EA82 - Head/Gasket Questions

[brundl3fly]

Hi, I posted a while ago about the turbo in my GL-10 Wagon and now we have begin to tear the motor apart in order to hopefully repair it and get it back in. There are some issues I'd like to see if someone has some insight on tho.

 

So the motor obviously had problems losing coolant, that is ultimately what stopped the car on the way home. It was late and dark and we couldn't really tell I was ejecting steam but I did run out of coolant eventually and the car stopped, I pulled over and when I stopped accelerating it did not keep going.

 

So we've removed the everything down to the block today and here it where my questions start.

 

We have cracks in one head between valves. I've seen numerous posts where this isn't usually a problem but thought I'd throw that out. Any particular issues with the cracks between valves?

 

We found no real smoking gun with the gaskets. The one cylinder we think was the problem actually didn't have an obvious breach in the gasket we could see. The other head's gasket actually looked much worse but still not a smoking gun. Has anyone run into this? I was really hoping to see a break between cyl 4 and a water jacket which would have made lots of sense. But it really wasn't obvious.

 

Really any input you have could help us out. Do I just put all the new gaskets in (after the heads are examined) or is there something else you'd recommend?

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

[DaveT]

The cracks are normal.  I have never ran one that dry / hot.  I have never seen clear signs of totally blown head gaskets by examining them after diss assembly.   If it was run low on coolant, and heated over normal, that's it, the gaskets were damaged or blown, so you would be replacing them sooner or later.  That's what I have experienced with these engines. 

 

I am not certain of this - but if it got so hot it stopped running, the piston rings might be damaged? 

 

What about the bearings?

[TomRhere]

Been posts on here of the crack between the valves getting deep enough to go into the exhaust port where it can also open into the water jacket. Also seems it's more common on Turbo motors.

[brundl3fly]

Sorry, let me clarify it stalled, didn't seize. I can actually still see hone marks in the cylinders so I think we are good there.

 

Tom, you bring up points I've seen as well. This is a turbo so... guess I should take it to the machine shop to have it tested?

[TomRhere]

I would, just for the peace of mind thing.

 

Been a few years back, but Member on here was chasing a coolant loss issue. Wasn't until they dropped the exhaust off the engine and ran it, that the crack in the exhaust port was found.

 

Also, as long as you have the engine torn down, it don't take much more to pull the pistons out.

I've torn down a few EA82 engines in search of good parts to redo one for my Wagon. Each and every piston I pulled had seized oil rings.

A new set of rings isn't to costly, and would be a good purchase in my opinion.

[ccrinc]

Been posts on here of the crack between the valves getting deep enough to go into the exhaust port where it can also open into the water jacket. Also seems it's more common on Turbo motors.

 

^^^ This ^^^

[brundl3fly]

OK, off to the machine shop they go. I'm not putting this motor back together just to have the same problem.

[idosubaru]

yep - have them pressure tested and resurfaced

[brundl3fly]

I have, simply need to pic them up. No leaks found under pressure!

[jono]

did you refill it after the steam event to do a little investigation for how it then ran, where leaks were, steam out tail pipe or in engine bay ?

 

Or just tear into the rebuild ?

 

There are so many hoses and pipes on these turbos to deal with that should hold coolant for 25 years, then need renewal.

 

It might have been the intake man to head gaskets that let go and dribbled into intake ports - seen that few times, and another time, suspect it was the turbo as when I fitted up serviced heads, genuine gaskets - still a steam engine ! Then I ran a sealwel cube - fixed it next 80,000 km at least

[scoobiedubie]

The process of reinstalling the cylinder head, relies heavily on certain factors.

1.  All of the washers and the bolts should be thoroughly cleaned with wire brush, carburetor cleaner and all gunk removed from threads.  Clean out the cylinder head bolt holes with carburetor cleaner and compressed air.

2.  There are two length of cylinder head bolts.  There are two heights for the shoulder seat of those cylinder head bolts.  The shorter bolts fit only in the shorter height seat.  If you put a short bolt in the taller seats, you will strip out the threads in the block.

3.  You tighten all bolts by working from the center out.

4.  You tighten them as much as you can with presumably the specified torque, AND THEN YOU LEAVE THE BOLT HEADS EXPOSED OVERNIGHT AND COME BACK AND RE-TIGHTEN THEM THE FOLLOWING DAY.

5.  For the camshaft tower, you need the genuine subaru washers, for the main oil inlet into the tower.  Hardware store O-rings cannot be used because they will melt.

6.  If you want a quieter engine, you dab a little of the gasket maker on the two flat surfaces surrounding oil transfer holes in the tower, that contact the cylinder head.  Don't put so much on those surfaces so that when you squish everything together, that you plug up those oil transfer holes.  Allow the gasket maker to become tacky before reassembly.