This is the type of content I come for. I am long past working on my own cars to this level. I appreciate knowing the level of work to know if the shop is being honest. I found a local garage that is a quotes a fair price. They also combine jobs. "Since I have it apart anyway and you are paying the labor to put it back together, I will just add the parts cost to replace this while I am in there".
Considering people go to private shops to avoid high prices at the stealership most people are even scared to pay a towing fee. Why not teach them that is possible to safely drive their vehicle home even if the headgaskets are blown.... Oh wait you wouldnt have any clients if everyone knew all the tricks so better just keep feeding people on the straw so you still have customers smh... Guys mechanics do want a higher bill at the end of the day not just brakes tires and suspension... Big engine and trans issues buys them YACHTS
I drive an 2003 forester we bought new . I did the head gaskets at 90k miles, they were leaking externally (yes did them myself, I am a high school auto mechanics teacher). Still drive the car to this day & have no plans to replace it. Very reliable. Also thank you David and Jenny (believe your real names are). For the great videos. You help me teach my mechanics classes with your mechanics tips & tricks videos plus I use your buy/don’t buy videos in my consumer automotive classes. Keep up the great work !
I believed the JDM legend and bought a 2006 Forester XT. Worst decision of my life. Nothing but electrical gremlins and finally it blowed the lower radiator hose that heat locked the engine and blew the head gasket. Now it's junked. It had a failing temp sensor so I forbid my son from driving it unless absolutely must but of course he had to go cruising on the town with friends. The result: totaled car. Parenthood is so nice.
I bought this exact model, with leather package brand new from the dealer. It worked great for my needs at the time. Unfortunately head gasket blew at about 40,000 miles. I traded it in for a new car despite the muddy coolant and sparkly stuff inside the radiator completely visible. My wife's 2010 Sub Forester blew head gasket at 50,000 miles in 2021. That one leaked outward and left 4 or 5 drops of oil in a line on the garage floor. We repaired that one because she loves the car. Then we drove it round trip coast to coast with absolutely no issues. Great video!
I have always referred to my Baja of 14 years as a Ute like everyone else in the world. There is one trick with the tail gate those black buttons on both sides of the license plate have it pop up to show the license plate if you have the gate down for an extended period of time.
Thanks Mr. Wizard for this episode!! Another trick I used for years was to take a plastic sandwich bag with me. When the car is cold, just like you recommend, I remove the radiator cap and wet the plastic bag with coolant and seal it over the open radiator with my hand. Make sure the opening for the coolant recovery bottle is also covered as well. Have a friend start the car, and check if there is ANY pressure in the cooling system! Not sure if this still works with modern cars, but it sure does on the older (carbureted) stuff every time. Thanks again for the awesome vids and keep cool!
Great comments on head gasket diagnostics. I had a 79 Datsun 310 with a blown head gasket that gurgled a couple days prior, through the heater core, then the gasket completely failed with a big plume of white steam as I started it in a grocery store parking lot. Embarrassed, I felt like James Bond deploying a smoke screen during a getaway!
Considering people go to private shops to avoid high prices at the stealership most people are even scared to pay a towing fee. Why not teach them that is possible to safely drive their vehicle home even if the headgaskets are blown.... Oh wait you wouldnt have any clients if everyone knew all the tricks so better just keep feeding people on the straw so you still have customers smh... Guys mechanics do want a higher bill at the end of the day not just brakes tires and suspension... Big engine and trans issues buys them YACHTS
@@RexerYTRexer When I had my head gasket issue after the steam had cleared I did drive the fifteen miles to my Datsun dealership which repaired the blown gasket for 400 dollars (in 1984). But six months later after another hot day I got the same old gurgling in the heater so I traded the car in on a Toyota Corolla.
@@MartinJones123 This sounds to me like a clear case of a backyard mechanic that believes he's more talented, or experienced than any technician out there. These are the people that can give really bad advice and end up making things worse. This is satire...... "I think I might have some engine problems." " Don't take it to a mechanic they will just rip you off. Get Billy Jack to fix it. He knows how to fix brakes so engine repairs should not be a problem." Take your cars to a professional people.
I remember seeing something on this before on another video somewhere. The head gaskets in the 2.5 EJ non-turbo were coated with some kind of graphite that would wear off over time. A lot of people fix these by using the Turbo type multi layer metal head gasket. At least that's what my brain is telling me.
I replaced my headgasket from 2007 Legacy sedan 2.5 SOHC, ,no issued with the MLS heag gasket. Few years and track days, not a single leak anywhere, 300k km
The head gasket issue with Subarus lasted from 1998 -2013. You would have thought Subaru could have figured out that the triple steel gasket used in the 2.5 turbos rarely failed. But no they kept using the single-layered gasket, which you can still buy today. They put a can of Holts stop leak in your cooling system so the head gaskets lasted till the vehicle was out of warranty. So the head gasket problem was fixed around 2013 but now Subaru's have a bigger problem. Apparently, the PVC valve gets blocked easily and creates internal engine pressure that causes the RTV engine sealant to fail in major engine areas. The only way to fix this is to pull the engine and separate the failed areas of the engine with new RTV sealant. Very expensive job ! So if you have a Subaru I would say put in a new PCV valve yearly as they are cheap and you can DIY.
most shops would recharge it. Say it good, charge you $200 and send you on your way. Thank you for being one of the real ones that make sure 100% that its fixed.
Had an Outback from that same MY that I drove for 12 years. It did have the EJ25 known for HG leaks, but from what I understand, that vintage tended to leak externally instead of internally. Mine developed an external coolant leak around 100K miles. We had them replaced along with a timing belt and water pump at the same time. Drove it for another 50K before finally replacing it, but it was otherwise free of major service needs other than regular maintenance and wear items and would have likely made it well beyond 150K.
I love my Saabaru. It’s got the 2.5 and I bought it from the original owner with 160k miles. The head gaskets went out on him around 140k miles and he had them replaced by a professional with the MLS gaskets. I’m at 171k miles now and I absolutely love it.
I inherited a 2002 Outback and couldn't figure out where all the oil was coming from. When the head gaskets finally blew at 250k and got fixed, the oil stopped.
@@JStryker7 I wasn't familiar with that engine. I now know that since the engine sits flat, the oil was drain back that was leaking at the head to block junction and not the valve covers.
Man I had a 2001 Outback of this generation, but with the H6 3.0 VDC. I took that car adventuring all over the country and it was great in deep sand the the rain/snow didn't affect it- maybe better than my full size pickups and on par with a Jeep with lockers for light stuff. The bitch was the clearance between the valve covers and the strut towers which made maintenance very tedious. But if you're in the market for something like this, get the Outback and be done with it. I camped in mine many times at rest stops and offroad so I'd skip the Baja and go for the Outback instead if that's your thing.
Most Outbacks have the 2.5 engine that will need head gasket replacement. They seem to have solved the head gasket issue in 2013. You had a 6-cyl that did not have the head gasket issues.
For a minor coolant leak ground black pepper (a tablespoon or so) can stop the ooze. I fixed a porous head on a 2005 Chrysler Town and Country and a heater core on a 1985.5 Ford Escort using ground black pepper. Saved myself a few hundred bucks.
I worked at Mitsubishi in Normal, IL from 1989-2008. For a portion of that time of the joint venture with Chrysler we were getting engines from Chrysler. Mexico junk 2 liters. They all came with a stop leak pellet in the coolant filler neck on the engine.
I have a 1965 Buick Riviera that I bought from the original owner in 1988. He informed be that he never had a problem with the A/C. I still have the car today and the only service I performed on the A/C was to change the belts on the compressor. It will still freeze you out.
Subies of this era that live in states where the roads are salted in the winter love to rust underneath. My mother had an early 2000s Outback that looked nice inside and out but was rusted out underneath at 130k miles -- car-killing structural rust. Another thing that was an issue on these Outbacks/Bajas was poor window sealing. My mom's car had an irritating wind whistle around the driver's window by the mirror.
Look for a Subaru with the H6 engine, these do not have the head gasket issue. Also, if you DO wind up replacing Subaru head gaskets, don't get the flimsy composite Subaru gaskets, get good Cometic metal gaskets. These pretty much solve the head gasket issue. Great video!
Nah, the 2.5 is fine. At this point most of them have been replaced with a gasket from a turbo car which won't blow like the stock ones. My bh outback has 240k miles on the original gasket and it's not showing any signs of blowing. It's on the original clutch too. But that is on the way out.
Non-turbo 2005-2009 subaru's also had head gasket issues, but it was an issue with the outside perimeter of the gasket where the oil return passages are at the bottom of the heads. Oil would just sit there and eventually wear away at the graphite(?) coating on the gasket, causing an external oil leak at the bottom of the engine.
Working at a dealer in the '70s in came the Lotus Esprit. Cool looking car but it had 1 very big problem. The switch for the cooling fans, called the Otter switch, would pop out. If this happens you must stop the car and call a tow truck. Nobody did this. they would just keep on driving till the engine seized. I had 2 cars where the wife was driving and they drove on till the next off ramp. Well the engines got so hot the spark plug boots would swell and fill the valley with burned rubber. Never got to see inside the engines as they were all covered under warranty. Yes it would happen that fast. We started wrapping the switch with wire so they would not pop out anymore. Bad bad design.
The Car Wizards has the coolest walk on RUclips! I'd love to see a continuous loop video of him just waddling around on his stubby little legs with Pantera's WALK as the background music!
RUclipsrs Samcrac and Legit street cars put the tester in the coolant reservoir. It worked in showing the coolant turn yellowish color. This definitely will save a person from buying a car with expensive headgasket problems.
I had a similar clutch problem on a similar Subaru. Turned out the pull in gap had worn larger over the years. I found a hack online using 3 plastic bread bag tabs, one under each of the 3 tangs on the front of the clutch to provide more pull in pressure. It worked!
Big fan of the channel, I've owned 2 subarus, both daily drivers, certified pre owned, and only needed general maintainace. Most reliable cars I've personally ever owned. Next one will be a wrx lol
That combustion leak detector is about $26 at Harbor Freight. If you have a small head gasket leak, Blue Devil 'Pour and Go can work pretty well. Must catch the leak early. I've gotten over 30k miles on Subies using this stuff. That said, I generally will put new multi-layer steel head gaskets in, along with a bunch of "while-you-in-there" stuff. I just did a full engine refresh at 180k miles on my 04 Baja Turbo. She's a keeper!
My daughter has a 03 outback 3.0 with only 62K (mother in law car) with coolant replacements every 5 years or so, very well maintained. Hopefully the head gaskets are a long time away.
@@norcal715 Pretty sure the 3.0 had MLS gaskets similar to the turbos. That said, keep an eye on coolant reservoir levels, check engine lights (cylinder misfire = bad), and any unusual steam from tailpipe.
@@CodyBosch i managed to blow hg on my h6 ez30 a coolant pipe burst open while i was driving up in the mountains, engine was on fairly high loads 3k-4k rpm overheated the engine and the result was blown hg or cracked head (still dont know which, but definitely consuming coolant)
Be careful around Subarus with head gasket leaks if the owner tried any of the head gasket sealers (the Subaru stuff works well, but most others cause issues). I had one which had a strange overheating issue which seemed a lot like a bad thermostat, replaced it with a factory one and it was still having the same issue. Checked the temperature coming and going from the heater core and it was 10 degrees cooler on the return side so I thought it was flowing but after bypassing the heater core with bulk hose it worked perfectly. Good circulation through the heater core is essential for the thermostat on these engines to operate properly. That one caused a little heartache!
they are good but DO NOT OVER HEAT THEM! Especially the old ones... and yes, we have one currently (Impreza), as does one of my brothers (Outback, long time M Benz owner) and a daughter (Crosstrek), so yeah, they are pretty good...
owned 5 subies and 1 of them was an 03 baja 2.5L head gaskets valve cover gasket and make sure you change timing belts water pumps the best 1 i had was the outback ll bean 3.0 6cyl now the other problem that took out 4 of them was the junk 4eat tranny sold them all bought a prius no more problems
Who remembers the Suburu Brat? It was their first import truck. It came with rear bed seats the dealer installed as an option which allowed them to skirt import requirements for cars.
Good episode, Mr. and Mrs. Wizard! If it weren't for the odd head gasket, that li'l Subie is in pretty good shape for the milage, especially the interior. Have a good weekend!✌️❤️🙂🇨🇦
It's always a nice day when the wizard shop welcomes viewers inside. 😊 By the way, it's a Ute (from utility vehicle) an Australian invention first cooked up by Ford of all companies by listening to a customer who wrote to Ford Australian asking for a vehicle he could use to take his pigs to market on a Saturday and his wife to church on the Sunday.
Most auto parts stores will have the same kind of a block tester you can loan out. The bigger problem is that you probably will have to drain out some coolant, and many newer vehicles use such complex hose routing that it's difficult to get to a point where the thermostat is open so that you have full circulation with the radiator cap off. If you have one, you can use a Lisle type coolant funnel and cut a small round hole in the lid it comes with. Then attach the block tester to that. Plus you get the benefit of being able to observe bubbles coming up so that you know when to start drawing air through the tester.
A few things, Dave. The problem was non-metal multi-layer head gaskets. Turbo engines used metal multi layer ones and if the gaskets were replaced under warranty by Subaru, you should check to see if they used the ML ones or not. You can replace NA gaskets with turbo gaskets and you'll be good. Also, when replacing or changing Subaru (blue) coolant, Subaru recommends you also add a bottle of coolant conditioner which is nothing but stop leak. There's no glitter. I'm happy to see the hydrocarbon test being done.
even the MLS headgaskets go bad. the 2010-2012 NA EJ25 Outbacks and Legacies came from the factory with the MLS Turbo gasket and i routinely see them blow around 150k.(ive done 2 in the last month and have another scheduled) and they are a far bigger problem when they do fail. the single layer gaskets usally fail around 100 to 120k they start by seeping oil. the car is still driveable and you have plenty of time to get them done. the customer usually brings these in complaining of an oil smell or oil on their garage floor. the MLS gaskets fail by leaking compression into the coolant jacket making the car overheat and give little to no warning. the car is not driveable and you have to fix it right away or risk engine damage. this issue is more design on the NA EJ25 than the gaskets. the EJ18 and EJ22 used single layer HGs and never has a issue. the EJ25 cylinder walls are very thin.
@@Flies2FLL those wont fix it permanently either. Comestics are most likey just rebranded Six Stars - they look totally identical. just like the OEM Subaru HGs are just repackaged Victor Reinz gaskets. no HG will solve this issue permanently. it is the bad design of the NA EJ25 that causes it(open deck block coupled with very thin cylinder walls), not the HGs. if the HG design was the issue the EJ18 and EJ22 would also have the issue and they dont - those engines have much thicker cylinder walls and will run forever on the the stock composite HGs. the people saying MLS gasket are a permanent fix never see these car again after another 150k as most are sold off or in the boneyard by that time. ive been working on these engines since the 90s
My parents 2005 forester was tested for blown head gaskets by d Subaru dealership and another shop both said needed head gaskets but when they gave up on it they gave it to me and was only a lose hose clamp!!!
Funny you should mention Subaru head gaskets, I'm just in the middle of replacing head gaskets on a 2006 WRX that has done 270,000klms, it was an engine out job, head gaskets are done just waiting on a new clutch before it goes back in. Crankcase ventilation hose on the top of the crankcase was split causing a bad oil leak so that also had to be replaced.
I had a 98 legacy outback about 8 years ago….I loved that car for the short time I had it….it of course had the beginning stages of head gasket issues, eventually it blew totally up, was a great car but me being young and dumb and not having the money to fix it she was let go 😓 right at 125k miles too as usual for those engines
I agree. Subaru's did have a bad rep but they have gone past that. I have a 2018 Crosstrek and my Wife has a 2018 Impreza. Both with the full warranties just in case (only about 10 per car payment). In addition they both have the American Anti-Theft device known as a manual transmission.
My old rusty 1996 Chevy Tahoe with V8 Vortec has 380,000+ miles. Original motor and transmission. I have only ever had to replace starter 12 years ago and alternator (a 30 minute job). Only things I ever had to do besides those things are oil changes, replaced a worn out muffler at 280,000 mile, some new shocks and dumb little things like that that simply wear out. We use it everyday. I also have a 1986 Fiero GT that has 400k on original motor. Some American cars can go for a long time.
baja is a truck 4 door version of the brat which is a 2 door. very modern radio. nice 5 seater. nice vehicle. no wraparound door window 90% of vehicles have that featcha. bars leak good stuff.
I recently got a 06 outback 2.5i manual with 190k Miles. has head gasket, timing belt, water pump and gaskets done recently with receipts. It doesn't burn a drop of oil. A good buy I think
My 2018 forester (85k miles) had the same issue, would lose AC after about an hour On the highway. Used a feeler gauge to check the AC clutch gap and it was too large. Pulled the clutch which has washers for adjustment, pulled a washer and got it back in spec and it’s perfect now. Something to be mindful of on Subaru compressors.
I wonder why they did not use the clutchless style compressors on the Forester and Impreza. Subaru has used them on the Legacy and Outbacks since the 2010MY.
There is a group out of the pacific north west awd auto I think that makes high quality replacement gaskets & head studs. It was more expensive than the oem or aftermarket parts but the quality and knowing that I wouldn’t have to spend big money again. 240000 miles and going strong on my 03 2.5 legacy
FWIW, regarding refrigerant leaking. I recently sold my 2003 Honda Odyssey with 225k miles. The A/C was still blowing cold and had never been serviced. About a year ago I attached a refrigerant gauge to the fitting to check the level, and it still showed proper pressure. That's just one anecdote, and it may just confirm that the lifespan of a Honda Odyssey is greater than 225k miles, but my point is that it's not always something you need to worry about.
I loved my subie, i had a 2009 forester, but it took two years to find why my a/c was struggling. Every mechanic said everthings fine but i could tell the air was not as cold as i used to be. I kept saying the air entering the a/c system was hotter than it should be and there was a problem with the radiatior or some other part of the engine cooling system but i kept getting told i was imagining issues. Then it started giving me overheat warnings on one specific hill, i had to give them permission to drive to that particular hill, and as i stated it was a radiator pressure gasket failure.ended up being too late and she was soon having other issues related to heat stress.
I have a 06XT. The only major issue I have had was splitting the top Radiator tank. After replacing the Radiator I noted that I was consuming a bit of coolant. Added a bottle of Holts Radweld and that stopped that problem.
FYI, the 03-10 head gaskets have usually been replaced with the good MLS gaskets by this mileage. You can visually tell if the gasket is the good MLS one or the bad single layer gasket. Most of the single layer gaskets fail prior to 150k.
The SOHC engine started in 2000 but the factory head gasket was the same graphite gasket through '09 in the Outback and Legacy and I don't remember off-hand what years for Forester and Impreza. The MLS gasket from a STI will work but is a little thinner so if you've had the heads shaven you may run into piston-to-valve clearance issues. Best off to just take care of it and run the 633 gaskets and change them when they go bad. It takes half an hour to have that engine swinging from a chain. Check the heads for flatness, clean up the surface of the heads and block if they're straight, slap the new gaskets on and reassemble. Less than 2 hours with basic tools.
Mine made it to 174 thousand. A buddy of mine made it to 198. It's really a crap shoot. For older Subarus, always verify that the gaskets have been replaced. If it's a 2010 or older, non turbo, it's not a matter of IF they will fail, it's a matter of WHEN will they fail.
I had a head gasket go on my '92 Dodge Shadow. It was a while before I noticed the exhaust gas bubbles coming up into the reservoir tank. I replaced the head gasket, but not long after, I had to also replace the radiator and heater core, as they started leaking. I suspect the coolant went very acidic from the exhaust gas, as it was not the usual glycol antifreeze green, but a bright yellow color, and ate those parts up.
Had a 2003 Outback that went to 250,000 miles when I traded it in. Had to replace the head gaskets twice. Subaru never took any responsibility for the blown head gasket. Subaru redesigned the head gaskets andd corrected the blown headgasket problem.
My winter beater is an ‘06 Forester. Mechanically it’s rock solid but I give it only a few more winters until the rust wins. 100% will get another Subaru.
My parents had a 1993 Legacy (the Outback is an evolution of the wagon). The cruise control was strange on it; you had to push a button on the left dash (next to the de-icer button) to arm the system, then it had a small lever on the steering wheel to control it. Those old Subarus were trash, past 2000 is when they started to really take off.
@@paperback10 You must have an ass made of iron, lol. The seats were about as comfortable as a concrete park bench! And the one my parents had started having so many issues by 80k, it was a joke (and my father had it serviced and repaired by Subaru mechanics). So many of them from that time had a legion of problems. With the exception of the head gasket issue, by the 2000s, they were bomb proof (and a LOT nicer). After that experience, I had stated I would never own one. Until I got back to the states in 2009 and saw one of my buddies Legacy; I thought a UFO had just landed from Mars, lol. I now own a 2018 Outback (50th Anniversary Edition) and LOVE it!
6:06 I had a similar issue with the A/C compressor on my old Saab 9000. It would work when cold but as the engine bay warmed up, A/C stopped working. I adjusted the compressor clutch air gap by removing a shim plate and it started working again. The heat simply made the clutch magnet slightly less effective and it couldn't generate enough pull to engage the clutch until it was adjusted. The whole operation could be done with the compressor and clutch in place. My folks' 2003 Saab 9-3 had the same issue, fixed the same way.
...I own an OB 2006 n a Legacy SW L 2003. Bought em used , now 155KM + each. LI NY. My 03 Legacy, has HG issue, for at least 10km I own it. The oil n coolant sys=bottle/radiator r clean, but I loose antifreeze! Now in the summer, I just ad water about 1 ltr for 100 miles n runs just good. In the winter I ad antifreeze-of course. The car runs perfect, I enjoy much/my body takes me to the Legacy than the OB. I will leave it alone-I always check the fluids- and I only hope it will not fail in the winter. I drive it about 10-15 miles/day. Subies R good cars n I like the flat engine design.
Had a problem with the AC on a 2015 WRX, problem was the air gap on the compressor clutch was too big, there is a spec for the gap, to fix it undo the 10mm nut that holds on the outer part of the clutch, remove shims till you get the correct gap, problem solved. BTW it went to a Subaru dealer 3 times with this problem and they couldn't fix it, go figure🙂
I had an AC work intermittently in my RSX, several shops quoted me on new compressors. I figured out (not them) that the clutch plate had worn down and needed to be replaced.. Before I replaced the clutch plate I simply took out one of the washers and closed the gap to the correct clearance. It literally cost me nothing and fixed the problem. I guess it wasn't worth it for the shops to replace the clutch so they just wanted to do the whole unit.
My 02 Grand Prix went to the boneyard with the AC still working great... over 300k on it. So no Wizard, they don’t all lose the charge before they croak...
Had a 05 Baja Turbo 5MT, I sure miss that thing. Sold it with 198k on it. I had records for everything down to when they had a valve stem replaced. But nothing on the clutch or head gaskets. I replaced the clutch at 195k and as well as I knew the engine was never apart.
As a Subaru owner for decades now, I will say that I have experienced head gasket failure on one car, my '95 Legacy Wagon stick. Sold that car last year due to not needing two cars anymore due to retirement, and I miss it every day. No issues after the gasket job done, you must use MLS head gaskets and torque the heads per factory specs, and you will not have issues. Due to the fact that all my Subarus experienced fewer issues after the miles piled up than my Hondas, and have been as durable as my Toyotas, I stuck with them and no regrets, our '18 Outback Limited 3.6R is by far the best car I ever owned. That said, please could you please continue the trope that Subarus are junk that is so prevalent on line? Less demand means easier negotiating when I buy my next one.
@@Dankcatvacs it spent probably a good month and a half at a dealership and needed an engine-out repair. After a lot of time on the phone, I got Subaru to reimburse me for part of the repair... and then it took multiple follow-up calls to get Subaru to honor that and actually send me a check. Traded it in on a Hyundai Sonata after that, which was reliable, but I hated driving it in comparison to the Legacy.
I had a Honda civic that was pushing coolant out of the radiator and it did turn out to have a warped head, but the fluid in that test never changed colors for me.
Alex at Legit Street Cars had a similar thing on his F150 Lightning: he had to try really hard to get the fluid to change color (at first, until he pushed it a bit too hard towing)
This is the same engine (EJ253) as in my 2005 Subaru Legacy 2.5i and I would recommend checking the timing belt if it is not known how old it is. It is very simple, there is a cover on the front driver side of the engine that can be removed with 3 10 mm bolts. I just replaced my original timing belt recently as the old one was cracked and ready to go! These are interference engines so if the belt does go, so does your engine.
Did you change the water pump too? Did it on my 04 legacy and the timing kit came with water pump because you have to take the front end assembly off to get to it anyway. Not sure if the 05 is different
You can also add a small amount of dye to the system before recharging so the next time you need a recharge, you can look for where the dye leaked out.
Once a Subaru 2.5L H/G is replaced with MLS H/Gs, heads corrected, etc, the engine should never leak again. I much rather have an older Subie than the new ones, H/G issues and all..
@@shimetobago9586 Plus they’re very easy cars to work on. I completely overhauled my ‘01 Forester engine and did every repair/maintenance on it from suspension, brakes, power steering, etc. Loved that car.
MLS fail too, they just tend to last a bit longer than the single layer - ive done a bunch HG jobs on the 10-12 Outbacks/Legacies that came from the factory with the MLS Turbo gasket. ive also redone several HG jobs done by a local shop that swears by the "six-star" MLS gaskets.- most of those didnt even go 50k miles. the average i see on the single layer is 100 to 120 k. the MLS around 150k.
@@volks-jager Coincidentally, Six Star MLS H/Gs from SmartQualityParts is what I used on my older ej251 2.5L n/a. The engine never leaked again.. I think it’s a matter also of how much overheating and warpage the heads/block got. I also surfaced my block at home with very fine sandpaper and a straight piece of granite.. lol I measured it after with a straight edge, that thing ended perfect, not even 1/1,000 feeler gauge/light went under the ruler. Piston #4 suffers greatly on these motors, the cooling mod helps big time too. But the overall capabilities/utilities of these cars are simply awesome.
@@Mike_44 the vast majority of blown EJ25s ive dealt with where the number 1 rod bearing spun or thrown through the block. i have seen several burn a valve on 4 , but never anything else, probabaly has to do with the EGR being right on that cylinder. i sent all my head out to a machine shop. im not sure what the six star shop here does, but what ever it is clearly isnt working. i always use the 78 degree OEM Subaru thermostat and a good water pump like Aisin or NPW and have never had a problem. they really are good cars overall, especially in the snow
My Baja has almost 340,000 miles on it and it's still truckin' somehow. It's very useful.
My Baja had almost 280k when I sold it. Thing survived multiple deer and hauled pavers and a ton of other stuff
This is the type of content I come for. I am long past working on my own cars to this level. I appreciate knowing the level of work to know if the shop is being honest. I found a local garage that is a quotes a fair price. They also combine jobs. "Since I have it apart anyway and you are paying the labor to put it back together, I will just add the parts cost to replace this while I am in there".
Considering people go to private shops to avoid high prices at the stealership most people are even scared to pay a towing fee. Why not teach them that is possible to safely drive their vehicle home even if the headgaskets are blown.... Oh wait you wouldnt have any clients if everyone knew all the tricks so better just keep feeding people on the straw so you still have customers smh... Guys mechanics do want a higher bill at the end of the day not just brakes tires and suspension... Big engine and trans issues buys them YACHTS
I drive an 2003 forester we bought new . I did the head gaskets at 90k miles, they were leaking externally (yes did them myself, I am a high school auto mechanics teacher). Still drive the car to this day & have no plans to replace it. Very reliable.
Also thank you David and Jenny (believe your real names are). For the great videos. You help me teach my mechanics classes with your mechanics tips & tricks videos plus I use your buy/don’t buy videos in my consumer automotive classes. Keep up the great work !
I believed the JDM legend and bought a 2006 Forester XT. Worst decision of my life. Nothing but electrical gremlins and finally it blowed the lower radiator hose that heat locked the engine and blew the head gasket. Now it's junked. It had a failing temp sensor so I forbid my son from driving it unless absolutely must but of course he had to go cruising on the town with friends. The result: totaled car. Parenthood is so nice.
Was not expecting the Bong part. Made me laugh my tail off on break from working in the shop.
lmao me too dude
It was funny cause I was watching in my Subaru on break from working on Subarus.
I bought this exact model, with leather package brand new from the dealer. It worked great for my needs at the time. Unfortunately head gasket blew at about 40,000 miles. I traded it in for a new car despite the muddy coolant and sparkly stuff inside the radiator completely visible. My wife's 2010 Sub Forester blew head gasket at 50,000 miles in 2021. That one leaked outward and left 4 or 5 drops of oil in a line on the garage floor. We repaired that one because she loves the car. Then we drove it round trip coast to coast with absolutely no issues. Great video!
I love you and Mrs. Wizard! You both are genuine, sincere, honest people. Love the bong reference!
I have always referred to my Baja of 14 years as a Ute like everyone else in the world. There is one trick with the tail gate those black buttons on both sides of the license plate have it pop up to show the license plate if you have the gate down for an extended period of time.
These episodes are so much better than any car show on TV. Thanks for the great entertainment
I think back to the automotive TV shows I watched growing up and wizard is way better. I couldn't even tell you what car shows are on tv now.
The Wizard/Hoovie combo works almost as well as the Top Gear trio. And no, I'm not talking about the new version of it.
This is my all time favorite car! So glad to see my favorite mechanic going over it
Thanks Mr. Wizard for this episode!! Another trick I used for years was to take a plastic sandwich bag with me. When the car is cold, just like you recommend, I remove the radiator cap and wet the plastic bag with coolant and seal it over the open radiator with my hand. Make sure the opening for the coolant recovery bottle is also covered as well. Have a friend start the car, and check if there is ANY pressure in the cooling system! Not sure if this still works with modern cars, but it sure does on the older (carbureted) stuff every time. Thanks again for the awesome vids and keep cool!
Great comments on head gasket diagnostics. I had a 79 Datsun 310 with a blown head gasket that gurgled a couple days prior, through the heater core, then the gasket completely failed with a big plume of white steam as I started it in a grocery store parking lot. Embarrassed, I felt like James Bond deploying a smoke screen during a getaway!
Considering people go to private shops to avoid high prices at the stealership most people are even scared to pay a towing fee. Why not teach them that is possible to safely drive their vehicle home even if the headgaskets are blown.... Oh wait you wouldnt have any clients if everyone knew all the tricks so better just keep feeding people on the straw so you still have customers smh... Guys mechanics do want a higher bill at the end of the day not just brakes tires and suspension... Big engine and trans issues buys them YACHTS
@@RexerYTRexer When I had my head gasket issue after the steam had cleared I did drive the fifteen miles to my Datsun dealership which repaired the blown gasket for 400 dollars (in 1984). But six months later after another hot day I got the same old gurgling in the heater so I traded the car in on a Toyota Corolla.
@@RexerYTRexer How could you drive safely with a blown head gasket? It's too risky...
@@MartinJones123 This sounds to me like a clear case of a backyard mechanic that believes he's more talented, or experienced than any technician out there. These are the people that can give really bad advice and end up making things worse.
This is satire......
"I think I might have some engine problems."
" Don't take it to a mechanic they will just rip you off. Get Billy Jack to fix it. He knows how to fix brakes so engine repairs should not be a problem."
Take your cars to a professional people.
@@Mike-qp8bv This guy would probably take his car to the most famous backyard mechanic, Scotty Kilmer...
I remember seeing something on this before on another video somewhere. The head gaskets in the 2.5 EJ non-turbo were coated with some kind of graphite that would wear off over time. A lot of people fix these by using the Turbo type multi layer metal head gasket. At least that's what my brain is telling me.
correct, the turbo cars had Multi Layer Stainless Steel (MLS) gaskets, and these don't fail if installed correctly.
Still fail, just not as often
I replaced my headgasket from 2007 Legacy sedan 2.5 SOHC, ,no issued with the MLS heag gasket. Few years and track days, not a single leak anywhere, 300k km
RegularCarReviews
The head gasket issue with Subarus lasted from 1998 -2013. You would have thought Subaru could have figured out that the triple steel gasket used in the 2.5 turbos rarely failed. But no they kept using the single-layered gasket, which you can still buy today. They put a can of Holts stop leak in your cooling system so the head gaskets lasted till the vehicle was out of warranty.
So the head gasket problem was fixed around 2013 but now Subaru's have a bigger problem. Apparently, the PVC valve gets blocked easily and creates internal engine pressure that causes the RTV engine sealant to fail in major engine areas. The only way to fix this is to pull the engine and separate the failed areas of the engine with new RTV sealant. Very expensive job ! So if you have a Subaru I would say put in a new PCV valve yearly as they are cheap and you can DIY.
most shops would recharge it. Say it good, charge you $200 and send you on your way. Thank you for being one of the real ones that make sure 100% that its fixed.
Had an Outback from that same MY that I drove for 12 years. It did have the EJ25 known for HG leaks, but from what I understand, that vintage tended to leak externally instead of internally. Mine developed an external coolant leak around 100K miles. We had them replaced along with a timing belt and water pump at the same time. Drove it for another 50K before finally replacing it, but it was otherwise free of major service needs other than regular maintenance and wear items and would have likely made it well beyond 150K.
I love my Saabaru. It’s got the 2.5 and I bought it from the original owner with 160k miles. The head gaskets went out on him around 140k miles and he had them replaced by a professional with the MLS gaskets. I’m at 171k miles now and I absolutely love it.
I inherited a 2002 Outback and couldn't figure out where all the oil was coming from. When the head gaskets finally blew at 250k and got fixed, the oil stopped.
250k miles is pretty good
How many miles did it have when it started leaking oil?
@@JStryker7 Estimate 125k
@@JStryker7 I wasn't familiar with that engine. I now know that since the engine sits flat, the oil was drain back that was leaking at the head to block junction and not the valve covers.
@@obsoleteprofessor2034 haha that’s brilliant. 125k on a leaking gasket
Man I had a 2001 Outback of this generation, but with the H6 3.0 VDC. I took that car adventuring all over the country and it was great in deep sand the the rain/snow didn't affect it- maybe better than my full size pickups and on par with a Jeep with lockers for light stuff. The bitch was the clearance between the valve covers and the strut towers which made maintenance very tedious. But if you're in the market for something like this, get the Outback and be done with it. I camped in mine many times at rest stops and offroad so I'd skip the Baja and go for the Outback instead if that's your thing.
Most Outbacks have the 2.5 engine that will need head gasket replacement. They seem to have solved the head gasket issue in 2013. You had a 6-cyl that did not have the head gasket issues.
For a minor coolant leak ground black pepper (a tablespoon or so) can stop the ooze.
I fixed a porous head on a 2005 Chrysler Town and Country and a heater core on a 1985.5 Ford Escort using ground black pepper.
Saved myself a few hundred bucks.
I worked at Mitsubishi in Normal, IL from 1989-2008. For a portion of that time of the joint venture with Chrysler we were getting engines from Chrysler. Mexico junk 2 liters. They all came with a stop leak pellet in the coolant filler neck on the engine.
I have a 1965 Buick Riviera that I bought from the original owner in 1988. He informed be that he never had a problem with the A/C. I still have the car today and the only service I performed on the A/C was to change the belts on the compressor. It will still freeze you out.
Subies of this era that live in states where the roads are salted in the winter love to rust underneath. My mother had an early 2000s Outback that looked nice inside and out but was rusted out underneath at 130k miles -- car-killing structural rust. Another thing that was an issue on these Outbacks/Bajas was poor window sealing. My mom's car had an irritating wind whistle around the driver's window by the mirror.
Look for a Subaru with the H6 engine, these do not have the head gasket issue.
Also, if you DO wind up replacing Subaru head gaskets, don't get the flimsy composite Subaru gaskets, get good Cometic metal gaskets. These pretty much solve the head gasket issue.
Great video!
Nah, the 2.5 is fine. At this point most of them have been replaced with a gasket from a turbo car which won't blow like the stock ones.
My bh outback has 240k miles on the original gasket and it's not showing any signs of blowing. It's on the original clutch too. But that is on the way out.
yeah except you have to work on the H6 which is horrible even in subaru standars.
@@Em022 No, you don't. They don't break and most things are easy to get at anyway. You know nothing, verbal flatus-
Non-turbo 2005-2009 subaru's also had head gasket issues, but it was an issue with the outside perimeter of the gasket where the oil return passages are at the bottom of the heads. Oil would just sit there and eventually wear away at the graphite(?) coating on the gasket, causing an external oil leak at the bottom of the engine.
Working at a dealer in the '70s in came the Lotus Esprit. Cool looking car but it had 1 very big problem. The switch for the cooling fans, called the Otter switch, would pop out. If this happens you must stop the car and call a tow truck. Nobody did this. they would just keep on driving till the engine seized. I had 2 cars where the wife was driving and they drove on till the next off ramp. Well the engines got so hot the spark plug boots would swell and fill the valley with burned rubber. Never got to see inside the engines as they were all covered under warranty. Yes it would happen that fast. We started wrapping the switch with wire so they would not pop out anymore. Bad bad design.
Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious
My husband and I have seen you on other channels. Love what you do! You've got two new subs!
The Car Wizards has the coolest walk on RUclips! I'd love to see a continuous loop video of him just waddling around on his stubby little legs with Pantera's WALK as the background music!
Hits from the bong. That's hilarious, gotta love the wizard.
In '79 a neighborhood friend had a Subaru Brat. It had rear facing seats in the bed. That was a fun car.
RUclipsrs Samcrac and Legit street cars put the tester in the coolant reservoir. It worked in showing the coolant turn yellowish color. This definitely will save a person from buying a car with expensive headgasket problems.
I had a similar clutch problem on a similar Subaru. Turned out the pull in gap had worn larger over the years. I found a hack online using 3 plastic bread bag tabs, one under each of the 3 tangs on the front of the clutch to provide more pull in pressure. It worked!
Big fan of the channel, I've owned 2 subarus, both daily drivers, certified pre owned, and only needed general maintainace. Most reliable cars I've personally ever owned. Next one will be a wrx lol
That combustion leak detector is about $26 at Harbor Freight. If you have a small head gasket leak, Blue Devil 'Pour and Go can work pretty well. Must catch the leak early. I've gotten over 30k miles on Subies using this stuff. That said, I generally will put new multi-layer steel head gaskets in, along with a bunch of "while-you-in-there" stuff. I just did a full engine refresh at 180k miles on my 04 Baja Turbo. She's a keeper!
My daughter has a 03 outback 3.0 with only 62K (mother in law car) with coolant replacements every 5 years or so, very well maintained. Hopefully the head gaskets are a long time away.
@@norcal715 If I remember correctly, the 6 cylinder engines didn’t have head gasket problems. This is a huge spark for debate though.
@@norcal715 Pretty sure the 3.0 had MLS gaskets similar to the turbos. That said, keep an eye on coolant reservoir levels, check engine lights (cylinder misfire = bad), and any unusual steam from tailpipe.
@@CodyBosch i managed to blow hg on my h6 ez30
a coolant pipe burst open while i was driving up in the mountains, engine was on fairly high loads 3k-4k rpm
overheated the engine and the result was blown hg or cracked head (still dont know which, but definitely consuming coolant)
@@Dankcatvacs its just sitting here waiting to be sold or just waiting till i save up money to have it fixed
Be careful around Subarus with head gasket leaks if the owner tried any of the head gasket sealers (the Subaru stuff works well, but most others cause issues). I had one which had a strange overheating issue which seemed a lot like a bad thermostat, replaced it with a factory one and it was still having the same issue. Checked the temperature coming and going from the heater core and it was 10 degrees cooler on the return side so I thought it was flowing but after bypassing the heater core with bulk hose it worked perfectly. Good circulation through the heater core is essential for the thermostat on these engines to operate properly. That one caused a little heartache!
I like that corvette behind you!
Legend has it: If the Car Wizard catches on fire, he would burn for 1,000 days.
🤣🤣
Audition for the Gong Show
One day for every time he disagreed with Mrs Wizard about who's car it is🤷🏻♂️
@Thermonuclear Energy
Burning bodies do smell like bacon. Most people will never know that.
The question now is would he get retroactive payback .. All guesses play even..
they are good but DO NOT OVER HEAT THEM! Especially the old ones...
and yes, we have one currently (Impreza), as does one of my brothers (Outback, long time M Benz owner) and a daughter (Crosstrek), so yeah, they are pretty good...
owned 5 subies and 1 of them was an 03 baja 2.5L head gaskets valve cover gasket and make sure you change timing belts water pumps the best 1 i had was the outback ll bean 3.0 6cyl now the other problem that took out 4 of them was the junk 4eat tranny sold them all bought a prius no more problems
Who remembers the Suburu Brat? It was their first import truck. It came with rear bed seats the dealer installed as an option which allowed them to skirt import requirements for cars.
This generation of Subaru AC compressor is notorious for O-ring failure from the 2 hoses that connect on top of the compressor with times
Around the same time Fords also had that issue as well. It’s more common on older model Ford Focuses.
Love the videos. Keep them coming.
The world needs more rigs like this
What a great dynamic duo !!!👍🏽
Good episode, Mr. and Mrs. Wizard! If it weren't for the odd head gasket, that li'l Subie is in pretty good shape for the milage, especially the interior. Have a good weekend!✌️❤️🙂🇨🇦
I'm liking Mrs Wizard's blue toe nail varnish!
Mrs Wizard is a keeper! When will she be able to drive the 308? Very soon I hope!
Thanks for posting.
Another great video from the wizard. Thanks
You and Mrs. Wizard are a great team
It's always a nice day when the wizard shop welcomes viewers inside. 😊
By the way, it's a Ute (from utility vehicle) an Australian invention first cooked up by Ford of all companies by listening to a customer who wrote to Ford Australian asking for a vehicle he could use to take his pigs to market on a Saturday and his wife to church on the Sunday.
Wikipedia says it started in the US in the 1920s and then went to Australia.
@@RandomTask1207 In the US of A they call utes trucks. So what do they call actual trucks in the US?
@@MrWilliam.Stewart Apparently it started off being called a roadster utility or light delivery vehicle in North America back in the day.
The Subframe self destructs in any area Road Salt is used. Make sure you have a shop with a rack inspect this Before you Buy...
For real, my subis subframe was awful
15 years on the NASIOC forums and no one has ever mentioned that cool little headgasket tool.
Mainly used by professional shops...I suppose if you were in a car club one could be shared amongst the members?
Most auto parts stores will have the same kind of a block tester you can loan out. The bigger problem is that you probably will have to drain out some coolant, and many newer vehicles use such complex hose routing that it's difficult to get to a point where the thermostat is open so that you have full circulation with the radiator cap off.
If you have one, you can use a Lisle type coolant funnel and cut a small round hole in the lid it comes with. Then attach the block tester to that. Plus you get the benefit of being able to observe bubbles coming up so that you know when to start drawing air through the tester.
A few things, Dave. The problem was non-metal multi-layer head gaskets. Turbo engines used metal multi layer ones and if the gaskets were replaced under warranty by Subaru, you should check to see if they used the ML ones or not. You can replace NA gaskets with turbo gaskets and you'll be good. Also, when replacing or changing Subaru (blue) coolant, Subaru recommends you also add a bottle of coolant conditioner which is nothing but stop leak. There's no glitter. I'm happy to see the hydrocarbon test being done.
How can you tell which gaskets they used?
even the MLS headgaskets go bad. the 2010-2012 NA EJ25 Outbacks and Legacies came from the factory with the MLS Turbo gasket and i routinely see them blow around 150k.(ive done 2 in the last month and have another scheduled) and they are a far bigger problem when they do fail. the single layer gaskets usally fail around 100 to 120k they start by seeping oil. the car is still driveable and you have plenty of time to get them done. the customer usually brings these in complaining of an oil smell or oil on their garage floor. the MLS gaskets fail by leaking compression into the coolant jacket making the car overheat and give little to no warning. the car is not driveable and you have to fix it right away or risk engine damage. this issue is more design on the NA EJ25 than the gaskets. the EJ18 and EJ22 used single layer HGs and never has a issue. the EJ25 cylinder walls are very thin.
@@volks-jager Get the Cometic head gaskets; This solves the issue once and for all.
@@Flies2FLL those wont fix it permanently either. Comestics are most likey just rebranded Six Stars - they look totally identical. just like the OEM Subaru HGs are just repackaged Victor Reinz gaskets. no HG will solve this issue permanently. it is the bad design of the NA EJ25 that causes it(open deck block coupled with very thin cylinder walls), not the HGs. if the HG design was the issue the EJ18 and EJ22 would also have the issue and they dont - those engines have much thicker cylinder walls and will run forever on the the stock composite HGs. the people saying MLS gasket are a permanent fix never see these car again after another 150k as most are sold off or in the boneyard by that time. ive been working on these engines since the 90s
My parents 2005 forester was tested for blown head gaskets by d Subaru dealership and another shop both said needed head gaskets but when they gave up on it they gave it to me and was only a lose hose clamp!!!
loved my 04 outback best car I owned
Funny you should mention Subaru head gaskets, I'm just in the middle of replacing head gaskets on a 2006 WRX that has done 270,000klms, it was an engine out job, head gaskets are done just waiting on a new clutch before it goes back in. Crankcase ventilation hose on the top of the crankcase was split causing a bad oil leak so that also had to be replaced.
I had a 98 legacy outback about 8 years ago….I loved that car for the short time I had it….it of course had the beginning stages of head gasket issues, eventually it blew totally up, was a great car but me being young and dumb and not having the money to fix it she was let go 😓 right at 125k miles too as usual for those engines
Love the video, but I want to call out the biggest unseen hero of this chanell, Mrs D' Wizard!
Glad to hear the Wizard say that Subarus are good cars. My 19 crosstrek has 21k on it. Lots of life to go, and I bought the Subaru extended warranty
You’ll love it!
I agree. Subaru's did have a bad rep but they have gone past that. I have a 2018 Crosstrek and my Wife has a 2018 Impreza. Both with the full warranties just in case (only about 10 per car payment). In addition they both have the American Anti-Theft device known as a manual transmission.
My old rusty 1996 Chevy Tahoe with V8 Vortec has 380,000+ miles. Original motor and transmission. I have only ever had to replace starter 12 years ago and alternator (a 30 minute job). Only things I ever had to do besides those things are oil changes, replaced a worn out muffler at 280,000 mile, some new shocks and dumb little things like that that simply wear out. We use it everyday. I also have a 1986 Fiero GT that has 400k on original motor. Some American cars can go for a long time.
But they aren't...
They are good with a manual, many people have issues with the CVT's thoguh..🙄
baja is a truck 4 door version of the brat which is a 2 door. very modern radio. nice 5 seater. nice vehicle. no wraparound door window 90% of vehicles have that featcha. bars leak good stuff.
I recently got a 06 outback 2.5i manual with 190k Miles. has head gasket, timing belt, water pump and gaskets done recently with receipts. It doesn't burn a drop of oil. A good buy I think
Had an '02 2.5RS and an '04 Forester XT (both manuals). Wish I still had the Forester - that was one quick little SUV.
I bought a new crosstrek manual. I like the manual Subarus but most have that CVT. The repair cost on the CVT is a deal breaker for me.
My 2018 forester (85k miles) had the same issue, would lose AC after about an hour
On the highway. Used a feeler gauge to check the AC clutch gap and it was too large. Pulled the clutch which has washers for adjustment, pulled a washer and got it back in spec and it’s perfect now. Something to be mindful of on Subaru compressors.
I wonder why they did not use the clutchless style compressors on the Forester and Impreza. Subaru has used them on the Legacy and Outbacks since the 2010MY.
There is a group out of the pacific north west awd auto I think that makes high quality replacement gaskets & head studs. It was more expensive than the oem or aftermarket parts but the quality and knowing that I wouldn’t have to spend big money again. 240000 miles and going strong on my 03 2.5 legacy
Subaru has had head gasket failures for the last 30 years! Yet, they still keep selling! But points for consistency.
FWIW, regarding refrigerant leaking. I recently sold my 2003 Honda Odyssey with 225k miles. The A/C was still blowing cold and had never been serviced. About a year ago I attached a refrigerant gauge to the fitting to check the level, and it still showed proper pressure. That's just one anecdote, and it may just confirm that the lifespan of a Honda Odyssey is greater than 225k miles, but my point is that it's not always something you need to worry about.
It will still leak its freon out eventually
I loved my subie, i had a 2009 forester, but it took two years to find why my a/c was struggling. Every mechanic said everthings fine but i could tell the air was not as cold as i used to be. I kept saying the air entering the a/c system was hotter than it should be and there was a problem with the radiatior or some other part of the engine cooling system but i kept getting told i was imagining issues. Then it started giving me overheat warnings on one specific hill, i had to give them permission to drive to that particular hill, and as i stated it was a radiator pressure gasket failure.ended up being too late and she was soon having other issues related to heat stress.
I have a 06XT. The only major issue I have had was splitting the top Radiator tank. After replacing the Radiator I noted that I was consuming a bit of coolant. Added a bottle of Holts Radweld and that stopped that problem.
FYI, the 03-10 head gaskets have usually been replaced with the good MLS gaskets by this mileage. You can visually tell if the gasket is the good MLS one or the bad single layer gasket. Most of the single layer gaskets fail prior to 150k.
The SOHC engine started in 2000 but the factory head gasket was the same graphite gasket through '09 in the Outback and Legacy and I don't remember off-hand what years for Forester and Impreza. The MLS gasket from a STI will work but is a little thinner so if you've had the heads shaven you may run into piston-to-valve clearance issues. Best off to just take care of it and run the 633 gaskets and change them when they go bad. It takes half an hour to have that engine swinging from a chain. Check the heads for flatness, clean up the surface of the heads and block if they're straight, slap the new gaskets on and reassemble. Less than 2 hours with basic tools.
Mine made it to 174 thousand. A buddy of mine made it to 198. It's really a crap shoot. For older Subarus, always verify that the gaskets have been replaced. If it's a 2010 or older, non turbo, it's not a matter of IF they will fail, it's a matter of WHEN will they fail.
A Subaru with a blown head gasket? IMPOSSIBRU
I had a head gasket go on my '92 Dodge Shadow. It was a while before I noticed the exhaust gas bubbles coming up into the reservoir tank. I replaced the head gasket, but not long after, I had to also replace the radiator and heater core, as they started leaking. I suspect the coolant went very acidic from the exhaust gas, as it was not the usual glycol antifreeze green, but a bright yellow color, and ate those parts up.
Another nice video you two. 👍
Had a 2003 Outback that went to 250,000 miles when I traded it in. Had to replace the head gaskets twice. Subaru never took any responsibility for the blown head gasket. Subaru redesigned the head gaskets andd corrected the blown headgasket problem.
My winter beater is an ‘06 Forester. Mechanically it’s rock solid but I give it only a few more winters until the rust wins. 100% will get another Subaru.
My parents had a 1993 Legacy (the Outback is an evolution of the wagon). The cruise control was strange on it; you had to push a button on the left dash (next to the de-icer button) to arm the system, then it had a small lever on the steering wheel to control it. Those old Subarus were trash, past 2000 is when they started to really take off.
many Japanese cars have it that way. From my Lexus operating manual, its because they dont want you to accidentally put on the cruise.
I had a 93 Legacy which was perfect for 130k miles until it was stolen!
@@paperback10 You must have an ass made of iron, lol. The seats were about as comfortable as a concrete park bench! And the one my parents had started having so many issues by 80k, it was a joke (and my father had it serviced and repaired by Subaru mechanics). So many of them from that time had a legion of problems. With the exception of the head gasket issue, by the 2000s, they were bomb proof (and a LOT nicer). After that experience, I had stated I would never own one. Until I got back to the states in 2009 and saw one of my buddies Legacy; I thought a UFO had just landed from Mars, lol. I now own a 2018 Outback (50th Anniversary Edition) and LOVE it!
That 928 S4 in the back is same color as mine with just 16.000 kms on it, rare color and I like it
The Subaru BRATT and Baja were ahead of their time.
6:06 I had a similar issue with the A/C compressor on my old Saab 9000. It would work when cold but as the engine bay warmed up, A/C stopped working.
I adjusted the compressor clutch air gap by removing a shim plate and it started working again. The heat simply made the clutch magnet slightly less effective and it couldn't generate enough pull to engage the clutch until it was adjusted. The whole operation could be done with the compressor and clutch in place.
My folks' 2003 Saab 9-3 had the same issue, fixed the same way.
2003 wrx AC fix was using some washers to get the clutch magnet to work properly.
Literally exactly the same problem in my 2018 forester, pulled the AC clutch and adjusted the gap and it’s perfect now.
That's in good condition for a daily driver, makes me want a subi
I remember that they used to call it a "brat".
It's good to know that you think Subaru is a good car I just sold my 2019 Volkswagen and got a 2022 Subaru
...I own an OB 2006 n a Legacy SW L 2003. Bought em used , now 155KM + each. LI NY.
My 03 Legacy, has HG issue, for at least 10km I own it.
The oil n coolant sys=bottle/radiator r clean, but I loose antifreeze!
Now in the summer, I just ad water about 1 ltr for 100 miles n runs just good.
In the winter I ad antifreeze-of course. The car runs perfect, I enjoy much/my body takes me to the Legacy than the OB. I will leave it alone-I always check the fluids- and I only hope it will not fail in the winter. I drive it about 10-15 miles/day. Subies R good cars n I like the flat engine design.
Had a problem with the AC on a 2015 WRX, problem was the air gap on the compressor clutch was too big, there is a spec for the gap, to fix it undo the 10mm nut that holds on the outer part of the clutch, remove shims till you get the correct gap, problem solved. BTW it went to a Subaru dealer 3 times with this problem and they couldn't fix it, go figure🙂
k seal works, i have a small bottle of it in my car for a crack in a plastic part i didnt feel like changing. its been great.
I had an AC work intermittently in my RSX, several shops quoted me on new compressors. I figured out (not them) that the clutch plate had worn down and needed to be replaced.. Before I replaced the clutch plate I simply took out one of the washers and closed the gap to the correct clearance. It literally cost me nothing and fixed the problem. I guess it wasn't worth it for the shops to replace the clutch so they just wanted to do the whole unit.
My 02 Grand Prix went to the boneyard with the AC still working great... over 300k on it. So no Wizard, they don’t all lose the charge before they croak...
Had a 05 Baja Turbo 5MT, I sure miss that thing. Sold it with 198k on it. I had records for everything down to when they had a valve stem replaced. But nothing on the clutch or head gaskets. I replaced the clutch at 195k and as well as I knew the engine was never apart.
As a Subaru owner for decades now, I will say that I have experienced head gasket failure on one car, my '95 Legacy Wagon stick. Sold that car last year due to not needing two cars anymore due to retirement, and I miss it every day.
No issues after the gasket job done, you must use MLS head gaskets and torque the heads per factory specs, and you will not have issues.
Due to the fact that all my Subarus experienced fewer issues after the miles piled up than my Hondas, and have been as durable as my Toyotas, I stuck with them and no regrets, our '18 Outback Limited 3.6R is by far the best car I ever owned.
That said, please could you please continue the trope that Subarus are junk that is so prevalent on line?
Less demand means easier negotiating when I buy my next one.
I bought a brand new crosstrek 6 speed manual
I love the Wizard's Cypress Hill impression definitely made me smile...lol
Love the C3 and 928 in the back. Also seems you lost weight in de heat..👍
I loved my 2012 Legacy. I didn't love that it blew a head gasket at just 66,000 miles and Subaru didn't give a damn. No more Subies for me.
@@Dankcatvacs it spent probably a good month and a half at a dealership and needed an engine-out repair. After a lot of time on the phone, I got Subaru to reimburse me for part of the repair... and then it took multiple follow-up calls to get Subaru to honor that and actually send me a check. Traded it in on a Hyundai Sonata after that, which was reliable, but I hated driving it in comparison to the Legacy.
I loved these when they came out.
You have saved my ass and saved me thousands thanks so much Mr W. You rock Paul from the uk
I had a Honda civic that was pushing coolant out of the radiator and it did turn out to have a warped head, but the fluid in that test never changed colors for me.
Alex at Legit Street Cars had a similar thing on his F150 Lightning: he had to try really hard to get the fluid to change color (at first, until he pushed it a bit too hard towing)
Also check the oil to see if it's milky. You may also smell coolent from exhaust, it may smoke blue.
It will smoke WHITE if there is coolant in the exhaust. Not blue....
@@1983dmd I've always seen a slight blue hinge in the color. Though yes mostly white.
This is the same engine (EJ253) as in my 2005 Subaru Legacy 2.5i and I would recommend checking the timing belt if it is not known how old it is. It is very simple, there is a cover on the front driver side of the engine that can be removed with 3 10 mm bolts. I just replaced my original timing belt recently as the old one was cracked and ready to go! These are interference engines so if the belt does go, so does your engine.
Did you change the water pump too? Did it on my 04 legacy and the timing kit came with water pump because you have to take the front end assembly off to get to it anyway. Not sure if the 05 is different
You can also add a small amount of dye to the system before recharging so the next time you need a recharge, you can look for where the dye leaked out.
It's baffling that they never sold these in Australia... They never replaced the epic little Brumby, this would have been a good fit.
@Poky's Place You know you can... sell vehicles, right?
They don't have to be yours forever.
This is my favorite video because of the Cypress Hill reference. 😎
I bought the "power probe" it's so handy!!!😃
Once a Subaru 2.5L H/G is replaced with MLS H/Gs, heads corrected, etc, the engine should never leak again. I much rather have an older Subie than the new ones, H/G issues and all..
The old ones just have way more charm all new cars just look the same
@@shimetobago9586 Plus they’re very easy cars to work on. I completely overhauled my ‘01 Forester engine and did every repair/maintenance on it from suspension, brakes, power steering, etc. Loved that car.
MLS fail too, they just tend to last a bit longer than the single layer - ive done a bunch HG jobs on the 10-12 Outbacks/Legacies that came from the factory with the MLS Turbo gasket. ive also redone several HG jobs done by a local shop that swears by the "six-star" MLS gaskets.- most of those didnt even go 50k miles. the average i see on the single layer is 100 to 120 k. the MLS around 150k.
@@volks-jager Coincidentally, Six Star MLS H/Gs from SmartQualityParts is what I used on my older ej251 2.5L n/a. The engine never leaked again.. I think it’s a matter also of how much overheating and warpage the heads/block got. I also surfaced my block at home with very fine sandpaper and a straight piece of granite.. lol I measured it after with a straight edge, that thing ended perfect, not even 1/1,000 feeler gauge/light went under the ruler. Piston #4 suffers greatly on these motors, the cooling mod helps big time too. But the overall capabilities/utilities of these cars are simply awesome.
@@Mike_44 the vast majority of blown EJ25s ive dealt with where the number 1 rod bearing spun or thrown through the block. i have seen several burn a valve on 4 , but never anything else, probabaly has to do with the EGR being right on that cylinder. i sent all my head out to a machine shop. im not sure what the six star shop here does, but what ever it is clearly isnt working. i always use the 78 degree OEM Subaru thermostat and a good water pump like Aisin or NPW and have never had a problem. they really are good cars overall, especially in the snow
Wizard on point with the bong joke that was scary