So pretty soon I will be getting taxes back and I figure it's a great opportunity to do my head gaskets on my 2000 RS! So I wanted to know exactly what I needed to do the job. I have done a couple before but it was a while ago and I want to be prepared! Will this gasket set work?http://replacement.subautoparts.com/parts/subautoparts/wizard.jsp?year=2000&make=SU&model=IMP-4WD2.5-001&category=A&part=Cylinder%20Head%20Gasket%20Set&returnurl=null&dp=false

I already have my timing belt, and water pump, but I got my timing belt from ebay. Should I trust it to be right and work or should I get another?

Also, should I have anything done to my heads before they go back on? Any input would be great! Thanks

I would imagine you'd at least want the heads checked for warpage by a shop.

 

On the timing belt, I read TONS of posts about it when I was ramping up to do mine and while lots of people get the ebay kits but many get a dealer belt to use in place of the one in the kit. Part of this is 'cause some of the ebay kit belts don't have the timing marks on them, the other part is the suspect quality of the belt.

 

I should say that I've got a non-interference 2.2 so I was not too worried about premature failure of the ebay components.

 

Good luck and have fun!

 

Will-

http://www.rs25.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78972

yeah that's what I was thinking. I guess I will add a timing belt to the list as well. Any thoughts on the gasket kit I linked to? It says OEM so I think it's the right one. Honestly if I had a 2.2 that would swap in and was nice and clean and had dual port exhaust I would swap that in, nut I don't so I will just reseal the 2.5

Durania, thanks for that!!!!

Durania, thanks for that!!!!

 

 

No problem man, figured you would need something like that.

 

-Kyle

i'd be more concerned with replacing the timing pulleys and tensioner than using a Subaru belt. but, i would use a Subaru belt on yours too.

 

use a Subaru headgasket only.

 

reseal oil pump, tighten rear backing plate screws with locktite, and cam seals.

i'd be more concerned with replacing the timing pulleys and tensioner than using a Subaru belt. but, i would use a Subaru belt on yours too.

 

use a Subaru headgasket only.

 

reseal oil pump, tighten rear backing plate screws with locktite, and cam seals.

 

So what should I get for tensioners etc.? Where can I get them? What part numbers? Do I need the whole tensioner or just the tensioner pulley? And did you look at the link I posted? I want to know if those are OEM Subaru gaskets? Also do I just ask for an oil pump gasket and seal and cam seals at the local NAPA? Or do I have to get those from Subaru as well? Thanks I guess at this point if someone could just give me a complete list of what I will need, that would be great! Sorry for being a pain!

Edited February 14, 200917 yr by bratman18

i buy the timing belt kits off of ebay. they're too expensive from subaru or anywhere else. ebay will have kits that have everything, all the pulleys and the tensioner for the RS stuff. i think yours will be about $189 and include the belt, all pulleys and the tensioner/pulley assembly. well worth it to have all new stuff.

 

(older models don't have the tensioner, but those tensioners are also less likely to fail).

 

the oil pump - just order the oring and seal (it's also the crank seal, part of the oil pump). from NAPA you'll buy the anaerobic sealant and bottle of spray that goes with it. just ask them, the'yll know what it is. a blue tube and bottle. use that to seal the back of the oil pump.

 

and have a bottle of locktite handy. at least one screw on the back of the oil pump will be loose. resinstall with locktite on the threads.

do yourself a big favor and buy a $20 engine stand so you dont have to lye it on the ground!

which brings us to another question...are you going to be doing them in the car or out...the SOHC's can easily be done in the car in which the DOHC almost always have to be removed from the vehicle...Your RS is the EJ253 SOHC right?...

yeah, his is SOHC Phase II

Yes SOHC. I will be pulling the motor, just because I would be more comfortable doing it that way. So I hate to ask but could you possibly get me a link to the kit that you get off ebay that fits my car. I can get a discount off the Subaru stuff from the dealer so that helps. I appreciate the help!

i get the Subaru discount too, but they're still way over the top in costs to replace the pulleys.

 

you should figure out what kit you need yourself. there's more info on here about those of us that have already bought from there, which companies, and you can even call them and verify.

 

i don't have the time to do the leg work, particularly when i'm on dial up!

i get the Subaru discount too, but they're still way over the top in costs to replace the pulleys.

 

you should figure out what kit you need yourself. there's more info on here about those of us that have already bought from there, which companies, and you can even call them and verify.

 

i don't have the time to do the leg work, particularly when i'm on dial up!

 

cool thanks, I appreciate the help!

Ok will this kit work??

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/99-Subaru-Baja-Legacy-Outback-2-5-SOHC-Timing-Belt-Kit_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ72Q3a1205Q7c66Q3a2Q7c65Q3a12Q7c39Q3a1Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a0Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem260329307923QQitemZ260329307923QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

do yourself a big favor and buy a $20 engine stand so you dont have to lye it on the ground!

 

Thanks, I have a friend who has all the tools, so I'm all set when it comes to pulling the motor and working on it!

Take some pictures of your project. I hope that I never have to join you in the RS head gasket club though. I too am grateful that ours is not the DOHC that came in the 98's; which I read were notorious for the internal leaks.

Take some pictures of your project. I hope that I never have to join you in the RS head gasket club though. I too am grateful that ours is not the DOHC that came in the 98's; which I read were notorious for the internal leaks.

 

I'll try to take pics. Yeah After seeing the pics that you linked to, I am not nearly as scared as I was. The ones that I have done are the DOHC and they are much more complicated. You have to remove a lot more parts to take the heads off. So I am a little more confident. So will this timing belt kit work?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/99-Subaru-Baja-Legacy-Outback-2-5-SOHC-Timing-Belt-Kit_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ72Q3a1205Q7c66Q3a2Q7c65Q3a12Q7c39Q3a1Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a0Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem260329307923QQitemZ260329307923QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

How many miles on the engine.

How many miles on the engine.

 

13X,XXX, but they have been done before I got the car. When I bought it, I could see the newish head gaskets and someone actually painted the intake manifold and it looks just like an STI intake manifold(actually done very nicely)

130K, that is like new. I would suggest a valve job and have them decked. Let the shop know they have been done before, you might be near the tolerance. I would also do any rubber seal you can get at regardless if it is leaking. For 5 to 8 bucks a seal it pays.

if they've been done before and it's blown again??? i'd be concerned you have a cracked block, sleeves have shifted, block is warped or something.

 

blowing twice isn't a good sign.

if they've been done before and it's blown again??? i'd be concerned you have a cracked block, sleeves have shifted, block is warped or something.

 

blowing twice isn't a good sign.

 

If they weren't done by a shop and Subaru head gaskets weren't used than they could have just failed again. It seems to be in very good condition other than the leaking head gaskets. And the main reason I said they had been done before is because of the painted intake, and it looks like the gaskets aren't original, but I'm not positive on that. I have heard of some people changing their head gaskets several times during the life of their 2.5 and it's because they don't use Subaru gaskets

if you haven't already read...a very informative article on the headgasket problem can be found at http://www.allwheeldriveauto.com ..scroll down and look on the left side for "headgasket problem explained"....also another article about some experiments with after market type of gasket plus another bunch of subjects and his blog