theotherskip

the engine gasket kit includes a lot more than just rubber gaskets - it has all the intake, exhaust, and head gaskets. i ordered the one for the 97 and it was well worth it and it renewed all the seals. i imagine the one for the 96 is very similar if not identical. parts list: i paid $172 at 1stsubaruparts.com, but it does leave out a few key gaskets, namely the left and right valve cover gaskets ($7.50 ea) and the 4 spark plug hole gaskets ($6 ea). well worth it overall.

i've been real pleased with the thule stuff. i had a setup on my old civic. i drove 4500 miles to alaska and back with a 18' sea kayak on the roof and it didn't move an inch. when i got my subaru, it only cost me $100 for a new kit to attach it to the roof rack. check ebay, that's where i got my stuff. it is way overpriced new...

i've got one of the regular craftsman 3/8" ones (not the digital). i've been pleased with it, and use it for everything. i think accuracy isn't everything - when torquing down things like head bolts, it is more important for them to all be the same - it doesn't matter if they are off a few ft-lbs from the spec, as long as the pressure is even. it is also rumored that sears will recalibrate them for free, though i haven't taken them up on it. also be careful with them. you never want to use them to break a bolt free, or drop them. that will screw up their calibration...

depends on the noise, but it is worth getting checked out immediately. not too wise to ignore noises coming from the front end...

its hard to tell how widespread the problem is. based on the amount of buzz there is, it seems as though it is more frequent than on other options, but without any acknowledgement from subaru, there is no real way to know failure rates. for head gaskets to fail on any engine, it is usually a sign of poor installation & defective parts (in which case a few would fail, as you see on most engines) or a defective design, in which case you see a lot of failures. either one, especially at lower mileages, should really be considered unacceptable and supported by the manufacturer if they have any interest in having repeat customers.

there is also a long running post over on nasioc on the same topic. you can view it here: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=184026 i created the one on my page (the verizon site) to be one that can edit out the ones that are not applicable and be easy to print to include in correspondence with subaru and dealers.

this guy has a bunch of pictures of the phase I head gaskets and notes on their construction. you can view it here

ironically, this past week has been the warmest it has been in philly since around october. i'll be taking another look tomorrow when i change the engine oil...

sadly, the only access to the vent is to remove the whole diff, which seems rather involved if you don't have all the special tools. i'd rather not chance screwing something up more if i just have to top it off periodically (i'm doing monthly oil changes as it is)...

thanks for the additional info. it seems to be holding ok. it only takes a little oil to make a big mess underneath a car. commuter - how much did it cost to drop the diff and replace all the seals? just wondering if mine goes that route if i should consider it or if it is better to just have it done...

thanks for that link. i was just reading in the service manual about removing the diff - it seems quite involved, and requires some special tools. i think i may just keep my eye on the level, and if it continues, i may try and blow it out with compressed air with it still on the car to clear the vent. seems strange, though. i know it wasn't overfilled. i wonder what could have screwed up the vent... thanks again for the link.

while driving home from work yesterday, i heard a new noise. sounded almost like someone sanding something, but hard to pinpoint. in the course of going over the car when i got home, i discovered that the rear diff has begun to leak. i removed the skid plate and opened the check pulg, and found that it is about a quarter inch low on oil. both seals where the axles enter seem ok, as well as the front seal. it almost seems as though it is coming from the top. is there any way the vent could leak oil like this? 97obw with 90k. the noise turned out to be a heat shield that resonated right around 3300rpm. i'll poke around more this weekend to try and stop that....

lots of myths about current diesels. they are cleaner than ever, and doing much better with the new low sulfur fuels. but i don't think i would touch a subaru one with a 10 foot pole - at least until they get about 10 years for learning under their belt. i also don't think a diesel boxer would be the best idea. most automotive and truck diesels (with the exception of the v-8's) are inline engines. setting up a boxer configuration would be a waste and probably add a lot more weight to an already heavy engine. i would be more interested if they were to install a diesel motor made by a company with a history of diesels like cummins, isuzu, mb, etc, but i don't think that is too likely...

yup. you can probably skate by for a little longer, but they are probably on their way out (the wires, that is). are you using the oem plugs? not using them can cause many problems with missed spark, too...

how many miles on the car and how many on the plugs and wires? this is typically a sign that they are starting to age...

unbolt the coolant reservior tank and rinse it out in a sink.

i nailed this together from some scrap wood... worked great - just leaned on it and let it slowly recompress...

that is pretty much all the stops the timing belt makes, sans the oil pump, which should be good for another 100k. he should have checked the idlers when he initially had it apart to see if any of them were dry... would have saved him a days worth of free labor...

i got it at pep boys and autozone. around $5. i've been very down on napa. they just rebrand stuff with a napa logo and charge a lot more. i think they are more around for independent mechanics who need delivery of parts and just pass the cost on to the customer...

the chain hoist was rated for 500 lbs. i used two 2x6's nailed together for a beam, supported by a roof header on one side and some 2x4's with bracing on the other. held it very securily. i would estimate the weight of the whole assembled engine to be around 250 lbs...

i have to say i've been real pleased with the permatex ultragray. easy to find and after 15k miles, i don't see any leaks anywhere - oil pump, oil pan, etc. i think you can use them interchangeably.

i guess i should clarify. mine only overheated once, about 5 minutes after starting the car, the day after a 200 mile drive home. i immediately turned off the car, let it cool, and headed back home. thinking the tstat stuck, i replace it. once i got it running, i took it for a 20 minute highway run then pulled over and checked the expansion tank - bubbles. if i drove locally, it wouldn't bubble. so i only drove locally, with very limited highway. i just checked mileage records, and i put about 800 miles on it before i changed the gasket. i'm pretty sure i caught the leak early and before it became a raging leak...

i drove for about a month with the head gasket blown. didn't push it hard, or drive very far. i checked the coolant level before each day, filled & burped the radiator to add coolant that had been forced out but not pulled back in (since the cooling system had lost pressure). i wasn't doing much highway driving at that point, though.

there is one lift point on the metal part between the alternator and a/c compressor, and there is a lifting ear diagonally back near the bellhousing... these picture don't highlight it, but you can kinda see it...

interesting that they are only reimbursing head gaskets changed at dealerships. many had indies replace them to save money because they never though subaru would own up. that just adds insult to injury...