Pulled the engine out of the rx for seal/gasket replacement, to discover both heads are cracked between the valves. So, what are my options here? WA people, I hear there is a place near Auburn that can get heads from. I know there is a place in Everett where I might be able to get a whole engine from, or aarons auto wrecking in seattle. Has anyone delt with these places? Ideas/comments appreciated.

 

----Todd

How bad are the cracks? If they arent raised to bad they should be fine, they are real common. Look inside the exhaust port to see if there are cracks inside towards the valves. These are the ones you have to worry about, thats where the water jacket is.

a good machine shop will repair them. they use "stitch pins" to fix them. it's very common and not a big deal to repair them. the cracks can get too big and cause problems, but that is rare and they should be able to check that for you.

 

the company that makes the stitch pins for repairing these cracks:

 

Lock N Stitch 1800 736 8261

209-632-2345

These are the part numbers and sizes they use for Subaru EA82/ER27 heads:

L4A Aluminum Stitch Pins

1/4" Threads.

 

could try to weld and machine them, but i think these are a much better option. i'm generally hope my valve seats are cracked so i can have these pins installed. as typical as it is for them to crack i feel like if they aren't cracked now, they will be sometime after i reassemble the motor. seems to me the stitch pins may be a little stronger, but that's total speculation.

 

i can hook you up with a very good aluminum head specialist probably if you can't find one locally to do this work. they mostly do lots of large volume work but have done stuff for me as well. PM me if interested.

3of them look like this

and 1 looks like this:

 

so that last one probably is too damaged, huh?

And I still have to deal with this guy

 

 

broken intake manifold bolt, probably cracked the heads just trying to get the manifold off:lol:

3of them look like this

and 1 looks like this:

 

 

so that last one probably is too damaged, huh?

Listen to turbone and grossgary... look for those exhaust port cracks. If they are not apparent, look into having the valve-area cracks repaired.

The 3 are OK and the 1 crack is going to make that head junk. You should peen the crack shut at a minimum.

 

The intake stud would come out but hopefully its in the junk head. Just go find a good used head for that side and continue with your rebuild.

okay the grand canyon, while a national monument, has to go. you could ask a machine shop, but i'd get another head. the other cracks look like every other valve crack i've ever seen and had repaired so that head will be fine. get another head to replace the crackhead.

 

if the bolt is in your good head, no worries that won't be a problem to get out. use some nuts to crank it out or vise grips. if that does work, just drill it out yourself with a screw extractor or a reverse threaded drill. a machine shop will definitely get it out, they see that stuff all the time.

 

those intake bolts drive me absolutely nuts. happens all the time. it's too late now, but i'll usually spray them down good with liquid wrench (better than wd40). back the bolt out just a tad, hopefully it will come loose just enough so that you can spray some liquid wrench just beneath the head of the bolt and it will run down the bolt, along the bolt as it passes through the intake and maybe to the threads eventually. do this and work the bolt back and forth just a little bit. then let them (probably need to do it to more than one) set over night. do it again later....twist the bolt back and forth before making the final attempt to remove it. another helpful trick is to get a pry bar under the head of the bolt and press UP as you simultaneously unthread the bolt. i've had stuck bolts come out this way. that is an excellent way to get a bolt out that just keeps spinning or won't back out. also working the bolt back and forth helps. unscrew it just a little bit - then screw it back tight, unscrew it, then screw it back, tight...you get the point. sorry to be so long winded, these things are annoying...see it all the time on subarus (not that i work on anything else).

Just a comment for those that are interested:

To stop an existing crack from propogating further, just drill a small hole at either end of it. This drastically increases the energy needed to propogate the crack.

Thanks for the helpful responses everyone. Anyone local know about the above mentioned places or any other places that I should check for heads? Maybee I'll go check the nearest subaru graveyard tommorrow.

 

 

--Todd

... WA people, I hear there is a place near Auburn that can get heads from...

You may have heard that from one of my posts. My info is second hand, having heard it from All_talk. I believe that place is called "Heads Up". My advice is ask All_talk about them.

You may have heard that from one of my posts. My info is second hand, having heard it from All_talk. I believe that place is called "Heads Up". My advice is ask All_talk about them.

ya, I think I got that from your post

Found this place in Lynwood http://www.foreignenginesinc.com/Whole engine $749, in stock, and only a 40 minute drive. hmmmm....

Found this place in Lynwood http://www.foreignenginesinc.com/Whole engine $749, in stock, and only a 40 minute drive. hmmmm....

Yeah, they are a used-JDM importer. I have bought from them and they seem pretty straight. (Still haven't finished installing any of their products yet... my laziness, not their problem.)

Heads up Inc. 1320 26th St NW, Auburn, 98001 - (253) 833-4546

 

I got a rebuilt head for my carbed wagon from them a few years back, good people to deal with. Pressure checked both my heads, said one was good (with small crack between valves) and one was no-go. They were happy to sell me just the one head and had it in stock.

 

Gary

thanks again