Why the EJ20 made the WRX a legend, and also a little headache – Jalopnik

For more than three decades, the EJ20 was the workhorse of Subaru, because the 2.0-liter flat four boxer engine models in the brand-up of the brand would become. However, it is the generations of the engine under the hood of the World Rally Experimental (WRX) models of the brand that gave the legendary status when it retired in 2019. With years of proven success in the World Rally Championship and an exhaust sound like no other, the engine was loved by people in the coordination and rally crowd.

Nowadays, the EJ remains loving in the memories of Subie fans and it is still the favorite weapon for amateur rally drivers, aftermarket tuners and motorcycle alternation worldwide. But with more than 30 years of data we have learned that it is far from a perfect power plant. The design has caused an abundance of problems, as well as a certain part that has become notorious among owners worldwide. Let’s break it down.

Introduced in 1989, the EJ family of engines replaced the long-term EA family of flat-fours Subaru since 1965. The engine layout is a crucial part of the Subaru formula and the brand has chosen to go the way of the boxer for a multiple of reasons.

The name of the engine comes from the unique movement of his pistons. Unlike a traditional V-format engine, every piston has its own crank pin, which means that adjacent cylinders expand at the same time and withdraw, an arrangement that, when it is viewed at full speed, looks like a few boxers who hit each other. This leads to a much better natural balance for the engine, because the mirrored movement of the pistons cancels the mutual forces, resulting in much lower vibrations than the inline-4 cousins ​​of the EJ.

Everyday commuters loved the low vibration of the engine, but enthusiasts would find the boxer even more benefits. With its flat layout, the low placement of the boxer gives a lower mass center and increases the overall handling options. This means stable and agile by boxer -equipped cars, and in combination with Subaru’s four -wheel drive, the engine transforms into a weapon on rally phases.

The EJ would be used for the first time in Motorsport, S with Subaru that enters the World Rally Championship (WRC) with the Legacy RS. Although the brand was partially present in the WRC since the 1980s, the success was scarce, but with the debut of the inheritance in the 1990 season, the tides began to run. With an EJ20 under the hood, and with future legend Colin McCrae behind the wheel, the Legacy Subaru would earn its first WRC victory in New -Zealand in 1993.

That made the table for the age of the Impreza. Debuting in the 1993 Rally Finland, the Impreza would replace the greater legacy and change Subaru into a rally dynamo. WRC icons such as McRae, Petter Solberg and Richard Burns would drive the iconic blue and gold colors to 46 victories, earn a trio of driver championships, as well as three consecutive manufacturer’s titles from 1995 to 1997. Subaru would stay in the end of the end of the season, until the financial crisis of 2008, the program of the 2008.

Since then, Subaru has continued to gather in the States, with a team funded by the factory participating in the American Rally Association. Outside the top Echelon of Racing, the EJ remains present in motorsport, which means that subies are used by amateur rallyists worldwide.

Before it gathered, the Impreza was introduced in 1992. The small family car replaced the aging Leone and came as standard with the EJ20. Subaru also produced a performance trim that is exclusive to the Japanese market, inspired by the Impreza that participated in the WRC. Shortly before World Rally Experimental, the first generation WRX was equipped with a turbo-ej20 that sent 240 hp to all four wheels via a manual five-speed gearbox.

The impressive power, combined with Subaru’s symmetrical four -wheel drive, gave everyday drivers a taste of what McRae and Solberg experienced every weekend. Dressed with solid fog lights and a hood scoop of the factory, the WRX had both the shape and the function of a rally car on road-legal rally.

Only in 2002 was the WRX available to Americans, starting with the second generation “Bugeye” Impreza of the brand. The first car that brought Rally heritage and version to North America soon found the WRX an American fan base and became the perfect choice for pleasure in the Snowy States throughout the year. The WRX became a staple of the enthusiastic community and formed a cult supporter that would go much further than the presence of the brand in the WRC.

And the EJ20 was an important key to that success. By feeding the two generations of the first car, it established the WRX formula for generations and would be the engine that showed the Rally-ready performance of Subaru to the world.

Although the layout of the EJ20 makes the engine so iconic, it is also the source of the biggest setbacks. Let’s get rid of the two most notorious words: head packages. Those in the car community or around Subarus have probably heard war stories of bloated gaskets, but in reality most of these seal problems come from the larger turbo taste of the EJ, the EJ25, often seen in the Sti. The EJ20 has better cooler and thicker cylinder cough than its bigger brother, and has the tendency to have much fewer problems.

That certainly does not mean that the EJ20 is bulletproof, because all the variants of the EJ family have problems to pay attention. Poor cooling for cylinder four can lead to overheating, resulting in a rod knock. This is usually the most noticeable during cold start before she deteriorates over time. Turbo compressor EJ20s also tend to go through oil quickly and can leak from gaskets of cylinder head covers, as well as camshaft oil seals. For the more abused EJs, the damage can be just as serious as cracked pistons.

Much of this would be less headache if it wasn’t how difficult maintenance is. The flat layout of the cylinders means that things can become tight in the motor compartment, making it both expensive and challenging.