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MY97 L Wagon - JJBTEXAS

8K views 48 replies 10 participants last post by  JJBTEXAS 
#1 · (Edited)
This in my new MY97 L Wagon.



I picker her up with 64,XXX on the odometer this morning (1/8/17)! I bought this car with the intention of taking my other subie off the road for some much needed changes. That and DDing Pilot Supersports is expensive. I don't have many plans for the car right now so I'd like to open up this forum to suggestions. I'm not interested in a drivetrain swap at the moment (maybe way down the road when the STI is sorted). I would love to hear your recommendations. The car is currently bone stock with the exception of WRX wheels and Forester shocks/springs. The previous owner did not swap to Forester link mounts so that will need to be remedied soon. I've compiled a list of things I want to change below:

Engine/Drivetrain:
Whiteline KDT903 Rear Differential Mount Bushing

Suspension/Grip:
KYB GR-2
King 1" Lowering Springs

Exterior:
N/A

Interior:
Blaupunkt New Jersey 220
Kenwood KFC-1665S

And these are the things I still want to do:
-Hankook Ventus All-Season 215/50R17
-RS 6 spoke
-Rubber floor mats
-JDM WRX seats
-maybe a small wing to square out the rear?

*to be installed





You can check out my other subie at the link bellow:
GR Hatch: JJBTEXAS' 2010 swp - Subaru Impreza WRX STI Forums: IWSTI.com
 

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#3 ·
Can anyone help me determine which motor I have? I found this online,

EJ22E = all USDM N/A 2.2-liter engines from 90-96
EJ22EZ = all USDM 2.2-liter engines from 97-98 (9.7:1 CR, solid lifters, single-port exhaust, but still Phase I)
which leads me to believe it's a EJ22EZ but I've never heard of the EZ before. Thoughts?
 
#4 ·
1/11/17 - Bought Some Radio Gear
Because I'll be driving this car to work most days, I wanted to update the radio system. The old radio and buzzing speakers just isn't cutting it. To remedy this I purchased a Blaupunkt receiver and Kenwood 6.5" speakers for the front. The Blaupunkt has bluetooth audio streaming and is the most "stock" looking aftermarket receiver I could find. Hopefully the parts arrive in time for me to install them over the weekend!
 

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#8 ·
I've noticed the rear differential make a clunking noise under hard shifting so I ordered Whiteline's KDT903 Rear Differential Mount Bushing insert kit to hopefully take the play out of the worn out bushings. That comes on saturday and the radio parts come monday so I will probably install the inserts Sunday and prep the car for the radio so I can install it all on Monday night.
 
#9 ·
if youre talking about the two rubber bushings that bolt the diff to the rear of the crossmember.. the cross member has to be removed to do it.. which.. is why mine remain not done. theyre also press in with metal collars around the rubber bushing. total pain in the ass.

also, i just put the new jersey in my car. love it.
 
#11 ·
There are a few tutorial online showing how to do it with a hacksaw, but Whiteline makes a bushing insert kit that fills the slop up with polyurethane.

ps. you may be hearing the clunck from the outrigger bushings on the fron of the tbar thing. thise are super simple to do and inexpensive as well. this was the source of mine many years ago.
I'll have to look into that. Could you be more specific on the location? Thanks
 
#12 ·
1/15/17 - Bushings and Oil Change
Did the oil change today at 61,141 miles. I figured it was a good idea to do oil and a filter since I don't know when the last time it was done. I also installed the Whiteline bushing insert kit. I had to trim them quite a bit to make them fit but they're nice and snug now (would have gotten pics but my hands were covered in grease). The stock bushings didn't look too bad so now I'm thinking it's somewhere else down the line. The bushing helped a ton, but I can still hear a very faint thud when I shift from 1st to 2nd (could be in my head to be honest).

The new radio and speakers come in tomorrow so I went ahead and pulled the dash apart as well. Hoping to do them all tomorrow when I get home from work.

Contemplating lowering the car back down to stock height as well. I really the height while driving, but I'm worried about the CV joints and I'm not sure I like the way it looks. I'll probably leave it alone till I finish my GR rebuild.
 
#14 ·
1/16/17 - Radio and Speakers In


Got the new radio and speakers in without much fuss. Really happy with how the radio looks and functions so far. The speaker upgrade also made a much bigger difference than I expected. Overall I'm very pleased so far.


I attribute the clunk to being 20 years old more than the mileage.
 
#17 ·
2/5/17 - Suspension Update Part 2



I'm really happy with the King 1" lowering springs I ordered from get-primitive. I think the height is just perfect and there doesn't seem to be the "saggy butt" issue which is awesome! We'll see if the suspension settles any but I'm very happy with the way it sits. It also rides very well so far. Definitely stiffer than the Forester suspension but very comfortable around town as well. Now I just need to get an alignment tomorrow.

My clutch is slipping pretty bad in 5th on the highway so that's next on the list. Probably won't do that myself.
 
#20 ·
2/5/17 - In the Shop
I brought the car into a local shop to get the clutch done. Tried to charge me $568.60 for the clutch kit:screwy:. So I ordered an EXEDY oem replacement clutch kit and flywheel from RockAuto for $200 shipped. They also said there's a "major leak coming from the passenger side head gasket or power steering pump." I park the car in the same spot at both work and home everyday and neither spot has any oil stains on the ground so "major" is definitely an exaggeration. If it's only leaking a little, I'll probably just let it be since I'll probably end up swapping in a 25D at some point. Does anyone know how much a head gasket replacement job should cost?
 
#21 ·
It's not the oil you should be worried about, its the coolant seeping out of the passages/into the pistons.

DOHC always seems more of a hassle, especially when it comes to head work.

Factor in removal/installation of heads, timing belt kit (cuz you're already there), water pump, gaskets, and machining of the heads.

It's a bit.
 
#22 ·
I was under the assumption the EJ22 was SOHC?

The previous owner just did the timing belt and water pump so those can probably be reused. I'm also just not really convinced there is a leak at this point. I did an oil change a few weeks ago and there were no signs of a leak (coolant in the motor oil).

I'm torn because if the head gasket is leaking then it probably makes more sense to just pull the motor and do all the work with the motor out of the car. And if that's the case I might just swap a 25D now? ugh...
 
#23 ·
Yea. Sorry, my thought process was jumbled.

(ej25 dohc would be more of a hassle to swap in - the time + $ wouldn't be worth it, ESPECIALLY since it has more head gasket problems than the ej22. There are better options).

Yes, ej22 is SOHC. Again, look above for the confusion. Sorry.
You're right in that it's very unlikely. If you decide to anyways, you can get away with reusing almost everything (though I'd check all bearings since you're there).

So, price:
Head gaskets
Valve cover gasket kit
Timing belt tensioner (I don't recommend re-using, though others have)
Labor for machining heads
Labor for removal/install
fluids
 
#24 ·
I've heard the 25D can be plugged into the 22's harness, that's the only reason I was considering that particular motor. If I do a swap at any point, I will probably still stick to NA since I already have a boosted subi.

Will they need to machine the heads if they catch the "leak" early? Does it make sense to do both head gaskets since they're already there?
 
#25 ·
(I'm not a machinist, but...). From my shops-in-the-summer experience, YES machine the heads, or measure to see if they are warped - either way, that will cost you unless you have the tools. Much better than to install the heads twice.

That's all the information I'll add, because I don't have any other definitive information on your questions, and I don't like it when people give second hand information - which is often wrong and confusing. Best of luck.
 
#27 ·
since you have a 97, the 25d is a direct drop in turn key plug and play option. the 22e ecu will even run the 25d. the 25d ecu is plug in swappable as well if it makes you more comfortable running that ecu instead.

the only item you have to purchase is a header for the dual port head instead of the single that you have currently.
 
#29 ·
Stick with your ej22, the ej25d is a headache....
At some point I'd like to drop in a 200HP NA motor. I figure the 25D was the best place to start but I'm also researching upgrades to the 22.

I think you are on point with your mechanic assessment - seems like he is trying to "make work" for himself.

This is a ej22e with 64k on the clock I cant see it needing anything more than a v-cover gasket - I've seen 350k ej22e's still going strong.
Considering their claim of "major leak," I wouldn't be surprised if I'm getting the whole "old subaru, can probably convince him of a head gasket leak" routine. They do good work, you just have to keep them honest.

That being said, they've got me worried. For the time being, here's a list of things I've put together that will be checked regularly to ensure there isn't a leak

-engine oil in coolant
-coolant in engine oil
-engine oil level and rate of change
-coolant level and rate of change
-white smoke in tail pipe
-degrease motor w/ visual inspection

Anything else I should look for?
 
#28 ·
Stick with your ej22, the ej25d is a headache....

I think you are on point with your mechanic assessment - seems like he is trying to "make work" for himself.

This is a ej22e with 64k on the clock I cant see it needing anything more than a v-cover gasket - I've seen 350k ej22e's still going strong.
 
#30 · (Edited)
I've put 70k on my EJ25D swap and it's running great with no issues. The only issue with EJ25D engine that gave it a bad rep was the head gasket that Subaru used which weren't metal. It has been updated with a new multi layer head gasket which is what I replaced my with during the swap.

I guess one thing that was a hassle during the swap was adjusting valve lash via shim/buckets. You have to measure and use formula on service manual. Then you have you buy certain shims if you ain't got correct sizes.
 
#32 ·
I've put 70k on my EJ25D swap and it's running great with no issues. The only issue with EJ25D engine that gave it a bad rep was the head gasket that Subaru used which weren't metal. It has been updated with a new multi layer head gasket which is what I replaced my with during the swap.

I guess one thing that was a hassle during the swap was adjusting valve lash via shim/buckets. You have to measure and use formula on service manual. Then you have you buy certain shim if you ain't got none that fit.
I've purchased a couple of EJ25D cars over the years (with blown HGs) - first thing I do is swap them...
 
#31 ·
2/24/17 - She's Back
Got the car back last night. This clutch is a lot different. The pedal is a lot lighter and the engagement point has moved to the end of the throw instead of the beginning. I'm surprised it changed so much, but I like the change so no worries. Will hopefully be spending some time under the car this weekend, looking into the oil leak mentioned by the tech.
 
#33 ·
Make sure the clutch is engaging fully if the release point is very high.
You can adjust the release point up or down a bit & you should have a little free play in the pedal when you initially step on it if properly adjusted.

My clutch guy gave a specific number 1000 years back but you get the idea...
 
#36 ·
Can I second not making 200 N/A not worth your (comparative) time?

Here's my reasoning:
1. You ALREADY have power from your WRX.
2. There is less cost/return effect than work on your WRX (in terms of power).
3. Small, cheap suspension changes will make your car come alive.

Case in point:
My ej251 (sohc) started rattling around August last year. I did a jdm NA ej20 swap, which is 10 HP and 10 ft.lb less at best. While I did the engine swap, I also went for some brake upgrades, suspension upgrades, summer tires, and put it on a bit of a diet.

I actually have MORE fun with the car now. It's so toss-able.
So many little suspension upgrades can be done sub-$100 (many under $50).
(example: junkyard take offs, sway bar bushings, outrigger bushings, sub-frame bolts, larger brake rotors, just to name a few).

OTOH, "Power" options that I tried:
UEL headers (made a raspy sound, may have damaged my O2 sensor. Def lost power)
Lightweight Crank pulley (MAY have caused damage to my engine - feel free to buy mine from me for $20 if you ever come to Houston)

They were definitely headaches. But, I digress.
 
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