New Addition, first Outback! Keep the 2.5 or swap a 2.2?

Picked this up the other day. '97 auto, 2.5 DOHC with 180,000 and bad head gasket(s).

So here is the question I pose.......

Re gasket the DOHC 2.5, OR, Do the 2.2 swap??

I had planned on doing a 2.2 swap since I don't know the history of the motor and how much it was overheated. But part of me wants to just re gasket it and see how it goes.

what is your assessment of the seller?

honest, competent, mechanical inclined, aware of how the car operated and failed?

look at who you buy from to see the ''hidden'' story of your purchase.

if you like working on engines and have the time, cash, and place to work,

and don't mind doing the swap later if needed,

do the gaskets.

if you need a ''one and done'' solution,

do the swap.

No history or info, other than overheating. Car had a couple empty water jugs in the back. Timing is intact, Cranks over smoothly, but pumps a ton if air into the cooling system while cranking.

I'm kinda leaning towards just doing head gaskets and timing and seeing how it goes. If got all the stuff for the 2.2 swap, but I was saving that for another upcoming project that I know the history of (and I know it is not good!).

It seems popular opinion is that the DOHC engine is basically a ticking time bomb after a few overheating cycles, so that's my dilemma. I don't know how bad, or how many times it got hot before they decided to have it towed and then gave it up.

swap.

anything else is a crap shoot.