Topic: Engine swap - EJ251/253 > EJ201/203

[snackers]

I'm wondering if anyone locally has had their NA engine (Forester/Impreza) blow and replaced it with a JDM 2L equivalent?
Lots of people have done it on nasioc and subaruforester, but I'm getting quite a bit of conflicting information on various parts that need to be swapped from the ej25 to the ej20.

I know the whole IM needs to be swapped, and various sensors may need swapping due to differences in the plug.
Specifically, regarding the timing gears both cam and crank.

If anyone has done this swap on WSC, please let me know if it was a direct drop in replacement or if you had to do some tinkering with cam gears.
Thanks.

[snackers]

For future reference...

The swap occurred in a 2003 Forester XS.
My engine was an ej251 (no EGR)
I swapped it with an ej201 (no EGR) purchased from https://jdmracingmotors.com/

I used the USDM intake manifold.
I did not have to swap cam gears or crank gear.
Only 1 sensor was swapped (knock). No other sensors were touched on the ej201.

I did have to thread my old PCV into the PCV hole in the ej201 block, as the ej201 has the PCV in the intake manifold (which obviously is not being used)
I swapped the A/C bracket. The JDM a/c compressor bolted directly into the block, so I had to yank over the original bracket to fit my USDM a/c compressor since I wasn't disconnecting that.
I swapped the knock sensor. The jdm knock sensor was different from the harness on my USDM forester.
I swapped spark plugs, only because I had just changed them less than 300km prior to the engine exploding.
I used the JDM crank pulley (some call this the "harmonic balancer")
My forester is a manual, so I transferred over the clutch.

I used the following threads for some research:
http://www.rs25.com/forums/f128/t221540-2-5rs-engine-swap-ej203-sohc-non-turbo.html
http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f66/jdm-sohc-ej20-na-swap-alternative-usdm-ej25-304449/

The only extra parts I needed were standard "I'm swapping an engine" parts.
2x header gaskets - 44022AA020
2x intake manifold gaskets - 14035AA383
engine oil
oil filter
crush washer
coolant
coolant conditioner

As per the reason I started this thread, there was conflicting information in those threads about exactly what I needed to swap. So now I'm adding to it with one more thread of conflict.

I've now driven over 500km since the swap.
No CELs, engine pulls strong through all the RPMs.

[GrantC]

I used the JDM crank pulley (some call this the "harmonic balancer")

And we chose that one because it was "prettier".  They otherwise appeared to be same diameter, crank/key fit, and # of grooves. So we stayed with the one from that motor.

(The ubiquity of aftermarket crank pulleys for these cars also filled us with confidence, they all seem to fit all EJ.)


We also don't know if we got lucky with a manual EJ201 to swap in place of your manual EJ251, and if a different EJ201 might have required cam/crank things to be swapped, it's just _a_ data point.  Unless you googled what the sticker on the EJ201 timing cover said.

[mojikita]

How responsive/powerful does it feel?

[snackers]

How responsive/powerful does it feel?

I'm not noticing too much difference.
I suppose it's a little more laggy in the lower RPMs?
Not enough for me to say "don't do it".

[RedBimmer93]

Is this swap still going strong?

[snackers]

Is this swap still going strong?

<6 months after question, 18 months after swap>

Still going strong and I drive it quite hard since it lacks power at lower RPMs.
So it's either WOT at low RPMs with me yelling "Get up there, itchbay" or it's happily burbling at high RPMs to keep momentum.

[seat safety switch]

Do you notice any difference in fuel economy whatsoever?

[Rathburn]

<6 months after question, 18 months after swap>

Still going strong and I drive it quite hard since it lacks power at lower RPMs.
So it's either WOT at low RPMs with me yelling "Get up there, itchbay" or it's happily burbling at high RPMs to keep momentum.

Jesus Christ, you're still alive?

[snackers]

Do you notice any difference in fuel economy whatsoever?

Nope.

Jesus Christ, you're still alive?

Nope.