Jay98LGT Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 My bud just took home a 98LGT wagon 5mt. Coolant system pressurizes under freeway driving, when we stop and shut down bubbles appear in coolant overflow and don't stop, system acts airbound until it cool off and then the coolant is sucked back out of the overflow and into the system again. Possible causes? Thermostat malfunctioning *there is evidence of stop leak in the overflow* and locking up because of stop leak after prolonged drive @ highway speeds? I can't seam to replicate at 45-50~MPH But at highway cruise speeds 75-80~MPH After slow down the thermostat will peak relatively quickly within 1\2-1mile. Advice? Hint? Cost of a head gasket job....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJay03 Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I would bet on the head gaskets being a phase 1 2.5. Mine did the same thing I replaced the cap and thermo first too but it was the gaskets. Once you see the bubbles thats a dead giveaway. I would say atleast 1k on parts doing it yourself if you dont cheap out I prob had 1500 in mine. I used new head bolts, had my injectors cleaned, the heads decked, all new gaskets, reshimmed the valves to the correct spec. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kennyfvholla Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I agree. It is most likely at the beginning stages of head gasket failure. And honestly, the price is going to depend on where you get your parts and exactly how in depth you want to go. I would just buy a $70 gasket kit on eBay, NOT use the head gaskets, and then buy OE gaskets at the dealer for $40 each. You'll need gasket sealer, engine break in grease, lock-tite, fresh coolant, oil and filter, and maybe some brake cleaner, rust bust, and some materials to clean the crap off the head surfaces. If you do everything right, and take your time, just doing that stuff should be fine. It might cost you $250 or so that way.. That's how I did it. My motor ended up failing after two months though, because I drove around with failed head gaskets for about 4 months. Don't do that lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOHCEJ22E1 Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I did pretty much what Kenny is suggesting. Buy the gasket kit but do not use the gaskets as they are NOT MLS (they're graphite). Also, you'll likely run into carbon on your heads & pistons when you dismantle the engine. Grab 2 cans of Easy-Off or any other oven cleaner, spray the pistons/heads/valves (let it soak in for about 15-20 mins), & then attack the mushy carbon with a toothbrush like a madman. It will work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJay03 Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Wow 250 I think I spent more then that on the timing belt kit and the water pump. I agree. It is most likely at the beginning stages of head gasket failure. And honestly, the price is going to depend on where you get your parts and exactly how in depth you want to go. I would just buy a $70 gasket kit on eBay, NOT use the head gaskets, and then buy OE gaskets at the dealer for $40 each. You'll need gasket sealer, engine break in grease, lock-tite, fresh coolant, oil and filter, and maybe some brake cleaner, rust bust, and some materials to clean the crap off the head surfaces. If you do everything right, and take your time, just doing that stuff should be fine. It might cost you $250 or so that way.. That's how I did it. My motor ended up failing after two months though, because I drove around with failed head gaskets for about 4 months. Don't do that lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay98LGT Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 Problem is I won't be doing the work I don't have the time or the place at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJay03 Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Im sorry about that then cause its going to cost you. If I lived closer ide help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay98LGT Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 So what is the fair price of the job? I've been quoted $1700 by the only guy in town that gave me a estimate. Subaru wanted me to come in for a $90 test before they even game me ballpark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyposeur Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Around $1200-1700 is normal. Of course that can go up by quite a bit if you have more preventative stuff done since 'you are in there.' I spent at least $1500 doing my HGs myself, but I also replaced a lot of seals like jjay03, had the heads decked, replaced all the timing components with a gates kit, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lsnaple Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 1500 doing it yourself? Ouch. I didn't cheap out, and I got nowhere near that. I think I spent around 500 and got a few boxes from Subaru and a couple from rock auto. I even got a few things that didn't have to do with the headgaskets. I did change the timing belt about 15k miles prior, so I saved on the water pump, idlers, and tensioner but like I said I got other stuff too. Didn't have to machine the heads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyposeur Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Well, I also had to buy a bunch of coolant hoses, pcv lines (some very expensive ones that are no longer manufactured), sensors. On top of that I had to ship the car, buy a bunch of tools, car jacks, engine hoist... It was my '93 SS. After all I put into it I probably could have bought a decent WRX. I actually don't want to add up how much it all cost. It's a cool car though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJay03 Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Head resurface and cleaning 250 Head gasket kit from subarupartsforyou.com 209 Timing belt kit 182 Subaru OEM water pump 70 Head bolts 108 Oil seperator plate 35 injector cleaning 100 plus cam seals, rear main, front seal, misc bolts, tb gasket, iac gasket, egr gasket, Upper and lower radiator hoses, valve shims. You could get away cheaper then I did but I wanted to make sure everything was gone through while it was apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay98LGT Posted September 1, 2012 Author Share Posted September 1, 2012 She is done and fixed, bill was $1900 even OUCH! I'll have pictures of the girl up sometime later today I think Thanks for all the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kennyfvholla Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Damn.. That's $100 more than I paid for my entire car... and $1,000 more than the most it would cost for a replacement engine. I'll never understand why anyone would spend that much getting gaskets replaced. What else did they replace? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taylormac1993 Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 A thermostat can be replaced with the engine inside the bay still... I'd start there. Flush out your system and make sure to add coolant back into it slowly while you're at it. From what I hear, you should use a Subaru thermo. The cost of a HG job for me has been between $1500 and $1800. This includes all of the towing, parts, etc. This DOESN'T include any internal block components, only built from the head up. If you're going to have a shop do it, it's going to start out between $2500 and $4500 and go up from there. I'd say it might be worth it to buy a new engine now, build it, and swap it in before the current engine goes bad. This is assuming you have SOLID PROOF that the HGs are bad. If your car starts to overheat, SHUT IT OFF. Don't let it touch the "H". I did and my heads were warped. It was $100 to get them milled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silentguy Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 For proof that the head gaskets are bad, get the Exhaust gas test kit from NAPA, its a liquid that changes color from Blue to Yellow. That will give you definitive proof that the head gasket is bad. I just did this on my 98 Legacy GT 2.5L, and it turned from Blue to Yellow. I had the exact same symptoms as the OP, with bubbling coolant tank, overheating. I replaced thermostat, and rad cap, and that didnt fix. I also flushed rad, and that didnt fix. I thought I had a bad water pump, but on checking during head gasket replacement, it seems fine. As a quick workaround I ran fine for a week without a thermostat, no overheating. Prob not good to do this long term, but if you just need transport it will work, and better than overheating your engine. When I pulled the head, there were tons of leaks in the head gasket, so that does show the test kit works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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