fastwgn286

thats right. they also attract garage doors. all of them....

those are pretty much brand new. subaru probably uses the four layer on the newer engines, so you should be fine. but the point is that head gaskets fail on vehicles. some early, some never. considering this is a subaru, it would be one of the only major maintainence issues you should deal with. save a dollar a day (or 50 cents or something) for the next few years and IF the head gasket goes, you will be sound.

they can fail on any subaru at any time. most people cite the 2.5 dohc as having a fatal hg, but it really isn't. some cars had a faulty one that blew way early, which is why everyone cities that magical 15% number. everyone else is just seeing normal wearing out of a component. heck, i'm seeing some stories on here of the phase II 2.5s having hgs replaced for internal leaks. the cost of such a repair is dependant upon where you are and how many subarus are in your area. in my neck of the woods, i got quoted 1500 and taken for a ride when they charged 1800 for it. the kicker is i actually worked for the place that repaired the headgasket :banghead:

yeah, as stated by people much smarter than i (aka, nipper and cookie, numerous times) head gaskets can wear out on ANY car from 100k on. my buddy's toyota got head gaskets replaced at 140k-ish. i got mine done a few weeks ago at 121k. my ford lost a head gasket somewhere around 100k or so. it is major maintainence, it can happen with any car, and it does. sorry if i stepped on your toes, but its a thin piece of material subjected to very hot temps and the duty of keeping water, exhaust, and oil separate. and they break. if you can't deal with it, buy a new car or take the bus. just because it says subaru doesn't mean they are maintainence free besides, it does not matter which phase block is bolted onto which head to determine whether your head gaskets will have problems. its all about the head gasket design. AA610 is four layers, and will keep the juices flowing in the right spots for many miles to come. if you are too timid to check the signs for hg failure, preemptive maintainence them and deal with it now

dude, chill out with the posting of your problem on many threads. not trying to lay into you, but its a little annoying. as i stated in your original thread, i think your head gasket issues (if any) would be internal leaks. the DOHC gaskets were not redesigned by the 99 model year, and so my money is on inside. no conditioner, check the coolant overflow tank every time you check your oil level, and don't worry about it until you see something that doesn't look like coolant in there

given the time, effort, cost, beers considerations to find it and cure it, its not worth the trouble from my perspective. just let it go and maybe it will cure itself (my subaru does that all the time, for some reason...) just don't start playing "if you give a mouse a cookie" with your car. first its talking out the dash to find a slight rattle, next its a disassembly of the headliner to find a glue spot, then taking out the engine to wipe some oil off one of the mounts, etc. and soon, you will probably explode

nah, just live with it. either crank up the tunes or rev the engine a little. as long as its under the dash its not gonna fly off and poke someone in the eye

just checking...

if you buy one of those, be certain the previous owner has had headgasket problems and got them fixed. i can't say it enough, because it really bites when that happens. you should shoot for a 96 5mt (2.2L trusty motor in there) and transfer the hood if you really want a scoope. i'll let you know about the beach wheeling the outback can do when i get out there in a few weeks....

build safari doors. those are much cooler than half-doors. you could buy them, or make them with some tube, a bender, a welder, and the hinges and lock mech. from the old doors and use the newer non-dented ones for rain duty. plus, they would be smooth = no cutting of passengers arms

yeah, but look at the other compact pickup models. they have two door, three door (two half-doors), and four door. baja comes in turbo or non-turbo, thats all. subaru could have killed two birds with one stone. failed execution, failed marketing, and a failed opportunity. at least they got rid of those left over be-bh parts while they had the chance...

ehh...close enough.... oreo's or chips ahoy?

what engine did it bolt on to? if its from an EJ motor onto an EJ motor, it should work very nicely (since subarus are like giant lego sets that can mix and match most parts) if its EA to EJ swap, then you need an adapter of sorts. Allied Armament has one for sale, unknown to me if it works or not.

yeah, subaru should have re-vitalized the brat. the only reason the baja sells any units is it has some kind of bed thing and four/five seats. if they brought back the brat and the jumper seats, it would be perfect and would not alienate any diehard subie enthusiasts. better luck next time, subaru....

this thread is very old, and by now, there is an outback xt and a forester xt. the outback makes 20 more hp and is much bigger. way bigger. saw both next to each other at a car show, and the forester was drawfed by the wagon. i dunno the prices and i'm not trying to knock on the forester people, but i love the outback (got a 97, handles like a sports car....almost, at least), and it looks great. dunno how you would put a baja bumper on there (different front end, so i assume you meant the brush bar thingy, but even then you'll probably have to fab or cut:eek:) subaru does have a skid plate looking thing that you can mount lights too, might go that route when i get lights (wie schade that not many places make one for the 1st gen outback :-\) a baby bimmer suv? are you kidding?

dealerships usually mark up 2 or 3 grand. you should be able to get it down to 5 grand, and if not, walk out.... they might just run after you if its been there a while:D ...

well, my guess is that since it's a DOHC, and the 99 outbacks had the internal leaking hgs as well as all the other DOHC EJ25s, i would suggest that you keep an eye out for anything odd floating in your coolant overflow tank. according to nasioc (couldn't find much on the block info here) the 98 and 99 DOHCs had the phase II block. but, from my fuzzy knowledge, subaru still used the same hgs through that generation of legacies. they didn't update the design of the gasket until 2000-ish, long after the DOHC was replaced by the SOHC. so yeah, no additive, check the overflow tank and the temp gauge regularly... and of course, knock on wood, say prayer, salt around parking space, garlic clove in glove box, etc. etc.

how are you sure its a phase II motor when it has DOHC heads? im confused... :confused: if you don't smell coolant burning on the cats, then you don't need the coolant additive. if so, then you need the additive. but i guess you still need to check for internal leaks? it all depends on what headgaskets are in there. and, i have no clue given the description presented and, my brain hurts now...

yeah, i know the 38k figure is top of the line, but lots of people are like lemmings, they like every option box ticked, even if it will not be used. then they get sticker shock and settle for a less heavily optioned car. but everyone likes the badge on the back, and few appreciate the vehicle for being the vehicle that it is, like us on here. subaru just isn't mainstream compared to the other auto manufacturers. if you want AWD, subaru is the place to go. but, not many care what wheels are driven, just so long as it looks cool in front of the grocery store and school building. i applaud subaru for being where they are. they make cars that compromise nothing, reliable, and drive amazingly well (my outback can take on a sports car through the bends, any day). i think the bigger verison of the forester will continue to be the outback, and those who need a larger forester need to look there. their lines are very good compared to other manufacturers that are in trouble (pontiac has two converibles that look about the same, but why?) the rav4 is still a toyota, which are pretty boring. the crv is a honda, and therefore, everyone has one. subarus are brillant, different, and always leave a smile on your face. but, you gotta do whatcha gotta do....

they do. but they need probable cause first (hence why it happens after you get a speeding ticket) 4th amendment allows you to keep the hood closed. but the exhaust is plain view, and yeah..... you can get smart about exhaust. i've seen the civics with dummy stock muffler in place and a dump pipe. loud as heck, but no citation, i guess one of the reasons i dislike virginia....

in virginia, your exhaust is technically not legal. get oinched for speeding, and the officer will cite your aftermarket muffler for "improper exhaust." lots of friends, co-workers, etc. that had that happen. if you get pulled over and you have an intake on there, refuse to open your hood for the officer. you'll get a ticket for the intake as well. and, wear your seat belt, apparently....

the new rav4 will hurt the crv more than it will hurt subaru. no one looks at a subaru unless they already own one or have a friend with one. everyone in this market wants a small/mid-size suv and immediately overlook the wagon alternative toward the crv, rav4, escape, tribute, etc. subaru will remain excellent at niche status. subaru will probably end up hurting itself with their vehicle placements. the tribeca is on par with a lexus rx, but, like i said, its overlooked by people who want the badge. that and most will not pay 38 grand for a subaru.

you should have it stuffed and mounted. let me get you the number of a taxidermist....

that really bites. really isn't a way to cure it, unfortunately....

legacies can last forever. lots of people on here claim that the EJ22 is the most reliable engine subaru has made. lots of legacies on here that were bought with 200k on them, and with some wrenching, they run like brand new. even a few 300k stories.... is the one you're considering gonna be one of these stories?