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97 2.5 DOHC head torque values and sequence q's


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My haynes book cover 2.5 and 2.2, but only illustrates the 2.2 head bolt sequence in the diagrams, and in the torque specs.

 

I am doing head gaskets on 97 outback wagon, automatic, ej 2.5 dual cam dual port exhaust.

 

How many torque sequences are there, their values, and are the bolts torque to yield?

 

if i were assume, i would go by what i know with ea82's, make 3 torque passes, from 22 on the first to some 60-70 on the last. this engine has 6 bolts vs 9 on ea82

 

the haynes book illustrates for ej22 some 8 torque steps, skipping bolts in between steps 5 and 7 for 8 bolts. the ej 25 heads are entirely different then the 22

 

i figured i would stop right there until i research, and since then i have thought of using the permatex copper spray.

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Okay, I hust did a head job yesterday. here is the torque sequence.

 

First the bolt sequence is:

 

5 1 3

4 2 6

 

That is the number of the bolts and the sequence for tightening them down.

 

1. tighten all to 21 ft-lbs

2. tighten all to 51 ft-lbs

3. back all bolts off 180 degrees in reverse order

4. back off another 180 degrees in reverse order

5. tighten bolts 1 and 2 to 25 ft-lbs and bolts 3-6 to 11 ft'lbs

6 Tighten all bolts 90 degrees

7. tighten all bolts 90 degrees

 

You are now done.

 

be sure to maintain the same sequence each time you tighten the bolts.

 

 

The bolts are not torque to yield so you do not need to replace them.

 

If you have any other questions, you can email me and we can discuss tis further.

 

mdjdc1@gmail.com

 

Mike

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SWEET!

stupid haynes book it reads like:

generic body of text, insert fsm diagram. Read one subaru specific caption, followed by vague general info. Haynes has been good to me for ea82's but i find it lacking with the legacy, it doesnt go into the 2.5 in good detail, although it covers 2.2 well enough

 

 

If you can source a diagram to which bolt is numbered what, that would be great.

 

otherwise, if i am looking at the head, i would consider the top left #1 bottom left #2 and the bottom right #6, tops are odd and bottoms are even, and keep track of my sequences based on that. let me know if that assumption is wrong

 

What are your opinions on the permatex copper spray on steel gaskets? I have used it on ea82's with the graphite gaskets, but i have not done an all steel multi layer gasket before

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clean the head and block surfaces well and use NO sealant of any kind. I have done at least a dozen of these and have had none fail. Subaru cautions against any of those sprays and be sure to use only a subaru OEM gasket. Do not be fooled by other manufacturers telling you that they are equivalent, I have tried one other manufacturer and had to redo the heads within 500 miles.

 

If you cannot source the subaru gaskets let me know and I can get them for you for about 35.00 each.

 

Mike

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I'll take in your considerations. I already have a felpro set, so i am stuck with that. I had to stop my install when the haynes book turned up blank. the head and gasket are already mated, just waiting to do the torque

 

BTW, the head gaskets that came in the felpro kit actually have the Fuji heavy swish logo stamped on them, and are 4 layers vs the old 3 layer orig. gasket

 

next time i have a project i'll consider your gaskets

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I hope you aren't pulling the engine too soon. Many of the board members have made the same suggestion and others have not used the subie gaskets. Maybe you eill dodge the bullett, but the engine is out of the car and it will only take a few minutes to replace the gaskets. If it were me I'd wait and get the subie gaskets, but that is because I had to redo three engines when I used a different gasket manufacturer and the seller claimed that he had never had any trouble before. These were the only gaskets that failed. Never had a subie gasket fail. I just hate haveing to redo the same work. For me it is another day wasted. I hope the felpro works out for you.

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I use FelPro all the time. And even on Suby's for intake, exhaust, VC.

 

Just not FelPro HG's for a Suby. And like Mike have never had an issue.

 

I've probably done 2 or 3 times as many as Mike.

 

And my dealer will give you the latest torque instructions.

 

Hard to tell how many I've done since often there is rod knock so I do 2.2 swaps rather than HG's. Probably under 50 but getting close.

 

I'd suggest buying OEM and only doing it one time. Unless you wanna get good at it by possibly doing it twice. I don't care how broke you are. Max 100.00 while the engine is out versus an unplanned failure and possibly doing it again seems like a no brainer.

 

YMMV I just hate to see folks create work for themselves.

 

Infact I may have been one of the folks that warned Mike come to think of it.

 

Don't forget to check the head for straightness if you're not sending them out. And prep the surface well.

Edited by davebugs
added last 2 lines
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Cometic is among one of the best head gasket makers, however, with all of the non-subaru head gasket failures I would be very hard pressed to use anything but a Subaru head gasket on a 2.5 DOHC. It just isn't worth the time of haveing to pull the engine again if it fails. As I said earlier, I did that in the past and I won't do it again.

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Now i have gone ahead and torqued everything up. I felt better after completing the task. Everything went together very well. The signs of failure on this example are consistent with photos i found online(skip's 2.5 headgasket page)

 

The failure was at the bottom of the cylinder between the 2 water jackets.

 

Thanks for all the advice

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