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Old 08-26-2006, 12:58 PM   #1
j rod
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Default Replace head gaskets w/ motor in the car?

Is this possible? The car is a 99 Legacy Outback EJ25. Doesn't look like it, but figured I'd ask anyway. Thx
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Old 08-26-2006, 01:27 PM   #2
SOLUTION
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Yeah, it can be done.
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Old 08-26-2006, 02:33 PM   #3
Outback Jack
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SOLUTION
Yeah, it can be done.
Yes, but you do need to disconnect the motor mounts, and preferrably the tranny mount and jack up the engine, otherwise you can't even get the bolts off.
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Old 08-27-2006, 11:54 AM   #4
j rod
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Ok, thanks. Anyone know where I can find a good writeup on doing a headgasket swap on a DOHC? I've only worked on pushrod V8's so this is all new to me. I've got the intake, radiator, accessories, etc. removed from the car already so now I'm down to the cam's, timing belt, etc. which really scares the ***** out of me. lol I've found a couple links on the net but nothing that really goes into detail about that stuff. I was going to buy a Haynes manual but evidently they don't make one for Subaru's after 98.
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Old 08-27-2006, 12:49 PM   #5
dexterous
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Why dont you just pull out the motor and put it on a stand. It would be so much easier. Pulling the motor is really not that hard.
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Old 08-28-2006, 12:01 PM   #6
BURTONRIDR
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Outback Jack View Post
Yes, but you do need to disconnect the motor mounts, and preferrably the tranny mount and jack up the engine, otherwise you can't even get the bolts off.
No you dont, im doing it right now in the car with the engine bolted to the car. Ive got a 97 legacy outback with an ej25 DOHC in it. It would make it a lot easier but it can be done in the car. I just dont have a cherry picker Christmas wish list....

Im not doing a write up on how to change the head gaskets, however I have posted a lot of threads in the past week or two that pertain to what im doing to my car:

new head gaskets
new oil pump gasket
new oil pan gasket
new water pump
new cv boots
new Sti motor mounts
new light wieght Perrin pulley
New Borla headers

plus some others (I broke a few things taking it apart) click on my name (in the left column) and select view other threads by burtonridr. There will be some helpful information in a lot of those threads, atleast look at the one labeled "head bolts" it has the torque pattern and torque spec for a lot of the stuff your going to have to take off and rebolt to the engine after you replace the head gaskets. Go buy a haynes manual at autozone, it will be a lot of help.

If you need help with anything while your doing it PM me, ive done it twice now on this car. Tim sanderson (thats his name on here) could probably be a lot of help as well, theres a lot of others on here that can help as well.
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Old 08-28-2006, 12:40 PM   #7
SOLUTION
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Outback Jack View Post
Yes, but you do need to disconnect the motor mounts, and preferrably the tranny mount and jack up the engine, otherwise you can't even get the bolts off.
Yeah, when I took my head off (SOHC) I just jacked up the side of the engine I was working on.

I think it's easier that way than taking the engine out, but you do have to bend over the car a lot to do it...
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Old 08-29-2006, 02:22 AM   #8
Outback Jack
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BURTONRIDR View Post
No you dont, im doing it right now in the car with the engine bolted to the car. Ive got a 97 legacy outback with an ej25 DOHC in it. It would make it a lot easier but it can be done in the car. I just dont have a cherry picker Christmas wish list....
Really? How did you get the bolts out?

I found I could put a floor jack under the engine, of course with a block of wood on it to avoid damaging anything, and I could get the engine up an inch or two without unbolting the mounts, but not enough to get the bolts out. I did not feel comfortable jacking the engine too much, so I unbolted the mounts and I was able to get more than enough clearance that way.

I also don't have a cherry picker, but you may not need one. For instance, I have a $25 ratcheting cable puller and my garage has some hefty ceiling joists... I wouldn't try to lift a chevy V8 with this setup, but a Subaru engine, no problem.
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Old 08-29-2006, 10:39 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Outback Jack View Post
Really? How did you get the bolts out?
Which Bolts?

The valve cover bolts come right out, so im guessing your not talking about those.. then once youve taken all the cam gears, covers, exhaust manifold/headers, intake manifold, etc and your down to just the heads. You loosen all the head bolts completely (you dont actualy take them out). Then you wiggle the head out of the car (with the head bolt in the head still). Then you replace the gaskets, get rid of the old head bolts (if your going to). Put the head bolts into the head before putting the head back into the car, and finish it up.

Are you talking about different bolts?
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Old 08-29-2006, 02:27 PM   #10
Outback Jack
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Originally Posted by BURTONRIDR View Post
Which Bolts?

The valve cover bolts come right out, so im guessing your not talking about those.. then once youve taken all the cam gears, covers, exhaust manifold/headers, intake manifold, etc and your down to just the heads. You loosen all the head bolts completely (you dont actualy take them out). Then you wiggle the head out of the car (with the head bolt in the head still). Then you replace the gaskets, get rid of the old head bolts (if your going to). Put the head bolts into the head before putting the head back into the car, and finish it up.

Are you talking about different bolts?
No, the head bolts.

So you leave the head bolts in partially - I can see how that might work.

Myself, I don't think I'm dextrous enough to pull that off. It's pretty tight down there and the heads are fairly heavy to maneuver at those awkward angles. I'd be afraid that I'd tilt the head just wrong and send a bolt to the floor or mar the fragile surfaces of the head, gasket and/or cylinder wall with the bolts.

I found it easier to line up the head and them slide the bolts in one by one. If it meant a little extra work bolting the mounts back up, it was worth it to me.
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Old 08-30-2006, 11:33 AM   #11
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Somewhat related question: it sounds like you could also use the same techniques to replace the cams? Dreaming of an upgrade project myself (SOHC though).
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Old 08-30-2006, 02:04 PM   #12
BURTONRIDR
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Originally Posted by problemcat13 View Post
Somewhat related question: it sounds like you could also use the same techniques to replace the cams? Dreaming of an upgrade project myself (SOHC though).
You dont need to take the heads out to replace the cams... All the other bolts on a DOHC should come out easily. I dont know much about the SOHC but I would think that it would near identical.
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Old 08-30-2006, 10:00 PM   #13
Tim Sanderson
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Originally Posted by problemcat13 View Post
Somewhat related question: it sounds like you could also use the same techniques to replace the cams? Dreaming of an upgrade project myself (SOHC though).
There is very little that is similar when camparing removing heads and swapping cams except that they both require removal of the valve covers and both encompass a timing belt job.

Understand that a cam swap is a relatively tedious job. It can certainly be done and you can do it if you can discern your colon from a hole in the ground, but there are some special tools involved. An In-the-car cam swap on a sohc......ouch, my back.
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Old 08-31-2006, 11:15 AM   #14
Matt Monson
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I am with Tim. I refuse to do either of these jobs with the engine in the car. I can pull an Ej series engine in less than 2 hours, and reinstall it in half that time. For the amount of suffering that saves me, I do it everytime. And if you don't have a cherry picker, go rent one for a day...
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Old 08-31-2006, 04:18 PM   #15
BURTONRIDR
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<--- wishes he owned a cherry picker
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