I picked up a 97 Outback 5sp that had a 2.2 in it.  It threw a rod, light metal flake in the drain oil.  Are the heads worth trying to save?  Thanks, Larry

Depends on how hard the piston smacked the head while the rod was coming apart. I would assume if it had an oiling issue bad enough for it to chuck a rod, the cam journals in the heads are probably pretty badly scored. You won't know if they are savable until you tear the engine down.

 

They are roller cam hydraulic lash adjuster heads. I think 95 was the only year for them, because in 96 or 97 they went to the screw adjusters, and 94's were a non-roller cam.

 

Not that much of that matters, any 89-98 2.2l will run fine in it if you swap the intake over and the exhaust y pipe if it's a 96-98.

Pull them and check for damage. If no Damage store them or sell them.

Larry,

No reason not to save them, but there's now metal flakes all through the oil and coolant passages. They HAVE to be thoroughly disassembled and cleaned or that will end up in the next engine!

 

Emily

I was thinking the same thing as Emily, my only question is there a rod knock or did you actually throw a rod through the block?  If the rod didn't go through the block the block may be salvageable as well.  I would tear it all down and find out.  Your also not going to know if the heads are salvageable 100% without tearing them off the engine and inspecting them.