WWP-99 Service Campaign - Cooling System Conditioner

[SubieAddic]

Well that`s one thing i checked b4 ordering my parts, confirm my compression is good. Actually, i was impressed, it was right on! Atleast that is good.. hehe So it meant that the gasket does really only leak on the out side. But i saw that on the right head, it was leaking oil.. so i will change them all at while my motor is out ..

* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

[SubieAddic]

Well the head gasket is changed, and no leaking!!! yay!... took me about 2 days all together to do the job. Since i was there, i changed my exaust and intake gasket, my rocket cover gasket and of course, my timming belt ( wich was due...). I tought it was gonna be a hard job, but it wasn`t has bad as that! * hopefully *.

So i saved over 800$ by doing it myself... so it`s all good

Have good day

Patrick

[ScoobaruBoy]

I hate my life mine has 112k on it an has the leak! Any suggestions on what to do? Get at me in PM!!!!

[ekoostick]

I wonder if they would help someone out with a 96 OBW with 78k. Guess I will go visit with my dealer tomorrow as I have started to smell coolant recently.

[AFY2600]

dont feel bad scoobaruboy mine just failed on me and i have an 05 rs with 43,000 on it and my dealer is saying its not under warranty

[brian3676]

wow i dont know why everyones is costing so much to replace, at the dealer where i live its $900 for one head and 1200 for both and thats a subaru dealer. But anyway go and try and talk to one of the techs at a shop about a side job they love them and will give u parts at cost just charg you for labor i am getting my hole motor done with both heads timing belts and full tune up for $800. But i got a question. So is the defect in the gasket its self or the motor? so if i replace it will it go again in 50K miles? or did they fix that problem with the gasket so this one wont blow?

[AFY2600]

In response to ur question...."But i got a question. So is the defect in the gasket its self or the motor? so if i replace it will it go again in 50K miles? or did they fix that problem with the gasket so this one wont blow?"[/quote]

its a 'DEFECT' in the engines cooling system, subaru completely fixed that in their new 3.6L engine...and the actual problem from wat i understand is that each cylinder gets cooled at different temperatures because of the way the coolant travels though the water jackets so i guess the cylinder closest to the driver gets cooled last plus the fact that the exhaust manifold is directly underneath it doesnt help so i guess that the head is expanding and contracting too much and over time the headgasket just wears out even faster because of this...

[ShawnE]

I just bought a 2001 legacy and thought that because the former owners had put in the coolant conditioner and that they hadn't had any further problems I would be in decent shape- that was until about a week ago when I noticed coolant loss. Took it into the dealer and they said head gasket leak(which I was already thinking) and that I was past the warranty period. Seems to me that the coolant conditioner was more of a band-aid than a fix. I'm a college student and I purchased this car because I thought it would require less repairs than my old car would to keep running. I do not have the money to pay for this and am faced with a plea to subaru to at least help.
Anyone got any advice on what to say when I call? I was also thinking about writing an email or letter based upon the answer I receive from Subaru.

Too bad there doesn't seem to be any class action lawsuit taking place.

[SubieAddic]

Well i know i tried to get them to replace the head gasket under waranty, but they didn`t wanna hear nothing. Well they told me i had to go to a dealer, check that it really leaks, and then MAYBE they`ll do something. Talked to the owner and said since i didn`t have any proof of oil changes, well that it would prolly won`t be under warranty or the best they could of done was to be 50% of the total amount ( wich for the 2 heads ( without timming belt ) was between 1200 and 2000$ for both heads depending on the time and problems that can occur ). So that`s why i did it myself. Cost me less, and enjoyed working on my subbie! Also added the conditionner in just in case... wich a subaru tech said that they add it when they do the job... but at the subaru manufaturer, they add it ( so i was said ). But over 5000K since the head gasket job, and all is fine!!!..

Lataz, Pat

Subaru one day, Subaru for life!

[destuck]

Have my 2003 Forester at the dealership right now with a head gasket leak. The car overheated a couple of weeks ago. My mechanic thought the thermostat was bad and replaced it. Also thought the headgasket was leaking, so took it back a week later to check and the gasket is still leaking. Have the car at the dealership now and they want to put in the conditioner everyone on this thread mentions. Told them I want the HG replaced (today is the last day of my 60,000/5year factory warranty!), so waiting to hear back from them. Anyone know if Subaru is extending the warranty for 2003 vehicles, or have any advice on how to handle the dealership?

[blackfang]

Originally Posted by destuck

Have my 2003 Forester at the dealership right now with a head gasket leak. The car overheated a couple of weeks ago. My mechanic thought the thermostat was bad and replaced it. Also thought the headgasket was leaking, so took it back a week later to check and the gasket is still leaking. Have the car at the dealership now and they want to put in the conditioner everyone on this thread mentions. Told them I want the HG replaced (today is the last day of my 60,000/5year factory warranty!), so waiting to hear back from them. Anyone know if Subaru is extending the warranty for 2003 vehicles, or have any advice on how to handle the dealership?

You should have a WWP-99 warranty extension on your original Powertrain warranty. It starts on the in service date, not the date the recall was done. Keep in mind there are certain instructions on what they have to do and chances are the first step is the coolant conditioner. If that doesn't work, then they may replace the H/G.

[ngoshawk]

New person here, on our second Subaru. Check engine light came on, todayand car was stuttering. We diagnosed the problem as a bad Cam Position Sensor. Replaced, but upon driving, the same stuttering happened. I then had the mechanic do a compression check, and #2 was darn near at zero. He suggested that there was an external head gasket leak. Drove home as carefully as possible.

Car has 87,000 on it, and we would like to fix. I never rec'd the "conditioner letter," and knew nothing of this problem. I know this is a reach, but do any of you think that Subaru will cover any/all of this, knowing that I was "ignorant" of problem? My mechanic is looking into this from the "mechanic-side," and I intend to from the consumer-side.

Thanks in advance, and thank you for this thread...

[armand1]

I'd try talking with your Subaru dealer (assuming your mechanic is not at a Subaru dealership).

[ejicon]

Is there a way to find out if your VIN qualifies for WWP-99 or do you have to contact Subaru/a dealer to find out?

[ososnilknarf]

Hi everyone. New user here. I found this thread by doing some research on Subaru Outbacks because I've been thinking about buying a used one.
Does anyone know if this issue would affect a 2004 Outback? Is it the same engine? Or had this problem been resolved by '04?
I see that most of the references are to Outbacks in the 99-01 model year range, but is that just because most of the '04's haven't reached the ~70-90k miles point of failure yet?

Thanks for any advice.

--Pete

[Mavrik]

Most of the "newer" subaru models have got the updated headgasket kit already.

[ososnilknarf]

Originally Posted by Mavrik

Most of the "newer" subaru models have got the updated headgasket kit already.

Hi Mavrik, thanks for the reply.
And so far is the consensus that this updated headgasket kit doesn't have this failure problem?

[oreos]

what has been members' experiences with subaru after the wwp-99 when the engine still blows head gasket, cyliner, etc under 100k

[oreos]

has anyone tried anything like bar's or other rapair fluids for head gastket/cylinder/engine pair

[munkis]

the conditioner will not fix a blown head gasket.

[oreos]

Originally Posted by munkis

the conditioner will not fix a blown head gasket.

do you know whether any of the products that claim to fix blown head gaskets such as bar's, not the subaru conditioner, will resolve blown head gasket or other engine issues

[armand1]

If they worked consistently and well, everyone would use them instead of fixing the problem. I think they have their best chance in lower-pressure situations, and for the smallest leaks. At least they are cheap.

[oreos]

Originally Posted by armand1

If they worked consistently and well, everyone would use them instead of fixing the problem. I think they have their best chance in lower-pressure situations, and for the smallest leaks. At least they are cheap.

i am sceptical too and that is why i posed the problem ... of course sometimes little solutions work better that the more elaborate/read expensive ones ... the band-aid subaru fluid did not prevent problems nor did expensive maintenace in some cases

[bondnj]

My '01 Outback Limited at 89k required coolant on and off for the last 3 weeks. Finally took it to dealer who said yep gasket problem covered under the warranty (only 3 months left! to reach 8 years) fortunately I had the coolant put in twice once at recall in '04 and recently at 60k check up.
They found also that the heads were warped and needed to be machined.
Negotiated with dealer to replace timing belt, water pump, seals , thermostat, belt while engine apart and he agareed to only charge me for parts and one hour labor which I felt was fair ($400 incluidng parts). Everything else under warranty.
So far , so good.....

[oreos]

bondnj - congratulations of you 'lucky' timing ... mind identifying what sounds like a reputable car dealer/service department