Engine Swap

dan_koch

I have a 1996 Outback with a 2.5 auto with blown head gaskets, im looking at a 1999 outback with a 2.5 auto and 20k miles the car is totaled and the motor is about all thats left of the car will this motor work? ill have the computer and all wiring out of the 99.... also what other kind of motors can be put in this car? i dont see putting $500 in the motor and it still have 180,000 miles on it... so whats your thoughts?

dan_koch

anyone have any ideas on this?

ateixeira

Hmmm, I had a 98 Forester, and at the time Subaru was using a DOHC design, they called it the Phase I engine.

I think in 99 the Phase II arrive, but IIRC the Outback didn't get it until MY2000.

It matters a lot because there were major changes, SOHC being the most obvious one.

I'm really not 100% sure, though.

I also wonder if there were other, more minor changes, for things like the ECU and the emissions systems.

I think the 96 Outback was the first year of the 2.5l, wasn't it? In 95 it was just an options package. For 96 I think Subaru also recommended premium fuel.

For 97 they switched to regular fuel, implying other engine changes as well.

How this would affect a full engine swap, I'm not sure. I doubt it would bolt right in without at least some harness/intake change, though.

You may want to search on Nasioc.com.

xwesx

Yeah, if you have all the parts and pieces (intake, sensors, wiring, etc), you can swap them, but the engines are quite different. You may end up with lasting headaches as a result. That said, I know a young fella locally who successfully swapped a WRX drivetrain into a '98 Impreza L, so it is doable.