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'01 outback 2.5AT, VDC offroad/ overlanding build


scalman
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its just shouldnt overheat that fast because last year or year before it wasnt, and i wasnt loosing so much oil before too . some poeple said me ohh  you overheating that will be head gaskets... but why those connected ? does my coolant channels inside engine clogged or what because of bad head gasket. when i change oil it doesnt look any wierd and i dont loose coolant so much well it goes away with time sure but not that i would see like in week ir so . so i still dont get it how head gaskets are responsible for engine overheat. 

what if its gearbox well if it have too much oil , then it gives trouble to engine and its overheats , could that be ?

though i saw other cars on videos like they testing them some city AWd cars and after couple tries they saw ohh its overheated we must wait .... 

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The head gaskets can cause overheating because combustion gases leak into your coolant system which pushes the coolant out.

You need to check the coolant level in the radiator occasionally not just the overflow bottle.

Check that both fans are running fast when the car gets hot.

Look in between the condenser and radiator.  You should be able to shine a flashlight from the back and clearly see through all the fins.

I doubt your overheating is related to the transmission.

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My call is the early signs of a dead head gasket. 

If you got to them early enough you’ll not have warped heads - saves on having them skimmed. 

These engines are known for leaking oil through the bottom of the head gasket. Read up on the recommended replacement part number. 

I’ll be pulling my sister’s Gen3’s EJ251 for a head gasket replacement due to the oil leaks. Cam belt etc will be done as well. 

Get on it early, this way you can choose when to do the HGs, not be forced to deal with them at the most inconvenient time possible which is usually the case! 

Cheers 

Bennie

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yh i should do it soon. because like now outside hot and oil leaks even more . but i wonder if it leaks in rear part engine why my oil filter and exaust bolts are in oil too.but anyway it need to be done . when i bought car haed gasket line was all in seelant. why put sealant in there does it need sealant when you change head gasket i think you dont need. do you ? 

so oems i have must be those type

s-l300.jpg

but then there are other kind for this engine too and they stainless steal

s-l225.jpg

and then some diff look without black lines

F152322581.jpg

 

as i understodd problem was that they where one layer gaskets so if changing you need to put something better multi layer stuff

 

found some good info for myself too

Subaru-Head-Gasket-Issue-Alldrivesubaroo

Head-gasket-service-img03.jpg

 

Quote

In virtually all cases of head gasket failure in non-turbo 4-cylinder engines the cause is the design of the single layer OEM head gasket. If the problem is repaired using another OEM single layer gasket then the same issue will inevitably arise again.

so i have external for sure and maybe internal too as my engine overheats 

Head-gasket-service-img07.jpg

 

 

 

 

Edited by scalman
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I think you're confusing an external head gasket leak (fluids getting outside the engine) with an internal head gasket leak (generally exhaust gases pushing out the coolant).

I would definitely check between the radiator and condenser first, it might be half full of mud and brush.  You'd have to remove the radiator to do the head gaskets so might as well do that first and see.  Check your fan operation too.

Sealant is not used on these head gaskets.

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for overheats yes internal but my oil leaks outside on ground everyday after i leave car and in couple weeks im having oil level on low or even less level. in 2017 it was not so bad as i did my euro trip 5500km i put about 5l oil in engine then. but then it was not so bad leaking outside as now is worse as weather got hot now about 25 celcious and car sits on sun that doesnt help either. 

i still wonder about head gaskets what fits my engine and can i put newer year or turbo model gasket. i mean if its identical all holes same then why not ? that stainless steal one . then again i should look what i have here in online shops localy . will search for those codes what fits me and what not. 

and another thing what i should and could change while doing head gaskets. found some amazon kit for those engines. 

would be nice to find all codes for all those parts too. well timing belt i did like 2 years ago myself  so maybe no need timing belt yet. and its doable easily from front , but all those other stuff i should change i thing ... yes ? 

61cFTkmpy-L._SX425_.jpg

or then head gasket bolts kit . does it need to change those bolts too ? 

U2FubG9uZ1BhcnRz-c-626262616161696969696

Edited by scalman
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Even 5 quarts in 3400 miles is pretty bad.  You're changing your oil before it's time to change your oil.

You don't need to replace the head bolts.  I have heard of people using turbo gaskets, there should be all kinds of information on the internet about what are the best gaskets to use.  I've just used the name brand gaskets (e.g. Fel-pro) from Rock Auto and they've worked well.

Normally I would say while the engine is out you should replace the timing belt, idlers, tensioner, water pump, valve cover gaskets, intake and exhaust manifold gaskets.  If it's never been done (and it probably hasn't on yours) replace all the coolant pipes and hoses (the little ones on the engine, heater hoses, radiator hoses).  The steel lines rust out and the rubber hoses crack.  Some of those little lines and hoses are very difficult to replace with the engine in the car and the intake manifold on.

However, I still think your car is badly rusted and you should spend as little money and time on it as possible and buy something rust free.  If it's only overheating with extreme use, check the radiator, fans, etc, run the heat occasionally if you need to, and save your money for something that's not rusty.

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so what then use car loan from bank and buy other maybe rust free car ...i was looking at some 2007 outbacks or grand sherokees same year. but i would pay so much more because car loan like instead 4k i would pay 6k to them. i dont have 4k or even 2k in savings at all so im not sure yet ... and yes rear is rusty but maybe it can hold some still. front and middle i dont see problems still . as i would do head gaskets myself so it would be minimum spends like just for gaskets and other rubber stuff there to change. wouldnt change all stuff . and i wouldnt remove engine too. would do it outside on grass just with maybe some lifting engine up , but not removing. i saw its possible though much harder but i dont see why its not doable. 

and with that i would learn more too i mean practice stuff , do all myself alone even.

 

and yes rusty but if you cut worse metal and weld to more ticker one that there was ever it will hold some time there. if its something there to weld to... yes its not for long time but it can hold some time still and then connect that new metal with other new metal that is connected to other good metal on car and you can make some kinda new exosceleton there that will hold some... well i allways tested my new welding offroad with maximum flexing suspension even going fast trough bad roads and susch and i wanna see is it holding there. and well it is ...for now ... 

and maybe its hard for people to understand who not strugle with life , if you need new subaru you will find it and buy it no ? or car for parts , or spend 3k on shocks ... i can see how it seems weird for you why im still driving same car . and if upgrade i want then go at least for somehting 2006-2007. it doesnt mean it wont be rust . if that car was driving in my country it will be rust still maybe not that much but it will be no matter what. i can buy exported cars sure from italy, germany and such, but do they not have salt on roads too ? i think they do similar to us . 

Edited by scalman
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yes fan i not mentioned it . so thats ehy i have coolant temp goes too high... i will try to connect it straight for day and will see will fan will turn on 

59 minutes ago, pontoontodd said:

Have I mentioned you should get a rust free car?

Not necessarily newer or more expensive, just make sure it's not rotted out like this one.  Buy one in a different country if you have to.

man your car brakes everytime you drive it , its even worse. i did 5.5k km euro trip in it with all those problems without any problem. yes i will change it when this wont work anymore... it still works. it does what i see for it would need to do . but i know i will change car in time... i know what rust does... but for now ... its still works. again front part and middle is fine i fixed rust and its not much rust on that part anyway. 

this radiator i changed so i just bought used radiator with fans and i never checked those connectors. its not rusted because my car anyway. i bought it it this condition. nothing too bad here, thats fixeable. and you see if you will do worse car and use it then all other cars that will be newer will be better . for know if i hear some sound in my car i almost know for sure where its from ... and its good...  and i mean subaru parts are cheap here... plenty of them too... and oem used parts are way more better then new aftermarket ones. 

Edited by scalman
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new problems . well errors. ABS errors. after changing not  changing but removing steering rack and puting it back i didint dissconect  battery and now i have ABS light with VDC light. and i checked ABS error codes by blinking and i got errors 38 and 28 and that is rear left ABS sensor problem and Rear left outlet valve problem ... but i never touched rear wheels or ABS sensors there. so i thought maybe i touched some wires but i couldnt find anything that i would knocked or broke by accident. but errros came first thing after i put back everything back and start the car.... and as far as i know ABS errors cant be reset. so duno today i did some 440km trip without ABS and VDC thought they maybe come back to normal but no they didnt. so i duno whats happened with my ABS there.

did test from this example

 

Edited by scalman
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  • 2 weeks later...

steering rack must be on center now as those links sits on same spots both sides when wheels look straight means it must be now ok that rack. time to try reset those abs lights again , fingers crossed 

and now that bolt tightened lots more its lil more heavy on steering maybe but i was used so much now to ratling front that now it seems so cool and new to me this experience.

MedJPOv.jpg

 

 

about that overheating still didint tested do that fan now works but it works on test mode... yh i found those 2 green sockets under wheel where abs test socket is , so if you connect those 2 greens with key turned to lights on dash it does that test where it test both your cars fans ...and they both working spinning and stoping an then again and they work, so that working now i guess ...frist will fix that abs light then will test does fan turn on after reaching some temp

Edited by scalman
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  • 2 weeks later...

ABS light gone fixed whats left its humming sound from rear, changed all 4 wheel bearings , but rear ones to used ones, changed rear both axles and tried drive on changed wheels front to rear still same ... and sounds changes with road type and depends to what side im turning sometimes... not sure all sound like bearing but i cvhanged it to not bad used one ... 

 

had about 7 days in all trips with 2 nights staying in one place , was sea then lakes then sea again. 

MYTkN9c.jpg

 

Do7Zxm9.jpg

ql6szgL.jpg

 

cooking was good thing and easy simple and fast , two peace camper stuff with portable mini gas burner or how its called no need fire nothing

every morning coffe and then preheating some food or cooking sausages etc

elfQzke.jpg

 

Edited by scalman
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Scalman, it's awesome to see your travel pictures.  Lithuania looks very similar to the Pacific Northwest region of the USA.  You ever come across any yummy Mushrooms?  Regular edible kinds, like Morel (Morchella) Chanterelles, or Boletes?  Looks like a good area for fungi.

Edited by FerGloyale
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yes we have some mushrooms here and they comes more to autumn time . more like standard mushrooms like 

stai-tokiu-grybu-rinkti-negalima-grnaslt

 

we have many lakes here and 1 sea its baltic sea. but many lakes and forests. no stones no hills , more like sand on some places but not much too, more like mud in forests or just dry surfaces. So its hard to find much obstacles if not mud or sand stuff. its like russia areas same here. 

Edited by scalman
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bought wrong rear strut mount as i ordered for normal shock and completely forgot that i need for self leveling and they not same... so as i took my old appart it broke down so wasnt possible to put it back and return those same day , and as its my daily car i needed to drive it like in couple hrs ...so i cut half from old mount where it holds srping and put new one with rubber part on top of it ... then did same with other side and well for now i dont feel any bad stuff there ..nothing is moving there nothing happening as spring just push that all up and they sit there tight...

vxia7qo.jpg

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new longer better version of bed in car ... same matress just seats now not folded by book just half and with extra boxes now its plenty of space to keep things too and put your head same time ... and now its even longer then i would need ... superb... next step would be some fan or diy air condition system to keep that air coller at night 

learned from some overlanders about boxes and thought what if it just use boxes ...what an amazing idea , no more need many bags and packets with stuff all over car now all can be better organized and allways in one place

tntdgdJ.jpg

Edited by scalman
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