idosubaru

Yes we all know that. The person that started this thread sounds like he’s doing the job himself - so shops rates don’t matter here. If he has concerns or questions he would ask.

Those plugs get sealant from the factory but that looks sloppier than most. At this age it’s not a bad idea to install new valve cover gaskets and spark plugs so you don’t have to think about it again for a 100k miles. Address those while it’s out. That being said they aren’t hard to do in the vehicle if you don’t want to. Definitely do the spark plugs now. They’re annoying in the vehicle and the stock plugs are so good they last a loooomg time. 100k easily. Valve covers can go either way. Would you rather have down time now or later? How frugal are you. How annoyed will you be if you have to do them later…lots of variables.

We never got that. RX only means old Gen EA82 here. I’ve confused US make/model/year or engine cutoffs with yours before.

Drill the TC bolts out to remove TC from engine. No need to split block though with a hole you can bash it all apart if you want and can get it to separate and turn over Lift transmission from the rear and tilt the front down at as steep of an angle as you can. Hang that thing nearly upside down if you have an engine lift and don’t let the tc tube hit you in the face. 10x easier than fishing it out.

In the US an RX is another old Gen EA82T like the XT. I don’t know the legacy equivalent but it would be very confusing for a newb here since that is an old Gen model here and new Gen for you.

Excellent. I’ve bought a few Subarus from Florida and Georgia for that reason. my current daily driver is from there. Timing belt - what brand and did they replace the lower pulley? That lower cogged pulley fails more than the belt. If it fails it’ll bend valves and need another engine or valve repair for as much as you’re currently spending for the car. I’ve bought Subarus with EJ25s (engine in that 2000 outback) for pennies with blown pulleys, some with brand “new” timing parts that were cheap brands. “New” timing belt is nice marketing but low grade sales tactic. I’d ask what brand and if the pulleys were replaced. That pulley is $35-$50 from Subaru and can be replaced in an hour. So you could easily do it yourself or have someone do it later too. I always just install a new Subaru belt and pulley on one even if it’s got a new belt to make sure it’s got a new pulley and Subaru branded belt. Dayco and other belts ocasssionally fail - and that also bends valves. AT is automatic transmission. check headgaskets too - that engine was under an extended headgasket warranty by Subaru 7 years 100,000 miles due to that issue. $1,500+ repair. The original factory gaskets leak coolant at the rear lower corners of the head to block mating surface. so it’s easy to spot if you can get some light snd eyes back there. Good chance theyve already been replaced though. In which case I’d be trying to determine who did the job and what gaskets were used.

rust - avoid like plague Timing belt and clogged idler need to be new Subaru. $100 and an hour to replace. manual trans of this age are likely to need clutch. total miles on vehicle ? High mile MTs are prone to sloppy synchros popping out of gear and more if fluid wasn’t changed. Make sure it shifts well and stays in all gears while driving. AT is more reliable by a mile in Subaru world. if their check out it’s worth a look I

It’s a bad fit for EJs and really any vehicle with significant value which a 2010 Subaru should be. price varies on geographic area,shop, parts used, what’s included. $2,500-$3,500 would be an average.

Indeed! ‘Probably’ Hahahhaa. Lol

Smart. I don't know. I do almost exclusively Subaru but I have done a couple other manufacturers head jobs. There's two heads and they're horizontal so they're not easy/veritically mounted right on top like some and there's twice as many as a vehicle with one head. But there are no special tools required and nothing is tricky like some vehicles have impossible to access bolt/cranks due to cramming those transverse mounted engines against strut towers. So it depends what you're comparing it too. Most people pull the engine, it's tricky to do in the engine compartment but can be done if you unbolt the motor mounts (2 14mm nuts - easy) and jack up each side as you're working on it to tilt it so the head is somewhat "up". Lift drivers side, work on it, lift passengers side and work on it. It's certainly nice to not pull the engine for some people. Use Subaru gasket, resurface the heads, clean and lubricate and probably torque the head bolts. Install a Subaru timing belt ($70) and lower cogged idler ($30) from Subaru, check the timing tensioner for oil around the seal (if it's wet replace the tensioner) (or just get a complete timing kit with all new pulleys and tensioner). New valve covers are smart while it's apart. Then you're good for another 100k with minimal maintenance. Then add a bottle of Subaru's coolant conditioner - they "require" it. Although I don't think GD even uses it when he does a HG job. Overflows are old and dirty I don't like to assume to much from them. A rubber seal on a radiator cap can degrade and get flakey and end up with black particulate matter in the overflow...etc. That's a horrible suggestion. These engines usually don't respond well and can still overheat without a thermostat. Also the coolant flow often gets disturbed and you loose cabin heat anyway when they start overheating because it's not cycling through properly - basically the same thing that makes the thermostat trick not work also makes the cabin heat not work. Also I've pulled heads that were driven for a couple months with bad headgaskets like that and they will wear the metal on the head down like water wears down rocks. You'll have a smooth, valley of warn metal where the head gasket breech is if you drive it long enough like that. Right by the combustion chamber will be wide and it'll chamfer down to a rounded point. Avoiding additives and blue devil is a good idea. The Subaru Coolant Conditioner works 100% of the time on initial overheats of factory installed gaskets....but this isn't an initial overheat and I didn't want to mention it unless we confirmed an external coolant leak - that's the only condition for which this will work. If it's leaking internally it's a waste of time, effort, and coolant.

It's common for A/C to quit working when a car is overheating. I've never even thought about it but I assume it's by design (A/C cuts off to protect engine) or the heat load is too much for the A/C condenser to operate properly. Probably head gaskets but i'd still monitor for coolant loss and see if you can determine if it's external or internal.

Exactly. Buying from Subaru favors some people and situations, and chasing the aftermarket moving target is worth the effort sometimes too. I tried last month for an OEM Subaru wheel bearing from a supplier I've purchased from before and gotten OEM...and it wasn't OEM. You win some, you loose some. A parts seller can change who supplies a gasket for a given vehicle. Subaru, Mahle, or any company, doesn't necessarily make all their own headgaskets. They might make none of their own gaskets and fill their catalog with various suppliers. Or they may make some gaskets and contract with other companies to supply the rest, so they have a full catalog to show prospective large scale partners. Part manufacturers can also make changes that impact the products, such as move a manufacturing plant from Country A to Country B for example. Not surprisingly, this usually reduces quality. I assume because companies make international moves for financial reasons not product quality reasons. The part could be supplied by a different manufacturer over time, or the same manufacturer can supply the part but incur changes along the way like the international example. Knowing all that, you can still dig into aftermarket and sometimes end up with OEM parts, or good substitutes, with some effort. As Subaru grows and it's platforms like the EJ have longevity - I imagine parts sourcing and available quality should improve. In the 2000's and earlier I remember buying seals that physically were too big to install or they'd leak, and getting 4 cylinder parts when I ordered 6 cylinder part numbers. Those days are gone and I imagine other parts snafu's fade over time as well, as Subaru grows.

You could have had a leak. After all those limping along overheating events you may have a leak or headgasket issues or both. You can do this now too - proper approach first overheat event would have been: 1. top off radiator and overflow tank 2. Monitor coolant level daily or every couple days to see if it’s loosing coolant *without overheating*. That would indicate a leak. You want to determine if it’s: A: overheating when it gets low on coolant B: randomly overheating. if you just wait for it to overheat you have no idea if it’s due to A or B. Monitor coolant level over time. It can always be low after running hot due to the coolant put the overflow. That doesn’t tell you anything meaningful.

Totally expected that better parts suppliers, like Mahle, would source from the better manufacturers - some occasionally have OEM in their packaging. I've seen that before as well.

Post your actual code(s). P??? Any other codes, or just one? Check for vacuum leaks and all vacuum hoses around the intake manifold, air filter, air intake hose. PCV system hoses are prone to cracking. Is it getting reasonable gas mileage and driving okay?

Yes higher fail rate. I only do Subaru's and sometimes these types of things impact a small (particularly small 10-20 years ago) company like Subaru more than big players like Toy, GM, etc. Sometimes you don't get the same part when ordering two of the same part number from the same auto parts company. I've seen Subaru headgaskets with the same part number, from the same company - be manufactured by different companies. GD has described before that companies fill their catalogs with other manufacturers so they have an exhaustive coverage, and this supply chain can change. I assume his explanation is why I've seen it before, but I don't know. I may be mis-remembering but I'm almost positive I've bought two Subaru head gaskets at the same time/same part number/from same company and they were notably different suppliers. If not the same order it was less than a year apart. That moving target isn't worth trying to keep tabs on. Which makes feedback from others difficult. I don't care what 2 rando's did a time or two, particularly on a headgasket. But you drive down the rockies sans hitchpin (joking, it was an unknown, not on purpose). Your chances are decent at getting by with a decent brand gasket. A number of folks have had Fel Pro's play nice on EJ25's even a couple folks doing a signficant number of them. The Ebay specials are notorious for lasting less than a year, although I have seen reasonable brands send some wonky gaskets that I didn't use a couple times.

Why an XT? Meeting in the middle may be wise - get a daily driver and have an XT project car you can drive after some experience/work. Don't plan on a 30 year old car being reliable if that matters. It can't be improved. Retrofitting airbags and addressing design considerations is enormously complex, and I hate to use words you won't understand but "your parents are right". Parts availability is highly problematic as well. Wow that makes me think a bit about my old vehicles. Crazy.

The stock OEM plugs are great! I love never thinking about them. Tune ups are a thing of the past! Slight exaggeration. All the 100k H6 plugs I’ve pulled look awesome. Besides coloration from use in a combustion chamber they barely show any wear after 100k. Can’t say that about EJ plugs. EJ plugs I change all the time and they’re a first thought with any performance or misfire issues. Those 6s are awesome I ignore them until about 100k when I consider…maybe…some day…when it’s real convenient….changing them. Ive seen countless Subaru 4s with misfires from plugs and wires. I’ve never seen it once with the H6s. I’m sure it happens but it’s not common. They’re pricey but as far as longevity and fewer plug change jobs, the stock plugs are awesome and worth way more than the premium price tag.

You didn’t ask which 4 it is. You asked if it’s a 253. You never said you saw the car. For all I know a friend texted and you’ve never seen the car and have never worked on an H6. Ive had friends multiple times not know if their car is a 4 or 6 cylinder.

The stock NGK plugs for the H6 are like 100k iridiums. I’ve never seen plug issues and pulled them at 100k and they look like new. Run them. replace idler snd serpentine pulley bearings now and every 60k or so check or replace them.

i don't know about the CA stuff.

There were H6's in 2006. If the timing cover bolts (100 of them - 60 external and 40 innternal) are rusty they can be hellacious to remove. Reuse the headbolts unless they're rusty or beat to ()!%*. Aftermarket has very low chance of being similar materials and workmanship from the smelting furnace and manufacturing plant. Subaru OEM head gaskets only. A reasonable number of reputable folks install Fel Pro and I've used them on older Subaru's rarely, so I'd consider them if someone begged me to. but I wouldn't use any other brand without verifying the manufacturer of origin (not counting the rare times I've needed special thickness gaskets from those custom thickness gasket suppliers like cometic or whoever it was). Resurface the heads every time. "Checking for flatness" is an archaic waste of time

You mean all 7 billion people can't consume and throw away cheap new cars every 4 years, appliances, toys, house wares, decorations, like consumeristic Americans with a zero carbon foot print? You have no faith. HAHAHHAA!!!

Lifts can be installed at the strut and nothing else. So it should work. 2” is the limit. 1. is yours more than 2”? 2. are both sides doing the same thing or just one? 3, I’d be tempted to disassembled the inner axle joint and make sure the bearings didn’t get pulled past the circlip or otherwise displaced. That’s the next thing I’m going to try on mine There are front spacers or the engine cradle is different I think to drop the engine/trans and reduce the cv angle. The one I had (am having) issues with feels rigidly fixed like it can’t push the knuckle all the way into the strut. I’ve installed these same components on the same model vehicle before without issue and tried 3 different axles - different year, model and OEM and aftermarket. Nothing changed. Normally a 2” strut lift should install just fine with no issues and no spacers. But no one was able to suggest or figure out or had my issues either so I’m not sure what happened.

Sell it before it gets rustier. I’m always interested in XTs…auto or manual, post a picture, does it run, what state are you in?