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I bought my old '96 Brighton from a fellow who'd given up on and bought a new car.  He insisted the engine had a blown head gasket, and he didn't want to fool with it.  We argued some about that, finally I bought it and drove it home.  The car would sputter and miss until about 2-3k rpm, and by the time  got it home, it had turned on the "check engine" light.

 

The engine had new plug wires and air filter, but some strange old Autolite plugs, and the one nearest the passenger side firewall wasn't screwed all the way in.  I replaced these with NGK BKR5EGP (7090), the engine was instantly smooth as silk, I disconnected the battery and went to lunch. After lunch, re-connected the battery, went for a drive, no more "check engine" light.  Later that week, got it smogged, no problem, but the thing had wierd overheating episodes, would go along just fine for days, suddenly overheat.  When hot, top of rad hot and top hose hot, bottom not hot, hose cool.  Began to understand why car had come with 5 different thermostats, was currently running an Autozone part.

 


Replaced the rad with one from JY, put back Subaru t-stat and rad cap, overheating solved, but it keeps dissapearing water, and has bubbles in th coolant tank on shutdown.  Plugs perfect, no steam/smoke in exhaust, but water keeps going away.  Decided to try a can of  K&W block seal, which doesn't like coolant, drained an re-filled with water a couple of times,  water keeps dissapearing until a couple of days ago when it quit dissapearing the water, but the temp gusge is erratic, back and forth between halfway going uphill, and dead cold coming down.  Suspect a bubble, but it doesn't respond to normal bubble cures, i.e. filling block from top rad hose, air bleed from screw in top of rad, etc.

 

Will do the K&W treatment this weekend, but meantime, anybody have any ideas as to whats going on here?  Think I may be in over my head..

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Head gasket.

 

If its as bad as it sounds, the radiator hoses will be pressurized very quickly after starting. 20-30 seconds and you'll have pressure in the hoses.

Do this with the engine cold. Before starting open the cap, squeeze the upper radiator hose a few times to get a feel for it. Close cap, start engine and squeeze the hose every couple seconds and you'll feel the pressure build up in the system within about 30 seconds, maybe sooner if its really bad.

 

Normally there should be no pressure build until the engine is almost to operating temp.

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Lets see pictures, also what did you pay?

 

I'm currently doing headgaskets on an EJ22E.  Although it is rare for them to fail, they do fail and you are having a lot of the same symptoms I was having.  I would put money a hydrocarbon test will turn up issues (mine did even though they say they don't alot of the time).

 

That being said, if you want to do it right then pull the engine and do it right.  If you do it right that engine will last another 200k+ if it's taken care of afterwards.

 

Things to do while working:

 

Timing Belt component kit including water pump -  I ordered mine from Amazon w/ the tensioner since I didn't know the history or if it had ever been replaced.

 

Full engine gasket kit - I did an evergreen kit (amazon) w/ separate Fel-Pro gaskets (about $125 total) vrs an OEM set ($250) or a Fel-Pro set ($185/$200)

 

You'll also need a method to clean the head mating surface and block mating surface.  Personally I took my heads down to a machine shop due to lack of tools and knowledge as one of the alignment dowels (aka straight pin) stuck in the head instead of the block.  I had them clean/mill the heads and put my cam seals/valve stem seals in for $209.

 

The rest of things I'm doing you probably don't need as I am replacing the radiator, plug wires, plugs, vacuum lines, etc...

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guys im currently doing my head gasket too, Im about ready to pull the engine out but there are 2 issues.

 

1. The nut where the tranny meets the engine,, on the drivers side,, How the deuce do you get that out of there.? I got under the car and there is no way.

 

I don't think I can get it from the top.

 

2. The starter. I seen some vids wehre they pull the starter. Do I need to do this? I have a 96 EJ22 automatic.

 

It does seem to be in the way of me reaching that nut.. but it doesn't seem like its a definite need to pull it either.

 

Thanks.

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guys im currently doing my head gasket too, Im about ready to pull the engine out but there are 2 issues.

 

1. The nut where the tranny meets the engine,, on the drivers side,, How the deuce do you get that out of there.? I got under the car and there is no way.

 

I don't think I can get it from the top.

 

2. The starter. I seen some vids wehre they pull the starter. Do I need to do this? I have a 96 EJ22 automatic.

 

It does seem to be in the way of me reaching that nut.. but it doesn't seem like its a definite need to pull it either.

 

Thanks.

 

Both the same solution. Pull the starter and move it out of the way. Also move the heater core lines etc. I lay a chunk of carpet or something over the motor and lay across it. Reach down over the bellhousing with a 14mm socket and crank it out.

 

My hip will be sore but otherwise not difficult to remove. It's just one of the most acrobatic parts of pulling a motor.

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From below use a wobble joint (or universal) and a 12" extension. If its a manual you can get it from the top once the starter is out of the way, but it's usually pretty tight. On autos the AT cooler lines are in the way and it's too tight to turn a ratchet in there.

 

I usually end up using a breaker bar to loosen the bellhousing bolts.

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That lower transmission bolt, as fair tax said, is only accessible from below. To make matters worse you aren't going to get a 1/2" swivel in there. We used a 3/8" impact swivel (after breaking a cheap normal one) plus 2 or 3 extensions to get a good shot at it and a 3/8" impact.

 

The starter has to come out as one (or both) of those bolts go all the way through to the engine

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That lower transmission bolt, as fair tax said, is only accessible from below. To make matters worse you aren't going to get a 1/2" swivel in there. We used a 3/8" impact swivel (after breaking a cheap normal one) plus 2 or 3 extensions to get a good shot at it and a 3/8" impact.

Ok so I have to: 1. access this from below where it looked hopeless. 2. Use a 3/8 drive impact swivel and a whatever works extension. 3. And use an impact wrench it too? Or a breaker bar. ?

The starter has to come out as one (or both) of those bolts go all the way through to the engine

ah this I did not know.. I thought it was only that upper driver side bolt that went all the way through. I didn't realize the starter had one .

 

The vids posted on engine removal don't talk about accessing this nut. I wonder if I jack up the engine.. (the engine mounts are unbolted) if I would get more room in there and maybe work better.. Im doing this on my back in my driveway.

 

ps. I appreciate all of your input.

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Somebody actually posted a pic of the approach a while ago but I can't remember where.

 

Extension goes in just below the inner axle cup right where the cup necks down by the trans. Your wobbly should be able to sit just on the other side of the axle cup with a standard socket.

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