Attention all Subaru Gurus..

[heffalump]

So folks, i just bought a 2003 subaru legacy outback 2.5 auto with a bad engine and i have a question..
What years can i get an engine from that would be a direct bolt in replacement? i have posted this on a few different subaru pages and forums and have yet to get a response. i figured if any non-subaru group could help it would be this one.

 

[Dutch Rutter]

I'm no subaru expert but that's a 3rd gen which went from 99-04. I would guess there were some minor changes in that span of time. For a true bolt in I would try and stay in 2002-2004 just to be safe.

Edit: a pick a part or so might be able to help more as most have some kind of interchangeability database.

 

[RecklessWOT]

As far as I know, basically a 2.5 is a 2.5, you can use one from the 90s all the way up till like 2009 or so, whether it was in an impreza, legacy, or forester. Idk about the super new ones they might even work (not sure about how integrated all the electronic crap is), but the older ones are basically all the same animal. They made some changes here and there but to the best of my knowledge it's physically pretty much the same. Just use your original electronics to be sure. Think of it like a 350, you can take a block and heads from an early 90s Caprice wagon, slap a carb on it and stick it in an old square from the 70s. Sure there were differences between the two, but it will still work with no real modifications needed.

I personally am no expert (though I know enough, just never needed to get that much in depth). Try looking on LegacyGT.com, some of those guys are ***** because, well it's a website full of subaru guys, but there's a ton on info on there and some really knowledgeable people. It's a really busy place so someone's bound to respond. It's mainly geared towards 4th gens, but there's forums for all generations of Legacy. Japanese cars are so easy to work on though, I would argue that they're simpler than American vehicles (though they are small so sometimes tight spaces is an issue). Subarus are kinda funny compared to toyota, nissan, etc., but still not hard to fix.

 

[Keith Seymore]

Wouldn't that be "attention all SubaGurus"?

 

[DoubleDingo]

Check craigslist for the used JDM engines. They're typically low mileage complete units from Japan.

 

[DoubleDingo]

Or check out the for sale section in the various subaru forums for a parts car that has the engine you need. I know you can rebuild the engines but I don't know the cost to do so. What is bad on the engine? Head gaskets? Those are a common failure on those engines. Or did someone not change the timing belt and it was catastrophic failure?