My wife has a 95 Legacy LS wagon, 2.2, AT, AWD, that's leaking quite a bit from the valve cover gaskets. What junk - it only has 234,000 miles The Haynes book makes it look pretty simple - remove battery and air intake stuff, take off a few bolts, slap it in, then reverse. I know nothing is ever that simple though. Here are my questions.

 

1. The book shows six bolts, but the picture doesn't match with what I see. I see three bolts kind of in the middle where it's stamped "16 Valve". The book shows three on the top, and three on the bottom - maybe their picture is for the 2.5? Anyway, am I right that I'll just need to remove the three 10mm bolts in the middle?

 

2. Given that lots of oil is leaking now, should I expect oil to come pouring out when I open these things up? I use a "Fumoto Valve" for draining the oil, so I suppose I could drain some (or all) of the oil if I need to.

 

3. Is it as straightforward as the book says? Are removing the battery holder and air intake things more difficult than the one line in the book? Do I have to do something special to put in a gasket - I've never done this before. I've done tons of oil changes and replaced a couple of alternators, but not much more than that. Any special rookie mistakes to look out for?

 

Thanks

 

Adam

It is pretty much that simple. I did this recently on my '96 2.2 (same engine) and it is just three bolts along the center line as you describe. I would clean up around the valve covers before you remove them to minimize crap from getting into the valve train.

 

I don't remember removing the airbox, but I did remove the batter for better access. Also remember to change the grommets around those three bolts on either side as they can leak too.

 

Oil won't come pouring out, but you will get some drizzle so a pan or piece of cardboard or something underneath would be a good idea.

 

Will-

Hey Adam,

 

I just did this on my daughters Legacy L wagon. There are only 3 10mm bolts to take off.

 

The passenger side was easiest, no clutter. The drivers side has the windshield washer bottle there, plus the A/C hoses. So it takes longer.

 

No oil came running out. Make sure you put the new O rings on the bolts.

 

Brian

i think you're just seeing the wrong bolts, those are head bolts probably.

 

valve covers are really easy, just start removing the 10mm bolts you see holding them on. remove whatever is in the way to get to them. very simple.

 

draining the oil is pointless as the oil level isn't that high in the pan anyway. they only leak when the car is running and oil is being supplied to the covers, so not much is going to come out, a teaspoon maybe.

 

if you were really worried about it you could jack that side of the car up so the oil runs towards the center of the car, not out. i never do that though.

Thanks for all of the responses. I'm going to order the gaskets today and do it this weekend.

 

Adam

My parts came in today and I'm ready to get greasy tomorrow. It looks like the gaskets have little nubs on one side. They're pretty irregularly spaced and look like they were molded there for a reason. Should the nubs face in or out? Will it just be obvious when I get the valve covers off?

 

Also, ironically enough, the day after my order shipped from subarugenuineparts.com, the ABS relay motor on my wife's legacy started buzzing. Nobody locally carries it. A gentle tap seems to have made the problem go away (for now). I'll clean the contacts, and according to other posts that may take care of it for a while.

 

Adam

I'm parting a 95 sedan now. I'll look and see if it has ABS. I removed the front bumper assy for a lady coming tomorrow to get it. I've never driven the car - the tranny went.

 

The only one I have on the shelf is from a 99 OBW.

Hey guys, I'm needing to do VC gaskets on my 93 Legacy L (2.2)... do you need to use the black silicone gasket sealer on these? Because every bit of info I have found never mentions it, so I'm assuming no?

 

P.S.: Any difference between a Beck/Arnley gasket and a Fel-Pro one?

Edited January 6, 201016 yr by mentis

My parts came in today and I'm ready to get greasy tomorrow. It looks like the gaskets have little nubs on one side. They're pretty irregularly spaced and look like they were molded there for a reason. Should the nubs face in or out? Will it just be obvious when I get the valve covers off?

 

 

 

it was obvous on my 2.5. keep a clean rag handy to cover the valve area since it is easy to have dirt fall in there as you wrangle out the cover. be careful not to overtorque the bolts as you reinstall. 3 ftlbs?

Hey guys, I'm needing to do VC gaskets on my 93 Legacy L (2.2)... do you need to use the black silicone gasket sealer on these? Because every bit of info I have found never mentions it, so I'm assuming no?

 

P.S.: Any difference between a Beck/Arnley gasket and a Fel-Pro one?

 

No gasket sealer on my 2.5 per Cityside Subaru in MA.

Good to know!

Better question is why suggest using rubber sealant on a rubber gasket?! Hate it when people do that. I didn't use oem seals, I bought mine from autopartsway, and didn't use sealant, i just wiped the block surface with a cloth, and cleaned the valve covers with a scrub brush. Year later still no leaks! The kit included the grommets too.

Better question is why suggest using rubber sealant on a rubber gasket?! Hate it when people do that. I didn't use oem seals, I bought mine from autopartsway, and didn't use sealant, i just wiped the block surface with a cloth, and cleaned the valve covers with a scrub brush. Year later still no leaks! The kit included the grommets too.

Sorry, I'm not a mechanic and my experience is limited. Just wanted to make sure I don't do this wrong.

It really wasn't too hard to do, and I'm an IT guy. It probably took me a lot longer than a more experienced mechanic, but I charge myself a low hourly rate.

 

Of course, when I noticed something weird on the test drive my wife (it was her car) informed me that the transmission had been acting weird lately. That led to me to change the transmission fluids (another first for me), and then to have our mechanic put in a used transmission.

 

Happiness after successfully doing valve cover gaskets. Tempered happiness after doing transmission fluid. Unhappiness after paying for used transmission. Real unhappiness with the loud clicking sound it makes now. No leaks from the VCG though!

Sorry, I'm not a mechanic and my experience is limited. Just wanted to make sure I don't do this wrong.

 

lol I mean't other people on the forum suggesting to use sealant

 

Good to hear, and sucks to hear.

Just thought I'd ask this question again, but anybody know if there's a much of a difference between a Back/Arnley gasket and a Fel-Pro one? I figured they're comparable, but the price is a bit different so... yeah.

Gasket kit I bought.

 

http://www.autopartsway.com/autoparts2/index.cfm?fetch=part~ID=1994~Subaru~Legacy%20AWD%20Turbo~240451