Subaru Parts Catalogues Service Repair Workshop Manuals

In 1896, the first internal combustion engine with horizontally opposed pistons was invented by Karl Benz. He named it the kontra engine; as the action of each side is opposing the action of the other. Because each pair of pistons moves in and out together, rather like the gloves of a boxer, this design was named the ""boxer"" engine. Whether you’re showing your boxer engine some TLC or tuning it for performance reasons, make sure you got your trusty Subaru parts catalogue to make sure you find the right part.

The boxer engine's configuration is the only configuration used commonly that doesn't have unbalanced forces with a four-stroke cycle regardless of the number of cylinders, the only stipulation is that both banks have the same number of cylinders. No balancing shaft or counterweights on the crankshaft are needed to balance the weight of the reciprocating parts, which is a requirement in many other engine configurations. Although, unbalanced moments are unavoidable due to the opposing cylinders being slightly out of sync with each other in the case of boxer engines with fewer than six cylinders. Boxer engines tend to be noisier than their counterparts. In vehicles with bower engines, valve clatter from the engine compartment is not damped by air filters or other components.

Since the Subaru 1000 of 1966, in all of its mid-sized cars, they have used the front-mounted water-cooled flat-four and flat-six engines, including the Legacy, Outback, Impreza, and SVX. The Tribeca SUVs, Forester, BRAT, BRZ sports car, and Baja pickup trucks use boxer engines as well. Subaru publicly refers to these as boxer engines and includes a variety of naturally aspirated and turbo driven engines from 1966 to the present; both semi-closed and closed short blocks have been used. A print ad for the 1973 Subaru GL coupe referred to the engine as "quadrozontal."

Subaru's EJ series of four-cylinder engines first released in 1990 was the cornerstone for the development of the boxer engine in the late 20th century. Ranging from 1.5–2.5 L, this engine in its 2 L turbo configuration has been the power behind many of Subaru's World Rally Championship winning cars. Depending on whether you’re a performance junkie or just fixing your boxer engine up for other reasons, make sure you have a Subaru parts catalog in your arsenal to make sure you find exactly what you’re looking for.