Forester engine swap compatibility

ratters

ratters

Forum Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2018
Messages
73
Location
Hobart, TAS
Car Year
1989
Car Model
L Series
Transmission
5MT
Hi guys,

So my 2006 SG Forester has developed what sounds like rod knock. The problem is this vehicle is our family car, gets used for the school & work run daily so I can't really afford the downtime of an engine rebuild. I was hoping to find a cheap engine with a blown head gasket or something to rebuild and swap over but i havent found anything. Have managed to find a reasonably priced 2007 SG Forester with mild front end damage and supposed to be running well still, going to check it out tomorrow. Only this is an Auto and mine is a manual. Has anyone done this before and can offer any advice about what might be different between the manual and auto? I assume its mostly a straight swap, and just put the flywheel and clutch onto the auto motor, but not sure if any wiring or sensors etc are different?
 
I can guarantee the starter motor is different and you'll need to keep yours., but you can swap the coils if you want.. :)
(the starter motor on my SG was dying, luckily it was just the coil as my parts SG is an auto, which is when I discovered the difference, pretty logical really...)
 
Have done that exact swap in my old Forester, 2007 X NA Manual, using a Engine out of a 2006 XS Auto, both EJ253.

Only differences were the starters (flywheels have different number of teeth between AT/MT) and the Timing Belt Guide, the Auto's will not have this, but will need to be added if going into the Manual car
 
Thanks guys for the info, that actually sums up what I was able to find elsewhere with my searching around the various forums yesterday. The last time I swapped an auto engine into a manual vehicle it was a Datsun! :ROFLMAO:
 
Good point on that cam belt guide @SquiresSquire!

There might also be an EGR vs none EGR to sort out. Will be simple. Use the intake and wiring from your vehicle.

- If EGR is on the donor engine plug the exhaust pipe piece to the EGR solenoid (that the intake won’t have.

- If EGR is on your engine but not the donor, you may need to drill and tap the EGR exhaust gas pipe outlet on the head. Not fun but doable.

Two things to check before going all out on this: when does this knocking sound show up?
- check the timing belt tensioner. It can cause a rod knock type noise if it fails. Use a stethoscope to listen to the block around the tensioner. You can also listen along the crank. You’ll work out which is the issue
- I read another thread on the USMB where there was a pinging sound just off idle. Took the dude ages to find the issue but he posted the result: a dead MAF sensor was the culprit. Pinging issue gone. I’m only sharing this one in case you have your noises mixed up.

I hope for you it’s a tensioner or the AFM issue. Both easy fixes (I had the tensioner issue on my sister’s Gen3 RX Liberty, sounds just like rod knock!!).

Cheers

Bennie

Edit: if you don’t have a stethoscope, a piece of dowel or a long screw driver can do the same thing. And removing the LHS cam cover gives you the ability to visually inspect the tensioner. You might see it bouncing, this = dead tensioner.
 
I thought EGR was on all the EJ253 that came in the Late SG engines, just not on the EJ251 that was in the early SG (03-05). Can likely be mistaken though

El_Freddo said:
Good point on that cam belt guide @SquiresSquire!

There might also be an EGR vs none EGR to sort out. Will be simple. Use the intake and wiring from your vehicle.

- If EGR is on the donor engine plug the exhaust pipe piece to the EGR solenoid (that the intake won’t have.

- If EGR is on your engine but not the donor, you may need to drill and tap the EGR exhaust gas pipe outlet on the head. Not fun but doable.

Two things to check before going all out on this: when does this knocking sound show up?
- check the timing belt tensioner. It can cause a rod knock type noise if it fails. Use a stethoscope to listen to the block around the tensioner. You can also listen along the crank. You’ll work out which is the issue
- I read another thread on the USMB where there was a pinging sound just off idle. Took the dude ages to find the issue but he posted the result: a dead MAF sensor was the culprit. Pinging issue gone. I’m only sharing this one in case you have your noises mixed up.

I hope for you it’s a tensioner or the AFM issue. Both easy fixes (I had the tensioner issue on my sister’s Gen3 RX Liberty, sounds just like rod knock!!).

Cheers

Bennie

Edit: if you don’t have a stethoscope, a piece of dowel or a long screw driver can do the same thing. And removing the LHS cam cover gives you the ability to visually inspect the tensioner. You might see it bouncing, this = dead tensioner.
Click to expand...
 
SquiresSquire said:
I thought EGR was on all the EJ253 that came in the Late SG engines, just not on the EJ251 that was in the early SG (03-05). Can likely be mistaken though
Click to expand...
That could be the case Squires, I’m not sure but thought it better to throw in the EGR info so it’s not a surprise if it turns out to be present on one of the engines.

Cheers

Bennie
 
make sure you very carefully check out the front end damage.

Any sign of the radiator pushing into the timing cover - be very wary.
 
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