Thoughts on an overheated 99 EJ25 DOHC Phase 1

[RallyKeith]

I have a friend at work with a 99 Legacy GT. Don't know the mileage, but monday he calls and says the temp gauge needle is almost at the H. He asked if it was just a stuck thermostat. I said sorry, but it's not a thermostat and that instead I would bet heavily on it being the head gaskets. Fast forward to today, he says his mechanic found a bad leak on the cross over pipe under the intake manifold and that he would have it fixed by the end of the week. My friend then says he had been smelling a faint antifreeze smell for a month or two, but the level in the resivior never dropped.

 

So, the question is, how likely do people think it is that he may not have had a head gasket problem, but now that it was overheated it's just a matter of time until they go?

 

I think he's going to wind up doing the head gaskets within 6 months.

 

Keith

[idosubaru]

no telling. overheating and coolant loss won't help any head gasket, particularly 10 year old head gaskets. and particularly the DOHC EJ25. just comes down to statistics here. there's no black and white "yes it will" "no it won't" answer.

 

if it wasn't overheated much he's got a good chance of being okay though, considering the leak was found. the smell is bound to linger for a while, no big deal. gets all in everything down there.

[davebugs]

If it hasn't had the two dollar bottle 'preventative maintenance' additive from Subaru it sounds like an excellent time for it.

 

I think he's on borrowed time. Lets face it - he was on borrowed time before and this pretty much had to have speeded that up.

 

As long as there isn't rod knock it's his call whether to fix this one or 2.2 it.

 

Atleast he has some time to decide.

 

Knowing the mileage and if the HG's were ever done would be nice.

 

Hose the engine off while it's cold (I start it up before the water hits). Somtimes I take lunch to the carwash. Get there, prop up the hood, wait for it to cool. Spray my favorite cleaner on it with a foamy sprayer, then hose it down mostly without pulling the trigger and getting the high pressure wash.

 

That'll cure the smell.

 

 

Dave

[Skip]

If it hasn't had the two dollar bottle 'preventative maintenance' additive from Subaru it sounds like an excellent time for it.

Dave

I may be mistaken but wasn't the "oatmeal" designed for the

phase II starting in MY2000??

 

 

I would say this gemtleman did not check the

coolant level in the rad and the leak was preventing

the system from pulling from the overflow bottle.

 

He said it got close to H not pegged.

 

He may have saved it.

[idosubaru]

wasn't the "oatmeal" designed for the

phase II starting in MY2000??

right on it was intended for the Phase II SOHC EJ25's which were in the 99 Foresters and 2000 legacy/OBW's.

 

could it do any good in the earlier ones, i have no clue?

 

Subaru wouldn't want to touch that with a 10 foot pole since that might elude to them "knowing" about it being a problem in those as well.

[nipper]

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

 

Sometimes an over heat is a simple issue, and since the engine didnt peg the gauge, i think he's fine.

 

Doesnt mean a HG can't pop tomorrow, doesnt mean it is going to pop at all.

 

nipper

 

PS the subaru treatment is like chicken soup. Just one can't hurt. He should have his T-stat changed now too since the system will be drained of coolant just to as a preventative measure.

[kingbobdole]

I just did a 97 where the guy said he ran it in the red until it stalled and wouldn't restart. I replaced the thermostat and after checking three times I let it leave... no headgasket issue at all. I didn't believe it.

[nipper]

I just did a 97 where the guy said he ran it in the red until it stalled and wouldn't restart. I replaced the thermostat and after checking three times I let it leave... no headgasket issue at all. I didn't believe it.

 

 

But does it burn oil now?

[kingbobdole]

But does it burn oil now?

 

Donno... He took it like a week ago and constantly fights to keep the oil up either way... it leaks badly. I guess if it comes back needing a motor I'll know it used more oil then "normal":grin:

[RallyKeith]

Thanks for the thoughts guys. FWIW I know the gaskets were never done. I had gone with him 2-3 years ago to look at the car before he bought it, and it came from a single private owner who had records of the work done. I think the mileage is around 120k miles. I talked to him today and his mechanic will start working on it tomorrow.

 

Keith

[pearlm30]

I have hear this problem as well. I ran into a guy @JY by a 98 outback and we started to talk and he told me that the cross over pipe was bad( I couldnt recall if its rust or cracked) Helped him out got the cross over pipe.

So I know its a possiblity that this cross over pipe could be the problem on EJ25.

 

 

 

I have a friend at work with a 99 Legacy GT. Don't know the mileage, but monday he calls and says the temp gauge needle is almost at the H. He asked if it was just a stuck thermostat. I said sorry, but it's not a thermostat and that instead I would bet heavily on it being the head gaskets. Fast forward to today, he says his mechanic found a bad leak on the cross over pipe under the intake manifold and that he would have it fixed by the end of the week. My friend then says he had been smelling a faint antifreeze smell for a month or two, but the level in the resivior never dropped.

 

So, the question is, how likely do people think it is that he may not have had a head gasket problem, but now that it was overheated it's just a matter of time until they go?

 

I think he's going to wind up doing the head gaskets within 6 months.

 

Keith