Greetings!

 

I have a chance to buy a '99 Outback with manual transmission and 150k miles. It's in great shape except, of course, it doesn't have any compression because of the blown head gaskets. As long as I'd have the engine out, what else should I consider replacing? Considering it's relatively low mileage, would it be worth it to do all the bearings, rings, etc. or just deal with the heads? Is there anything in particular on this model that causes problems? He's asking $2000, which seems a bit high, but I'm pretty sure that's negotiable.

STOP!

 

In my experoence rarely will the typical 2.5 DOHC HG cause much of a compression issue. Infact that along with not making a cloud of white smoke is how most mechanics miss the classic Subaru HG problem.

 

Please update your profile with a useful location.

 

Not saying it may not be worth buying but it may NOT be a HG problem, or not JUST a HG probelm.

 

If it's been overheated repeatedly it's junk - think 2.2 swap. Don't spend time or money into that 2.5 because it's just a matter of time until the rod bearings go.

 

And FYI I'd pay about 1k for that car around here mostly depending on the rust.

I have just been down this road of experience. My wife ruined the 2.5 motor in our 98 Subaru by "driving on" when it blew a head gasket.

 

The problem is......you don't know how much, or how far the car was driven when the motor was over heating. If driven over heated for a long period of time, the aluminum block warps, the oil gets cooked, and stops lubricating the engine. What remains is not enough left to rebuild the motor.

 

I elected to have a shop install a 2.2 motor that I bought from a wrecking yard for $400. My "new" motor runs well, and was guaranteed, when I bought it.

 

With a bad motor, a 99 Outback is worth about $800 to $1,000.

the rod berings are to small and very weak replacing them whould be a very good idea i do a oil preshure check must be above 10 psi hot at idle or it gets berrings normal is 30-20 psi ten is absulute lowest and yes this moter is a problem moter

99 has the 52mm rod bearings - that is the exception to the 25D rules. It's a much better engine.

 

No compression probably means burned or bent valves. It's about $500 to rebuild a set of those heads. So understand that you are most likely going to be into this job for $1000 in parts and machine work.

 

GD

99 has the 52mm rod bearings - that is the exception to the 25D rules. It's a much better engine.

 

No compression probably means burned or bent valves. It's about $500 to rebuild a set of those heads. So understand that you are most likely going to be into this job for $1000 in parts and machine work.

 

GD

 

Better to replace engine with a known good one.

Better to replace engine with a known good one.

 

I agree. I would do a 2.2 in it. And if the bottom end of that 99 25D is any good it can be sold for a frankenmotor candidate to offset the cost of the replacement 22.

 

GD

generally not cost effective to get into the lower bearings/short block of a subaru. there are usually far better and more cost effective options for most people.

Thanks guys! - lots of good points to consider there. Sounds like quite a different beast than my no-nonsense '93 LS. I was kind of dreaming about the heated seats, though. Was the '99 an oddity or were the next few years also troublesome?

The 99 was the last of the DOHC 2.5's with the internal HG leak.

 

Generally in 2000 they started with 2.5 SOHC's that leak externally.

 

You can link a SOHC along for a while without really hurting it if you pay attention.