substeve Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 First time poster. Happy New year all. Looks like I get to be the first gasket post of the year. :-\ As I write my 1998 Outback limited, 2.5L, 139K, is in for a diagnosis at the dealer. Carbon residues showing up in overflow reservoir, and overheated yesterday. Hopefully engine did not crack a block too. Dealer wants $2600 + , but after calling an independent I was quoted $1200 to $1400 plus any additional extras. H2O pump, belts, pullys. I called one independent , 27 years dealing with Subs, and he will not do a gasket replacement on a 98 as he has had many return after being repaired and found short blocks have had problems? cracks? possibly from the overheating.. I'm hoping that after I repair the gasket problem it will be good for another 100k plus, a roll of the dice I figure from reading USMB. Sure liked my Outback til this happened. Anyone out there who has had the gasket work done and has had continued trouble free gasket problems? Need reassurance to keep my outback after getting it fixed as I really like this wagon, and the dogs sure would miss it:) Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 The block issue depends on what made you suspect of a head gasket, and how you delt with it. If you cooked the engine repetedly then the odds of a block issue (shifted cylinder sleeve) goes up. Most get it done once and its done. Using a straight edge on the block surface one can easily see if the cylinder has moved. Most people here have very good exp with the repair. Dont forget to change your oil also. When was the last time you had the timing belt changed, and what was done then? And yes the dealer was high. nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 nipper said it - dealer is high for repairing gaskets. the independent gave you a better estimate. if the engine wasn't overheated much or often then the block is likely fine...plenty 2.5 headgaskets have been successfully replaced, but i wouldn't attempt it on a car that was driven or ran much with a bad gasket or while overheating as that greatly increases the chance of block issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 this is a hijack, of sorts. i found this discription of a HG overheat and wanted your input on engine outcome. do you think the engine/block damaged or would the HG make it run again.? "It overheated once, on the highway, at 70 mph. I coasted onto the off ramp and only then did all the warning lights come on and the engine shut down. It has been started once, immediately turned off and never driven after that." this is the first i've read about warning lights and the car shutting down. but it did run after that so it's not siezed. 2.5 outback wagon w/ 130k miles A/T. any thoughts? thanks, john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Do you guys think we should have a sticker for our cars that says subaru head gasket club? The initiation fee is already at least $1200 which is high so at least a sticker would be appropriate. nipper can't join because he threw a rod first. Nyaa, nyaa, nyaa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 this is a hijack, of sorts. i found this discription of a HG overheat and wanted your input on engine outcome. do you think the engine/block damaged or would the HG make it run again.? "It overheated once, on the highway, at 70 mph. I coasted onto the off ramp and only then did all the warning lights come on and the engine shut down. It has been started once, immediately turned off and never driven after that." this is the first i've read about warning lights and the car shutting down. but it did run after that so it's not siezed. 2.5 outback wagon w/ 130k miles A/T. any thoughts? thanks, john RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cant tell if the block are cyl walls are damaged, but a stall due to overheating usually means the engine got really really hot. Idiot lights will come on when the car stalls. My question is how long before they restarted it, a mintute, an hour , a day , a week ... nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cant tell if the block are cyl walls are damaged, but a stall due to overheating usually means the engine got really really hot. Idiot lights will come on when the car stalls. My question is how long before they restarted it, a mintute, an hour , a day , a week ... nipper if i were to get it , i would swap out the engine any way, but i just hadn't heard that kind of description before. the idiot lights make sense now that you mention them. the shutting down due to overheat was new, it too makes sense. too hot to run. and since it happened on the hiway, suddenly, my guess it was really hot, and she didn't notice until it started acting funny. thanks for the info. john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commuter Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 Anyone out there who has had the gasket work done and has had continued trouble free gasket problems? Need reassurance to keep my outback after getting it fixed as I really like this wagon, and the dogs sure would miss it:) Steve 4.5 years and 270,000 km (166,000 miles) on my engine since the head gaskets were done. (For the record, my block was changed as well due to a conrod bearing failure.) But yes, a properly done head gasket job can, and does last. Commuter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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