my first motor build!

[Vecken]

So i may be picking up a 2001 forester with no rust, 5 speed S with heated seats and CLEAN. unfortunately she's got a nasty rod knock but i'm fairly certain the heads are mint. I have a 215K mile 1999 DOHC block that was exclusively highway miles before i bought it ran awesome before the belt snapped. I'm doing research on doing a sohc HEAD/ dohc BLOCK hybrid build.

is it a direct bolt on or do i need to change a few things and which head gaskets do i use? most of the threads i find are sohc blocks with dohc heads for more airflow. I just want a more reliable car that's not a toilet and ill worry about more power when I can afford it. if anyone can chime in who's done a build like this I really appreciate it. 

If there are any threads about a build like this that I have not found please shoot them my way. Thanks!

 

[IBratmanI]

Without wiring work, you can't easily drop a DOHC setup into a car that came with a SOHC. Just use your good block and put the SOHC heads  from the bad motor onto the good motor.

 

[IBratmanI]

Pretty sure it was you that posted on Facebook about this. Now I see what you're saying. Yeah the 99 is a phase 2 block anyway so bolting SOHC heads to it will be very straight forward. Just use MLS head gaskets for a SOHC 2.5 motor.

 

[JoshP]

All the 99 DOHC got phase 2 blocks?  I thought it was only some, while some other had phase 1 blocks. 

 

[IBratmanI]

All 99 Legacy's and Outback got phase 2 blocks with dohc heads. In 99 the impreza rs was SOHC so that was phase 2 as well, same for the forester.

Regardless, it'll work even with a phase 1 block. Just make sure you use the right head gaskets, which are the thicker ones.

 

[Vecken]

Someone online I read who did this used the dohc head gaskets because they were concerned about valve clearance so he used thicker head gaskets for the dohc. Since this turns out to be a phase 2 block does this still apply?

 

[IBratmanI]

Phase 2 block and phase 2 heads should mean you can use the phase 2 SOHC gaskets.

 

[Vecken]

Will I need to change anything else over? Crank sensor, timing tensioner bracket etc...

 

[IBratmanI]

Use everything except the block from the newer motor. So use the older block, and then use the heads, intake, wiring and sensors from the newer car. Just to be safe.

 

[Vecken]

Awesome thanks! I'm going to start tearing down the 99 motor and inspecting it. Any preventative maintenance other than gaskets I should worry about?