90% sure i just blew a headgasket

[hatchsub]

So what should i be looking for for a headgasket? Ive heard the felpro permatorque ones being thrown around as the ones to get on this board but they are pricier than others that i found on rock auto. here is a list of others that i found too including the permatorques. Im planning on ordering up most of what i need this weekend and hopefully have the engine back in the car by the beginning of next weekend.

 

http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/mmp/subaru~brat~head_gasket~parts.html

[GeneralDisorder]

Last time I priced out the Fel-Pro's (there is no other way to go IMO) they were about $15 each from Autozone's web site. I had to bring that price into the store to get them to match it though as they wanted like $35 a peice in the store

 

I am sold on the Fel-Pro's for the EA81's. I did them on my Brat's original engine years ago (before I was smart about this stuff ) and then on a long drive I blew a heater core hose and lost every drop of coolant. I was on a road that had virtually no shoulder so I had no real recourse but to drive it as much as I could without any coolant. I had to go about 3 miles. I made it but the engine got so hot it was into pre-det and couldn't go more than 15 MPH when I finally got to a parking lot. I thought for sure it was toast - warped heads and blown gaskets. It was in the 90's that day and it took nearly an hour for it to cool down enough for me to fill it up again. I had a friend bring me a section of heater core hose. I figured I would have to have it towed but after the repair it started up and drove home like nothing had happened and remained perfectly fine till I tore it down for a rebuild - which was YEARS later. Amazingly there was no damage to the head gaskets.

 

This ability to withstand abuse as well as the lack of having to retorque them get's all thumbs up from me. I don't use them on EJ's but I won't use any other brand on the EA's. The cheap price makes it that much more attractive.

 

GD

[hatchsub]

Ok good to know. I just ordered them up online and am having it all delivered. There are only a few other things that i need to get and i should be set to throw it together. Since i have the heads off the Solid lifter motor i might as well have them serviced and up the comp a bit. Not going to bother spliting the case just for time limitations and needing to get this car back together so a delta cam for this motor is out for now. I will probably do the cam in the hydro motor when i have more time to play with it.

[Rust]

if your heads are cracked or warped I have a set, I use copper spray when putting in new gaskets. I also have an official subaru tech. manual on 1982 models if you need torq. specs...ect. Happy wrenching.

[GeneralDisorder]

The gaskets are installed DRY. With proper preperation no coatings are needed.

 

GD

[hatchsub]

Hey thanks Pete. Im actually putting the coupes original motor back together since it never got the oil contaminated like the one from the sedan. The heads from the coupe were also in very nice shape (should be with only 52k). I got them done up (ie full port work, 5 angle valve job, a .030 shave and new valve seals). Im just waiting on gaskets now.

 

As for the hydro one that something happened to..im not convinced it was headgaskets....maybe but i examined both of them and they both "seemed" fine. I will have to take some pictures for the more educated however. The intake valves on the side that didnt have great compression looked HORRIBLE. So much junk caked on and they were white (burned?). Also both passenger side pistons were caked in carbon to the point i was flaking it off. The drivers side ones looked just as clean as my 52k mile motors pistons though. So...something is def going on with that side. Im not sure what though. Spark plugs from that side looked a bit hot (lean) so im thinking the heads just go so junked up they didnt flow enough and didnt seal well anymore. Odd cause it only has 115k and i took good care of it (so i thought).