I'm doing just the head gaskets on an EJ22 (95 Legacy wagon). Is there any reason to dismantle the heads, or can I leave them all together and just pull them off to check for flatness and swap out the gaskets?

The valve covers do not need to be removed but it makes getting to the head bolts easier.

 

GD

An Ej22 with blown head gaskets? I'd certainly have the heads milled. I'm pretty sure you have to disassemble the head to have it milled.

Thanks, I'm going to have them checked. I guess I will take them apart.

How do you get to the head bolts without taking off the valve covers, rocker arms and cams?

How do you get to the head bolts without taking off the valve covers, rocker arms and cams?

 

On the older SOHC engines all the head bolts are outside the valve cover.

 

I do not dissasemble heads for resurfacing. The shop I take them to doesn't either. Never had any issues. It's much more economical to leave them together - especially for the later SOHC engines that have an RTV sealed cam case.

 

GD

Oh of course the SOHC engine. Thanks, GD.

Did the 22 ever come with DOHC heads?

22B Impreza.

 

GD

Ok, secondary question. I'm trying to put together a parts list, but I want to make sure I'm not missing anything:

 

- Head gaskets

- cam gaskets (the heads are getting rebuilt due to poor vacuum)

- intake & exhaust gaskets

- valve cover gaskets

 

anything else? It had the timing belt & pulleys replaced less than 50k ago.

Water pump been done recently? If it was mine, I would go ahead and put in a new timing belt. You have used up half of its life and they are not that expensive, and you will already have it off. If your machine shop is not providing valve stem seals, you will need them if your heads are being rebuilt.