EJ25 Engine Swap - Transmission has different bolt pattern??

[RavenKen]

I recently purchased a JDM EJ25 DE for an engine swap. Mechanic called and told me that the bolt pattern to the transmission bell housing was different then the engine I just purchased. Has anyone had this issue before? I have a 1999 Legacy GT. Is it possible that they have two different bolt patterns on the transmission? If I have to fork out money for a new transmission (JDM) is there something else I should be aware of? Also, my mechanic said that this subaru has a sticker on it saying that it could only be sold in California?!? Would that make a difference?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[StatGSR]

that's not possible, some may have more or less bolts, but they there is always at least 4 (bottom 2 and top 2) that will ALWAYS line up. the more you can get in is fine, but 4 is all you need to make it work.

any ej engine can bolt up to any ej transmission period.

just make sure you only have the alignment dowel pins on one side (tranny or engine) and not both....

[RavenKen]

that's not possible, some may have more or less bolts, but they there is always at least 4 (bottom 2 and top 2) that will ALWAYS line up. the more you can get in is fine, but 4 is all you need to make it work.

any ej engine can bolt up to any ej transmission period.

just make sure you only have the alignment dowel pins on one side (tranny or engine) and not both....


Thank you for getting back to me so quickly.

I realize "that's not possible" but that is the case. Honestly, I don't know if there are four that do match but the mechanic easily pointed out to me the discrepancies between the two. Both engines are clearly stamped EJ25. Is there any possible reason (I can't believe there would be) - Different generation, different phase, ... that I would be running into this issue? I wish there was an icon that was beating itself over the head over and over. That is me.
Ken

[green97gt]

just make sure you only have the alignment dowel pins on one side (tranny or engine) and not both....

yeah, ive cursed myself for getting a trans in position THEN noticing the dowel pins. :smt013

but unless you got a trans from an EA82 or some other non EJ motor, it WILL...WILL bolt up.

maybe he had it in there crooked?

two studs w/ nuts on the bottom, the starter bolts, and one bolt on the other side top.

there may be other bolt holes that are not used, but if theres a hole on the trans, and threads in the block, id stick a bolt in there.

[RavenKen]

just make sure you only have the alignment dowel pins on one side (tranny or engine) and not both....

yeah, ive cursed myself for getting a trans in position THEN noticing the dowel pins. :smt013

but unless you got a trans from an EA82 or some other non EJ motor, it WILL...WILL bolt up.

maybe he had it in there crooked?

two studs w/ nuts on the bottom, the starter bolts, and one bolt on the other side top.

there may be other bolt holes that are not used, but if theres a hole on the trans, and threads in the block, id stick a bolt in there.

I wish it was a crooked issue. The holes up top were in a different location. Plain and simple.
Does not make any sense.

[phi11]

just make sure you only have the alignment dowel pins on one side (tranny or engine) and not both....
^THIS!



I wish there was an icon that was beating itself over the head over and over. That is me.
page 5
:banghead:


my co-worker just put a JDM EJ25 na DOHC in his '98 Impreza,
bolted up fine.

can we get a picture of this different bolt pattern?

[decke48]

theres two ej series bolt patterns. 4 bolt and 8 bolt. 8 bolt just has two more bolts close to the middle about 3-4 inchs away from top and bottom ones, on each side of the tranny the other 4 bolts share the same pattern as the 4 bolt

EJ engine 8 bolt pattern.
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/09/OilSeparatorplate-1.jpg
4bolt
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/07/enginepics015jpgt1238438677-1.jpg

this is a ej25de
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/07/DSC047641-1.jpg

[RavenKen]

Sorry Everyone, I did not have pictures of the transmission on the car but I did get a alpha numeric model number (??) off of the transmission and it turned out to be a PHASE II transmission. Still was an EJ25 engine but like the picture above with the 8 bolts - that is a phase II engine. I will leave it to others more knowledgeable on this web site to fill in the particulars but I will leave you with the 'model' number since that was key to finding it on Goggle. TZ1A2ZJEAA

I wanted to reiterate that this is a 1999 Legacy GT. It must have been a 1999 1/2 :occasion5:
But until this vehicle gets out of the shop, I will still be ... :banghead:

Thanks for your help.

[green97gt]

Either you have some type of prototype transmission/engine that no one has ever seen or heard of before.

OR

You need to find a new mechanic. maybe hes trying to put it in upside down?

phase one transmissions will bolt up to phase 2 engines, and vice versa, people have done it due to not being able to find the correct phase trans/engine, etc

and of course phase 1 engines will bolt to phase 1 transmissions, and phase 2 engines will bolt to phase 2 transmissions.

are you absolutly sure that he didnt see the lack of a hole somewhere or threads somewhere and just kind of assumed that they dont line up.

If its an EJ motor, and a 4eat trans, four or more of the mating bolts WILL line up.

Where are you located? im sure one of the members near you will be happy to slap it in for you for whatever they determine is a good rate.

but i would really look into getting it out of the shop its in.

EDIT: does your motor have two cams or four?

EDITx2: also, did you make sure your final drive ratio on whatever trans you found to swap in is the same as your rear diff(or same as old transmission)? if not, it will eat itself.

[mike-tracy]

^^ he's reusing the stock tranny, just swapping an EJ25D for a EJ25DE.


To OP, don't worry about the california thing, either the timing belt (more likely) or the sprockets's teeth are spaced slightly different from federal models, to retard timing a small amount. In older cars it made a difference, ie. less HP/TQ, but on newer cars like your 99, it just changes the RPM that peak tq/hp occurs at.