trnas car is the preferred donor engine for the 96 - 99 outback with bad head gaskets. no ecu swap required. BUT, the flex plate matches the trans not the engine. so if you swap the engine you have to use the flex plate off the original engine. it bolts in and runs like a dream. plus the 95 is a non interference engine.

 

98 - 99 outbacks require a little, VERY little, plumbing. they moved the charcoal canister from the engine compartment to the rear of the car so you have to "jump out" the pipes that used to connect to the canister.

 

the 96 2.2L from a auto trans car is the second choice for a 2.2 -> 2.5L swap, but you will need the exhaust Y-pipe from the donor engine. outback 96 - 99 and legacy 90 - 95 are all dual port exhaust, while the 96 - 99 legacy 2.2L engine is a single port exhaust. 96 is still a non-interference engine. and swap the flex plate.

 

97 - 98 2.2L engines from an auto trans car will work, get the y-pipe, but they are interference engines. not a big deal as long as you change the timing belt and all of it's components on schedule.

 

PS: the reason the 2.2L needs to come from an auto trans car is because they are the ones that have the EGR system which all of the 96 - 99 outbacks need / have.

So if i understand you correctly, my 95 2.2 engine from a manual trans will accept the flex plate from the 97 2.5 auto trans and bolt in without changing the ecu and harness. But will probley set a check engine light due to no egr valve

So if i understand you correctly, my 95 2.2 engine from a manual trans will accept the flex plate from the 97 2.5 auto trans and bolt in without changing the ecu and harness. But will probley set a check engine light due to no egr valve

 

correct!!!

 

the flex plates and fly wheels match the trans, not the engines. the engine bell housings and crank ends are all the same.

 

make sure your state will not reject the car at inspection for a CEL. some do some don't.

 

a few added points about the swap. the support brackets for the power steering lines will not match up. the lines and pump work fine they just miss the support bracket. most folks just leave them hanging with out a problem. if you have the 95 car as a donor, you can swap in the 95 PS lines and eliminate the issue.

 

unbolt the AC compressor, but not the coolant lines. when you pull the engine just flop it out of the way, and then flop it back after remove. repeat during the install. then use the 2.5L ac mounting bracket. it will put the compressor in the correct position. (the brackets are slightly different sizes, i think to allow for the different engine and intake sizes, i think.

 

while you have the engine out replace the oil separator plate, and screws, on the back of the engine, it is leaking. do not mess with the rear main seal unless it is leaking. the 95 is non-interference so you do not HAVE to replace the timing components, but doing them and a reseal is really easy while it is out and only cost ~250$ in parts. i like "theimportexperts" on ebay. good parts and good prices.

can i swap a 96 2.2 and manual trans from a 96 legacy outback to a 97 legacy outback? the 97 has a 2.5 and auto trans. motors shot in the 97

you can, but you need EGR.

if the 96 ej22 does not have it you will likely have an EGR trouble code.

 

all the ej25 cars 96 - 98 have EGR.

in theory the 96 outback w/ 5 speed is an ej25 car,

except it has an ej22.

 

usually only the ej22s with auto trans 95 - 98 came with EGR.

but the 96 obw w/ manual rans is such an odd duck i just do not know.

i have never seen one.

 

pretty easy to tell though.

driver side rear of the intake manifold,

look for the hardware, the EGR valve

and pipe that connects to the rear of the drive side head.

 

 

see items #9 & #13 below

 

http://static.opposedforces.com/epc_img/366494908102.png

Ok my 2.2 doesn't have an egr valve. Could I swap the harness and ecu? And how hard is it going to be to install the clutch petal in to the auto legacy

the current thinking is that the harness tells the ECU to look for EGR, not the ecu.

the ECUs are interchangeable.

if you put an auto ECU in to a manual car, you do not get a CEL.

so swapping the harness SHOULD fix it.

 

but it would be way less work and not too much money to buy an intake manifold from an EGR ej22 and install that.

 

you would have to do one of two things to make avoid a CEL,

1/ either hook the EGR pie up to the IAC hose

2/ or drill and tap the rear of the driver side head and connect the EGR pipe.

 

i think the intake/ EGR/ IAC fix is less work than swapping the harness.

 

 

i do not know about the clutch.

but lots of folks have done it so it is not impossible.