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T25 Subaru engine swap – Part 1

There are three types of people who are usually interested inconverting to Subaru power: those after a bit more power, withmodern performance, reliability, and ecomony; those after abetter value-for-money replacement for a failed VW wasserboxer

engine and, finally, those after a lot of power from Subaru turbo engines!

The less well known advantages include: you can enjoy up to doublethe power and considerably better fuel efficiency, and the conversion, ifdone neatly, can look almost entirely factory-fitted. In some models, suchas the water-cooled T25, the need for only minimal modifications to thebodywork also appeals. Note, though, that some other combinations ofVW and Subaru engine do require extensive modifications, such as wheninstalling a turbo engine in a Beetle.

Suitable Subaru enginesAll Subaru engines from 1990 to the present are suitable for use in VWconversions, but the larger engine compartments of some VWs makethem better suited for certain engines. The following table shows whatengines are available, based on UK-model Subarus:

Engine Size Cams Year Induction Fuelling Power From*EJ18 1.8 SOHC 1990–92 Nat Asp Carb 80 L, IEJ18 1.8 SOHC 1992> Nat Asp EFI 95 L,IEJ20 2 SOHC 1995> Nat Asp EFI 125 L,IEJ20 2 DOHC 1992> Turbo EFI 195–280 L, I, FEJ22 2.2 SOHC 1990–95 Nat Asp EFI 130 LEJ25 2.5 DOHC 1996–99 Nat Asp EFI 155 LEJ25 2.5 SOHC 2000> Nat Asp EFI 160 LEJ25 2.5 SOHC 2001> Turbo EFI 300 F, IEZ30 3.0 (6 cyl) DOHC 2000–04 Nat Asp EFI 240 LEZ30R 3.0 (6 cyl) DOHC 2005> Nat Asp EFI 250 LEG33 3.3 (6 cyl) DOHC 1992–97 Nat Asp EFI 230 S* L = Legacy; I = Impreza; F = Forester; S = SVX

Very few breakers know how to remove, or are interested in removing,the wiring required for the engine management system. Many will haveengines on the shelf, but the rest of the car is often long gone. In order toguarantee that you have all the relevant electrical components, it isnecessary to either a) buy a complete car, b) find a specialist breakerwho will guarantee to send you all the right parts, or c) catch the car in abreaker’s yard while it is still complete – and then remove everythingyourself. Mixing and matching engine management components fromdifferent models/years is not recommended. However, engines fromeither manual or automatic Subarus can be used.

You should be very wary of any engine which has had the cam-beltcovers damaged or replaced. Front-mounted horizontally-opposed OHCengines are very vulnerable in crashes, especially the DOHC models,and the cam-belt system can be very easily damaged in relatively lightfront-end accidents. Subaru engines with all the necessary other partstypically cost from about £200 upwards, although you can expect to payfrom about £500 for a turbo engine. One of the cheapest ways to get oneis to buy a complete car which is an MoT failure. The engines are veryreliable and tend to outlast the body or, as in our case, the transmission.

Most web-based information on Subaru conversions relates to theEJ22, because this model was available until much later in the US, andapproved as ‘smog legal’ in VWs in California. In the UK, EJ22s are all

1. Here’s our project vehicle: a 1988 Reimo-converted Transporter,

originally powered by a 1.9 DG-series wasserboxer engine. It ran fine

but, with just 70-or-so bhp in Swiss spec, felt underpowered

3. Stripped of its ancillaries, the EJ25 engine was ready for a clean-up

prior to replacing the gaskets. Check the condition of the cam covers

– they are vulnerable in the event of a frontal impact. It’s a shame that

VW never developed its flat-four along these lines

2. Our chosen replacement engine was this 2.5-litre quad-cam

Legacy motor from a one-owner car with full service history. The

engine needed new head gaskets, but was a bargain at around £500

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Is your Camper slow, or has its engine self-destructed? Maybe it’s time tocross over to the dark side… In the first of a three-part series, we show how toconvert your Type 25 into an Autobahn cruiser (for less than you might think)

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