Greg55_99 Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 OK, i've got the dreaded head gasket problem on my 2WD 94 Legacy 5-speed. It's actually cheaper to replace the motor than it is to fix the darn thing! My Subby has 143K on the clock and I've found a motor with 87K on it locally. So I'd like to know... 1. Is it easier to pull the motor with the tranny still in it or should I pull them out together as a unit. 2. Is there any difference between the automatic motors and the stick motors. Is there a difference in the crank for the pilot bearing. 3. What should I replace when the motor is out of the car? Any help is appreciated! Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theotherskip Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 if you can fix the head gaskets yourself, you can do the whole thing for less than $400. you can't pull both the motor and tranny at the same time. you have to pull one, then the other. pulling just the engine is not too difficult. the crank is the same for both stick & autos. the pilot bearing is located in the flywheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoobySchmitty Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 theotherskip, I'm not sure if you need to pull the tranny first, then pull the engine, but I will say that with my AWD, I have pulled the tranny before (most recently for a cracked shift fork:eek:), and once I had it out, I could not help but to replace the clutch while I was at it. I know purchasing a new engine will be expensive, but you also might want to consider doing this too. Just my two cents. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theotherskip Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 scoobyschmitty, i just pulled my engine to change the head gasket and clutch (you can read about it here ), and didn't pull the transmission. it is a bear to pull a transmission in a driveway, especially and awd, because you have to disconnect the 2 half shafts and the drive shaft. changing the clutch while the engine was out took less than an hour... as for a new engine, mine's been feelin' fine since the new hg, though mileage is down a bit (not sure, some of this may be due to more local). the new clutch feels nice & smooth too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoobySchmitty Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 Yeah, I know what you mean. I've had to do this 3 times total over 2 different Leg's. Odd that I got so good at it that, with another person helping, I could get it in or out inside of a few hours! Let's hope I don't have to do it again any time soon Peace out, yo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg55_99 Posted August 31, 2003 Author Share Posted August 31, 2003 Hey "Other Skip"! Thanks for the info! Very helpful. The kicker is... the replacement motor with 87K on the clock goes for $300 at a local yard. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theotherskip Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 greg... i dunno. you don't know anything about how that engine was maintained, and you will still be putting an engine on with the old design head gaskets. on the other hand, $300 is a pretty smoking deal, and if it does fail, you can fix the old and then trade it back, with minimal downtime to the car... on the junkyard engine, you will want to change the timing belt, and inspect the water pump (replace if necessary) and all the idlers, and change the o-ring and reseal the oil pump. it is also worth resealing the oil pan while you have good access. also check the valve clearance, as it is a breeze to do out of the car, but a bear to do in the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subyaddict Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 Yeah just take out the motor, but do the clutch too for sure. And if you can afford it get a clutch that is a little better than OEM. And get the flywheel resurfaced too. This will make the entire setup last much longer next time. As for removing the tranny is concerned, that's easy. But I guess that depends on how much space you have to work with under the car. I always put the car as high up as I can when swapping transmissions. You hit your head less that way too. Nathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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