Choosing an inappropriate head gasket for a poorly modified EJ engine running loads of boost and a poor tune will give you head gasket failures. The modding community creates an echo chamber online because the poorly modded car owners are griping. The correctly modded, stock and problem free car owners never seek online help so the overall perception online is negative.
It's the same with any cars. If you go to a lets say LX chassis Dodge chargers challengers magnums ect, you're gonna hear about front end issues...for years. Which...is warranted, BUT its old FCA/Fiat/Dodge crap. I own one, i know. Then if you go to Hemi specific sites, its all CAM LIFTER CAM LIFTER, or VALVE SEAT DROP. Which again, yeah it happens. i don't think valve seats drop unles you overheat the crap out of them. Cam and lifters? Maybe some problems in the 09/later head engines with design? Too much power? VVT? MDS? Basically, if you look for problems, you're gonna find them. People as you say, boosting some car with no supporting mods or boosting the hell out of it with no real help, yeah problems gonna happen.
I have a 196k mile, heavily modified 05 obxt. Original unopened engine, never seen a headgasket failure. I agree with exactly what your saying. Turbo subarus blow headgaskets because of too much timing and too much boost, aka too much cylinder pressure.
Its like this with any car, people mod them like idiots while not researching things enough and getting overly excited if they can cram out more power out of them and if engine is just not misticly overengineered like 2JZ which can can be blown and was blown alot of times too like any other engine, then they complain and whine online. With 2JZ its weird because opposite effect to Subaru's is going on there, people tout like its indestructible even tho people ruined hundreds of engines with boosting them to oblivion, yet they keep saying like its 2nd coming of Christ among japanese engines. Its just silly. Truth is always somewhere in the middle as with most things.
Subaru has been really good to me and my family. Subaru of America picked up 100% of the cost of my condenser replacement on my 2017 Forester and extended the life of the replacement policy to ten years going forward. Pretty good service I think.
Ya know, there’s a problem with some Subaru owners redlining their engines driving around like they are in a “Fast and the Fabulous” movie and blowing engines from neglect and abuse. Then the very same owners complain that their Subarus are “Junk”. Give me a break. Don’t blame the car.
@@ianholmquist8492 , engines make power and torque to a certain point, then horsepower and torque start to drop off. No one is getting any gains after the engine is done making its useful numbers.
@@ianholmquist8492, Redline means “DON’T REV ME AND TRY TO HOLD ME AT THIS RPM. YOU WILL DAMAGE OR DESTROY ME!” That’ what redline means. It means DANGER. It’s your engine bro, do what you gotta do, but at least change your oil regularly and at keep it out of the red zone on the tachometer. That’s my advice to you. ✌️
My 97 OB had fel pro installed at 163k, I’m at 248k now with major oil leaking but I think from valve covers. Gonna either rebuild the engine or buy another gen1 without rust and rebuild that
I have 2008 outback 200000 miles and I had those problem since my suspension and body and interior is good I swap for JDM 2.5 and I m I did. I spent $3000. engine and labor. Feel like 👍 new this JAPANESE DOMESTIC MOTORS are in between 60 and 40 thousand miles.
I've said this many times on this channel, but I have a '03 Bugeye WRX Sedan with the original EJ205 engine, turbocharger and transmission and it has never needed headgaskets after 160k miles. Just take care of the car and don't boost the stock block to high hell and you'll be just fine
Your first video was not misleading. I completely understood what you were communicating. I actually searched out your video because I value your professional opinion. I still have a failed head gasket on my 2014 Outback. I left details on the other video, but please confirm if the replacement head gasket 10105AB580 is the same as 11044AA633? Both have a coating. If they are the same then I will use the MLS Turbo gasket as a replacement fix.
The non boxer engine, the fluid is burned off on the hot surface of the engine block. "You smell that? , I smell antifreeze...yeah it's the Honda Accord in front of us."
Great job with the clarification by the way. Perhaps if you revisit the FA oil consumption issue you could shine a light on oil leaks with that platform?
Please explain in a video about different type of Subaru engines or transmissions. How about the 2019-2021 Subaru Ascent head gasket issues or transmissions issues . Please explain to convince me to buy the Subaru Ascent 2021 SUV . Please please talk more about the engines of the 2021 Forester or Ascent SUV, for not familiar with the types of Engines. What is the engine in 2021 Subaru Ascent ? Many thanks 🙏
Honestly, I was not a big fan of Subaru until I started watching your channel. Did I hate them, no. They've always been a good car brand. The problem is people just don't seem to understand them and often confuse them to be something else
My son owns a 2018 WRX-STI with a EJ 257 turbo engine. It has 45,000 miles and it has a blown head gasket. Compression entering the cooling system, blowing bubbles and pushing coolant out the overflow tank. We removed the engine and pulled the head on Rt. Side-#2&4 cil. It has the modern MLS head gaskets. At the bottom under the fire ring you can see black soot from compression entering the cooling system. My opinion, with a MLS gasket there are too many layers to seal with high boost pressures from a turbo engine. These head gaskets do fail, you might not be hearing about them. That’s why I am sending this comment.
So glad I found your channel you are by far the most technically adept Subaru mechanic I've seen. Looking forward to checking out the rest of your content.
Just wanted to say that I appreciate you taking the time to make these videos. We have had Subaru's for 17 years (Started with an 88 GL with a locking diff, and now we have an 06 Outback!). Keep going and know that you are doing good work sir!
Cannot figure out coolant loss head gasket issue on outback LL bean H6. If its a head gasket, after 6 months , shouldnt my oil be fouled, spark plug fouled, compression off, poor performance??.But Ive checked everywhere else for leak. Bad water pump??
I've had three subaru's now, and never a head gasket issue in 500k miles worth of subaru driving. Not even a belt issue. People in America are under the perception that maintaining their vehicles is optional. Take care of the damn thing and it will take care of you. And if all fails, subaru is usually pretty good about owning up to things. On a side note, I did have a bad experience with oil consumption on a 2012 impreza and after the dealer botched the recall on it. I Traded up the to crosstrek in my Pic. 11k miles and not a single issue. Love it.
No. 150k isn’t good. At all. My engine was made in the 90s and has over 400k. Accepting less from a newer car. And giving manufacturers money for it. Is not what a smart person would do.
@@fastinradfordable 🤷♂️ it’s all relative. The throwaway nature of society sucks I totally agree. The real blame rests with government regulations. putting very narrow minded emissions regulations in place that are bad for the consumer.
Living up here in Canadian winters...i've never even driven a darn subaru. I'd love to try one out in the snow and ice and slick weather and see how it does. I got a RWD Hemi Charger (2006, nothing classic and nice) and its for sure OK in the snow, with some bags of salt and good tires, but man, AWD sounds like a good time. Hard to find anything not rotton to crap up here so...limited in what you can buy.
A lot of times I've seen improper torque of the head bolts that caused head gasket failures. Also, I've seen Subaru pay for a lot of things that were past the warranty period. I think you covered the head gasket issue pretty well.
Other fallacy i see alot is "too few headbolts" followed by moronic comparison to LS V8. LS is a freak case of a motor woth doubled headbolts, when there are hundreds of engines of various layouts that have single headbolts on each side section. Also Toyota Prius and other toyotas sharing related motors, blow headgaskets more often but people like to meme about Subaru.
Exactly, people like to spread misinformation around alot and always in exteremes, when usualy it's their own fault. Usually truth is somewhere in the middle, so only some EJ's blow headgaskets due and ONLY due to specific headgasket design, not anything tied to it being a boxer style engine. Same with Toyota's 2JZ not being indestructible, but when people ruin and blow up these engines, they never put a blame on the engine while still touting that its impossible to blow up and can handle tousands of horsepower worth of boost stock which is just bogus. Anyway my opinion aside i have a question! Do you think Subaru could and should make a pick-up truck for its lineup?(ideally worldwide) I though about how Toyota buys out more and more of them, maybe Subaru could use Hilux or one of american trucks to start off and just put their drivetrain into one. I dunno how Toyota would go about this tho, their CEO seems quite dismissive of subaru, they also dont get to share D4-S in anything other than BRZ and BRZ itself will most likely be aggressively outclassed by Toyota GR86 since CEO wants it to be different and better.....so Subie gets short end of the stick in the deal :/ They did atleast get some hybrid tech from toyota recently
I love my 2020 Subaru Forester. It’s wonderful. Better than the RAV4 I used to have. The responses from the last video shows that you could/should make a few educational vids and rerun them every few months. Thanks for the info and your channel.
I totally agree that Subaru stands behind it's customers better than any other car company. I had an 09 Impreza 2.5i Premium, The head gasket failed at 59k miles and 7 years, out of warranty, and that caused an oil issue so the engine threw a rod. I politely contacted Subaru USA and told them I expected better even though the car was out of warranty, they agreed and sent a new engine and all I paid for was installation labor, about $2k. That was the only issue I ever had with the car, every other thing worked perfectly for the 11 years I had it. We I sold it, I had friends and acquaintances start a bidding war to by it. Because of the great support Subaru gave me I did not hesitate to buy a 2021 Crosstrek Limited (I waited for the 2.5 engine because the 2.0 just didn't have enough power)
I believe Subaru OEM head gaskets are made by Victor Reinz. I understand why you use them exclusively. But Six Star and Felpro MLS head gaskets usually fail because of poor prep like you talked about in your previous video. I just know several shops that have no issues because the send the heads out and don't gouge the aluminum block. Great info as always.
I really appreciate your videos, and all the information you've given. I'm purchasing a 2011 Subaru Outback, but for a while I was scared that I'd made a bad decision because of all the scare tactics people post online about the horrible Subaru head gasket issues. Indeed, I owned a Subaru yeas ago and I loved the car....but it leaked everything in it, and eventually self-destructed. But you know why? Because I didn't really take very good care of it, didn't know much about it, and so it gave up the ghost. Even so, I lived in Michigan at the time, and that car would go anywhere, anytime no matter what the weather was like.
LOL! Your previous video was fine. People just love to hold onto preconceived ideas and feel threatened if you expose them. Not so bad with cars but devastating in politics.
I was laughing at what you were explaining people think - especially about the coolant causing head gasket failures. People think that? That is hilarious! Just the stupid graphite head gasket design of the EJ engines. That is it. Nothing else! Why can't people get it? Like I said - knew about this problem and avoided the EJ engine, not knowing in 2013 they went to the F series and buying the 3.6 H6 instead. No problems with it or the JATCO five speed (or Subaru, not sure which) either. So now with 112,000 miles I plan to drive it about 200,000 before getting a new car and I don't expect any problems besides minor oil burning.
Good day Mr. Subaru. I watch a lot of your videos and I must say that I'm pleased each time as your videos give me more confidence in my 2015 Impreza. Thank you, good job. I have one question. My Impreza does have the OEM MLS head gasket, however I am seeing oil in the coolant system; a creamy buttery substance in my radiator cap and in my coolant reservoir bottle. Could you tell what may be cause this problem? please.
There are people on this earth that think that it is flat, doesn’t matter how much evidence there is to disprove it, it’s flat to them, I get the feeling some people have the same warped beliefs in relation to Subaru head gasket failure.
Would like to know more about the oil consumption issues in modern Subarus. I had a 16 Legacy that I traded in with 80k miles on a 21 Forester sport. I also had no oil consumption issues with my legacy.
I just bought my first Subaru 2 days ago. I got a 2011 Forester with 110,000 miles. I’m stoked to have him and I hope he has a long life. I will stay on top of checking his oil :)
Yeah,.... you are repeating yourself but i get it.....new viewers ;-) . I do use the Felpro PermaTorque gaskets and have not had any issues,....again...i think head prep, like you noted in the last video is a main culprit..... taking your time using proper head torque and sequence is a must. Oh....and yes another great video.
@@619guy202 they definitely don't sell OEM thats for sure. I actually get my gaskets on Ebay. Mr. Subaru is all about OEM and im sure gets a good discount through the stealerships.
Great video! 👍👍 Proof once again that people who don’t know what they’re talking about should watch and learn instead of trolling on Social Media! As a very happy 2015 Forester XT owner with NO HEAD GASKET ISSUES.....I applaud your honesty and great work! 👏👏👏
First I love how honest you are about Subarus, you don’t sugar coat things. This argument is so dumb , it’s like saying I won’t buy a Ford because if they get rear ended they’ll blow up. Get over it people every car manufacturer has some sort of issue that plaques them.
Only time I “blew” my head gasket on my 2005 STi was when I was running meth injection and a full bolts and upgraded turbo. It only “blew” because the head bolts stretched with the higher boost levels. That’s ok. Complete fully built motor with forged internals and arp head studs. She is rolling!!
@@MrSubaru1387 and let me say my other car is a 2002 WRX and it ran with some stage 2 bolt ons and an accessport (mainly on economy tune) and she just recently lost compression in cylinder 4. Ohhh and btw she has over 272k miles on that motor lol. Putting in a fully built 2.5l now non avcs!
I'm sure this is going to get lost in the comments but I trust your opinion, I have an 95 EJ22 that's about to get pulled with 120k miles. Is it a good idea to go ahead and do head gaskets while the engine is out?
Mr. Subaru has just convinced me to change the coolant in my wife's 2015 Outback with 85,000 on the clock. Thank you sir. She loves that car and she's 77 years old.
The knowledge you provide is great. My 2011 Outback, 106k miles. I will probably lose a headgasket someday but I have been a bit of a freak doing oil changes well before 5k, and getting my coolant changed. Still going strong. It's been a fantastic car overall so if it goes, it goes. It's good to hear the headgasket thing is done as I would like to get another after this one.
So far I have 270,000 + Km on my 2005 Outback. Maybe I'm lucky? I replaced the crossover tube seals about 20,000 Km ago. No leaking oil or coolant. EJ 25 pulls as well as it ever did. I'm happy as a pig in mud with my Ol Girl and she's been in some pretty muddy places. Northern Territory Australia and outback Queensland, hell I have literally driven it half way around Australia; Melbourne, Adelaide, Darwin via Ularu and outback tourist places, then down through Mt Isa and outback Queensland to Newcastle and finally through Sydney back to my home 200Km east of Melbourne. That's about 10,000 Km (6,000 miles). Including a lot of places ordinary vehicles will not go. The traction control is fantastic. I've been given the most disgusted looks from Patrol, Landcruiser and other 4WDers who seem to think you need a $100,00 set up to leave bitumen. I'm from a generation where you learned to drive 2 wheel drive cars everywhere. If you got stuck, you got yourself out! Everyone I know swear by their Subarus and keep going back for more! Like your man says. Nothing beats regular maintenance, we called that PREVENTATIVE maintenance in the Airforce.
When the rear wheel bearings went out on my 2015 forester Subaru was happy to give me replacements. I had already removed the bad ones and was at the dealership trying to buy new ones. The Manager saw me and took care of the issue. He said they would have done the labor but I was happy with the free parts.
03 wrx 290whp pro tune 245xxx miles original engine never opened never had a head gasket issue. I change my oil on time and flush fluids when it's recommended 🤷🏽♂️
Hi new subscriber here. Never owned a Subaru but interested in get a “fixer upper” for a new 16 years old. The Subaru cars in the mid 2000s with the “H6” engine w/ blown head gaskets are very cheap (few hundred bucks ) here in Colorado. My question is, what is the best head gasket to install and if it has over 200,000 miles what else should be replaced while I’m in there? thank you for your high-quality videos and advice I really appreciate your time.
Shit happens ROFL! There are some nuts you just can't crack so no matter how much you try to educate, not all are going to absorb the info in a logical way. Screw the haters. Let them buy something else if they don't want to buy a subaru to each his or her own. Life is to short to worry bout haters, period! Keep up the gr8 work! Oh subaru might bend over backwards for their customers but their stealership service departments definately do not, at least in my area. I can site many personal experiences that would make most not by subaru, however, the cars have served my needs well eventhough my next purchase might be a pickup as my needs have changed.
Solid Video! Thanks for clearing up all the EJ and FA variance. As a ignorant kid I beat up an ej18 for 5 years then a phase 1 ej22 for 5 more year. Both never blew.
Hey Mr. Subaru, I inherited a 99 Legacy GT Anniversary Edition with now 99k miles. It's from my mom, who had it since it sold off the showroom, and she only had basic fluid changes done on it during her ownership. I've been having to add coolant regularly for the last 10k miles and figured the head gasket(s) were bad. Recently, it won't start anymore and just cranks differently. I've watched many of your videos and have decided to do the job myself, along with the timing belt, water pump, spark plugs, and thermostat. Is there anything else you'd recommend replacing while I'm at it?
I thought the previous video was clear and concise. Imo, anyone that didn't understand it, will not understand this video; likewise, anyone who argued against it will argue against this video. They are set on their ways and biases, and too stubborn to revaluate what they think they know when presented with new information. In either case, I wouldn't want those people changing my oil, much less my head gaskets. But hey, even negative comments boost the algorithms for you, right? So let them bring it.
I replaced the HG on my 2008 Outback base last year, at over 180,000 miles. If it lasts half that long again, I'm good. What I spent on the HG replacement is about what I'd spend on a downpayment for a car I wouldn't be as confident in. I've heard some blame the failure on using "LowTox" coolant, but it seems like some of the Subaru head gaskets were just designed to fail.
The issue, as I've addressed many times, is the factory 2.5L, non turbo engine gasket being a single layer, coated gasket. The MLS (multi-player steel) turbo gaskets are the permanent fix.
This is what I have been looking for. I have been looking for anyone with nothing to gain or lose say outright that there is no head gasket issue with the modern Subaru engine.
I have 2 Subaru Legacy Gt Limited's. The 2000 model has 220,000 miles runs great but the 2009 has 230,000 didn't make it 2 miles before it shut down. Haven't been back to diagnose it fully as it is at my other home but isn't it one of the models with head gasket failure? What engines are both models? I tried looking it up its vague please tell me!
Thanks for your video. We looked at a 2020 Outback Touring XT Saturday with 25k miles. My wife wants it, it will be her car. She went with her friend and her husband to a birthday party tonight and the first thing he said when they picked her up was, have you signed the papers yet. Then he started about the head gasket thing. Said watch RUclips, which I did and saw your video. We really like the car. Glad in your opinion it isn't a problem any longer. It has the 2.4L turbo. My wife is a frugal driver, a little Filipina that doesn't drive like me, thank goodness. I think we will go ahead and buy it. I'm very big on maintenance and taking care of all the vehicles we have. New Sub. 👍🏻
Subaru cars have been great to me since 2002 when I got my first Outback LL Bean edition which made it all the way up to me moving to Montreal and living here for a time @2016! I then bought my trusty 2021 Crosstrek Outdoor which has been fantastic to me and I am now trading that in for my 2023 Limited Crosstrek PHEV. Honestly I could not be happier with these vehicles. Treat them well and they will treat you well! Love your videos!
Good, I don’t have to worry about buying a 2.5 liter 2021 Crosstrek or a 2.5 liter in mid 2010s. I was thinking about buying a used Subaru someday in near future. I hope they will replace the 2.5 with a 2.4 in most Subarus. just because to shut up the people about misconceptions on head gasket issues.
I have had a lot of Subaru`s still have 2 of them one is a EJ 253 with over 100000k miles on it stills drives and looks like new... but I service it myself, had a 95 outback with the EJ 18 put over 300000k miles it beat the living shit out it ..gave it to a family member its still going.....My ford truck......well I wish Subaru made a truck.
I'm soon to be the owner of a 22 GR86. It appears Subaru engines are pretty reliable as long as you keep maintenance done. I will always keep an eye on my oil though, because I've had a mazda 3 2.0L engine run itself dry before.. I'll never make that mistake again. Always check it every week.. change a couple K miles before recommended.
Oh no I had to change my head gasket on my forester at 400 000 k lol.at least I could put the engine back in lol. I wish people would stop with the hate and just go back to hating Ford haha.
I think maybe I'm just unlucky. I have a failed FB16 in my Impreza and the symptoms are consistent with a head gasket failure. The vehicle used to puff (blue) smoke at startup. Piror to the failure, I tried swtiching to Idemitsu and replacing the PCV valve but I don't know how much difference that made. I'm cruising along one day and I see the coolant temperature light flashing red. When I get back home, I let the engine cool. After it cools, I go check the radiator and it is empty but there is a chocolate-colour, milky substance on the radiator cap. There is also coolant in the engine bay. I figure the head gasket(s) are bad. I guess it is possible the head gaskets are not bad but the engine will probably need to be pulled anyway because something was causing it to burn oil, either valve stem seals, blowby or whatever else.
Interesting to note: my 2013 Legacy 2.5i Premium just experienced a head gasket failure at 106,000 miles (April 2024). Engine is indicated as H-4 and I've had it serviced at the same Subaru dealership in Parsippany, New Jersey from day 1. Oh, and coolant replaced at 59K miles. Just letting folks know it can happen on later model Subarus - although 2013 isn't exactly a later model. Service department at the dealership gave "ballpark" repair figure of $5,600 provided the cylinders "don't need to be resurfaced". I'm looking at other options and have found a reputable machine shop in the area but still searching for a mechanic to do the repair and install.
I just bought a 2008 NA Legacy a few weeks back. The head gasket was changed 2 years back with 11044AA633 … so not MLS… how f*cked am I? Should I be worried?
Great video. It's fair to say that this problem started in the past, but there are a lot of cars with EJ25 engines on the market. If you're unfortunate enough to pick one up that needs head gaskets, it's an expensive problem to fix, because if the engine is out, you will probably also end up changing the clutch, gaskets, seals, fasteners, hoses, belts, etc. If you pick up one that already had the head gaskets replaced, you have no way to know if the mechanic did the job properly. Call it Subaru roulette. I'll pass.
I have a 2001 subaru forester Please correct me if I'm wrong I should get head gaskets for a 2001 subaru legacy outback to get the turbo shims as it was the only turbo EJ251 that I know of
I think people mention the coolant thing because they get confused. They hear about the large waterjacket area allowing the cylinder walls to vibrate and overtime breaking the seal of the gasket but they interpret that as a issue with the coolant itself.
@mrsubaru1387 I have a 2.5i, 2006 outback, 205k milage. I'm rebuilding the engine. had low compression, 50 psi. was burnt exhaust valves. I see how you feel about felpro head gaskets. what about the valve seals. would you stick with Subaru for those too. should I do any work on the bottom end. there's no lip at top at top of combustion chamber, and original cross hatching is still visible on cylinder walls.
Ok thank you i just asked because my so called car experts friends just think my subirrito gone have a problem later just cus of the head gasket from older cars lol
I just purchased a 2012 outback 2.5L Limited 201xxx guy sold it too me for 950 said it had over heating issues. I've only noticed one coolant leak and that's the o rings on the coolant crossover pipe. I am getting air bubbles in my reservoir and or rad at idle. I know what is in store for me in terms of what needs to be done. My only problem is idk what gasket i should put on the car it appears to have a MLS gasket on it already. Oil is not milky and I've not got it too overheat once since ive had it. ive idled in my driveway multiple occasions no overheating the thermostat opens when necessary. I need some advice as this is my first subaru.
Choosing an inappropriate head gasket for a poorly modified EJ engine running loads of boost and a poor tune will give you head gasket failures. The modding community creates an echo chamber online because the poorly modded car owners are griping. The correctly modded, stock and problem free car owners never seek online help so the overall perception online is negative.
It's the same with any cars. If you go to a lets say LX chassis Dodge chargers challengers magnums ect, you're gonna hear about front end issues...for years. Which...is warranted, BUT its old FCA/Fiat/Dodge crap. I own one, i know. Then if you go to Hemi specific sites, its all CAM LIFTER CAM LIFTER, or VALVE SEAT DROP. Which again, yeah it happens. i don't think valve seats drop unles you overheat the crap out of them. Cam and lifters? Maybe some problems in the 09/later head engines with design? Too much power? VVT? MDS? Basically, if you look for problems, you're gonna find them. People as you say, boosting some car with no supporting mods or boosting the hell out of it with no real help, yeah problems gonna happen.
I have a 196k mile, heavily modified 05 obxt. Original unopened engine, never seen a headgasket failure. I agree with exactly what your saying. Turbo subarus blow headgaskets because of too much timing and too much boost, aka too much cylinder pressure.
Its like this with any car, people mod them like idiots while not researching things enough and getting overly excited if they can cram out more power out of them and if engine is just not misticly overengineered like 2JZ which can can be blown and was blown alot of times too like any other engine, then they complain and whine online. With 2JZ its weird because opposite effect to Subaru's is going on there, people tout like its indestructible even tho people ruined hundreds of engines with boosting them to oblivion, yet they keep saying like its 2nd coming of Christ among japanese engines. Its just silly. Truth is always somewhere in the middle as with most things.
exactly, "survivorship bias"
When are we gonna get "Scotty Kilmer vs. Mr. Subaru" ??? I'd like to hear that conversation
????
I can see scotties hands flying right now lol
Scotty would lose his voice. My money = Mr. S.
@@ERoserie .. last time I looked at Scotty he was + on the boxer
@@leadvendor He has joined us on the darkside.
This is his best video yet, just because he's like, "here we go again"
This dude is great
Subaru has been really good to me and my family. Subaru of America picked up 100% of the cost of my condenser replacement on my 2017 Forester and extended the life of the replacement policy to ten years going forward. Pretty good service I think.
SOA is really trying to keep customers satisfied.
Ya know, there’s a problem with some Subaru owners redlining their engines driving around like they are in a “Fast and the Fabulous” movie and blowing engines from neglect and abuse. Then the very same owners complain that their Subarus are “Junk”. Give me a break. Don’t blame the car.
What if u look after ur subby and red line it every so often
@@ianholmquist8492 , engines make power and torque to a certain point, then horsepower and torque start to drop off. No one is getting any gains after the engine is done making its useful numbers.
@@ianholmquist8492, Redline means “DON’T REV ME AND TRY TO HOLD ME AT THIS RPM. YOU WILL DAMAGE OR DESTROY ME!” That’ what redline means. It means DANGER. It’s your engine bro, do what you gotta do, but at least change your oil regularly and at keep it out of the red zone on the tachometer. That’s my advice to you. ✌️
My 97 OB had fel pro installed at 163k, I’m at 248k now with major oil leaking but I think from valve covers. Gonna either rebuild the engine or buy another gen1 without rust and rebuild that
I have 2008 outback 200000 miles and I had those problem since my suspension and body and interior is good I swap for JDM 2.5 and I m I did. I spent $3000. engine and labor. Feel like 👍 new this JAPANESE DOMESTIC MOTORS are in between 60 and 40 thousand miles.
My neighbor is rebuilding a 2.5 EJ. I told him to use your channel for reference.
Great information.
I've said this many times on this channel, but I have a '03 Bugeye WRX Sedan with the original EJ205 engine, turbocharger and transmission and it has never needed headgaskets after 160k miles. Just take care of the car and don't boost the stock block to high hell and you'll be just fine
define "high hell"... asking for a friend...
@@ekimo56 I'd say anything over 18psi will cause significant increased wear on the rod bearings and stock head studs
Your first video was not misleading. I completely understood what you were communicating. I actually searched out your video because I value your professional opinion. I still have a failed head gasket on my 2014 Outback. I left details on the other video, but please confirm if the replacement head gasket 10105AB580 is the same as 11044AA633? Both have a coating. If they are the same then I will use the MLS Turbo gasket as a replacement fix.
The non boxer engine, the fluid is burned off on the hot surface of the engine block.
"You smell that? , I smell antifreeze...yeah it's the Honda Accord in front of us."
Great job with the clarification by the way. Perhaps if you revisit the FA oil consumption issue you could shine a light on oil leaks with that platform?
I would love a breakdown of different engine lines myself
Filmed this afternoon! 👍🏻
Please explain in a video about different type of Subaru engines or transmissions. How about the 2019-2021 Subaru Ascent head gasket issues or transmissions issues . Please explain to convince me to buy the Subaru Ascent 2021 SUV .
Please please talk more about the engines of the 2021 Forester or Ascent SUV, for not familiar with the types of Engines.
What is the engine in 2021 Subaru Ascent ? Many thanks 🙏
What head gasket issue?? The Ascent doesn't have head gasket issues.
It's an FA24.
I'm a long time Subaru owner. I enjoy your channel and appreciate your expertise.
Honestly, I was not a big fan of Subaru until I started watching your channel. Did I hate them, no. They've always been a good car brand. The problem is people just don't seem to understand them and often confuse them to be something else
My son owns a 2018 WRX-STI with a EJ 257 turbo engine. It has 45,000 miles and it has a blown head gasket. Compression entering the cooling system, blowing bubbles and pushing coolant out the overflow tank. We removed the engine and pulled the head on Rt. Side-#2&4 cil. It has the modern MLS head gaskets. At the bottom under the fire ring you can see black soot from compression entering the cooling system. My opinion, with a MLS gasket there are too many layers to seal with high boost pressures from a turbo engine. These head gaskets do fail, you might not be hearing about them. That’s why I am sending this comment.
So glad I found your channel you are by far the most technically adept Subaru mechanic I've seen. Looking forward to checking out the rest of your content.
Just wanted to say that I appreciate you taking the time to make these videos. We have had Subaru's for 17 years (Started with an 88 GL with a locking diff, and now we have an 06 Outback!). Keep going and know that you are doing good work sir!
Cannot figure out coolant loss head gasket issue on outback LL bean H6. If its a head gasket, after 6 months , shouldnt my oil be fouled, spark plug fouled, compression off, poor performance??.But Ive checked everywhere else for leak. Bad water pump??
I've had three subaru's now, and never a head gasket issue in 500k miles worth of subaru driving. Not even a belt issue. People in America are under the perception that maintaining their vehicles is optional. Take care of the damn thing and it will take care of you. And if all fails, subaru is usually pretty good about owning up to things.
On a side note, I did have a bad experience with oil consumption on a 2012 impreza and after the dealer botched the recall on it. I Traded up the to crosstrek in my Pic. 11k miles and not a single issue. Love it.
I mean I don’t wanna sound like a Subaru fan boy but 150k miles is pretty good. these new escape 1.5s need engines at 15 thousand kilometres 🤷♂️
No. 150k isn’t good.
At all.
My engine was made in the 90s and has over 400k.
Accepting less from a newer car.
And giving manufacturers money for it.
Is not what a smart person would do.
Nathan Brame anything after ~10 years or ~100k is mostly down to owner maintenance. Or lack of
@@fastinradfordable 🤷♂️ it’s all relative. The throwaway nature of society sucks I totally agree. The real blame rests with government regulations. putting very narrow minded emissions regulations in place that are bad for the consumer.
Junk? Really? I have 273k on my 99 forester....hg at 210k with the OEM MLS.....no more issues
Just turned over 275000km on my 99 EJ25D. Replaced head gaskets around 240K. Plan on running it past 300K for sure. Awesome winter beater.
Living up here in Canadian winters...i've never even driven a darn subaru. I'd love to try one out in the snow and ice and slick weather and see how it does. I got a RWD Hemi Charger (2006, nothing classic and nice) and its for sure OK in the snow, with some bags of salt and good tires, but man, AWD sounds like a good time. Hard to find anything not rotton to crap up here so...limited in what you can buy.
A lot of times I've seen improper torque of the head bolts that caused head gasket failures. Also, I've seen Subaru pay for a lot of things that were past the warranty period. I think you covered the head gasket issue pretty well.
Other fallacy i see alot is "too few headbolts" followed by moronic comparison to LS V8. LS is a freak case of a motor woth doubled headbolts, when there are hundreds of engines of various layouts that have single headbolts on each side section.
Also Toyota Prius and other toyotas sharing related motors, blow headgaskets more often but people like to meme about Subaru.
Great content dude as always . People with turbo EJs think it’s a prob smh
It's like guys with turbo EJs are jonesing to do head gaskets. It's very strange
Exactly, people like to spread misinformation around alot and always in exteremes, when usualy it's their own fault. Usually truth is somewhere in the middle, so only some EJ's blow headgaskets due and ONLY due to specific headgasket design, not anything tied to it being a boxer style engine. Same with Toyota's 2JZ not being indestructible, but when people ruin and blow up these engines, they never put a blame on the engine while still touting that its impossible to blow up and can handle tousands of horsepower worth of boost stock which is just bogus.
Anyway my opinion aside i have a question! Do you think Subaru could and should make a pick-up truck for its lineup?(ideally worldwide) I though about how Toyota buys out more and more of them, maybe Subaru could use Hilux or one of american trucks to start off and just put their drivetrain into one. I dunno how Toyota would go about this tho, their CEO seems quite dismissive of subaru, they also dont get to share D4-S in anything other than BRZ and BRZ itself will most likely be aggressively outclassed by Toyota GR86 since CEO wants it to be different and better.....so Subie gets short end of the stick in the deal :/
They did atleast get some hybrid tech from toyota recently
We
It seems the people confused don't understand Subaru or maybe mechanics in general.
I love my 2020 Subaru Forester. It’s wonderful. Better than the RAV4 I used to have.
The responses from the last video shows that you could/should make a few educational vids and rerun them every few months. Thanks for the info and your channel.
God bless the misinformed.
You are very honest and reassuring. I have a lot of confidence in Subaru. I am completely satisfied with my Surbaru 17 legacy
I have a 2018 Forester and LOVE it. Rides better than then CRV and Rav4. Super quiet and comfortable ride.
I totally agree that Subaru stands behind it's customers better than any other car company. I had an 09 Impreza 2.5i Premium, The head gasket failed at 59k miles and 7 years, out of warranty, and that caused an oil issue so the engine threw a rod. I politely contacted Subaru USA and told them I expected better even though the car was out of warranty, they agreed and sent a new engine and all I paid for was installation labor, about $2k. That was the only issue I ever had with the car, every other thing worked perfectly for the 11 years I had it. We I sold it, I had friends and acquaintances start a bidding war to by it. Because of the great support Subaru gave me I did not hesitate to buy a 2021 Crosstrek Limited (I waited for the 2.5 engine because the 2.0 just didn't have enough power)
Well you put that issue to bed....again. PS won't mention my Diesel Subaru engine again as it's a 2013, promise. Keep up the good fight.
I believe Subaru OEM head gaskets are made by Victor Reinz. I understand why you use them exclusively. But Six Star and Felpro MLS head gaskets usually fail because of poor prep like you talked about in your previous video. I just know several shops that have no issues because the send the heads out and don't gouge the aluminum block. Great info as always.
I really appreciate your videos, and all the information you've given. I'm purchasing a 2011 Subaru Outback, but for a while I was scared that I'd made a bad decision because of all the scare tactics people post online about the horrible Subaru head gasket issues. Indeed, I owned a Subaru yeas ago and I loved the car....but it leaked everything in it, and eventually self-destructed. But you know why? Because I didn't really take very good care of it, didn't know much about it, and so it gave up the ghost. Even so, I lived in Michigan at the time, and that car would go anywhere, anytime no matter what the weather was like.
LOL! Your previous video was fine. People just love to hold onto preconceived ideas and feel threatened if you expose them. Not so bad with cars but devastating in politics.
Snaps fingers: Universe instantly educated.
I was laughing at what you were explaining people think - especially about the coolant causing head gasket failures. People think that? That is hilarious! Just the stupid graphite head gasket design of the EJ engines. That is it. Nothing else! Why can't people get it? Like I said - knew about this problem and avoided the EJ engine, not knowing in 2013 they went to the F series and buying the 3.6 H6 instead. No problems with it or the JATCO five speed (or Subaru, not sure which) either. So now with 112,000 miles I plan to drive it about 200,000 before getting a new car and I don't expect any problems besides minor oil burning.
Good day Mr. Subaru. I watch a lot of your videos and I must say that I'm pleased each time as your videos give me more confidence in my 2015 Impreza. Thank you, good job. I have one question. My Impreza does have the OEM MLS head gasket, however I am seeing oil in the coolant system; a creamy buttery substance in my radiator cap and in my coolant reservoir bottle. Could you tell what may be cause this problem? please.
There are people on this earth that think that it is flat, doesn’t matter how much evidence there is to disprove it, it’s flat to them, I get the feeling some people have the same warped beliefs in relation to Subaru head gasket failure.
Would like to know more about the oil consumption issues in modern Subarus. I had a 16 Legacy that I traded in with 80k miles on a 21 Forester sport. I also had no oil consumption issues with my legacy.
Just Bought a 00 Outback Limited Got the regular Issues but I love the engine 🚂
AWD for Life! Legacy 06 Gang! . LOve it or Leave it! Subaru cars are awesome
my ea82 is at 294k just changed the oil
But Scotty says otherwise😂
I just bought my first Subaru 2 days ago. I got a 2011 Forester with 110,000 miles. I’m stoked to have him and I hope he has a long life. I will stay on top of checking his oil :)
Awesome man. I also have one. Keep checking the oil. Maintenance is key and quality Japanese parts will keep it going!
@breakfast meat Mine does not have a CVT it has the four-speed transmission
@@TheMechanicj It is not a turbo
@breakfast meat it's 4eat tyranny.
What's his name
Yeah,.... you are repeating yourself but i get it.....new viewers ;-) . I do use the Felpro PermaTorque gaskets and have not had any issues,....again...i think head prep, like you noted in the last video is a main culprit..... taking your time using proper head torque and sequence is a must. Oh....and yes another great video.
Tell me what other autoparts store sells a different brand other than Felpro
@@619guy202 they definitely don't sell OEM thats for sure. I actually get my gaskets on Ebay. Mr. Subaru is all about OEM and im sure gets a good discount through the stealerships.
Great video! 👍👍 Proof once again that people who don’t know what they’re talking about should watch and learn instead of trolling on Social Media! As a very happy 2015 Forester XT owner with NO HEAD GASKET ISSUES.....I applaud your honesty and great work! 👏👏👏
First I love how honest you are about Subarus, you don’t sugar coat things. This argument is so dumb , it’s like saying I won’t buy a Ford because if they get rear ended they’ll blow up. Get over it people every car manufacturer has some sort of issue that plaques them.
Any evidence of ethanol in gasoline causing the head gasket issue?
Praps Subaru should just weld those pesky seams
Only time I “blew” my head gasket on my 2005 STi was when I was running meth injection and a full bolts and upgraded turbo. It only “blew” because the head bolts stretched with the higher boost levels. That’s ok. Complete fully built motor with forged internals and arp head studs. She is rolling!!
Yeah, they normally "blow" on WRX/STI when modified. Too much boost lifting the head.
@@MrSubaru1387 and let me say my other car is a 2002 WRX and it ran with some stage 2 bolt ons and an accessport (mainly on economy tune) and she just recently lost compression in cylinder 4. Ohhh and btw she has over 272k miles on that motor lol. Putting in a fully built 2.5l now non avcs!
I thought the first video was fine but thanks for clarifying! LOL
Wish I found this channel sooner tbh. I have an 09 Impress OBS. Best car I've owned. Yes I've had the head gaskets replaced once.
This was significantly more sincere than the david dobrik apology video
I'm sure this is going to get lost in the comments but I trust your opinion, I have an 95 EJ22 that's about to get pulled with 120k miles. Is it a good idea to go ahead and do head gaskets while the engine is out?
The EJ22 didn't have head gasket issues.
Hoping my FelPro mls gaskets hold on for at least as long as my timing service interval 😬 no signs of trouble yet
Mr. Subaru has just convinced me to change the coolant in my wife's 2015 Outback with 85,000 on the clock. Thank you sir. She loves that car and she's 77 years old.
Make sure you put Subaru conditioner in there as well
The knowledge you provide is great. My 2011 Outback, 106k miles. I will probably lose a headgasket someday but I have been a bit of a freak doing oil changes well before 5k, and getting my coolant changed. Still going strong. It's been a fantastic car overall so if it goes, it goes. It's good to hear the headgasket thing is done as I would like to get another after this one.
THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE! I for one appreciate your content. Keep up the good work and ignore the toe heads!
Urban legends about Subaru head-gaskets started by nonmechanics and wanna be know-it-alls.
No.. Was definitely an issue. Just overblown.
Good job on that video dude thank u so much for explaining that to everyone
So far I have 270,000 + Km on my 2005 Outback. Maybe I'm lucky? I replaced the crossover tube seals about 20,000 Km ago. No leaking oil or coolant. EJ 25 pulls as well as it ever did. I'm happy as a pig in mud with my Ol Girl and she's been in some pretty muddy places. Northern Territory Australia and outback Queensland, hell I have literally driven it half way around Australia; Melbourne, Adelaide, Darwin via Ularu and outback tourist places, then down through Mt Isa and outback Queensland to Newcastle and finally through Sydney back to my home 200Km east of Melbourne. That's about 10,000 Km (6,000 miles). Including a lot of places ordinary vehicles will not go. The traction control is fantastic. I've been given the most disgusted looks from Patrol, Landcruiser and other 4WDers who seem to think you need a $100,00 set up to leave bitumen. I'm from a generation where you learned to drive 2 wheel drive cars everywhere. If you got stuck, you got yourself out! Everyone I know swear by their Subarus and keep going back for more! Like your man says. Nothing beats regular maintenance, we called that PREVENTATIVE maintenance in the Airforce.
When the rear wheel bearings went out on my 2015 forester Subaru was happy to give me replacements. I had already removed the bad ones and was at the dealership trying to buy new ones. The Manager saw me and took care of the issue. He said they would have done the labor but I was happy with the free parts.
Where is the right place to get a head gasket for 2007 Subaru B9 Tribeca head gasket ?
Subaru
GREAT vids! -thanks!!!
-Is there a full gasket set that has the MLS head gaskets??
I'm refreshing a 99 EJ25 DOHC
03 wrx 290whp pro tune 245xxx miles original engine never opened never had a head gasket issue. I change my oil on time and flush fluids when it's recommended 🤷🏽♂️
Hi new subscriber here. Never owned a Subaru but interested in get a “fixer upper” for a new 16 years old. The Subaru cars in the mid 2000s with the “H6” engine w/ blown head gaskets are very cheap (few hundred bucks ) here in Colorado. My question is, what is the best head gasket to install and if it has over 200,000 miles what else should be replaced while I’m in there? thank you for your high-quality videos and advice I really appreciate your time.
Shit happens ROFL! There are some nuts you just can't crack so no matter how much you try to educate, not all are going to absorb the info in a logical way. Screw the haters. Let them buy something else if they don't want to buy a subaru to each his or her own. Life is to short to worry bout haters, period! Keep up the gr8 work! Oh subaru might bend over backwards for their customers but their stealership service departments definately do not, at least in my area. I can site many personal experiences that would make most not by subaru, however, the cars have served my needs well eventhough my next purchase might be a pickup as my needs have changed.
Solid Video! Thanks for clearing up all the EJ and FA variance. As a ignorant kid I beat up an ej18 for 5 years then a phase 1 ej22 for 5 more year. Both never blew.
Gotta work hard to hurt an EJ18/EJ22. Lol
Hey Mr. Subaru, I inherited a 99 Legacy GT Anniversary Edition with now 99k miles. It's from my mom, who had it since it sold off the showroom, and she only had basic fluid changes done on it during her ownership. I've been having to add coolant regularly for the last 10k miles and figured the head gasket(s) were bad. Recently, it won't start anymore and just cranks differently. I've watched many of your videos and have decided to do the job myself, along with the timing belt, water pump, spark plugs, and thermostat. Is there anything else you'd recommend replacing while I'm at it?
I thought the previous video was clear and concise. Imo, anyone that didn't understand it, will not understand this video; likewise, anyone who argued against it will argue against this video. They are set on their ways and biases, and too stubborn to revaluate what they think they know when presented with new information. In either case, I wouldn't want those people changing my oil, much less my head gaskets.
But hey, even negative comments boost the algorithms for you, right? So let them bring it.
great video. thx! i'm happy owner tribeca 2005. no head gasket problem. h6 great engine, but oil leaks is the problem. very much sealant.
I'm a newbie to this so thank you for all the great info. I'm saving my pennies to get an STI to daily and I need all the info I can get.
I replaced the HG on my 2008 Outback base last year, at over 180,000 miles. If it lasts half that long again, I'm good. What I spent on the HG replacement is about what I'd spend on a downpayment for a car I wouldn't be as confident in. I've heard some blame the failure on using "LowTox" coolant, but it seems like some of the Subaru head gaskets were just designed to fail.
The issue, as I've addressed many times, is the factory 2.5L, non turbo engine gasket being a single layer, coated gasket. The MLS (multi-player steel) turbo gaskets are the permanent fix.
2009 outback 2.5 NA, 140,000 miles, kept up exquisite maintenance, coolant and oil. NO head gasket problems so far... Am I out of the woods now ?????
I performed a head gasket test on my 2010 Subaru Outback 3.6r limited. The fluid stayed blue.
75,000 miles
This is what I have been looking for. I have been looking for anyone with nothing to gain or lose say outright that there is no head gasket issue with the modern Subaru engine.
I have 2 Subaru Legacy Gt Limited's. The 2000 model has 220,000 miles runs great but the 2009 has 230,000 didn't make it 2 miles before it shut down. Haven't been back to diagnose it fully as it is at my other home but isn't it one of the models with head gasket failure? What engines are both models? I tried looking it up its vague please tell me!
It's on the ID plates. 00 on the driver strut tower, should be EJ251. 09, in the door jamb, is an EJ253.
Thank you for the reply. That really helps me especially with the 09 model. I'm hoping it's repairable.
Great Job guy. Are you ready to pull your hair yet? LOL
Thanks for your video. We looked at a 2020 Outback Touring XT Saturday with 25k miles. My wife wants it, it will be her car. She went with her friend and her husband to a birthday party tonight and the first thing he said when they picked her up was, have you signed the papers yet. Then he started about the head gasket thing. Said watch RUclips, which I did and saw your video. We really like the car. Glad in your opinion it isn't a problem any longer. It has the 2.4L turbo. My wife is a frugal driver, a little Filipina that doesn't drive like me, thank goodness.
I think we will go ahead and buy it. I'm very big on maintenance and taking care of all the vehicles we have. New Sub. 👍🏻
Subaru cars have been great to me since 2002 when I got my first Outback LL Bean edition which made it all the way up to me moving to Montreal and living here for a time @2016! I then bought my trusty 2021 Crosstrek Outdoor which has been fantastic to me and I am now trading that in for my 2023 Limited Crosstrek PHEV. Honestly I could not be happier with these vehicles. Treat them well and they will treat you well! Love your videos!
Good, I don’t have to worry about buying a 2.5 liter 2021 Crosstrek or a 2.5 liter in mid 2010s. I was thinking about buying a used Subaru someday in near future. I hope they will replace the 2.5 with a 2.4 in most Subarus. just because to shut up the people about misconceptions on head gasket issues.
I have had a lot of Subaru`s still have 2 of them one is a EJ 253 with over 100000k miles on it stills drives and looks like new... but I service it myself, had a 95 outback with the EJ 18 put over 300000k miles it beat the living shit out it ..gave it to a family member its still going.....My ford truck......well I wish Subaru made a truck.
My 08 Impreza RS is happier after watching these videos! It’s got new MLS gaskets as of last week with 200k km on it.
i love my 98 2.5 rs twin cam 2 door
Toyota had a head gasket problem in the 90's and early 2000's it was just a bad time for head gaskets!
Yup. The V6 had a major issue. They had to revise the gasket and head bolt torque sequence.
I'm soon to be the owner of a 22 GR86. It appears Subaru engines are pretty reliable as long as you keep maintenance done. I will always keep an eye on my oil though, because I've had a mazda 3 2.0L engine run itself dry before.. I'll never make that mistake again. Always check it every week.. change a couple K miles before recommended.
Oh no I had to change my head gasket on my forester at 400 000 k lol.at least I could put the engine back in lol. I wish people would stop with the hate and just go back to hating Ford haha.
I think maybe I'm just unlucky. I have a failed FB16 in my Impreza and the symptoms are consistent with a head gasket failure. The vehicle used to puff (blue) smoke at startup. Piror to the failure, I tried swtiching to Idemitsu and replacing the PCV valve but I don't know how much difference that made.
I'm cruising along one day and I see the coolant temperature light flashing red. When I get back home, I let the engine cool. After it cools, I go check the radiator and it is empty but there is a chocolate-colour, milky substance on the radiator cap. There is also coolant in the engine bay. I figure the head gasket(s) are bad. I guess it is possible the head gaskets are not bad but the engine will probably need to be pulled anyway because something was causing it to burn oil, either valve stem seals, blowby or whatever else.
Interesting to note: my 2013 Legacy 2.5i Premium just experienced a head gasket failure at 106,000 miles (April 2024). Engine is indicated as H-4 and I've had it serviced at the same Subaru dealership in Parsippany, New Jersey from day 1. Oh, and coolant replaced at 59K miles. Just letting folks know it can happen on later model Subarus - although 2013 isn't exactly a later model. Service department at the dealership gave "ballpark" repair figure of $5,600 provided the cylinders "don't need to be resurfaced". I'm looking at other options and have found a reputable machine shop in the area but still searching for a mechanic to do the repair and install.
Just wondering if Subaru service departments have the right protocol for repairing this issue so you will not be back with the same issue again.
I just bought a 2008 NA Legacy a few weeks back. The head gasket was changed 2 years back with 11044AA633 …
so not MLS…
how f*cked am I? Should I be worried?
Great video. It's fair to say that this problem started in the past, but there are a lot of cars with EJ25 engines on the market. If you're unfortunate enough to pick one up that needs head gaskets, it's an expensive problem to fix, because if the engine is out, you will probably also end up changing the clutch, gaskets, seals, fasteners, hoses, belts, etc. If you pick up one that already had the head gaskets replaced, you have no way to know if the mechanic did the job properly. Call it Subaru roulette. I'll pass.
My 2014 wrx just got headgasket failure
I have a 2001 subaru forester Please correct me if I'm wrong
I should get head gaskets for a 2001 subaru legacy outback to get the turbo shims as it was the only turbo EJ251 that I know of
I think people mention the coolant thing because they get confused. They hear about the large waterjacket area allowing the cylinder walls to vibrate and overtime breaking the seal of the gasket but they interpret that as a issue with the coolant itself.
@mrsubaru1387 I have a 2.5i, 2006 outback, 205k milage. I'm rebuilding the engine. had low compression, 50 psi. was burnt exhaust valves. I see how you feel about felpro head gaskets. what about the valve seals. would you stick with Subaru for those too. should I do any work on the bottom end. there's no lip at top at top of combustion chamber, and original cross hatching is still visible on cylinder walls.
Ok thank you i just asked because my so called car experts friends just think my subirrito gone have a problem later just cus of the head gasket from older cars lol
I just purchased a 2012 outback 2.5L Limited 201xxx guy sold it too me for 950 said it had over heating issues. I've only noticed one coolant leak and that's the o rings on the coolant crossover pipe. I am getting air bubbles in my reservoir and or rad at idle. I know what is in store for me in terms of what needs to be done. My only problem is idk what gasket i should put on the car it appears to have a MLS gasket on it already. Oil is not milky and I've not got it too overheat once since ive had it. ive idled in my driveway multiple occasions no overheating the thermostat opens when necessary. I need some advice as this is my first subaru.