1996 OB Exhaust/head Qestion

[seabright_sc]

Ouch! My wife's 1996 OB 2.2 manual had an exhaust leak... I could hear it. When searching around I also noticed a torn CV.

 

So I find a shop who will do the work on Saturady and first I drive to the dealer who sold me a reman axle with two new boots and proceed to the other shop for instalation.

 

This shop may be fine but they're not my regular mechanic, however they were the only folks open on a Saturday.

 

He called me to say... "come take a look."

 

On the passenger side, underneath the car where the exhaust meets the head, he shows me an area of the head (the bottom front corner), where the exhaust is connected to the head, that is cracked off (about the size of a thimble). He hasn't tried to loosen the exhaust bolts/nuts because he wants to soak them in wd40. (part of me thinks that maybe he cracked it while trying to loosen the bolt, but I guess that's a moot point as of now).

 

He said that he wont know until monday when he can get them off but I may need to replace the head (I'm assuming to fix that exhaust leak).

 

This engine is in prime shape and well maintained and it seems like a spendy and big job that can be fixed/jimmy rigged without replacing the head.

 

I already told him that if the head did need replacing I would feel more comfortable taking it to my longtime Subaru mechanic of over 8 years. He seemed to understand.

 

I don't want to get screwed on a big spendy repair that may not be necessary. However, We'll probably keep this car for another 5 or so years.

 

Help!

[john in KY]

If the metal exposed by the missing chunk is nice and shiney, then he probably need break it off. Otherhand, dull and tarnished-looking then most likely an old crack.

[idosubaru]

(hey john, didn't know you thumbed around here)

 

is it the head or exhaust manifold that is cracked? i guess the head since yo'ure suggesting the head may need replaced.

 

if you could take a picture of it, i would bet it's fixable. even if you had to have a shop (a machine shop for instance) weld the head and retap it for a bolt that would only cost 200 dollars or something. i wouldn't believe someone if they told me it wasn't fixable, i'd have to see it myself to believe that. particularly if the car is running fine right now, no way. look up "machine shop" on yahoo yellow pages in your area and call around. find one willing to look and they'll fix it for cheap (relatively cheap that is). if he suggests you need a new head i'd keep him away from my car, he's probably already tanked something on it. sorry, i've been cheated myself back in the day. i trust few mechanics.

 

if you get a picture of it, email or PM me as i'll probalby miss your replies.

[seabright_sc]

Ok... So here's the out come (thus far).

 

I take the car to an aquaintance who has a muffler shop. Good guy. He say's there is no way to do anything to the head where it's chipped because it's too far gone. The exhust manifold can not be attached to the head on that front bolt. He's honest and says he can try to retap the head and insert a stud a little closer in. He calls a subaru mechanic and asks if he can drill in there to insert a stud. The guy says, "ya.. plenty of metal up there." He does and...

 

hits the water jacket and out comes the coolant. Ouch.

 

So inserts a new stud into the head using JB weld to seal it.

 

Very meticulous guy and welds some other loose exhaust stuff (to take care of minor rattling) and puts new gaskets/bolts on both heads.

 

Parts and labor=$161

 

He is very honest with the situation and feels that it will probably be fine explaing that the "hole" is plugged with the stud and the JB Weld is used as a sealant as opposed to the plug itself. Mind you the exhaust manifold is attached to the stud) He also says that it could leak as well.

We haven't pressure tested it but it has idled for 30 minutes running the A/C and driven about 25 miles on the highway and so far so good. No leaks of exhaust or coolant

 

Would you trust this repair and travel on a 800 mile road trip?

 

Save up for a new head?

 

Or am I in the clear?

[Setright]

I would start saving for a new head.

 

 

However, I doubt you will have a catastrophic leak. The bolt may not seal fully, but coolant will seep out at fairly slow rate. Meaning that a watchful eye will detect it in time to top-up the coolant.

 

My main worry would be how much blockage the bolt is doing inside the water jacket? Has the flow of coolant been reduced far enough to pose cooling problems?

Of course, if it has, then the main damage would be warpage to an already busted cylinder head. Back to the top :-(

[seabright_sc]

The mechanic said that the stud is NOT blocking the flow of coolant. How would I know if this is the case? No overheating or cooling issues?

 

With a repair/patch such as is... do you think issues will come up sooner or later. ie- if alll seems well in the first month am I good to go?

 

Thanks!

[Tiny Clark]

Relax, he seems smart enough not to use too long of a bolt.

 

I epoxy'd a thermostat housing for a dodge slant 6, and it lasted for years.

 

I would drive it and forget it.

 

Oh yea, and torch the other guy's garage.

[seabright_sc]

Relax, he seems smart enough not to use too long of a bolt.

 

I epoxy'd a thermostat housing for a dodge slant 6, and it lasted for years.

 

I would drive it and forget it.

 

Oh yea, and torch the other guy's garage.

 

Thanks for giving me the peace of mind.

 

This is my wife's car (she drives around our baby) so, ya, I'm a little concerned.

 

Any other experts have opinions before we head off on a road trip?

 

Thanks!