I'm having the HG's and clutch done in my 00 OBW with 165,000. I'm debating about if I should have the rear main seal and cam seals done too. Would it be a good idea? I'm not made of money and the HG's and the clutch alone will be around $2,000. How much extra would having the rear main seal and cam seals be? A lot?

I'm having the HG's and clutch done in my 00 OBW with 165,000. I'm debating about if I should have the rear main seal and cam seals done too. Would it be a good idea? I'm not made of money and the HG's and the clutch alone will be around $2,000. How much extra would having the rear main seal and cam seals be? A lot?

 

That should only cost you another $50-75. They are going to be close enough to each of these during the service that Labor shouldn't be an issue. The parts themselves are no more than $50. Soemthing like $8 a cam seal and $20 for the rear main. The rear main is absolutely worth doing. At the same time they should inspect the seperator plate for leaks. It is know to cause more leaks than the rear main seal on certain years. The cam seals can be replaced pretty easily, but once again they are going to be right there at them while doing the head gasket. In fact, they might be included in the job.

 

Keith

Ok great. I'm going to call for an estimate probably tomorrow. I'm buying all the parts myself and giving them to the mechanic. So all I plan on paying for is the labor. Is that wise to do?

Also, is this the separator plate that I need?

http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/cp_partdetail.php?partid=11566

Cam seals YES! The cam seals have to be removed when doing a head gasket job. If you put the old seals back in you are asking for trouble. Seen 'em pop out and all the oil get pumped out, destroying the engine. (Dealer going cheap on a warranty job. They gave the customer $500 in store credit for their mistake. As if he were going to spend money with them again. )

 

If you are haveing the clutch replaced the flywheel should be resurfaced, so it will already be off. Only takes a few more minutes to replace the $12 rear main, and the plastic oil seperator plate should be replaced with a metal one or it will leak.

 

Providing parts to a shop is not always a good idea, depends on the shop. The parts side of a profitable repair shop is a retail business, so if you are providing the parts they are loosing money. Some will just charge more labor to make up for the lose.

Also, is this the separator plate that I need?

http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/cp_partdetail.php?partid=11566

 

That's it. The plastic ones don't expand and contract the same as the aluminum block and eventually break the seal and start leaking. Going to the Aluminum one solves the problem.

 

Keith