🤔 What's so special about Subaru EJ20 / 25 | TECHNICALLY SPEAKING

[@haltech]

It's time for another engine teardown! Although Subaru didn’t invent the boxer engine, they perfected it. Powering the Impreza WRX, STi, and Subaru WRC rally cars, the EJ boxer has collected millions of fans worldwide. Today we're diving deep to see what’s so special about Subaru's famous EJ platform. Haltech Plug'n'Play Subaru Kits: www.haltech.com/product-category/subaru/

[@derrickgarcia303]

Wish your elite 2500 work for newer EJ257. Lots of non supported features

[@Wigwam93]

Seriously! We want total control of everything in a VA chassis with one of these plug n play Haltech elite 2500 please!!! 🙏🏻😭

[@biscuitsticks438]

@@derrickgarcia303 All I want for Christmas is a plug and play Haltech stand alone for my VA STI. :(

[@illuminatedsoles331]

What was the total time for him to take it apart? Looked pretty fast

[@Levibetz]

16:22 NO! That is not top dead center. The timing marks line up at about 90 deg from TDC so the pistons are halfway down the holes and you can spin the cams around to get them timed. That's the ideal place to have it while disassembling.

[@bowlkiller1975]

240,000 miles on my manual transmission 2009 Impreza 2.5i wagon. I've fallen on hard times with health problems and have been homeless and living in it for 3+ years. Having a wagon has saved my life

[@vasileioscharisopoulos7662]

Oh man, wish you the best Keep walking

[@iAmFAUST]

But you're not a bum no more, right?

[@bowlkiller1975]

@@iAmFAUST no fboi I moved in with your mom 🖕🖕🖕

[@SimTrackDays]

All the best too you🙏

[@CaptainAlex69]

My 2013 wrx threw a bearing at 64k miles stock. Warranty saved me though. Keeping this boy stock.

[@plantpoweredhealth9383]

EJ205 in 2000 SF Forester GT. Clicked over 405000km still original everything even turbo it seems! Still gets 9.5 l per 100 km fuel economy and will only puff a touch of valve stem seal smoke if you haven't started it for a couple of weeks. Sounds cool as

[@ajchilds2163]

Do the turbo engines have the same headgasket problems the na does

[@plantpoweredhealth9383]

@ajchilds2163 I think it's the 2.5 litre has head gasket issue but EJ20 2.0 litre doesn't

[@copperwolf8792]

@@ajchilds2163generally not, at least in the US. The whole reason Subarus are notorious for their head gasket issue is because for a number of years on specifically the naturally aspirated models, they used a crappy paper-like head gasket. On all the turbo models they use metal ones which are very rarely prone to failure. As soon as Subaru started putting the multi layer head gaskets on the n/a cars, the issue went away

[@ajchilds2163]

@copperwolf8792 OK I didn't realize they had different engine with the turbo and na and ik na have shitty head gasket I just did a gasket job on subaru I bought there eas huge diff between oem one and the felpro I put on

[@loganmclennan2617]

I am glad to hear this, I just bought at 2000 Forester S/tb (turbo ej205) with 120,000km. Doing the timing belt, tensioner, and pulleys next weekend even though the belt looks brand new.

[@ouch1011]

I used to work as a professional automotive technician and Subaru timing belts were among the easiest and most profitable for the technician. These are substantially easier to do than most FWD cars. I almost always pulled the radiator to do the timing belt, since it takes about 15 minutes to do and gives you tons of room to work. The only part that sucked was on the dual cam AVCS versions, the bolts holding the cam gears to the cams like to self-tighten and can be really difficult to remove. This makes replacing the cam seals (which should be done with every timing belt) a bit difficult. The drivetrains on EJ Subarus are actually brilliantly simple to work on compared to most AWD tuner cars, especially vs something like an Evo or DSM. Pulling the engine takes a couple of hours, so if you have to do more than 2 jobs on the engine (or anything involving removing the heads) you just pull the engine.

[@mikestern9639]

Do enough of those engine removal and can easily be done in less than an hour. At least on the manual na platform

[@illuminatedsoles331]

Great info. Please consider making a video on how to get engines out so quickly

[@tylerdoop]

I always wondered if pulling the one brine/removing stuff from the car made a technician’s job easier than just directly tackling the task at hand. Thanks for the input! I’m a new FA20 owner and I’ve been working my way up to doing an engine pull wventully so I can change out my pistons and rods

[@yvorfalcon3025]

I am just a regular guy with Walmart tools. I am able to do belts, alternator, spark plugs, hoses, and so. EJ 2.5 is gonna hit 300 000 miles

[@pirihern9329]

took me a week. bum back , arthritis hands

[@elijahbarrett798]

Stock EJ255 with 286,000 miles still running strong in my 05 Legacy GT!

[@nicholashawks9288]

16:27 scotty mentions having the engine on TDC to show timing marks, then mentions how he wound it over to move it off to avoid any piston to valve problems. Fun fact the timing marks for an ej are actually at middle stroke on all 4. You're nowhere near the pistons. You can still have valve to valve interference though so you do have to pay attention to which way you rotate the cams.

[@haltech]

^^ Pro Tip:)

[@cbr954glen]

That is exactly what I was about to write. Hahaha 👍👍

[@PatrickLipsinic]

I just saw your comment as I was about to say about the same thing. With the timing mark for the crank at 12 o'clock. You can rotate the cams without hitting the pistons. In that position the valves on the right head are close but not the left side.

[@Joey-yj5ry]

I noticed that too. Also he calls it open deck but that engine was a semi closed

[@GrantCulham]

He missed the timing marks that are on the intake & exhaust gears that point at each other.

[@stevemcintyre4398]

I remember the Subaru's that the late great Possum Bourne ran Australian Rally Championship in the mid to late 90's and early 00's sounded awesome, not to mention that he was one of the finest rally drivers in the world. Just as spectacular as Colin McRea IMO. His Legacy and WRX's were all Prodrive from memory. Halcyon days!.

[@haltech]

Possum Bourne was a friggin legend. As was Solberg who is sadly often forgotten as a Subaru WRC ace.

[@bvward]

Possum Bourne's legacy is the shop (Possum Bourne Motorsport) still doing Subaru's in NZ... They even do the EZ30 and EZ36.

[@Tedkelvin]

ej20g racing engines sound monstrous

[@GriogharThomasBaldwin]

As a fun detail: this was the first timing belt I ever did. Went well until I went to put coolant back in and realized the gasket fell out of place on the water pump… So I did it the first time… twice.

[@blockbertus]

You just loved that job so much you did it twice. ;-)

[@dannythompson1948]

That gasket can be a pain.. Last one I did, I went RTV-Gasket-Rtv and it'll stick in place. then you're golden, brother!

[@beaches2mountains230]

SAME, FIRST TIMING BELT I EVER DID WAS ON A EJ 25

[@hughtenhove867]

doing this for the first time soon, note taken. watch the water pump gasket

[@mikestern9639]

@@hughtenhove867 at least on the sohc motors it's a pretty simple job in my eyes. If doing in the car I just remove fans as long as I'm not doing water pump at the same time. If doing water pump as well, just take the radiator out too and give yourself more room.

[@Jakanddaxter1999]

Proud EJ257 owner. My initial EJ255 in my legacy did 348000kms before open boost took out a rod bearing, would have kept going otherwise. Good servicing goes a long way

[@StealthGaming]

I love EJ's, I think they are super easy to work on, rebuilt my whole EJ205 in my garage with basics tools which is 1 thing I like, you don't need any specialist tools to take these apart and rebuild.

[@nathanielgates2863]

Good point

[@UK300Prodrive]

Nearly 150,000 miles running 370bhp on an open deck wrx, and it had never had a rebuild and ran anti lag and launch control. What killed mine eventually was a failed oil pump took out the bearings. These engines are very reliable if looked after and serviced correctly and use high quality parts…

[@jurakerleha]

EJ205 which is in New Age WRX I wouldn't run above 350bhp without forged internals,you are been lucky to run above that for such long time,we have run 490bhp on EJ205 stroker and then went with EJ22G and stroker 2.35L which I would say is one of the best engine Subaru ever built For money EJ205/207 are best for bang engines with forged internals and you are looking at reliable 500-550bhp on open or semi closed decks,not sure if I would run above that figure semi closed deck For high power builds most of UK builders prefer EJ22G(which was used in 22B) and in US on other hands closed deck EJ257 are used although I still prefer stroker 2.35L,have run both 2.1L or 2.5L and 2.35L is way best in my opinion but agree servicing with OE parts and mainly not skimping on parts is best

[@georgemanias5177]

I have a EJ207 sti that I've owned for 15 years. I would drive it 3 hours to the track, drive it hard all day then back home! 200k's and going strong😁 I love it!

[@leighton_lam]

Which year EJ207 do you have?

[@georgemanias5177]

@@leighton_lam 2001 sti

[@wcdjmase]

Hell yeah, most of the hate come from folks throwing on modifications without doing a tune. Mines only tuned to 305 on pump gas, not a lot of power at all, but fun on the rally cross courses.

[@stvnswld]

I tore my first EJ down two years ago and rebuilt it. It was terrifying but exhilarating and it runs! Great vid!

[@gfarnden56]

My 92wrx is making 850 WHP. It has PPM rods, JE ultra pistons, heads are gasflowed with some combustion chamber work. Bee hive springs and titanium retainers from kelford. custom exhaust and turbo. It has a 9200rpm rev limit, its on 10PSI at 4200rpm and 40 psi from 4800rpm all the way till redline. It starts to run out of cam at 8500rpm but it will rev on to redline no problem. It is still using a factory ECU...lol. The engine is now 2 years old and has done many track days too, still good as gold. Its a great car to drive, crazy fast and it grips like hell... just brilliant!

[@Fozzy10XT]

Sounds absolutely mental 😅

[@gfarnden56]

@Fozzy10XT cheers mate.. She's had a few more upgrades since then. Pushing 920whp now. If your ever in New Zealand let me know .

[@Fozzy10XT]

@@gfarnden56 Crazy stuff man, and I definitely will let you know my friend hahah

[@WissyMeisteri]

Gotta say, i don't understand these head gasket failures that haunt Subaru, my WRX hit 367000km and it still has original head gaskets, not eating oil or no knocking noises. It has been miracle engine so far.

[@pfunklife9379]

IIRC the head gasket issues were from the SOHC engines that used inferior materials. If you replaced the head gaskets with the metal gaskets found in the turbo engines, those engines were good. It is too bad that it was assumed all Subaru engines had head gasket issues. I still hear it to this day... even with late model cars.

[@mattpaul7422]

My 99 wrx, 268km, just replaced gearbox, just replaced original starter. Still has original alternator, has been so reliable, regularly gets spanked and loves it.

[@jackemarleeyoung]

I think a majority of the issues involving a head gasket failure, revolves around Subaru not using the multi layer, graphite coated (I think), gaskets in the EJ engines during the early 2000s. They soon realized it was mistake and fixed it after the fact.

[@Merker367]

Only non turbo 2.5 north american EJs got the shit gaskets..

[@emdae921]

It was a multi layered mls gasket that failed, and this mainly applies to the EJ25 series, they delaminated. The replacements were fixed.

[@Camspam100]

Love my ej25 , close to 360 k on it now , had head gaskets and an arp stud kit around 100k ago due to small compression into coolant leak - runs like an absolute champ still though with a vf34 @ 19 psi … I rate em 👍

[@DANCINGDARTH]

I would love to see a video on the FA20! I recently got a 2020 WRX and would love to see a similar video about that engine! great work guys very informative and i appreciate you doing this

[@zoomzabba452]

It's like this, but twice as much time due to increased complexity and the timing chain system.

[@tylerdoop]

Me too! I have a 2017 WRX and I got it specifically because the improvements they made like direct fuel injection. I’m eager to see where the shortcomings are the the FA series engines

[@pirihern9329]

di = carbon buildup

[@notsponsored103]

Fun fact: Unlike most engines, EJ Cam Drive Belts are not clocked at TDC. The crank is at 90° half way through the Cylinder 1 Combustion stroke when all the marks are lined up. Every other piston is also half way through its respective stroke in order, 3 is halfway through Compression 2 is halfway through Induction 4 is halfway through Exhaust All of the right bank valves are tight shut. In the left bank Cylinder 2 Intake valves are wide open, and Cylinder 4 Exhaust valves are wide open. Removing the belt almost always resulting in the left bank valves slamming shut. It's very important to return the left bank Exhaust valve to its timing position by turning the cam counter clockwise so that the Cylinder 2 Exhaust valve does not clash with the open Cylinder 2 Intake valve.

[@barsaf9989]

15:53 for anyone interested in doing their timing belt on their EJ, it's actually not super difficult. It's definitely a hard job, but having an extra set of hands really helps and you really need to take the radiator out to give you a lot more room to work.

[@jakie2412]

i could watch these all day

[@ashchaya7676]

Check Engine Light - EJ20 10:34 Tumble Generator Valve 11:54 Secondary Air Pump System (Sorry, I just wanted to put some easily searchable tags here so I can find this info again. Carry on.)

[@NAS_Performance]

On an EJ engine, when all the timing marks are lined up, it’s actually not TDC on Cyl 1. All 4 pistons are in the middle of their stroke. Also, on the LH head, you want to use a tool to hold the cams in position while you take off the belt so the valves don’t hit eachother.

[@MrStuwr250f]

Very nice to see the guts of my motor! Love the content coming out of Scotty and the Haltech team. Great Aussie company!

[@villedocvalle]

Finally, someone that knows. My 2007 WRX is at 199k miles on the original head gaskets.

[@redneckwithtech8976]

My self and my girlfriend are both Subaru dealer techs in the states, and the Ej definitely has a soft spot in my heart. I have an 05 Wrx that is both my daily driver and my Rallycross car and the fact of the matter is my girlfriend is the one who rebuilt the engine that currently gets absolutely punished. I love the Ej for its quirkiness but simplicity. I also love the newer chain drive F series engines, but there's just something about the Ej. Love the video Haltech!

[@mircebob]

They are a masterpiece if maintained correctly. Ive got a 05 STi with original 207 and 265,000km later still running strong asf. Not a drop of oil or any issues.

[@hovavrom]

How do you maintain it? Is it anything special I should be aware of? How do you drive it on a day to day basis?

[@matt260]

yup EJ207 is the best, shame Americans got the EJ257

[@mircebob]

@@hovavrom keep your services on time and let it warm up properly before driving it hard.

[@marvinvisser5039]

@@mircebob yeah that works for me as well. Proper warm up and cooldown, regular oil changes 5 to 7k kilometers and don’t floor it on heat soaked top mount intercooler / high intake temps and always put in high octane fuel which it’s mapped on. And a proper mapping

[@joshjlmgproductions3313]

@@marvinvisser5039 I wouldn't do more than 5,000 KM between oil changes. There was a guy who did his every 8,000 KM and he still spun a bearing.

[@legacy2.5gx55]

I just love the EJ They make nice Power and when kept UEL they Sound so damn special. Almost like a poor mans Muscle car (im germany, so big engines are crazy expensive to run here) I actually prevere the Ej257 over the 207 even when they are problematic. Studs, haedgasket, downpipe+exhaust and a good Custom tune gives a relatively reliebale 350hp but with very good midrange torque wich is a blast to drive here in the alps.

[@impreza0109]

That's actually why Subaru Japan keep producing the 257 overseas vs the 207. While still mountainous, Japan has significantly less average road height/elevation than US, Europe, which have higher altitude roads and steeper slopes.

[@cannaroe1213]

@@impreza0109 While this is all true, a modern turbo will spool up quicker and stay spooled up for longer than what Subaru were working with in the 90s, and more boost means more torque. I drive a 2.5GL NA, but i've driven the 20 and 22 NA as well, as TLDR the 2.2 is the best. It's quick to rev high like the 2.0, but has power like the 2.5, it's really the perfect engine.

[@nicozimmermann8672]

it´s such good timing you did an EJ. I bought a 2007 Impreza NA with the EJ20 in it and i love that thing. Bought it as a family car daily with 180kkm on it. I´m so relieved to read all those comments here which say they run those for well over 300kkm with good maintanance and a bit of love. I so hope my one makes the 3 on the first digit in the future. planned to keep it till my kids go to school (wife is pregnant) And thank you Scotty for the in depth look and well made explanation on how they work.

[@TheWrxrally]

I have a North American 2002 WRX Wagon with the EJ205. It's got 168,000 miles on it currently and still going strong. Had an experienced Subaru tuning shop do the timing belt and water pump for me a few thousand miles ago. I love this car. Pretty sure if the motor blows up I'm just gonna slap another EJ205 in it. Either that or buy another GD chassis WRX. Definitely the best car I've ever owned. I have mine lifted with skidplates and inverted rally style coilovers plus some A/T tires. It's not the best off-roader, but man, it can really rip down the desert washes we have here in California. I think I also have the only high-mileage WRX in the world that doesn't burn oil lol. In short, this car has never let me down. I love it.

[@peterrobins3708]

Knowing hardly anything about a Subaru motor, THIS is pearler video. Great stuff

[@Reignin1]

Awesome vid 🤘I bought and still own a 04-05 n/a 5speed Impreza RS 2.5 new from the factory about 18years ago, having the scheduled maintenance done. Proud to say it still runs like clockwork 😉👍

[@kakyalidaniel9607]

Thanks a lot mate, very helpful, very informative! I'm a proud EJ20 owner, this was very helpful. Much love from Uganda 🇺🇬 ❤

[@sawyermckiddy1095]

I got a 1 owner 02 wrx and its about to hit 200,000miles. Its been the most reliable car I've owned. Its still daily driven and has only needed your average maintenance its whole life.

[@4x4importspty]

Hi. I have a 2005 wrx ej20. The car has done 216000km now and I have never touched the engine yet except for services. Never even had a engine light on in 19 years. Fantastic little car.

[@chrisred87]

I have a 2004 JDM Forester STI with an EJ25. Mine is Standard internals and currently running. 372bhp/400ftlb, this is just with Minor Bolt ons. I've had it 5 years and after a major service and a few repairs when I first got it the only repair it needed was the rocker cover gaskets doing. EJ's get a bad rap for reliability but I think that is mostly because a lot of the owners beat on them without looking after them. Mine is always warmed up and I change the oil every 3k miles. I think the most important thing for the longevity of tuned EJs is heat management. Mine makes great power and has been reliable I think because I have a lot of focus on cooling, i.e. bigger rad, heat tape, exhaust blanket, Turbo Blanket, bigger intercooler etc. Have also fitted the intercooler Sprayer of the JDM Impreza STI and have have built and programmed a controller using an Arduino to control it. Just need to fit the temp sensor I have and it is good to go, the only problem is the bung where the sensor should go is stuck in. So that is on hold right now.

[@AndromedatheBasshead]

I'm very appreciative of my EJ25. I have one in my 01 Subaru Forester. It's got 252,000 miles on it, going strong. No check engine light and only burns about a half quart of oil every 5k miles. It doesn't have much power, but Ol' Reliable gets me around no problem. Only mods I have are to my electrical system to run some beefy audio.

[@PhilosophyForTheMops]

Belt and pump on my old EJ204 was the first and only belt-job I ever done ;) Seem to worked out alright since its been running for years since.

[@30debt55]

Full time Nissan fan boy part time subaru lover here. Wow that was a cool episode, it just gave me an even greater appreciation for EJs. Iv got a sh fxt as a daily, it does 1000kms a week with 270km on the clock with the original engine & full log book service history. It has a few mods Sti intake Vf46 Full turbo back exhaust Gfb response Gfb fpr Ecutek Tuned make 300hp 450nm @3000rpm Thing does street duties then gets going on the sand dunes I cant really fault it

[@occamsrazor1285]

The head gasket issues are due to the composite gaskets used only on the NA engines. Subaru bought a stock of several hundred thousand of them in the early 90s. But the composite head gaskets were NOT used on the FI engines as it was known it wouldn't hold up. Luckily, the differences between the heads and block are minor (so long as you stick with "like for like", so an EJ25 head on an EJ25 gasket on an EJ25 block+piston and conrods), so there's no problem putting an FI MLS gasket on an NA head and block. In fact, it's encouraged.

[@TheTechNopal]

Love the EJ255 in my 07 Legacy 2.5GT. That subie rumble never fails to make me smile.

[@Mt09reaper]

Love my ej207 pushing a lazy 240kw atw on 22psi on 98 Street tune in my wagon but iv gone overkill on turbo setup n fuel system for e85 n more power love the torque and how smooth it is

[@jjpjesse1990]

Please don't remove the timing belt by unbolting the tensioner, it strips the threads on the tensioner bracket. your suppose to pin the tensioner and remove the left lower idler per factory manual. And there is a relief pattern on the head BOLTS so you don't warp the block taking it apart.

[@zorans8114]

Wow, eye opening. Cool engineering! Realize the engines flaws and plus points. Thanks Scott.

[@aquapisces24]

I salute you for the elegant presentation of your content and your classy eloquence.

[@seanevans8767]

Proud Subie Family member - 2000 GT Forester with 02 sti spec C swap, 08 Hatch wrx and RS Turbo swapped Brumby.

[@2.0litreecstasy25]

Are we not going to talk about how this was a VERY WELL DONE, AND DETAILED video.. this dude tore a boxer down completely and then at the end said "so there's the basics"

[@juanticimo]

218,000 miles on my 05 sti. still pulls hard and sounds amazing. great video Tuning Fork!

[@AndrewB23]

I have a 98 2.5rs and I literally did my head gaskets in my garage with a piece of glass, multiple grits of sand paper, wd40, a lot of patience and counting passes, at the same time cleaned up and rebuilt the heads, I have now been driving it for 2 years daily with no issues. These things aren't hard to work on and they can be reliable if taken care of.

[@titanninjawarrior]

Thanks Scott! We appreciate you! 🙏

[@WarriorsPhoto]

I can tell you do like Subaru. They are wonderful cars and sound amazing. Hope to see more of your videos.

[@link18953]

Lovely video Haltech. I’ve replaced many head gaskets on NA ej’s in the past. Up until mid 2010, the factory was using a broken piece of rock in the fly cutter, you could feel the imperfections in the block decks. The OEM gasket pn 11044AA633 helped deal with this, and for some odd reason the factory swapped to MLS gaskets 6 months before introducing the FB25. Cometic wants the surface's finish RA to be

[@TheJoeman11]

I enjoyed watching Scot do all the hard work! Very informative video backed up with good explanations based on experience.

[@BWGPEI]

Long-time Subaru driver here. Been bloody lucky in that I've never torn one down, so this was fascinating. Many Thanks!

[@alman-world]

Thanks so much Scott Love Subi's and you've dispelled some of the mysticism. 🤛💪👍

[@darrenhyatt9006]

I have a 2015 STi and this video really taught me a lot about the motor! Very Informative!

[@fendel_]

Awesome seeing an EJ video from Haltech! You should do a video with upgrades and tuning tips for the EJ also.

[@jakobgray2842]

I'd love to see a teardown on the VQ35DE! It's not the most popular motor but they have tons of potential and are probably one of the best V6 on the market

[@nasserrana7920]

I waited, and it was worth the wait. Thanks boys

[@haltech]

Quite a few people requested it. Despite all its shortcoming, the good ole EJ seems to have quite the following!

[@fix_it_felix354]

Our 2008 Subaru Legacy had the EJ20 engine, never had a more reliable car ever! this thing took us from Oslo to Chalkidiki! it clocked over 500k kilometers without a single problem! still have it to this day.

[@garryh3126]

I've got a 2000 legacy blitzen EJ 20 done over 230 thousand km Never had a problem doesnt blow smoke or use any oil between oil changes still sounds tight and quiet when running and switched off....I use high quality synthetic oil and factory filters most reliable car I've ever had and still have it today

[@sneakyfoz3692]

On point maintenance is everything on on EJ engine, consistently changing fluids particularly oil and coolant is the key.

[@rushodai929]

That was really cool. I don’t have the technical skills, tools or equipment to tackle such a project myself, but loved seeing it done.

[@adrianw3985]

I've done timing belts on these, it honestly doesn't seem hard. I just take the radiator out but leave the AC condenser in. Plenty of room to get the job done.

[@hoberspank]

One of my all time favourites is the EZ30, great to dismantle! Similar to the EJ platform but with a few extra components and some differences such as variable valve lift and timing chain assembly. So much more but you get the point.

[@scoobyspt7]

Gone thru 2 motors so far, 2 open decks and on my first closed deck now. I love these motors. I beat the crap out of it every time I drive it. Very fun cars to drive

[@shaunobrien5545]

Not sure how I haven't come across this vid earlier love tuning fork! And I'll be on the phone by February for a tune from 450kms away !!

[@subiesteve7770]

My 02 wrx wagon has 227k miles and it's on the original engine, transmission, head gaskets, etc. I beat the crap out of it daily and it doesn't consume or leak any fluids whatsoever. It's just been a great car over the past 3 years!

[@TMWNN78]

I've got an 02 forester, EJ205 with bolt ons tuned to 186kw atw (18psi), it was 100kw atw when it was stock. Its been that way for 10 years and 70000 km and has been completely reliable. Look after them and they are solid little engines, It would have been good to note how the cam cover seals, particularly on the drivers side are notorious for dripping oil onto the exhaust.

[@Jamesonfox1]

Scottie/tuning fork is incredibly knowledgeable. And has a smooth and relaxed way of presenting the information in a more than friendly manner.

[@ianmansfield8885]

Thanks Scotty I watch a lot of your work but I ve owned 3 Stis and 5 wrxs that my family drove..all tuned with bolt ons.no issues the way they were tuned and serviced..my fav was my version5 Sti...I've travelled all over Australia.. tracked my Stis even towed a ski boat absolutely no issues except the normal wearing parts and my version 7 had a fuel pump relay fail just love them still have my 2002 its immaculate

[@lowcruiser9976]

i have had no issues with my 05 forester XT. Makes 190awkw and has done 200,000km and not an issue. fresh oil, filter, injector cleaner and upper cylinder clean every 3000km. still have stock head bolts and gaskets too

[@bmanjohnson51]

I had no issues with my 03 wrx. Made it to 220k MILES without a rebuild. Then i sold it to a friend and it promptly burnt a valve, so a shoddy mechanic “fixed” it. It never ran right after. I bought it back after a few years and it needed a new engine🙄

[@Zachariasinc]

Same man! My 05 FXT hasnt had any major issues yet except for a clogged catt at 150k miles

[@Zachariasinc]

@Big Paw cool just say some BS with no facts lol. Who has issues? people who don't maintain their car yeah gtfoh with the hate. How can I be close to 200k with a turbo and Cobb tune and never had any issues. My mom's base Chevy truck has had worse issues, so at least backup yourself before you speak out your ***

[@mbclk65amg]

@@Zachariasinc don't be so dense. You have one data point, it does not represent the rest of the field. Second, you've got no idea what you're talking about 👍

[@Zachariasinc]

@Big Paw show me the stats LMAO you cant 🤣 because all you're talking about is people who neglect their cars. Look at cost of maintaining a subaru... it's top 5 in lowest cost so 🤷 you're just another sh*t talking subaru hater. So you came here to talk BS instead of post facts.. shows you know nothing. Dude my jeep had more issues every vehicle I owed had more issues. So you're saying Subaru just gave me a SPECIAL engine that doesn't have those issues. Or I maintained it unlike you apparently

[@pabo619]

I have an EJ253 in my Legacy. The timing belt should have been one of the easiest I've done, but my car came from PA and all the timing cover bolts were rusted. Lube and heat did not work, so I cut stuff lol I did my head gaskets last year, but now I think I hear a rod slapping. One thing he didn't mention was the banjo fittings on the turbos-- the oil lines have a filter in the banjo bolt that tend to clog up and starve the turbo of oil

[@brianray2614]

Excellent presentation. I’ve watched quiet a number on KZbin.

[@TheGCJourney]

I just recently finished a rebuild (well, not me but for my GC8) and so far very happy with the current setup! It's an EJ20G closed deck block with a 2.5 crank and CP stroker pistons (so 2.14 displacement), built non-AVCS heads with 272 Kelford cams and all the Ferrea goodies to go with it 😬😬😬 Very responsive and very fun for the street but it is an old block so there's quite a bit of blow by and pressure in the case and heads. All running with your Elite 1500 ECU of course 😉

[@barsaf9989]

I've been waiting for this episode!

[@dougycarter9399]

Simply, "Gob Smacking" as I have rebuilt some early VW Beatle engines in the past, I never knew a Subaru was so advanced, Great video, Thank you.

[@muzzaball]

Great work Scotty - you certainly know your stuff. Cheers mate.

[@samarthur8385]

Would love to see a video on the Mazda BP (specifically the vvt variant). Has alot of the same useful traits as the 2JZ platform like cast iron block, aluminium head, 16V dual cam with solid shim over bucket lifters, forged crank capable of well over 500hp and alot of aftermarket support to make up for its shortcomings (con rods mainly). And all for a fraction of the cost of the bigger and more popular JDM engines

[@jacobbaker9389]

My stock power 2016 STi had headgasket failure at only 130,000km. Perfect maintenance aswell. 👌

[@mranderson3927]

Good stuff Scott, been waiting for this one 😛 Plenty of EJ207's around after 2005 also, I have a 2009 GRB spec c with a 207, most of the factory backed race cars and S20x variants etc. were powered with the 207, pretty sure you can still buy a brand new 207 'crate motor' from STi in Japan

[@judeykun2263]

Great video Scott, happy you guys made this. Ive got a 09 forester xt stage 2, the ej255 is doing great at 176ks. 6month oil changes keeps her happy. The pcv system on these could be a whole other video and plays an important role in engine longevity.

[@2slofouru]

I have over 150k miles on my 09, running a vf52. Unsure if headgaskets were ever done as I'm the second owner. Runs amazing with the Cobb AP and tune.

[@HeyItsDaze]

My EJ25 is the first engine I've ever done a timing belt one. Getting in there with everything in the way was incredibly fun! Quick tip tho, you can just remove your radiator fans/shroud and it gives you enough room to do the service without having to drain the coolant. Highly recommend having all of the specialty tools to do this job tho. Company 23 is a life saver!

[@razzor4708]

i like manufacturers with unique engines - Porsche and Subaru, Mazda and its rotary- that smth that divert them from "mainstream" of industry

[@hollowsun2407]

I have a 2000 Impreza OBS with 407k miles. Original engine, original manual transmission. The EJ22 was an absolute masterpiece of reliability. That car has taken me through sand dunes, icy roads on the side of a mountain, through flooded roads during a monsoon, 3 feet of snow, it doesnt stop. I absolutely love Subarus and all they are capable of. My weekend car is an 08 WRX STI. It only has 80k on the clock. The only issue I've had is the turbo springing an exhaust leak, which i replaced easy peasy.

[@OutsideTheTargetDemographic]

My dad's 1983 Subaru GL wagon was purchased new in Louisiana, shipped to Germany, California, Italy, and then Texas, due to his US Air Force service. Over 200k miles on the manual, carborated, FWD station wagon, which 19 years later was still running and became transportation for a college kid for $1k. I now have a 2018 6MT Forester, getting 30 mpg in Cleveland Ohio. I can't speak to the CVTs or the future of the company, but so far, I love my Forester and would buy another.

[@denhamlevi]

I have an EJ25 in my 09 WRX, did the timing belt at 100k myself in my garage with the japanese Gates kit. Took some time but I removed the radiator to do it. I'm the second owner and afaik it's never been split, consumes zero oil. I do baby it though. It is my first subaru and I love the sounds.

[@duncancampbell9490]

My 2002 Prodrive STI Type UK ran 2.1 bar of boost for most of it's life -with a Hyperflow Monster FMIC and an MD321H turbo. At around 72000 miles it was quite tired so I pulled it for a re-build. Just need a centre diff. now....

[@stevo1997gong]

And just as I was thinking the internet had forgot about the mighty EJ’s. But can someone at Haltech please organise a plug and play for 205 forester gt that would be incredible!!!

[@harrisonhein1287]

I've got an EJ201 that's done 377xxxkms and is still going strong. Its an N/A SOHC non variable cam model so less to go wrong, the single cam allows for more porting of the heads for better flow so it has great low end torque for a 2L 4 banger. Helps that it's in an 1150kg 4wd GC8. I seriously reckon this thing will make it to half a million the way its running.

[@harrisonhein1287]

and it gets just under 7L/100km on country drives or 8.5-9L in terrible city traffic or when idling in winter at job sites in the morning to stay warm

[@PieguyV]

Great video! Very informative, no nonsense and I learned a lot about the motor I rely on daily. Maybe I should go easy on the stoplight pulls...

[@crogunson4784]

Thanks very much,for an excellent start to my Sunday morning,Solid content.Country Victoria checking in.

[@Danger_mouse]

11:39 # Tip - Running river water in the cooling system certainly won't help with head gasket life 😁👌

[@gabrielricardobenitez4262]

i really love EJ engines, i already have 2 of them, one EJ25D with a new short block, and one EJ204l original with 310000Km. still works as the first day

[@SuperDryDiver]

Awesome tear down. Great to see you in something other than Mighty Car Mods.

[@baluchi430]

I applaud whomever thought of adding the unequal header to this engine. That boxer sound never gets old

[@andrewpaige9152]

Love this guy has finally made great videos

[@andreslaguna1068]

i love my ej motort but props to the transmision thats behind it i blew the rear housing bearing up at subie fest it still got me home 2hours and 45 minuts away 85 miles and drove for a week after till i put it on jack stands and fixed it

[@getnanoed]

Fell in love with Subaru circa 2002 when my coworker gave me the keys to his brand new WRX off the showroom floor for a weekend. Since then have owned several. Currently driving 99 GC widebody.

[@doubletee4391]

my ej257 went 90,000 miles without a mechanical problem. 60k of that was about 100whp more than stock. When we pulled the motor the head gaskets were still fine. I think it was because that motor got maintained. Good oil, frequent changes. Also did a very good after market tune. Based on what i've seen people do i will just say many complaints of unreliability come from people doing silly things because they don't under how the engine management works or just didn't keep up on oil changes. for me 100k headgaskets don't seem like a deal breaker.

[@linchester8464]

Tuning fork should open up a Rotary engine like the 13B-Renesis The first EJ powered car I drove was the 2004 Subaru Forester XT threw in a bunch of WRX and STi parts like the WRX turbo, STi intercooler and exhaust pipings, K&N drop in air filter and got it tuned by ECUtek (sorry Haltech) ,The only thing that really broke the car was the 4 speed automatic gearbox which refuse to change gear aka gets stuck in 2 or 3 gear. Wont shift down or up. The engine other than the maf sensor malfunctioned. The engine ran like a champ for over 100,000 kms on the odometer So have to junk it and got the Subaru Crosstrek/XV with the FB16 engine. Good times with the EJ20