Subaru engine info - 97' Legacy wagon - 2.2L

[sw99]

The Subaru is a 97' Legacy wagon with the 2.2L engine (129k). PO said that the engine had been run out of oil and pretty much melted. He said that he swapped in an engine with 90k on it. Vehicle runs perfect and I have put 8k on it since I bought it in November.

Is there a way to find out what year the engine is and possibly what it came from? Not sure where to start looking.

Thanks!

 

[Solo2driver]

No... the EJ22 engine has no external serialization to determine what it is other than that it is a Subaru 2.2L . The tag is on the top of the engine, passenger side, behind the alternator/power steering pump. There were only 3 flavors of EJ22....A) EJ22T turbocharged closed-deck low-compression engine in the '91-'94 Legacy Turbos. B) EJ22 Phase 1 that made 137hp from the early '90s through 1998 in all Impreza and Legacy models. C) EJ22 Phase II was in the Impreza models 99-01 and made a tad more power. They also came in the '99 Legacy L and Brighton models...after '00 all Legacys were 2.5L engines.

No matter what's in there, as long as it's an EJ22 (and likely example #B), you're fine. The EJ22 in any form is undoubtedly the strongest and most reliable engine that Subaru has made/does make, STI + included.

 

[sw99]

Thanks, I appreciate it! I see some tags on the top of the engine behind the manifold. One of them has a 95 on it. Anything to be told from them? First thought is that it was possibly from a 95'.

Either way, I am just glad it runs like a top...

 

[The_Jeff]

Coworker had a 97 that burned/swallowed a valve. Junkyards had no motors and said they sold as quickly as they came in. Be glad you got a good one & take care of it. They are not indestructible. (I can't vouch for coworker's maintenance.)

 

[sw99]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Coworker had a 97 that burned/swallowed a valve. Junkyards had no motors and said they sold as quickly as they came in. Be glad you got a good one & take care of it. They are not indestructible. (I can't vouch for coworker's maintenance.)


I have seen a few on craigslist around here since Colorado seems to be the Subaru capital of the world

Either way, I baby the thing to squeeze out every last MPG I can. My last tank was 30.5 mpg. That is around town for the most part. I am just happy that this car has been so great to own! And to think I never would have considered a Subaru before...

 

[dhise]

If you didn't change the y-pipe/header then you got a '96 and up ej22. Should be a single port header. 97 and up are interference motors so hopefully it got a timing belt/pulley/water pump change when the motor was swapped in.