Head gasket might be blown

CitySubie · 10-06-2004, 04:29 PM

How hard of a job is this to fix. The dealer said that there might be a leak in the head gasket. If so, I'm looking at a $1100.00 job. Plus $200.00 to "resurface" the heads. Whatever that means. OUCH!!!

If this is the case are there better replacement gaskets that are less prone to breaking, or stronger than stock for people with a heavy right foot?

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Subie Gal · 10-06-2004, 04:30 PM

what year, and model do you have

CitySubie · 10-06-2004, 04:48 PM

2003 Impreza RS in a pretty blue color.

Tim Sanderson · 10-06-2004, 05:19 PM

Should'nt that be under warranty?

robsgotit · 10-06-2004, 05:25 PM

wwwwwaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaannn nnnnnnnntttttttttttttyyyyyyyyy! for sure, unless youve got over 60k somehow

CitySubie · 10-06-2004, 05:31 PM

My 2003 has 69,470 miles

jamesfacts · 10-06-2004, 06:02 PM

HGs aren't awful, but there not easy either. You will have to pull the motor and likely bring the heads to a machine shop to have them resurfaced.

Hate to say it, but its possible a search might reveal something....

Matt Monson · 10-06-2004, 06:38 PM

Was the '03 not covered under the 100k mi recall extension? If so, that bites. I got my HG replaced under warranty with 99,987 mi on the car. That's when the cams went in. If you have ever considered doing cams on your car, now would be a good time while the engine is out and in pieces...

Tim Sanderson · 10-06-2004, 06:53 PM

The cam girdles require a special tool. It's a torx plus. On the sohc heads you don't have to mess with the cams to remove the heads. I doubt you'd need to resurface the heads. Just use a good gasket scraper and get all the old material off. 3m makes a nice one that can be used in a drill.

If you have the means to get the engine onto an engine stand then the rest is cake. You would need the correct torque specs and torqueing sequence, and a torque wrench. But it's not tough at all. I did my own and it cost me a day and 50$.

Good luck.

CitySubie · 10-07-2004, 09:43 AM

What is this 100k mile recall extention that you skeak of Matt?

CitySubie · 10-07-2004, 09:44 AM

Speak of.

Sorry. No can spell to much good.

CitySubie · 10-07-2004, 10:14 AM

One other thing. I posted a tread regarding a CEL. The code that came up was P0483, cooling fan problem.

I took it to the dealer to get the CEL turned off and to check if everything is running fine. I would love to do all the work on my car myself If I knew how and if I had the time, but I can't. Anyway, the head gasket problem is what they came up with. Is that possible. They also told me about there was a noise coming from the tranny, but they can't tell me what it could be without taking it apart. Make sense.

What sucks is that while it was under, I was told that everything was fine. Now that warrenty is over, they found all this work that needs to be done.

Those bastards.

Jejunum · 10-07-2004, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CitySubie

How hard of a job is this to fix. The dealer said that there might be a leak in the head gasket. If so, I'm looking at a $1100.00 job. Plus $200.00 to "resurface" the heads. Whatever that means. OUCH!!!

If this is the case are there better replacement gaskets that are less prone to breaking, or stronger than stock for people with a heavy right foot?

dude thats CRAP. i have an 02 RS (26k miles) and im constantly worried about the possibility of hg failure. write a letter to subaru, thats unacceptable quality imho. did they document your concerns about hg before you ran outta warranty?

if nothing, i say spend the extra and go the 2.0 turbo swap :/

CitySubie · 10-07-2004, 10:39 AM

I love my Subaru, but their sevice is crap

CitySubie · 10-08-2004, 10:11 AM

Is it true that you can see "white smoke" (I'm assuming it's a mix of smoke and steam) if my HG is blown?

Tim Sanderson · 10-08-2004, 06:28 PM

Do you smell coolant after a drive at all? Or do you see white smoke out the tailpipe? Does your coolant reservoir constantly need to be refilled? How did they determine that the hg was bad?

10-06-2004, 04:29 PM	#1
CitySubie Scooby Newbie Member#: 60099 Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: N.Y.C. Vehicle: 2003 Impreza RS The perty blue one	Head gasket might be blown How hard of a job is this to fix. The dealer said that there might be a leak in the head gasket. If so, I'm looking at a $1100.00 job. Plus $200.00 to "resurface" the heads. Whatever that means. OUCH!!! If this is the case are there better replacement gaskets that are less prone to breaking, or stronger than stock for people with a heavy right foot? * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

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10-06-2004, 04:30 PM	#2
Subie Gal GC84Ever Super Moderator Member#: 301 Join Date: Sep 1999 Chapter/Region: NWIC Location: WA Vehicle: 2001 2.5 RS/70 Van 02 WRX Rally Stud	what year, and model do you have

10-06-2004, 04:48 PM	#3
CitySubie Scooby Newbie Member#: 60099 Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: N.Y.C. Vehicle: 2003 Impreza RS The perty blue one	2003 Impreza RS in a pretty blue color.

10-06-2004, 05:19 PM	#4
Tim Sanderson Scooby Guru Member#: 6486 Join Date: May 2001 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: S.E. wisconsin Vehicle: 00 Impreza 2.5 RS Blue Ridge Pearl	Should'nt that be under warranty?

10-06-2004, 05:25 PM	#5
robsgotit Scooby Newbie Member#: 59674 Join Date: Apr 2004 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: hudson valley ny Vehicle: 06 06/2.5i 03/1.8t there silver	wwwwwaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaannn nnnnnnnntttttttttttttyyyyyyyyy! for sure, unless youve got over 60k somehow

10-06-2004, 05:31 PM	#6
CitySubie Scooby Newbie Member#: 60099 Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: N.Y.C. Vehicle: 2003 Impreza RS The perty blue one	My 2003 has 69,470 miles

10-06-2004, 06:02 PM	#7
jamesfacts NASIOC Supporter Member#: 51282 Join Date: Dec 2003 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: Brooklyn NYC / Danbury CT Vehicle: 98 RS black & blue from parking	HGs aren't awful, but there not easy either. You will have to pull the motor and likely bring the heads to a machine shop to have them resurfaced. Hate to say it, but its possible a search might reveal something....

10-06-2004, 06:38 PM	#8
Matt Monson Scooby Guru Member#: 832 Join Date: Jan 2000 Chapter/Region: RMIC Location: Teh Ghetto Garage, CO Vehicle: 99 2.5RS, '85 911 '73 914 and 2012 BRZ	Was the '03 not covered under the 100k mi recall extension? If so, that bites. I got my HG replaced under warranty with 99,987 mi on the car. That's when the cams went in. If you have ever considered doing cams on your car, now would be a good time while the engine is out and in pieces...

10-06-2004, 06:53 PM	#9
Tim Sanderson Scooby Guru Member#: 6486 Join Date: May 2001 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: S.E. wisconsin Vehicle: 00 Impreza 2.5 RS Blue Ridge Pearl	The cam girdles require a special tool. It's a torx plus. On the sohc heads you don't have to mess with the cams to remove the heads. I doubt you'd need to resurface the heads. Just use a good gasket scraper and get all the old material off. 3m makes a nice one that can be used in a drill. If you have the means to get the engine onto an engine stand then the rest is cake. You would need the correct torque specs and torqueing sequence, and a torque wrench. But it's not tough at all. I did my own and it cost me a day and 50$. Good luck.

10-07-2004, 09:43 AM	#10
CitySubie Scooby Newbie Member#: 60099 Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: N.Y.C. Vehicle: 2003 Impreza RS The perty blue one	What is this 100k mile recall extention that you skeak of Matt?

10-07-2004, 09:44 AM	#11
CitySubie Scooby Newbie Member#: 60099 Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: N.Y.C. Vehicle: 2003 Impreza RS The perty blue one	Speak of. Sorry. No can spell to much good.

10-07-2004, 10:14 AM	#12
CitySubie Scooby Newbie Member#: 60099 Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: N.Y.C. Vehicle: 2003 Impreza RS The perty blue one	One other thing. I posted a tread regarding a CEL. The code that came up was P0483, cooling fan problem. I took it to the dealer to get the CEL turned off and to check if everything is running fine. I would love to do all the work on my car myself If I knew how and if I had the time, but I can't. Anyway, the head gasket problem is what they came up with. Is that possible. They also told me about there was a noise coming from the tranny, but they can't tell me what it could be without taking it apart. Make sense. What sucks is that while it was under, I was told that everything was fine. Now that warrenty is over, they found all this work that needs to be done. Those bastards.

10-07-2004, 10:39 AM	#14
CitySubie Scooby Newbie Member#: 60099 Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: N.Y.C. Vehicle: 2003 Impreza RS The perty blue one	I love my Subaru, but their sevice is crap

10-08-2004, 10:11 AM	#15
CitySubie Scooby Newbie Member#: 60099 Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: N.Y.C. Vehicle: 2003 Impreza RS The perty blue one	Is it true that you can see "white smoke" (I'm assuming it's a mix of smoke and steam) if my HG is blown?

10-08-2004, 06:28 PM	#16
Tim Sanderson Scooby Guru Member#: 6486 Join Date: May 2001 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: S.E. wisconsin Vehicle: 00 Impreza 2.5 RS Blue Ridge Pearl	Do you smell coolant after a drive at all? Or do you see white smoke out the tailpipe? Does your coolant reservoir constantly need to be refilled? How did they determine that the hg was bad?