Your choice, but listen to what davebugs is saying. The copper spray is what did it for me--that's considered a no-no here. And what about the heads, you'd be foolish to do a HG job and not send them out to a machine shop for checking and resurfacing.

dear davebugs, im listening to ya bro..thanks man...

Edited February 19, 201115 yr by alvaro quinonez

There is lots of good info here about doing the job.

 

The "skipnospam" link is one of my favorites and probably the best available now that endwrench is gone.

 

Now threads about folks that'll show up and do the job for 200 bucks - those are rare - and should be. Cause it ain't gonna end pretty.

 

Threads and writeups on how to do it properly are all around if you search.

 

If I were still traveling to Woodstock VA with regularity I'd offer a hand. Although this accident has me pretty busted up at the moment.

 

Do it right. OEM gaskets, have heads checked, I always pull the engine, crnak/cam seals, WP, idlers TB and acessory belts, spark plugs, reseal baffle plate, etc.

 

Lots of folks start out cheap. And if they don't realize what that actually is gonna cost them - well - atleast it's entertainment for the rest of us.

 

Find someone here or the instructions here and do it yourself. Please search a bit on your own. As you see there are lots of folks here to assist you along. But it goes better if you've done some of the investigation yourself.

 

Good luck.

 

Hey - I posted in a thread I said I was done posting in! Sorry. But atleast the outlook is looking better.

My dad had a friend (mechanic) stop by. He made me put the car back together. He started the car and said it definitley was not the head gasket. He removed the thermostat and left it out. The car ran perfect (no more overheating). I am pissed because I believe removing the thermostat is not solving the problem. I am going to go to the Subaru Dealership to buy a thermostat from them according to my vin.

You're gonna get yourself in a jamb.

 

But your dad's friend is probably wrong. You'll just have to tie up time and money until they come around. Unfortunate.

 

 

Subaru HG's are weird. No white smoke, pass a compression check. Unless this guy actually knows Subaru's he's just clueless/ignorant, with all due respect.

 

Until the "grownups" figure it out you're screwed. But they are gonna be like little kids. You apparently gotta let them figure it out on their own. You'll just be the one paying the price.

 

And you had the answer and the fix all along...

 

And you should never say "I told you so" to your elders because they mean well.

You're gonna get yourself in a jamb.

 

But your dad's friend is probably wrong. You'll just have to tie up time and money until they come around. Unfortunate.

 

 

Subaru HG's are weird. No white smoke, pass a compression check. Unless this guy actually knows Subaru's he's just clueless/ignorant, with all due respect.

 

Until the "grownups" figure it out you're screwed. But they are gonna be like little kids. You apparently gotta let them figure it out on their own. You'll just be the one paying the price.

 

And you had the answer and the fix all along...

 

And you should never say "I told you so" to your elders because they mean well.

 

lol so true man i wish you told me this earlier, he was getting mad when i tried to put input on some things. Yea that is crazy how the HG displays its problems. I think the best move is to sell the car now as is and avoid the risk. when you say pass compression check do you mean that a test for problem gases in my coolant may fail?

Edited February 24, 201115 yr by alvaro quinonez

lol so true man i wish you told me this earlier, he was getting mad when i tried to put input on some things. Yea that is crazy how the HG displays its problems. I think the best move is to sell the car now as is and avoid the risk. when you say pass compression check do you mean that a test for problem gases in my coolant may fail?

 

The combustion gas test of the coolant will confirm the leaking HGs. The Phase I 2.5L head gasket failure is different from other engines that exhibit HG failures in that the 2.5L Phase I engine will initially start blowing exhaust gases into the cooling system that will overflow the overflow reservoir. This empties the cooling system and lets the engine overheat.

 

There is a chemical test kit at NAPA and other auto parts stores for about $50 that will confirm the presence of exhaust gases in the coolant. That is proof positive that the HGs are bad.

Testing the coolant will tell. But I don't know if they'd still realize the problem.

 

What I meant was that on most cars when HG's go they either burn white (coolant into the combustion chamber) or can be diagnosed by a compression check. Most compression checks are done with the engine cold - especially on aluminum engines. Odds are real good your car will pass this test as well.

 

So as stated, no "classic" HG issues like most cars.

 

Subaru's are different when it comes to HG's - what else can we say?

 

Good luck.

^^^ This is so very true with subarus in their unique design.

 

They are also tricky to bleed, that when the radiator is full, there could be an air pocket in the engine. This will be true with combustion into the coolant ans it pushes coolant out and forms the bubble, and then you beleed it again until it does it again.

 

I have had better than 75% results with a block sealer, the 'liquid glass kind"

 

according to the information on this forum, i would suiggest using the subaru cooling conditioner from the deale, and replace the thermostat, and executing the coolant fill/bleed procedure described in this forum search results.

 

replacing a head gasket would be more of a permanent fix, as the gasket has been revised, and any new one you buy would sumercede the one in your car

the combustion gas test of the coolant will confirm the leaking hgs. The phase i 2.5l head gasket failure is different from other engines that exhibit hg failures in that the 2.5l phase i engine will initially start blowing exhaust gases into the cooling system that will overflow the overflow reservoir. This empties the cooling system and lets the engine overheat.

 

There is a chemical test kit at napa and other auto parts stores for about $50 that will confirm the presence of exhaust gases in the coolant. That is proof positive that the hgs are bad.

 

cool thanks mike

yup my pops is indeed running into problems. when he starts the car you can hear a breif (1-3 sec) soft volume tap tap tap tap tap and the whole car shakes to the tapping. Then when i brake the car it does not brake smooth it shifts forward in a light unsteady motion. I told my pops "sell it while it is still alive!"