Learn me on some tech stuff

[Vegasjetta]

So a friend of mine recently picked up this extremely clean 99 2.5RS. It has 15X,000 on the car, and supposedly 20k on the motor. He was told it was a JDM block that was used. All I see on the top is "EJ25", and it looks like every other 2.5 I have seen.

It has a MAF sensor in between where the air comes in and the TB. When that MAF is unplugged, it runs like crap, but runs. With it plugged in, it will run for 3 seconds and die. Obviously the MAF is dirty or bad and needs to be replaced. Here's what I don't understand: The 99 Legacy with 2.5 doesn't even have a MAF for me to pull off and try to use. What's that all about? Also, it looks like the MAF was an afterthought. Look at the pic belog and tell me if that looks the littlest bit correct...

If this were all VW engines/problems, I would know every little thing about it. I'm fairly new to Subarus, but I am not new to being a backyard mechanic.

Here's some pics...

The car in question:

EJ25:

MAF that looks like it doesn't belong. Rubber boots/clamps, purge valve bolted off to the side, etc.:

And for good measure, the 99 Legacy I got:

So as stated, please, someone teach me the ways of Subaru!

 

[apkarian100]

I think you're right. It doesn't look like it belongs. Can you take a pic of the engine bay from farther away, so we can see the whole engine? It might help to narrow down what going on here.

This is what a stock 99 Impreza RS engine bay looks like, for reference.

High res shot; http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/mDH9OXJg3E0s-dgMpiOipg

Looks as if the previous owner used the stock MAF tube and added another OEM intake part on the end.

 

[Legwagon]

I might be wrong but I don't believe there is much of a difference between the USDM and JDM 25 blocks.

and from the pictures I would almost say that is the stock block..

but again I could be wrong.

 

[Vegasjetta]

Chris (my fellow Armenian), thanks for that pic. That's what I THOUGHT was supposed to be in this engine bay. That looks like the same airbox/MAF that my 96 Impreza (2.2) has on it.

I will try to get my friend to get me a pic of the whole motor. He may have joined this site tonight, so he will post in here when he finds the thread.

By what I have seen the maf is a California emissions thing and it looks like someone put a maf motor in a none maf car and it also looks like someone has been messing with the vacuum lines

And I have a spare maf kicking around for a spare for my sisters car

Gabe, what do I have to pay you to come look at this car, bring parts, and fix it? There are a few reasons I would like this done asap... he's a good friend of mine, and I want the car running well because I will be buying it from him in a few weeks to replace my poor dying 96 Impreza wagon.

 

[apkarian100]

It's nice to see people pick up on that.

Chris (my fellow Armenian)

 

[Vegasjetta]

It's nice to see people pick up on that.

My last name is Kalenderian, I am half

Let me dig out the maf and see what I have for free time in the next day or so

He can probably come to you as well (or meet halfway?), but he works 9-5 weekdays. Are you free on Saturday/Sunday?

 

[Meyagi]

that's a 99 only maf. the legacy didnt get it but the forester and 2.5rs did. id say its probably bad, there was a recall on those 99 maf's

 

[Vegasjetta]

that's a 99 only maf. the legacy didnt get it but the forester and 2.5rs did. id say its probably bad, there was a recall on those 99 maf's

That explains why the plug is different, right? That whole thing looks monkeyfucked, and I would like to replace it with all the stock stuff. What will I need, a MAF and piping from a 99 Forester or 25RS?

Gabe, we are coming up to the yard tomorrow, will you be there?

 

[Rockyyy]

This is my car Thanks for helping adam! As with Adam I have always been all volkswagens/audis I know where everything belongs on them and what goes to what. Very new to subaru's though I do already like this car a lot but id love to have it running correctly. It seemed to have been running just fine and then quit instantly well driving, I thought possibly the fuel pump had gone but clearly that was not the problem. I dont know enough about subarus to know what goes where or if I even have the right parts. As Adam asked will I need 99 only stuff? Will things from a 2.2 work if I get the whole setup? Possibly just the maf everything else is correct? Or will I need everything for the intake? Id really just like to get this car running correctly 1. Becuase it seems like a great car 2. So I can hold it against adam on how great it is as he text me 5 times a day trying to buy it for the next month. Thanks in advance for all the help guys!

 

[Vegasjetta]

Nice username, Rockyyyyyyyyyy!

 

[Meyagi]

you will need the intake pipe and maf from a 99 forester or 2.5rs. the 2.2 stuff wont work because that was MAP based, like the legacys/outbacks 99-03

 

[Rockyyy]

What about the older stuff pre 99, Would that be the same? Yes Adam best user name around!

 

[sooch]

jdm blocks only come in 2.0 i thought?!

 

[Meyagi]

no its 99 only for the forester and 2.5rs

 

[Vegasjetta]

So hopefully there's a 99 forester in the yard to get this stuff off. If not, are you goin to be around, Gabe?

 

[Vegasjetta]

Ok so my and Rockyyyyy went to the Freeport yard and found a 98 Forester with the same setup as the picture Chris posted. I was skeptical because you guys are all saying 1999, etc.

We pull it all off. The air filter, MAF, tubes up to the other air filter, the vac lines, and sensors that were monkeyrigged. John at FAP gave it to us for free (awesome).

We got home, ripped out the old monkeyfucked setup, put all the stock stuff in (even relocated the sensors back to where they are supposed to go) and it roared to life, and runs mint!

Still not sure if we did it right, but it works so we will call it a success.

 

[Meyagi]

the 99 legacy maf is different, as is the 98 forester. actually those two mafs are the same. the 99 forester/2.5rs maf has a sensor that can be removed from the tube with 2 screws. the other maf does not.

92-99 legacy, 93-98 impreza, 98 forester maf:

99 forester and 2.5rs maf

i dont know if they are interchangeable and will read in the same scale, but i do know that they are not the same part.

again, the last maf is ONLY used in 1999 FORESTERS and 2.5RS IMPREZAS

 

[Vegasjetta]

Well the 98 Forester MAF that we got looked like the bottom pic you posted. It was definitely not the same as my 96 Impreza. It looks exactly like the pic Apkarian posted above, with the plastic dildo and all. The ONLY thing we noticed different was the numbers stamped on the sides of the MAF plug. One number was slightly higher than the other. I don't know if it will effect anything, but the car runs great (especially compared to how it barely ran with the old setup) and he drove it all over today with no problems. I cleared the CEL and the light never came back on. I'd say it's fixed...

 

[Vegasjetta]

Cause that FOZ is a 99 not a 98 vega's it has the sohc 2.5L its there cause the tranny is toast, If its the red one you got the parts from

That's the one. I read the door tag and it said model year 1998... Anyway, That stuff all bolted up but is it the "right" parts for the 25RS? Obviously the one number was different, but it runs now.