I noticed increased oil consumption one or two weeks before, in it was the only ever oil consumption I had seen.

Later I had a failed valve and guide.

SUBARU replaced both heads and repacked them with my old components.

 

Apparently right and left side head are made on the same line and that there is only external machining that separates the two.

So if there is a flaw in one there is likely a flaw in both.

 

Flash forward several months and the car runs great!

 

The only other thing I might have noticed as a predictor was that highway power seemed to float extremely gently.

 

I now realize that if I had a stuck valve and it was burning and then released enough temperature to eject the valve guide this might have been exactly what happened to my car.

 

My Big question is why was there a remarkable change in oil consumption many days before?

Edited December 20, 201015 yr by subaruplatt

When the valve gets hot it can damage the stem seal and of course the guide had failed causing increased oil flow into the area beneath the valve face.... thus increased oil consumption.

 

GD

Like GD said.

 

In the field we call that increase oil consumption "Impending Doom".