Pulling the motor on the wife's 98 2.5 to put in rear main. While it's out, I will be installing new head gaskets and front seals (valve covers and oil pan done last weekend--hoping to avoid pulling motor!). Anyway, is there any information available on revised specs, such as head torque sequence, available? My Hayne's manual for it is 6 years old. Thanks in advance for any direction.

Pulling the motor on the wife's 98 2.5 to put in rear main. While it's out, I will be installing new head gaskets and front seals (valve covers and oil pan done last weekend--hoping to avoid pulling motor!). Anyway, is there any information available on revised specs, such as head torque sequence, available? My Hayne's manual for it is 6 years old. Thanks in advance for any direction.

Don't trust Haynes. Spend the US$20 and a bit of time to download the FSM and TSB's (and whatever else you want...you have 72h to download) from techinfo.subaru.com/. I have the FSM for the '99 Leg. Let me know if you want me to email the relevant sections.

Thanks Myles! Re: Haynes/Chilton: That's why I asked. Thanks for pointing me to that site. It's exactly what I was looking for. Now that the wife has a digital camera, I'll be taking photos along the way. Will post. Hoping to start next weekend, if my helper can make it and all the parts are in. Thanks again.

 

Oh, one more thing--I know the H20 pumps are internal on those. Are they solid? Or should I change it while I'm in there, even though it works fine? Best Clutch pack mfg. for the 2.5? Thanks again.

Thanks Myles! Re: Haynes/Chilton: That's why I asked. Thanks for pointing me to that site. It's exactly what I was looking for. Now that the wife has a digital camera, I'll be taking photos along the way. Will post. Hoping to start next weekend, if my helper can make it and all the parts are in. Thanks again.

 

Oh, one more thing--I know the H20 pumps are internal on those. Are they solid? Or should I change it while I'm in there, even though it works fine? Best Clutch pack mfg. for the 2.5? Thanks again.

Do you want the docs for the '99 pertaining to the heads and rear main seal? Do you know if the 2.5 changed between '98 and '99?

i did the head gaskets and clutch on my 97 by pulling the motor. i did all of the maintenance/seals while is was in there as well. i wouldn't have even considered doing it without the FSM's from techinfo.subaru.com. they made a total difference, with good step by step instructions & illustrations to help.

 

i made a web page with all of the things i learned over the course changing the head gaskets and clutch. it is all of the collected wisedom i learned while researching it (a lot from the archives here at the usmb, plus some from the web and friends). i intended it to be a commentary to suppliment the FSM's and work arounds if you don't have all the special tools they mention.

 

you can view it at http://mysite.verizon.net/vze730qe/Head_gasket_replacement.html. for pictures, scroll down to the bottom and click next.

 

i did do the water pump while i was in there, since it was only around $70. i did all the seals and replaced the plastic oil separator plate with the newer metal one - something you should definately do if you have the plastic one. it would suck to go through all that only to have the separator plate leak later. as for clutch, i went OEM, as i am just a daily driver, and with all the clutch judder issues, i hoped subaru would be most interested in solving it. 30k later, it is worlds better than the old one, but no where near as nice as the vw i test drove the other week. i also had the flywheel machined.