04' Legacy Questions

[kawasakikl]

Hi! I'm new to Subarus and have a few questions. I recently bought an 04' Legacy 35th anniversary (non-turbo), 160k miles. The body is rough but it seems to have everything intact. It runs, but needs head gasket or work.

 

I have everything ordered to do the head gasket and most of the peripheral parts, timing belt, water pump etc. Here are my questions:

 

1. Are there any common mods or deletes that I can do to this car that don't screw me over on smog in California? It has California emissions.

 

2. What parts are common fails that I should replace while doing this work?

 

3. Should I pull the motor, or how should I access the heads to replace the gasket? Can I lift the motor and gain enough access?

 

4. Do the rings take a hard beating with head gasket issues in these cars? I'm thinking about a re-ring kit, but I know the motor would need to come out for that I'm sure.

 

I have a 14' Jetta TDI that I'm planning on selling back to VW, so I want a car in the meantime until my wife decides which Subaru she wants to replace it with. We're thinking Outback, of course. We need AWD where we moved to recently. This car just needs to last me a few months, so I'm not looking to make it perfect, just get it to run well and call it good.

[GEE-OTTO]

Rings are not a typical failure on the non-turbo unlike the turbo folks. You have CA emissions there is nothing you should remove just accept that CA sucks (emissions wise).

 

You can do the job with the motor in the car just remove the pitch mount (the one connected to the firewall) and the two lower mounts then raise via the pan and wedge two 2" x 4' blocks between the engine cradle and mounts.

 

Get a quality torque wrench with angle gauge or a marker pen to keep track when torquing the heads back on. You will have to remove the intake manifold, cooling and fueling connections, timing and other bits to remove the heads. Once off youll want to clean the block surfaces and check the heads for true, not that they have to be within .00000001" flat as the newer MLS Gaskets do a good job filling in minute undulations on the mating surface. Dont use Fel-Pro HGs even the new and improved super seal ones. Use OEM updated Subaru gaskets or 6star Speed MLS gaskets.

 

You mentioned that it needs work are you aware if the car has overheated? If so you would want to have the heads checked and or machined.

[kawasakikl]

Thanks!

 

I think I am going to just pull the motor. I did a quick cold compression test today and driver's side was 165psi front/rear, while passenger (can't remember cylinder numbering) was 100psi front and around 150psi rear. I spent an hour on it and just need to get to tranny bolts and flywheel, the rest of the peripherals are off. Don't mind the extra work to get the motor out and accessible.

 

Could I be right to guess the passenger side head has the bad gasket and is causing blow-by, decreasing the compression?

 

Not sure if it overheated but I always take my heads to a machine shop. I DO NOT like doing annoying jobs twice on the same car.

[kawasakikl]

I have some aircraft gasket sealer stuff. Works really well. Should I use that on the head gaskets?

[GEE-OTTO]

I have some aircraft gasket sealer stuff. Works really well. Should I use that on the head gaskets?

 

 

NOOOOOOO! you don't want any squeezable type sealant btwn the head and the block only the sheet style MLS (Multi-Layer Steel) OEM gaskets. They are not expensive and the new design doesn't suffer from the old style design where the layers de-laminated which was/isnt helped by acidic coolant (due to neglect).

 

You are on the right track spend the extra time to save the dollars:) At the shop just have them so the basics and in addition (if you don't want to) have them set the valve lash to compensate for any material removed and general/future wear.

 

The key to all of the or rather all your hard work will be for not if you dont get the heads torqued down properly. I would rent or borrow a nive accurate Trq wench for this job. Since its on the stand you will be able to mark the angle and torque easily. Also use new valve cover seals and grommets.

[kawasakikl]

Right on. Where is the best place to find the part numbers for Subaru engines and order the gaskets? I have the 2.5 non-turbo in my 2004 Legacy.

 

That sealant stuff is a little different than the squeezable stuff. It brushes on thin and is SUPER tacky. I think every gasket in a planes engine uses it. Pretty good stuff. Nonetheless, I wont use it this time.

 

No idea how to set valve lash, do they need to see the gasket to do this?

[GEE-OTTO]

HG part number is: 11044AA632

 

Call your closest Subaru Dealer Part depo and give them that number or your VIN (that number fits many years and many 4cyl models) they only stock the revised HGs and are not overpriced. I got a set from Stohlman Subaru here in VA for my 08 for $87 (had a coupon)

[kawasakikl]

Great. My passenger side cold compression results were 150 rear, 100 front. Driver's side was 165 on both. Sound like a head gasket issues?

[GEE-OTTO]

Two easy checks:

1. Look inside the radiator if the coolant is milky it's the HG

 

2. Look under the engine at each head where it mates to the block if there is visible coolant condensation that is another indication.

 

The Low compression cylinder either has a improperly sealing valve, bad ring(s) or the HG around that cylinder is failing. It is very very common for them to fail. I have a 08 2.5i and replaced the HGs on it preemptively as I noticed a fine film of gunk accumulating where the head mates to the block on the passenger side.

[kawasakikl]

Definitely milky oil! Pulled intake off, looked down head on passenger side intake ports. The front ports had what appears to be a very fine brown tint that rubbed off with my glove. All other cylinders looked like new/clean metal.

 

Where are the engine lift points on these?

[kawasakikl]

Is this head gasket the same as the one you posted? It's one number off, but fits my vehicle apparently.

11044AA633

 

Edit: I checked the parts number and apparently they are all synonymous.

[kawasakikl]

Here are the pics of my heads I was referring to. Also, there was no leakage, it appears, from either head, bottom, top, or sides. Notice the brownish tint on the top picture, right cylinder. That's the passenger side front, also the cylinder with 100psi compression.

 

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b285/kawasakiklx/PS%20Head.jpg

 

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b285/kawasakiklx/DS%20head.jpg

[GEE-OTTO]

Definitely milky oil! Pulled intake off, looked down head on passenger side intake ports. The front ports had what appears to be a very fine brown tint that rubbed off with my glove. All other cylinders looked like new/clean metal.

 

Where are the engine lift points on these?

Yeah if you have Starbuck Frappe for coolant that HG is toast and has been mixing fuel/oil with the coolant for a time.

 

The film may be a fine mist of coolnat/oil blow-by thats vented back into the IM via the PCV. To lift use a bolt on Alternator bracket hole and and bellhousing or cross two straps under each head lift from a single point

[kawasakikl]

Great. So unless I have bad cross-hatching or grooves, I can assume the compression loss is from the HG?

[kawasakikl]

Pulled the engine out and the heads off. Cylinders look pretty good. There appears to be a fine film or finish on the cylinders. It looks a little brown, but has no texture. There are no grooves and the blotchy areas cannot be felt.

 

I will take some pictures, but I don't think I'm going to be honing/ringing the engine.

[GEE-OTTO]

Yeah no need to machine the bottom end just get the heads cleaned up and maybe replace the valve stem seals since they are out and accessible.

[kawasakikl]

Thanks for all your help! It all went in pretty easy. Runs well, but there is a sound from the front of the motor. I think it might be the new timing belt tensioner. I posted a video on a separate thread.