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Do I need to replace the engine- 99 Forester


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Yesterday my car overheated. My heater started blowing cold air, and I looked down and the gauge was beyond the H/red zone. I got towed home. When I tried to start the car last night, it started fine. So I was thinking Id need a coolant flush and either a waterpump or thermostat.

 

Today it wouldnt start and had to be jumped. It didnt sound good when it started and alot of white smoke came out the tailpipe. And now it wont start again without being jumped. (car has new starter, battery, and alternator)

 

The diagnostic tester gave errors P0302, P0304, P0303.

 

Do you think I will have to have the engine replaced?

Why would I need jumped to start it?

 

Thank you, any help is appreciated.

Edited by Stefani
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Sounds like headgasket is shot,

 

no use in replacing the water pump, or thermostat, or radiator.

 

It needs new headgaskets.

 

and a water pump while doing that.

 

If you cooked it hot, then yeah new engine, and then you are taking more money than the car value is.Let me guess, about 137k miles?

Edited by bheinen74
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Sounds like you partially hydrolocked the engine because the headgaskets failed into the combustion chambers from massive overheating. Those codes are specific cylinder misfire codes and with the hydrolocking, could have done internal damage to the engine. You should pull the plugs, check the condition of them and do a compression and leakdown tests.

 

If it was me, since it has to come out to get the head gaskets replaced, you can check out the internals while its torn down.

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Sounds like HG's may have caused the other codes.

 

That should be a 2.5 SOHC - can you confirm for us?

 

Also please update your profile with a useful city. A member may live near you who has experienced this before and may be able to stop in.

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Im not 100% sure on the 2.5 SOHC. I just dont understand how it started up just fine, let it run for under a minute, and didnt drive it. Then today its not starting.

Thanks for your replies.

Edited by Stefani
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Im not 100% sure on the 2.5 SOHC. I just dont understand how it started up just fine, let it run for under a minute, and didnt drive it. Then today its not starting.

Thanks for your replies.

 

Is it not starting or not turning over? If it is hydra locked water has entered the cylinder and is preventing the piston from moving because of hydraulic pressure.

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Not making sense at all.

 

Too many issues.

 

I'm ENE of town and go north (Butler) or S (Greensburg) oe E (INdiana) often.

 

You can't get PM's yet. Are you on this side of town?

 

Look at the engines timing belt covers and see if there is one "dimple" on each side's black timing belt cover or 2 on each side one above the other. There are probably pics around here.

 

Part of what you're describing is typical DOHC failure but your car should have a SOHC.

 

Has anyone serviced the car lately and had a reason to drain the coolant?

 

Currently is the coolant overflow bottle overly full? And the radiator itself not full?

 

Added: MIles?

 

How long you've owned it?

 

What maintenance history?

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I know it doesnt make sense thats why im goin nuts :)! The radiator was full of coolant last week. Wasnt serviced or drained. I didnt look in there since. And yes the overflow was overly full when I was broke down. The level went down when I was looking in there.

My friend just told me today it smelled a lil of gas in the overflow.

So Im pretty sure the head gasket is messed up.

Just trying to figure out if the whole engine is shot. And if its even worth towing to a mechanic.

I can get the compressing test done tomorrow.

Miles 127000. Had car for 10 months. Went to jiffylube a month ago, 800 miles since. Ill have to wait til morning to look for DOHC/SOHC.

Im in the south side 15203.

Edited by Stefani
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For the Forester, Subaru implanted a mid year change. You could have either of the two engines.

 

I owned a 1999 Forester, and I am almost certain that your post is incorrect. All MY 1998 Foresters had the DOHC engine. All MY 1999 Foresters had the SOHC engine. I had an early 1999 Forester and it had the SOHC engine. There usually is some confusion on this point because while the Forester got the SOHC in 1999, the other Subaru models didn't get the SOHC until 2000. If the OP has a 1999 Forester with the original engine, it is a SOHC. An internal head gasket failure can happen at any time, to any engine. Yes, even to the 2.2L.

Edited by The Dude
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i would assume the overheat hosed something else causing sensor issues.

 

has anyone ever seen a hydrolocked EJ engine?

 

i was fixing someones overheated forester (a 2000), they torched it pretty good. it wouldn't start at all after the severe overheat - swapping the entire intake manifold (that i got from Davebugs) solved the issue. i can only assume the heat damaged some of the sensors or fueling components on the intake....maybe something like that is happening here.

 

the overheat needs fixed first, that's the big deal. sensors and ignition stuff isn't that big of a deal.

 

but yeah - determining if the bottom end is good or not is nearly impossible and more of an art than a science. if it only had one overheat event, that's good, you'll just need to try to decide how bad it was.

 

did the timing covers melt? that's usually a bad sign if they start to liquefy.

 

let me know if you want to sell it, i'm only an hour from Pburgh.

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At this point I either want to sell it or pay someone to fix it. I dont want to pay to get it towed. I have to go to work and wont be back til late eve. I can send pics and more details via email to whoever wants to see it tomorrow. doktorgonzo88 yahoo is mine.

And thanks to all of you who tried to help me out.

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