Head Gasket problem

The SOHC ("Stage 2") heads on the 2.5L *does* have head gasket issues, and as you've said, it's "external" (coolant problems). Some of the other's who've been here longer may have a handle on how the DOHC "Stage

1" engines compare to the SOHC "Stage 2" head gasket failures.

From what I understand from same net-poking is that the HG failures continued on the 2.5 up till about '05/'06

Mine ('00 Outback Limited) "lost" the pass. side HG at 98K miles. It had been recalled for the "blue goop treatment" "cure" sometime in it's past (I bought it at 96K), so Soob paid for everything but the price of the cam belt. I requested that since it would soon come due for the belt RnR. The dealer (Carter Subaru, Seattle) won't do "one side" HG replacements. I guess that was an issue in the past, and a large number of dealers "ganged up" on Subaru of America over that.

Was the HG failure on your 98 OB "catastrophic"? (and do you still have it?) If not, and the rest of the car's still decent (seats, body, etc), I'd fix it and keep driving it. I like my '00 OB Limited but I don't see any huge improvements over your '98. There weren't many changes on the Legacy/Outback from '00 to '04...

However, going to an Impreza/OB Sport or a Forester gets you a "spunkier" car. Less weight makes a difference.

The head gasket issues with the early DOHC engines were life threatening, as coolant was being pulled into the combustion chambers (internal leak).

I think most issues with the SOHC were external leaks, and those mostly "weeps"; unsightly, no doubt, but not immediately threatening (as opposed to say a burst heater hose).

The SOHC 2.5 has proven to be a more robust engine, as opposed to (at least) the earlier DOHC design. Generally easier to work on as well, FWIW.

We have two Forries in the family, my '99 with about 120K, and my wife's '02 with 150K. No coolant issues on either (knock-on-wood ;-)

Much as I love my Forester, I can't see it being as long term stone-axe reliable as my old '90 Legacy wagon with the 2.2l motor. That critter had well over 300K when I sold it (to a local high school kid, no less) a couple years back. I saw it tooling down the highway just the other day, looked about as ugly as ever, but still goin', still providing that basic transpo at a cost per mile probably not much more than the 30MPG gasoline it takes to run it. Hard to top that.

ByeBye! S.

Steve Jernigan KG0MB Laboratory Manager Microelectronics Research University of Colorado (719) 262-3101

Well, I can confirm that I've experienced a head gasket problem early on in the life of my car (2000 OBW, 2.5 SOHC). It happened just before the

100k km mark, so it was covered under my warranty. I'm now nearing 250k km, and the problem has not reoccurred, fortunately.

Yousuf Khan

I think that the problems were considered to be gone by 2003. I think that the site that you saw listed the phase 2 engine as being in certain cars until present, but even though those engines are still being put in the cars(or were the last time that page was updated) that doesn't mean that the ones past 2003 are bad. This page has a pretty good explanation of the issue.

And this page has some good pictures to explain the issue.

It seems to me that the point of your post was to ask our opinion on whether or not to consider buying a 2000-2002 2.5 liter engine. I would say no. I woudl go with the later ones starting in 2003, and actually just to be safe, I'd go with a 2004. Alternatively, the non- outback second gen legacies can be had with the 2.2 liter. While it has less oomph, it is a very solid engine. From 95 through 99 as long as you didn't get the GT, lsi, or outback, you got a 2.2. That's just my suggestion. I am sure that others might say to just but whatever you find, then if you are worried about it, replace the HG before they blow. But there are different ways to approach it. In my experience I felt the legacy L from 98 had as much oomph with its 2.2 liter as the

97 outback with it's 2.5 liter and bigger wheels and added weight. All perception and butt-dyno, plus one car might have been in better shape.

Good luck in your search, Bill

Thank you all very much for the info. Exactly what I was looking for.

I'll confine the search to 2004 and up when the time comes. Hopefully I'll get another couple of years out of my 98, 'Itchy' before she goes to the Happy Hunting Ground. We name our cars in the South, of course.

A bit of personal experience on the subject. The head gasket problems were not corrected entirely in the 2003 model year. My '03 OBW had its first failure at

29k miles. The repair was covered under warranty, and the "coolant conditioner" installed. Recently, at 75k miles, another failure of both gaskets. Although the car was out of warranty, SOA did cover part of the repair.

weelliott wrote: