my 1990 Legacy just busted the 300K and i do know

the head gasket has popped like over a year ago

just keep putting block sealer in it seems to do ok

i am thinking about putting new gaskets in it do you

think that is all i will need to do or is there any thing 

else i should do as well?

and will i need to do head bolts at the same time?

thanks

you don't replace headbolts on Subaru's.

 

if you've driven it a year with blown headgaskets i don't know that i would even bother doing them at this point. 

though EJ22's are on the easy side.

 

sealer doesn't do good things to vehicles and it sounds like it's had a steady regimen of it. 

when driven for awhile with blown  headgaskets the aluminum wears away at the breach, so there could be damage to the head and/or block.

 

i don't ever recommend using block sealer of any kind, it's never a good repair - but at this point why not just keeping dumping it in and limping it along?

 

if you do it, find the thread on how to resurface your own heads, it's really easy and should be done.

You should replace the bolts ONLY if they are excessively corroded. I am only suggesting this if the engine has had a bad head gasket for so long. Otherwise, it is common practice to re-use them as it is not necessary to replace them. I can only recall one head bolt failure reported here, and that was due to corrosion. 

 

Otherwise take a wire wheel to them and clean them up, and oil the threads upon installation

good point miles - they can get corroded really bad.  they aren't meant to be replaced, but if they're bad enough it might be worth it or save you gobs of time wire brushing/cleaning them.

If you have block sealer in it the radiator and heater core are both suspect.  And if you have a 90 legacy and don't know what caused the head gaskets to go you might want to pressure check the cooling system before trying to do the head gaskets.  Make sure no moisture is inside the car after you pressurize it at 15 pounds or so.  (check next day for wet carpets on passenger side of car).

If you have block sealer in it the radiator and heater core are both suspect.  And if you have a 90 legacy and don't know what caused the head gaskets to go you might want to pressure check the cooling system before trying to do the head gaskets.  Make sure no moisture is inside the car after you pressurize it at 15 pounds or so.  (check next day for wet carpets on passenger side of car).

d do know that the heater core and rad are good and flo just fine

in the past year i have had to treat the head with block seal 3 time's 

i do no win it first started to overheat the water pump went out win 

my girl was driving it and i know she got it to hot after i change the pump

it still would over heat so at first i put KW block seal in it let it do its thing

and after that put in that stuff from bars leek that you leave in with your antifreeze

is worked for about a year now so at 300k do any of you think doing a head gasket

is worth it or should i get a new engine/rebuild the dam car runs grate i change the

oil every 2 months and it keeps on going

thank guy's 

entirely up to you, but at 300K, with known bad headgaskets, and sealer dumped in several times - i would just find a lower mileage engine and swap it out -

 

would also do a thorough cooling system back flush (radiator and heater core) before hooking it up to the replacement engine.

DIY Head Resurfacing... or "Post-apocalyptic machine shop techniques!"

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/122588-diy-head-resurfacing-or-post-apocalyptic-machine-shop-techniques/

Edited February 8, 201412 yr by johnceggleston

used engine would be worth looking into. you can even use an EJ18, they're a dime a dozen. your EJ22 intake manifold will bolt right up to it.

 

i've picked up EJ18's and EJ22's for $150 - $300 tested, low mileage, with a warranty.  every one has been excellent.

 

but engine prices may suck in the PNW around you.  www.car-part.com

 

but - those engines are really easy to do headgaskets on too, and would be the easiest of all EJ's to do in the car.  remove two lower 14mm engine mount nuts, pitch stopper bolt - and jack the engine up a few minutes.  those heads come off with 6 external bolts - real simple.  so to that end, it wouldn't take long to try.  so you can save an engine pull as well, which is beneficial to some people.

 

i wouldn't use cheap ebay special headgaskets, Subaru or maybe Fel Pro (Fel Pro's later EJ gaskets are excellent).

 

+1 to the head resurfacing posted above, that's how i do mine.  VERY easy to do.  source the glass and it's a breeze.  so nice not taking them into a machine shop, waiting, driving back.

Edited February 10, 201412 yr by grossgary

i think new head gasket is the way to go the car is not werth a new engine

and the EJ22 run's rill good for having 300k on it