Looks like my free Legacy has a blown head gasket, since it overheats and there are bubbles in the radiator/puke tank while running. So my question is what all do I need to purchase to tackle this job? I realize I will need a new pair of head gaskets, but what else will I need to do this job right...and where can I easily (and hopefully cheaply) obtain said parts?

Posting the year, engine, and miles might give us a clue....

Posting the year, engine, and miles might give us a clue....

 

The car is a '92 and there are 220k miles on it. I have no idea about the engine, other than it is supposed to be an EJ22...it is N/A. Where should I look for ident numbers?

I'm doing the HGs right now on my 91. I purchased a generic gasket set off eBay (flamesuiton, been using them for years) as well as a new clutch set.

 

You'll be wanting to get your heads resurfaced, and might as well do the timing set and water pump while you're in there. All told (Including the clutch and machine shop work) I'll be less than $500 into everything. If you're pulling the engine, you can do the rear main seal and clutch if you'd like.

 

I didn't want to tackle the job in car since there's very limited clearance.

 

Gasket set

Timing set

Water pump

Coolant

Oil

Ultra grey RTV for the oil pan and oil pump.

Engine assembly lube for the cams.

I prefer OEM for HG's and cam/crank seals and WP gasket.

 

Mos tof us get theimportexperts idler kits and they come with a timing belt. Their cam/crank seals didn't look bad and were brown like OEM on akit I got for a friend.

 

I do accessory belts too since they are aff and new spark plugs.

 

If the engine is out I ALWAYS reseal the baffle plate.

do the cam seals and oil pump. Replace the water pump as it usually fails by 225,000 mi if the original one. The WP could have led to the HG issue.

 

the felpro sets are cheap enough and come with all the frontend seals. There will be fuji made HG's and valve cover grommets. cam seals may be a mixed bag. still better than not doing the seals at all.

That is kind of what I had figured. Looking on Rockauto.com, I notice that it says headbolt replacement required on a bunch of the HG sets...is this true or just a way to get a little more money out of unsuspecting EJ22 noobs? Are they torque-to-yield?

 

Are the Ebay timing belt/idler/WP kits worth it?

 

Is milling the head a requirement?

 

What prices should I be expecting to pay for these necessary items?

 

Sorry guys, I'm completely new to this particular motor and any idiosyncrasies it may have...and I'm hoping this isn't too expensive of a project, as I need a good reliable car to carry my son and I around in.

someone is going to tell you go oem or bust. I am fine with the felpro sets as i have always used them, beacause they were always available.

 

the ej22 has a stretch bolt style torque sequence. you can get new bolts if it makes you feel better, but if you want to take it from me, it is not necessary. I have always gotten by without machining anything. I would think you only need machining if the motor was so hot that it stalled or seized while running. if its a mild overheat i wouln't worry about it

One thing for certain - adjust the valves.

 

Get an ebay timing belt kit -all new pulleys, tensioner pulley, and belt for cheap. Do not reuse those nearly 20 year old pulleys.

 

I prefer OEM for EJ engines. There have been a few Fel-Pro failures in EJ motors, one just recently on Subaruoutback.org. It might be that older Fel-Pro's weren't as good or whatever but given the sensitivity of other EJ/newer gen engines to headgasket issues it's not worth the risk to me. Make your own opinion.

 

I generally resurface but I wouldn't call it necessary, it'll probably hold without a resurface too.

Reuse head bolts. I've never bought new Subaru head bolts. Maybe because the torqueing procedure is probably the most bizarre I've ever done.

 

It seems the 2.2's are less finicky about HG's but I'd still get OEM because they really aren't much more.

what he said - never replace Subaru head bolts, it's a complete waste of time and money. there is no need unless you're too lazy to wipe/clean off the old bolts. i'm not seeing old/crusty EJ headbolts yet, older Gen stuff can be pretty bad, but still nothing a wire drill doesn't wipe out in a couple seconds.

Felpro head gaskets for the early ej22 are the EXACT SAME as dealer parts. I've held both. The felpro part even has the FHI logo stamped on it.

Best price I found on those was $20 each at autozone.

I just had the headgaskets fail in my 94 Legacy as well... I just bought a 92 ej22 with 20 thousand less miles and switched em out.. now that the stock 94 engine is out I am also gonna do a complete re-seal... I just figured having two engines would be fun!

lets remember that our beloved ej22e (90-96) is a composite head gasket and is not prone to the same type of failures as the MLS gaskets in later model ej22 with the spark plugs in the valve covers.

 

The argument between oem or aftermarket would have to be 2 different discussions with 2 different engines.

Rockauto.com has Beck/Arnley kits for about $110. Worth it? I'm trying to keep it under $300 for everything, if possible...

 

Is there a .PDF rip of a FSM available online?

http://www.main.experiencetherave.com/subaru_manual_scans/

 

What's the kit on Rockauto? Timing kit?

http://www.main.experiencetherave.com/subaru_manual_scans/

 

What's the kit on Rockauto? Timing kit?

 

HG kit with valve cover gaskets, intake and exhaust gaskets and a bunch of small round stuff I don't recognize (yet).

 

It is BECK/ARNLEY Part # 0322891 if you want to look. Already bought one of the Ebay timing kits from PCI with water pump, 2 upper idlers, 1 lower idler and tensioner pulley.

 

Also, thank you very much for that link! I'll be leeching all of the files from there.

The head kit looks OK but there are some parts there that I can't identify. A bunch of O-rings some weird kinda square gasket and what looks like valve stem seals? Never known those to be an issue on these engines.

 

Some of the O rings are for the cam caps, one is for the filler tube I think, the others... nothing comes to mind except possibly the wrist pin access plugs, but those are on the block. Maybe they're fuel rail O rings? :-p Dunno.

It's probably worth it. Looks like it has all the major gaskets and seals that need to be replaced. Price looks good, to buy the head gaskets, valve cover gaskets, exhaust and intake gaskets separately would cost around $100. And with the kit you get the cam seals and O-rings as well.

the o rings will be the cam seal on one side, and the distributor block-off ont he back of the other head, 2 for the crossover pipe.

 

usually the bottom end(conversion set) is sold separately(felpro) and that will have o rings for the dipstick, oil pump, and pickup tube