artmor79 Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 I have a 2005 legacy gt wagon and had its ej255 rebuilt and used felpro gasket set, i have been working on this install for last 11 months saving and buying i finally get it filled up with antifreeze on 11/21 !!! but after checking for leaks i found a few around the block and head area. I have not even started this engine and its already leaking!? what luck? What do you guys think can cause this to show liquid on both sides and were the head and block meet but no other areas? am thinking that those hg have failed someway. here are some pics. Thinking of getting oem hg and having it done elsewhere from this shop. http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m532/artmor79/Legacy%20GT%202005/IMG_0532.jpg http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m532/artmor79/Legacy%20GT%202005/IMG_0539.jpg http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m532/artmor79/Legacy%20GT%202005/IMG_0557.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8lolsubie Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 I would agree the felpro gaskets were not the best choice. Pretty much only OEM gaskets work in the long term for Subaru but besides the point, I find it hard to believe that you would be leaking that much coolant from the heads right away unless the heads arnt even torqued right. It could be leaking from the coolant crossover pipe on top of the block. The big aluminum pipe that the upper radiator hose clamps onto. Was that removed in the process? Were the o rings replaced? Its probably leaking from up top and finding its way down the sides of the heads and dripping. Have the cooling system pressure tested to see where its leaking. That much coolant, you should find a substantial leak real quick if there is one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artmor79 Posted November 24, 2015 Author Share Posted November 24, 2015 yea i had the machine work done at one place and then the heads and timing by a friend that has worked on subaru in the past, i got the oem o rings for the xover pipe and add some rtv. i checked it tonight and its not wet at all on the top side. i plan on borrowing a pressure tester to see where it leaks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8lolsubie Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 Why rtv over o rings? They are supposed to do all the sealing. Well anyway, hopefully its not the gaskets themselves. Although torqueing these heads is a pretty finicky process so hopefully that part is all in order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artmor79 Posted November 24, 2015 Author Share Posted November 24, 2015 yea at this point i am not sure about the torque process that was done as i was not there but i would of hoped he did it right. im gonna move the alternator so i can look at the o rings to ensure its not leaking from there. i did remove the time cover to find the head/block surface with anitfreeze built up on the outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Capacity Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 Wrong HG ? May be they are for some other engine? 305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD). CHECK your oil, these cars use it. Engine Build - Click Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artmor79 Posted November 24, 2015 Author Share Posted November 24, 2015 i still have the box they came in so i thought this myself and looked at it and it showed 2006-2005 legacy some sabb model and few other models. I have had nothing but bad luck with this car since i bought it. I just ordered some new HG from Heuberger Subaru and i'll have the engine removed tonight and hopefully all back together by Sunday. part number Felpro Head Gasket Set Part No. HS 26259 PT-1 Does anyone know if the vacation pics have the torque info i need? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Capacity Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 We recommend ARP head studs on these engines too. That Fel-pro may be for a 2.5i. You'll want to order parts from one of the few trusted members on here. PM Underdog, he can you anything you need. http://www.AZPinstalls.com is another great place. You may find some parts cheaper other places but these guys will be there for you if somethings wrong. 305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD). CHECK your oil, these cars use it. Engine Build - Click Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artmor79 Posted December 7, 2015 Author Share Posted December 7, 2015 i took it all apart and installed OEM head gaskets, but when i removed the fel-pro ones i didnt see anything wrong with the HG. I was able to take a pic of the deck. i had this machined and it look like they did the work, but is the root cause of my leaks in the machining? this would be my first subaru to work on but i have worked on plenty of other cars. to me it seems rough. http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m532/artmor79/Legacy%20GT%202005/IMG_0629.jpg http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m532/artmor79/Legacy%20GT%202005/IMG_0620.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scruit Posted December 7, 2015 Share Posted December 7, 2015 Is there any chance it could be leaking from somewhere else and making it's way to that spot? Before taking the engine apart I would have run a pressure test. The additional pressure would have forced the coolant out and possibly made it easier to see the source. It's likely the leak could be above that point - so crossover pipe under the intake manifold, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artmor79 Posted December 7, 2015 Author Share Posted December 7, 2015 yea that is what i was told by the mechanic that installed the head gasket, i never made it to borrow the tool to get this done, the leak was multiple places on both sides of the block, i did remove all the parts on top of the engine and found zero coolant residue around the xover pipe, throttle body, turbo water banjos. the fel-pro gasket looked good also. i guess my only option now it putting it back together and if it still leaks to get that pressure tester to see where its leaking from. both heads leaked, the right one more than the left, i found antifreeze on 3 sides of the head mainly front (behind the timing cover) and bottom. i may have jumped the gun on replacing them but i guess i now have what most ppl recommend and can rule out any failures due to fel-pro gaskets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scruit Posted December 7, 2015 Share Posted December 7, 2015 Reassemble with new Subaru HGs, then while still on the stand I'd block off all the coolant hoses and pressurize with 15psi (shop air connected to one of the heater core hoses, or even just a bike pump, etc), see if you can find the leak that way. If it holds 15psi for an hour then your engine and gaskets are fine. If it doesn't, then add some coolant and pressurize again so you can find the source of the leak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artmor79 Posted December 7, 2015 Author Share Posted December 7, 2015 I will do the steps you mentioned!!! this car had a turbo go bad from oil starvation (from what i can tell) on 1/8/2015 and i was on the highway and lost all power, had to get aaa flat bed me home 25 miles. the next morning it started i drove it from the street to my driveway where its been sitting for almost a year. i am so close to getting it back on the road. I am so super stressed as i have nothing but small issues each time i get closer to getting it on the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8lolsubie Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Why you noooo pressure test like I said?? Anyways that head surface looks hit. Could just be the lighting but damn, what did they use 80 grit? Can you catch your fingernail on those scratches? Every head I get back from the machine shop ends up with a mirror like finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmedic Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Surface finish on that head looks pretty sketchy. Mine come back looking like mirrors. That looks like it was done on a belt sander. I think the spec for surface finish for MLS gaskets is around 20-30 max RA. I doubt that's anywhere close. That finish would be fine for cast iron heads and graphite gaskets. . but it's shite for a subaru motor. Here's how the pros do it: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-yKsT5UTUw]Subaru Cylinder Head Resurfacing - YouTube[/ame] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artmor79 Posted December 9, 2015 Author Share Posted December 9, 2015 yea i have learned my lesson and will never go back to that "machine" shop ever again, the bad news is that they machined my heads and they also installed the pistons. I wonder if that was done right. i am going to take the heads to a different machine shop in a different town (bigger town) and let them re-do the heads. the block surface is the same way (way rough) so i may end up taking the block too. the surface IS truly that rough, i can catch my finger nail on it. Would i be able to reuse my HG, i bought them on Saturday (12/5) and installed them same day with correct torque, are these ruined or can i re-use them with no issues? thanks for all the replys, you guys ROCK!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8lolsubie Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 Spend the $100 and buy new gaskets. Buy a whole engine gasket kit for 300 since you have it all apart again anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artmor79 Posted December 18, 2015 Author Share Posted December 18, 2015 new work is now done, waiting on a few gaskets and will rebuild it! http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m532/artmor79/Legacy%20GT%202005/EECB02FD-355A-4CDC-9950-7BAA4545A15A.jpg http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m532/artmor79/Legacy%20GT%202005/A758C460-368B-4E03-9D96-6F9A802C1886.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmedic Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 Much better! Sucks that you had to go through that twice. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scruit Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 Shiny! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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