Subaru EE20 2.0L Diesel Turbocharger Guide: Outback & Forester Applications

This Subaru EE20 2.0L Diesel Turbocharger Guide covers everything a technician or owner needs to know about the boxer diesel found in the Outback, Forester, and Legacy models sold across Europe, Australia, and Japan. The EE20 is unique. It is the only horizontally opposed diesel Subaru ever mass produced, and its compact turbo setup gives it strong low-end torque but also a handful of well-documented failure points.

PT Turbo has been rebuilding and supplying turbochargers since 1978, more than 45 years in the trade. We stock both new and remanufactured units along with the actuators and hard parts that keep these engines running. Below is the practical, no-nonsense breakdown of the EE20 turbo system.

EE20 Engine and Turbocharger Overview

The EE20 is a 1,998cc DOHC common-rail diesel using a boxer (flat-four) layout. It debuted in 2008 in the European Legacy and Outback and later spread to the Forester and Impreza/XV lines. Output ranged from roughly 147 to 150 PS with around 350 Nm of torque depending on model year and emissions tune.

Early EE20 engines (2008 to 2013) used a fixed-geometry IHI turbocharger. Later Euro 5 and Euro 6 variants moved to a variable-geometry turbocharger (VGT) to improve response and cut emissions. If you want the background on how VGT vanes work, this variable-geometry turbocharger overview is a solid primer.

Knowing which version you have is the first step. The fixed-geometry and VGT units are not interchangeable, and the actuator, control strategy, and part numbers differ significantly.

EE20 Turbo Specifications by Model Year

Model Years	Turbo Type	Emissions Standard	Typical Output
2008–2013	Fixed-geometry (IHI VF)	Euro 4 / Euro 5	147 PS / 350 Nm
2013–2017	Variable-geometry (VGT)	Euro 5	147 PS / 350 Nm
2017–2020	Variable-geometry (VGT)	Euro 6	150 PS / 350 Nm

Common EE20 Turbocharger Failure Points

The EE20 turbo is generally durable, but three issues account for the majority of failures we see come across the bench. Understanding them saves you from throwing parts at a problem.

Oil supply and coking. The boxer layout runs the turbo close to a tight, hot packaging area. Extended oil change intervals or short-trip driving lead to carbon buildup in the oil feed line and center housing. Starved bearings then spin out, and you get shaft play and smoke.

Actuator and VGT vane sticking. On VGT units, soot builds up on the variable vanes and the mechanism binds. The pneumatic actuator can no longer sweep the vanes correctly, throwing boost pressure fault codes and putting the car in limp mode.

DPF-related back pressure. A clogged diesel particulate filter raises exhaust back pressure and hammers the turbo with heat and load. Many EE20 turbo failures are downstream symptoms of a neglected DPF or failed regeneration cycles.

Symptom Severity Guide

Symptom	Likely Cause	Severity
Slight whistle, normal power	Boost leak or loose clamp	Low
Limp mode, boost fault code	Sticking VGT vanes or actuator	Medium
Blue/grey smoke, oil use	Failed seals, worn bearings	High
Metallic rattle, no boost	Spun bearing, shaft failure	Critical

Diagnosing the Actuator Before Condemning the Turbo

Here is where a lot of money gets wasted. On VGT EE20 engines, a boost pressure fault often points to the actuator or the vane mechanism, not the core itself. Test before you replace.

Check the actuator rod travel with the engine off. It should move freely through its full stroke without binding. A sticking rod usually means carbon in the vanes, and sometimes a clean and re-lube restores function. A dead actuator that will not hold or move needs replacing.

Matching the correct actuator to your turbo is essential. Several Mitsubishi and Garrett pneumatic actuators cross into EE20 and closely related small diesel turbo platforms, and choosing the wrong one throws off the calibration.

Actuator Options and Pricing

For Mitsubishi TD03-based applications, the Mitsubishi Turbocharger Pneumatic Actuator TD03 (49S3118761) is a common fit, available from PT Turbo for $104.33. You can view the Mitsubishi TD03 actuator here.

Another widely used Mitsubishi unit is the Pneumatic Actuator 4918918935 at $83.99, one of the more affordable direct replacements, which you can view here.

For Garrett-based turbo cores, the Garrett Pneumatic Actuator 757979-5102 is available for $240.94, a precision unit that holds calibration well. See the Garrett 757979-5102 actuator here.

Higher-output and later Garrett VGT applications may call for the Garrett Pneumatic Actuator 445963-0040 at $465.52, a heavier-duty electronic-ready unit. You can view the Garrett 445963-0040 here. If you are unsure which actuator matches your turbo casting numbers, contact PT Turbo with your part number and we will confirm the fit.

New vs Remanufactured: What Makes Sense for the EE20

A brand-new OEM EE20 turbo is expensive and often on extended lead times outside Japan and Europe. A quality remanufactured unit gives you the same performance at a fraction of the cost, which matters when the vehicle itself is 8 to 12 years old.

Every remanufactured turbo from PT Turbo is fully disassembled, cleaned, fitted with new bearings, seals, and thrust components, then balanced on a VSR machine and flow tested. That is the difference between a rebuild and a proper reman.

Option	Typical Cost	Lead Time	Warranty
New OEM turbo	$1,400–$2,200	Often 2–6 weeks	Manufacturer
Remanufactured turbo	$600–$1,100	In stock / fast	PT Turbo warranty
Rebuild your core	$350–$650	Turnaround based	PT Turbo warranty

Browse our remanufactured turbochargers or send us your existing unit through our turbocharger rebuild service. If your core is intact and the wheels are undamaged, a rebuild is usually the most economical path.

EE20 Turbo Replacement and Installation Tips

The boxer layout makes turbo access tighter than an inline engine, so plan the job properly. Rushing the install is how repeat failures happen.

• Always replace the oil feed line, not just the turbo. A partially coked line will kill a new unit within weeks.
• Flush the oil cooler and change oil and filter with the correct low-SAPS diesel spec oil.
• Prime the turbo with clean oil before startup and crank without firing to build oil pressure.
• Inspect the DPF and EGR system. A clogged EGR circuit accelerates soot loading on the vanes.
• Reset adaptive learning values and verify actuator calibration with a scan tool after fitment.

On VGT units, confirm the vane sweep and boost targets under a road test load. A turbo that passes at idle can still fail under demand if the vanes are lazy.

How the EE20 Compares to Other Diesel Turbo Platforms

The EE20 is a light-duty passenger diesel, so its turbo is small and boost-response focused rather than built for sustained heavy loads. If you work across mixed fleets, it helps to understand where it sits relative to the bigger commercial platforms.

For heavier applications, our Cummins ISB 5.9L turbocharger guide and

Cross-Reference & Superseded Part Numbers

The turbochargers covered in this article match or supersede the following OEM and manufacturer part numbers. If you are searching by part number, these are the units stocked by PT Turbo for this application:

172-784-0044  •  172-784-0046  •  172-784-0077  •  172-784-0098  •  172-784-0104  •  49477-04000  •  49477-04000-1  •  49S36A0000  •  49S78A0000  •  49T7704372  •  49T7704555  •  740902-0057  •  825834-5002S  •  840030-5032S  •  885844-5002S  •  891185-6001  •  897071-5004S  •  F41CAD-S0042B  •  F41CAD-S0047B  •  F52CAD-S0060B  •  F52CAD-S0065B  •  F52CAD-S0065C  •  F52CAD-S0078B  •  F56CAD-S0027B  •  F56CAD-S0045B  •  JT12026  •  JTC11772  •  JTC12024  •  JTC12026  •  PTT-SUB-096  •  PTT-SUB-100  •  PTT-SUB-105  •  VF39-BILLET  •  VF40-BILLET

Can’t find your number above? Contact PT Turbo — our team has been matching part numbers since 1978.