EJ25d finally joined the crowd.

[PAJ]

Yep. I was blessed but now I'm cursed. Right after swapping my tranny out for another junkyard special, a headgasket pooped out after only a week of happiness with my 98 Legacy OB that has 263k.

 

When I did a routine check on my radiator it was like I was in a Reeces peanut butter cup commercial: "Hey, there oil in my radiator and where did most of my antifreeze go? WTF? There's quarts of antifreeze in my oil" I tried "Bars" and other products with some success, but not enough to keep her from still blowing bubbles. Forget Thermaseal. I'd rather put the money towards another engine.

 

 

I'd do the HGs but dontcha think that after all those miles I'll be pulling every seal and replacing every component in sight, costing me mucho bucks that I don't have? I'm also worried that those quarts of antifreeze in my crankcase wore every bearing down while I was blissfully ignorant. Besides that, it's too bloody COLD to be working out there in January!

 

So, enough jocularity and on to my question; Should I see a 97-98 boneyard EJ22 in my future or chance just doing a head gasket, front seals and timing belt? Also, do I REALLY need to send my heads out to a shop???

 

Thanx.

[idosubaru]

if oil and coolant are mixing i wouldn't use the block. these engines don't typically mix oil and coolant, so i'd consider it hosed. your affinity for additives would persuade me to move on to another engine too.

 

but if you can do the labor, it's not like headgaskets are all that expensive. there are dealers that do not resurface the heads, so while i don't recommend it there's plenty out there that haven't been done.

 

be sure to only use subaru headgaskets on this engine.

Edited January 21, 2011 by grossgary

[davebugs]

Antifreeze in the oil - it's junk.

 

May last long enough to do a bunch of work and get another 1k out of it - but it's junk.

 

Bearings don't like anti-freeze and the rod bearings in that engine are hardly the poster child for sturdy bearings.

[Ionlyhave3suubs]

I am linking to a thread that may be helpful for you. You can learn from my mistakes, free of charge.

 

Best of luck!

 

Hope things work out better for you than they did for me.

 

I would be hesitant to put money into the engine you have without a complete re-build. I would be worried about that engine though. The oil and antifreeze mixing doesn't sound good at all.

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=119154&highlight=hate

 

Note post #4 in this thread also. It links to a duplicate of the same thread (don't know how that happened) that has some additional info.

[PAJ]

Many thanks, oh sages of Subies. Lotza good sad info.

 

I figured as much after browsing some of the threads but was clinging to the slim hope that I could work on the engine at my leisure and eventually have a spare, all be it a worn one. I had the Stop Leak crap lying around on a shelf for a decade or so and didn't think it could make things any worse. Of course that was before I read what it can do to the water pump etc, and now if it's getting into the crankcase...holy Shamokin!

 

I'll shoot for an EJ20 and do the timing belt assembly n plugz before I slap er back in. FINALLY I can change the plugs without cursing out the Japanese! At least I don't have to do the DOHC replacement now.

 

I'll miss the :Flame:power but ride easier knowing now that my rear will likely go before anything up front.

 

: )

Edited January 21, 2011 by PAJ

[Suba9792]

Time for an EJ22 swap, GD did one in a Legacy GT and I have had the privilege of driving it for a few days, the gearing from the GT made the 2.2 seem like it had the 2.5. I'd also assume the same would be for the OB.