02 outback head gaskets ?

I think I have been hit with the head gasket demon. I was doing my o/f change yesterday and I always check the underside of the engine while I'm down there . Well I noticed some weeping liquid coming from the driverside head gasket .Around the # 4 cylinder .It is mostly on the back side and bottom of the block by the firewall. It is a very little amount not enough to run down the block and drip on the ground . I can't tell what it is because it is black in color and feels gritty probable from picking up road dirt and sand from the beaches here . It almost looks like when you drop some oil while filling up you car and you don't clean it up ,it attracts the dirt and grime from the road . I then checked all the other areas and found no other weeping. I don't have to add any oil between changes . I am not losing any coolant and I don't have any overheating problems .I have checked the coolant tank after driving it appears normal . Is this normal for them to weep alittle or is it the start of head gasket problems . I have a 02 outback 2.5l 4eat with 37k miles on it .

Mike k

Reply to
Michael R Kirschner
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Generally, when the head gasket goes, you smell the antifreeze burning. Are you sure that you are not talking about a front main seal?

Reply to
Marc Soloway

.I was able to stop by my dealer today on my way home from work to have them look at my heads (lol).Well the mechanic and I are becoming quite friendly these past couple of months . I was able to finally have them change my timing belt tensioner last month . Any way back to my heads . The mechanic put the car on the lift and I showed him were i saw the leak . ON my car you can see better from the top of the engine .Mine were leaking from the back and bottom of the block around the # 4 cylinder. When I showed him it said ohh well whats another one when I do about 2 a week .He said that I caught mine early because the gasket didn't fail around the coolant jacket . Mine was only leaking oil. He is going to call SOA and see if he can autherize to have both of my heads done , since he has to pull the engine anyway.He said that there seems to be a problem with the late

01 model builds and the early 02 model builds . Mine 02 outback was built in 6/01.I'm dropping the car off next Monday and he said it will only take 1 day which seems kinda short to me . How long did it take to have your head gaskets done . For the people on here that have had this problem . Thanks Mike k
Reply to
Michael R Kirschner

Where do you find the built date? Thanks Jeff

Reply to
Jeff

I think it's on the driver door jamb. But I don't remember exactly. I have an early '02 OBW. I think it was built in 8/01. It has 33K miles on it. And it's a 6 cyl. Should I watch out for head gasket problems? What symptoms should I look for?

Reply to
Debra Co

I checked there no date. Not sure if it involves the 6 cyl.

Reply to
Jeff

Any of the following can be symtomatic of head gasket failure (probably not an exhaustive list):

1.) White, steamy exhaust, even after warm-up (coolant entering combustion chamber) 2.) Coolant mixing with oil, making a milky oil-water emulsion of the oil (check your oil, and check the underside of the oil filler cap) 3.) Oil mixing with coolant (have a look at your coolant expansion tank) 4.) External leaks (the coolant will boil off, leaving a chalky residue, or drip on something hot...you'll smell it)

Having said that, I haven't heard of any H6 head gasket failures yet. If you're really curious, give an indy Subaru mechanic a call and ask if she's seen any (I don't think a dealer's service department will be honest about this).

One last thing that cannot be stressed enough: _never_ allow a Subaru engine to overheat. If you see the needle start to climb toward the upper limit, pull off and stop the engine at once. Subaru engines (and all-aluminum engines in general) don't tolerate overheating.

Reply to
Verbs Under My Gel

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