admarshall

Hi All,

I am new to Subarus (relatively) - my EJ205 in my '02 WRX Bugeye wagon got significant rod knock after a track session (with metal flakes present in oil). I've been looking around for new engines to get my Scooby back on the road and found loads of Forester EJ205s and a Blob EJ205.

Are all these engines compatible? The full engine type on my car's ID badge is EJ205 NW3BB
They are all long blocks, so would need to swap inlet, alternator, headers, AC & steering pumps, wiring etc - is this widely compatible across all imprezas 2001-2005? Including the stock ECU?

Thanks, I'd appreciate your help.

Don Clark

If you use a Forester engine make sure its from an S11 (SG5) version MY03 onwards and you would need to change over the heads as the Forester uses different valves/cams (AVCS only on MY04 onwards).

Bug and Blob short blocks have different part numbers
Bug doesn't have AVCS.

admarshall

Thanks Don, having looked at the blobeye engine compared to the AVCS equipped ones, the valve cover lumps match with mine (without AVCS).

Would the engine be compatible with my ECU and engine accessories?

Don Clark

My mistake on the AVCS - parts database lists the AVCS solenoid for the WRX Blobeye but should be only the STi model (Should have remembered as it come up before )

Checking your engine code, it appears to be for a MY01 WRX Wagon (10th character of the VIN will be 1 for MY01 (2001) / 2 for MY02 (2002) unless this is also an error. Was car Registered in 2002??


Bug and Blob heads seem to be compatible so should be good. Everything else AFAIK should fit.
ECU part number for MY03 Blob changed which may or may not be significant.

admarshall

The car was registered in 2002 in the UK (had an '02 plate).
Do you know what the NW3BB portion of the engine code means? Specifically the 3? is it date of manufacture or similar?

Thanks for your help thus far. The different part number for the ECU is a little worrying.

My VIN (without serial numbers at the end) is: JF1-GGAKD31G00XXXX

stockcar

in very general terms the EU / UK spec WRX 2.0 engine is exactly the same 01-05............

simply use your inlet, ancillaries, etc. to sort

Don Clark

As suspected a MY01(Model Year) late registered in 2002

For more information download the workshop manual (in pdf sections) for it HERE........ (first item in list is the owners manual)