idosubaru

they are great (keep reading) engines and capable of (keep reading) many reliable miles......keep reading.... verify that they've never been overheated, run low on oil and coolant. if you can't then you'll have to gamble that the lower end and headgaskets are good. or install new headgaskets and resurface the heads to be done with that. Then ensure they won't puke oil or coolant: then replace all the coolant hoses and gaskets, and reseal the engine, use Subaru OEM intake manifold gaskets. reseal engine - cam seals, oil pump seal/oring/gasket, cam cap orings, cam towers, cam tower reinforced oring (be sure to use the newer metal reinforced kind from subaru not the earlier 85-ish plain rubber oring), and don't play and overboost it. verify the turbo is good or just rebuild/replace it so it doesn't puke out it's guts. The turbo's go KABOOM, or compromise gaskets/bearings quick if overheated or run low on oil. they generate a lot of additional heat and are less forgiving if any coolant or oil loss happens. after a quarter+ century all engines have a high propensity of oil or coolant leaks/failures and these vehicles aren't worth enough to lend themselves to meticulous maintenance. so to that end - they are scary and unreliable due to age, not inherent issues. they also don't hold up to heavy use - they're a weak platform, not good head, intake, engine control...it's all weak, so they're not great performing and don't hold up well to people pushing them - driving hard and upping the boost. get a known good engine that hasn't been overheated/run low on oil (hard to do) and replace all that wear stuff - and you're good to go.

With such a short time frame and given how these engines can initially have symptoms spread out over long intervals, there's a significant chance the car had an issue prior to this and was immediately sold because of it. But circumstantial and who knows...so it doesn't matter now. Yes sounds like typical EJ25D headgasket failure. Simply, obvious tests should be done first though to make sure. Bleed coolant, Subaru OEM thermostat, no leaks. yes - you definitely want the 610 gasket for this engine. 11044AA610 not sure why they would give you anything else. if you told them a 1996 manual or they inputed a manual trans, for 1996 that would be an EJ22 engine. not sure what you mean by suction cups for the heads, but it's real simple. get your flat machinist grade granite or glass lying on something smooth, cement the sandpaper to it and do your work. it's really easy. i wouldn't play with chamfering holes i don't think that's going to matter or alleviate the underlying causes of EJ25D headgasket woes. you're approaching the job right and are likely to have many more reliable miles.

that's what i'm thinking - toss wheels on it and you're done. but i'm thinking the lugs aren't available either to attach the wheel too?

you said the spindles are trashed from beeting on it - just lower the car onto the ground or something worth trashing up and pull it out with another car. install axles into hub temporarily (but not trans) and roll it out with wheels. lower the front of the car onto something, a dolly a ..anything, and just pull it out - without the engine trans it shouldn't be that hard to move around? http://www.harborfreight.com/1000-lb-capacity-mini-movers-dolly-60497.html pick it up with the 3 point hitch of a tractor and drag it out. got an engine lift - yank the front of the car up and try carefully sliding it out via that. got a come along...

+1

i had it happen and left it like that, i think i just cut/ripped it off and forgot about it. lots of timing components have no lips and with the wrap around the oil pump i would have zero concerns about it causing any issues. if you remove the oil pump a 1" socket (a "12" point so to speak) fits over the rotor on the back side and holds it in place to remove the nut. they can be a bear to remove otherwise. a rubber strap wrench would work if there's room to place and hold it.

west coast still lasts longer - because it only rusts from one side instead of both, LOL? my west coast original XT6 and OBW exhausts are in great shape still. 170k, i don't really look for low mileage, but i'm interested and have been in contact with this one owner XT6 with 2x,xxx miles should this guy ever want to sell it. this is a pic i took when i met him one day, small pic but the car is perfect as far as i can tell. i use mine and put it to work, i don't deserve one like that, not too worried about it.

rusts from the inside - from salt? western exhausts hold up much better than out here, i thought it was because of salt again? Great, twice the coal for me!! because you don't like XT6's, CA, or me? lol

yes with the harness disconnected the trans should drive in 3rd gear and "locked" 4WD - which would verify the components are working properly mechanically. you sound like you know what you're doing, sounds like yo'ure on the right track. could probably test the Duty C electrically.

tons of people use them and love them. reduced risk of cross threading and mis-tigthening or forgetting to retighten. lots of people are afraid of hitting something or otherwise compromising oil. a plug has one possible leak/failure point, the valve has two - "twice" the risk a person focused on points of failure might say. they're very common and you can simply google it. take your pick which group you're in. i don't use them, i have too many vehicles to bother.

howdy Mike, it's the only vacuum line going from the intake manifold to the brake booster. In this pic it's the hose that begins by the arrow line to the left of "Brake" And the word "Booster" has a gray line just under and to the left of the "B" in the word Booster - that line is touching the vacuum hose. http://beergarage.com/imgs/Suby/Lift/07.jpg The check valve that gets moisture and freezes is inside that hose. Only requires pliers and blowing some WD-40 down there. Sometimes it won't work or is intermittent and replacing the hose with valve might be a good idea to be done with it if the price is palatable.

and exhaust? how do we prep that? i got a rust free XT6 from CA i'd like to keep the exhaust in decent shape. i can't believe how clean it is. and i have an exhaust system for my 2002 OBW i got from CO i'd like to keep clean that's already got surface rust after one winter.

EJ25D's are more likely to experience a second blown headgasket again before 100k than Phase II's. i'm not sure how prevalent it is, but it is an issue and enough of one that i would simply start with a different engine if there is a choice, which there is here.

Swap the center diff - no need to drop the transmission, save yourself a bunch of work. It's just the rear extension housing that needs to come off/get swapped. And - I'd rather keep the known good trans. subaru manuals are decent enough but they can have warn synchro's and input shaft bearings and input shaft seals...best to keep yours if it's known good.

great, glad the tool trick worked, good job!

If you're OBW came with 15" rims you may be limited in front caliper size, 15" wheels won't clear larger front brakes. if you're 16" you're golden. Almost all Subaru brakes are interchangeable, so you should be able to buy whatever you want and bolt them right up if you get the caliper brackets and complete assemblies to go with it. here's one of the better starting points for brake questions like this: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1265631 unsure on master cylinder, but as long as it has the same number/size outputs it should be golden. they may have difference electrical plugs too for the "low level" or brake light in the dash sensor thing.

Ask first probably. depends on various years, models, etc too. Or just start a thread for your specific vehicle and we can give a run down. A couple very general "rules": Beck Arnley and made in JAPAN are good starting points for finding an aftermarket supplied OEM part. Subaru seals are preferred, or use brown engine seals - not black ones is generally a good rule. The harder it is to replace the less chances I want to take. If I'm replacing a Torque Converter seal, saving $2.32 cents for something that requires removing the engine or trans is kind of silly in my book. If someone wants to use an aftermarket valve cover gasket...not a very big deal, easy fix, and rather benign, not likely to leave you stranded.

Probably part of it., they do protrude out of the block..and the thin cylinder walls and "movement" between block and head. Quite a few specific threads about that exact discussion, those interested could read through those threads.

they're good. but the EJ25D blows headgaskets. Ivansimports does gobs of Ej25's at his shop - they even resurface the block and he says...like most of us have seen...repeat failures happen on EJ25D's. done right they should last but they're going to be lower percentage than every other Subaru engine ever made. how much lower is anyone's guess. not enough to be alarmed about, but enough to make an informed and good decision.

good deal and in a subaru heavy market like denver at the onset of winter, nice hit. enjoy and feel free to drop in when a dealer tries to sell you their overpriced marketing inflated "30,000 mile service package". follow the owners manual for best service/value, not the service manager. enjoy!

For the same price you could get into a newer vehicle - probably an H6 which is a fantastic engine: http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/cto/4274883174.html Or yeah, hold out for an EJ22. Or hold out for one with a blown motor - they should be priced $1,000 or less: http://boston.craigslist.org/nos/cto/4257145313.html they're asking too much and i doubt it'll sell unless winter and temporarily rich tax return people jump on it. $1,000 car (i wouldn't pay that much unless it's rust free and great shape) $350 used EJ22 - $650 to install it and a new timing belt kit, You're in a fantastic vehicle capable of another reliable 120,000 miles for $2,000 or less. That's the best option and what I would do. I bought mine EJ25D vehicle, sold the engine years ago when they were worth a lot more and installed a $150 junkyard EJ18...car ended up being nearly free and i got a better end product - more reliable, cheaper, easier to maintain.

I'd hold out for an EJ22 or Phase II EJ25. A phase I EJ25D isn't all that bad but at the same time you're looking at the worst engine Subaru ever made. If you're trying to make the best possible purchase for reliability/longevity that's the worst starting point, bar none. 1.Yes Subaru came out with the 610 headgasket that's updated and better - but Phase I EJ25's have repeat failures, not uncommon at all. Forum members here who work on a lot of them, own/work at a shop (GD and Ivansimports), say just plan on future replacements. That's for guys that know *the best* way to approach this block. 2. When EJ25's fail they overheat, that is their failure mode. So if you're buying one that's been repaired - you know for a fact that it's overheated. How much..who is to say, maybe benign small amounts. Maybe a lot. 3. The latter is often the case - because of the way they randomly overheat, can do it once a month at first, and there's no way to "limp" it home...like add more coolant, etc - that means often they are driven too much/too hot "i'll just get off the interstate, i'll make it home, i'll get to that parking lot...". Severe overheats are common with EJ25D's and lower end bearing failures are common too. You're better off finding an Outback with a blown EJ25 and having an EJ22 swapped in it's place. Easy, more reliable, more buying options, and frankly better cars - you can get outbacks with a few extra amenities/trim stuffs. If you're still amped at getting the car, 1. verify that Subaru gaskets were used - or verify/ask if something else was used before purchase. it is possible to see the headgasket edge sticking out between the head/block mating surface so that might tell us something. 2. it would be nice to know the heads were resurfaced

green inner cups. google images and look at a few subaru axles. http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/7243/axle1.jpg at least you can simply splice the two heater core hoses together and drive it immediately! although that's very odd for Subaru's to have heater core failure, so hopefully it's not somethign more ominous. great engine! that's an interference engine - get all new timing kit on there, Gates kits are only $120-$130 on rockauto or amazon for new pulleys, tensioner, belt. the old pulleys are always devoid by grease by now. the new style tensioners are weak and prone to failure too.

welcome and enjoy the subaru. first one? Hope you've gotten over the transition? BMW's are well trimmed, perform excellent, novelty machines. It's easy for BMW owners to dislike Subaru's. Subaru's are not typically known for any of that. BMW's are ahead of the game, Subaru's generally lag a little. But for 250,000 mile performance, reliability, practicality, ease/expensive of maintenance a Subaru typically shines (unless you let a dealer or mechanic rope you into repairs a lot, then all bets are off no matter what brand you get). this board is probably one of the best in terms of highly technical mechanical, repair, maintenance, and other technical and practical questions. if you want Subaru specific experienced responses to technical/practical questions this place is my favorite. Other forums like subaruoutback.org, legacygt, nasioc offer good info in a more social format...more social format also comes with more anecdotal, less accurate commentary and armchair quarterbacks too, so their less desirable in that regard.

definitely don't touch that thing when cold. i've broken a zillion hoses. at 10+ years all the rubber is prone to crack anyway, definitely get it up to good temps, even then they're prone to crack.