How to replace a head gasket???????

[greggbrat]

I have a 1982 Subaru Brat with an ea81 motor. The head gasket on the drivers side appears to be leaking a lot of coolant.

 

What are the instructions for replacing the head gasket? My biggest question is do I have to pull the motor or can the head be removed with the motor still in the vehicle?

 

Thanks,

Gregg

[Dr. RX]

You do not have to remove the engine. I changed both heads on an 83 wgaon, engine still in the car. Have you ever work on any engines before???

[greggbrat]

I have never opened a motor before but I did just recently install this motor into the brat. I am willing to tackle just about anything........and I generally do all the work on my vehicles. But never having removed a head I am not sure how much space I need to pull it out. It looks like there is only about 2-3 inches between the valve cover and inner fender.

 

Is removing the head as simple as the following??????

 

1. Remove intake manifold

2. Remove exhaust manifold

3. Remove valve cover

4. Remove head

 

 

Perhaps I will go do a practice run at a local junkyard.

[Dr. RX]

The best thing is to get a factory service manual, or find someone who has one that you can borrow. That is the basic sequence.

[greggbrat]

I have both a Haynes and a chiltons manual but neither one indicated if the motor has to be removed because the instructions are part of an engine rebuild. I should be able to figure it out.........as long as it is assured that the head gasket can be replaced on an ea81 motor in an 1982 Subaru Brat WITHOUT removing the motor.

[subarubrat]

While you can do it without removing the motor, the motor is so simple to pull that it may be less frustrating to just pull it and do the gasket job where you can see and work comfortably and then re-install it.

[SkankinPickle]

yeah,

by the time you have evrything off the engine it is not that much more work to just unbolt it from the tranny and take it out. i tryed to do it on my 83 wagon keeping the motor in and could of done so but since i was that far my throw out bearing needed to be replaced so i took it all the way out.

if you keep it in you will need to unbolt the engine from the cross member and pry it up and to the side a little (i used a broken hockey stick) as well as loosening the tranny mount bolts to pull one of the heads off. i forget which side but it's the one that sits further back, twords the firewall, than the other.

 

Also, very important, before you start read and make this:

http://pub110.ezboard.com/fultimatesubarumessageboardsfrm7.showMessage?topicID=136.topic

will save you a lot of hassle if you have this before you start. forget all of this though if you have the special subaru socket.

 

don't worry yo, with a torque wrench and a little time it's a peice of cake on the EA-81's.

[greggbrat]

Everyone makes it sound like taking the motor out is a breeze......having done a motor swap myself I know its a bit of chore to get it back in doing the job by myself. I will try to replace the head gasket with the motor still in the brat.

 

And now I get the fun of making a special tool. Will the fun never end. :-) I did get a quote of $250 to have the head gasket replaced.........is that a good deal?

 

Gregg

[ShawnW]

I think u should pull the motor and do both head gaskets. Just a vote, good luck whatever way you choose both have been done numerous times.

 

Ill loan you the special socket if you pay shipping both ways and provide a deposit. Don't want it gone a real long time either, like to keep it available.