2.2 to 2.5 swap... - Subaru Enthusiasts Car Club of the Sierras

Highdesertsuby · 2010-01-15, 01:04 PM

Hey guys, my 97 Impreza L just hit 232,000 miles and it's going to be time for a new engine soon. I have been considering going to an NA 2.5 engine to get some more kick from the car (plus I don't want the wiring hassles of swaping in a WRX motor). I have read lots of threads on other sites (i-club, rs25, etc.) about this swap, but I cannot find a specific thread about putting a 2.5 into a '97. I already know about the HG issues with the various 2.5 engines, and I understand that using the rare 98 RS engine is the least complicated way to do this. What does it take to swap in a 99-05 EJ25? Has anyone here done one of these swaps? Any info is greatly appreciated.

sperry · 2010-01-15, 01:37 PM

Wouldn't swapping in a 2.5 from an '02 or newer be just as bad wiring-wise as a WRX swap?

Highdesertsuby · 2010-01-15, 01:42 PM

Honestly I don't know, that is why I was hoping for some ideas. I don't know much about wiring differences between each year.

Kevin M · 2010-01-15, 01:52 PM

The best way to do it is to tear every bit of wiring out of the car and plug in wiring and drivetrain and a whole bunch of other crap from a newer car in. This is what I did with my 1993 L wagon. It's essentially a 1993 shell transplanted into a 2001 OBS- literally everything that can be removed and replaced was. However, this is a crap-ton of work and requires acquiring a complete donor car. You could also try just getting an engine plus engine and bulkhead wiring harnesses and splicing them together, but that's worse than the complete swap IMO. Way more room for things to go wrong.

I'm trying to remember if your motor is Phase I or Phase II. If it is Phase II, then you can just take a 2.5 longblock and toss it in, bolt your intake manifold back up to it and switch a couple sensors for the cam and crank. But I think it's Phase I, and I think the Phase I intake manifolds don't swap with Phase II.

ScottyS · 2010-01-18, 08:59 PM

Check this thread out. There might be some possibilities there. It's a NA thread, not a turbo thread.

http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtop...=318560#318560

2010-01-15, 01:04 PM	#1
Highdesertsuby EJ22 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Reno Posts: 154 Car: 1997 Subaru Impreza L Class: n/a This is going to take crackerjack timing...	2.2 to 2.5 swap... Hey guys, my 97 Impreza L just hit 232,000 miles and it's going to be time for a new engine soon. I have been considering going to an NA 2.5 engine to get some more kick from the car (plus I don't want the wiring hassles of swaping in a WRX motor). I have read lots of threads on other sites (i-club, rs25, etc.) about this swap, but I cannot find a specific thread about putting a 2.5 into a '97. I already know about the HG issues with the various 2.5 engines, and I understand that using the rare 98 RS engine is the least complicated way to do this. What does it take to swap in a 99-05 EJ25? Has anyone here done one of these swaps? Any info is greatly appreciated.

2010-01-15, 01:37 PM	#2
sperry The Doink Real Name: Scott Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 20,335 Car: '09 OBXT, '02 WRX, '96 Miata Class: PDX/TT-6 The way out is through	Wouldn't swapping in a 2.5 from an '02 or newer be just as bad wiring-wise as a WRX swap? __________________ Is you is, or is you ain't, my con-stit-u-ints?

2010-01-15, 01:52 PM	#4
Kevin M EJ22T Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Reno Posts: 9,445 Car: '93/'01 GF6, mostly red Class: 19 FP	The best way to do it is to tear every bit of wiring out of the car and plug in wiring and drivetrain and a whole bunch of other crap from a newer car in. This is what I did with my 1993 L wagon. It's essentially a 1993 shell transplanted into a 2001 OBS- literally everything that can be removed and replaced was. However, this is a crap-ton of work and requires acquiring a complete donor car. You could also try just getting an engine plus engine and bulkhead wiring harnesses and splicing them together, but that's worse than the complete swap IMO. Way more room for things to go wrong. I'm trying to remember if your motor is Phase I or Phase II. If it is Phase II, then you can just take a 2.5 longblock and toss it in, bolt your intake manifold back up to it and switch a couple sensors for the cam and crank. But I think it's Phase I, and I think the Phase I intake manifolds don't swap with Phase II. __________________ FWD is the new AWD

2010-01-18, 08:59 PM	#5
ScottyS EJ205 Real Name: It is real! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: RNO Posts: 2,367 Car: 1998 Impreza Wagon, 1991 Legacy Turbo Sedan, 2003 Nissan Xterra Class: tvFree Yes, I'll fix it for you. Again.	Check this thread out. There might be some possibilities there. It's a NA thread, not a turbo thread. http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtop...=318560#318560 __________________ "Trend Number One is that people aren't getting any smarter." Dogbert

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2010-01-15, 01:42 PM	#3
Highdesertsuby EJ22 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Reno Posts: 154 Car: 1997 Subaru Impreza L Class: n/a This is going to take crackerjack timing...	Honestly I don't know, that is why I was hoping for some ideas. I don't know much about wiring differences between each year.