another head gasket horror story

[timintc]

well heres my story,

2000 legacy wagon, bought used from a dealer in traverse city, Cherry Capitol Subaru, in april 2003.

 

Smelled antifreeze most of that summer and finally had it pressure tested in December,

when it was determined that it was the head gaskets,

i immediately called SOA

 

I was pleasantly surprised that they extended the warranty for me,

and had the dealer fix the drivers side head gasket at no charge to me,

 

Soon after wards the letter came out informing everyone of the extension of the warranty and the coolant additive etc etc.

The mileage when this service was performed was 68K.

 

Jump ahead to July 2007, and the smell of antifreeze is back,

only this time, with the experience and the knowledge gained from this forum,

I knew instantly what the problem was.

 

So today the dealer pressure tested my cooling system

and sure enough they gave me the bad news, I was expecting.

 

Only this time it is both head gaskets.

 

This time with 127K on the odometer, no one wants any part of warranty extensions or backing their work.

It just kills me cuz i love subies and own two currently. that they cant get this head gasket thing corrected.

Twice now in 127, 000 miles on my particular vehicle.

 

The dealer quoted me 1437 dollars to replace both gaskets, but after the first head gasket job failed after 60K miles why would any one in their right mind let them try it a second time?

 

I am off to the Subaru Guys who quoted me 800 for the whole shebang and i know they will back their work.

 

Sorry i know its wordy and not very good punctuation, been a frustrating day. thanks for listening

[WoodsWagon]

Since it's leaking externally, you could throw a bottle of stop leak in and hope for the best. Don't go hog wild and clog the radiator though. You might want to put a shunt hose in instead of the heater core hoses to keep that from getting gummed up while the stop leak does it's thing.

[timintc]

Since it's leaking externally, you could throw a bottle of stop leak in and hope for the best. Don't go hog wild and clog the radiator though. You might want to put a shunt hose in instead of the heater core hoses to keep that from getting gummed up while the stop leak does it's thing.

Nah thanks for the suggestion but id just as soon get it done and get it done right and hopefully be done with it.

[brus brother]

Tshe first time replacement was likely before the newer design HG?

[torxxx]

goddamn thats a pricey headgasket job. If you were in Alaska, I'd do it for 500, you buy the head gaskets. But yea, you need to look at getting a better type of head gasket. Subaru used the crappy 4 or 5 layer head gaskets for a few years and they are pure junk. I'd really like to know what they were thinking spraying black paint onto a metal gasket. Like that stuff if really going to hold up.

 

I'm guessing you have a SOHC 2.5 in that legacy? Order head gaskets for a 2002 2.5 SOHC. Thats in the newest years where they updated the head gaskets to the single layer metal. I still run across the "recalled" gaskets from the dealer*************** up here.

 

Good luck

[torxxx]

Since it's leaking externally, you could throw a bottle of stop leak in and hope for the best. Don't go hog wild and clog the radiator though. You might want to put a shunt hose in instead of the heater core hoses to keep that from getting gummed up while the stop leak does it's thing.

 

NEVER use any kind of stopleak in subaru's unless its stuff called Dyke. It's 10 dollars a bottle, in a oil jug shaped black bottle. Green writing on the bottle.

 

I've used that stuff for years in subarus with NO ill effects on the heater core and raidiator. All the other stop leaks plug up any small metal screens or mesh it comes in contact with.