Hmmmm...anyone have any easy way to change the head gaskets on a '97 Suby Legacy wagon?
The car is in decent shape and passed inspection; I don't think the BHG did very much damage...yet.
Is there some way to change the HG's easily on this car? It has a 2.2L SOHC 16V engine. I am getting estimeats of $900-1200, but I have heard it may be possible to replace the gaskets w/o removing the engine.
One web site showed the engine being pulled from the top out the hood, but a friend of mine says it's easier to drop the sub frame, lift the car and then move the engine.
Another 'mechanic' says to put someof that Head Gasket Stop Leak into it and drive it, since it was <$200, and maybe get 3-7,000 miles out of it. All in all, it seems like too nice a car to do that...
On most cars the head gasket can be changed without removing the engine. In fact, you can even change crank bearings on a Civic with the engine in place! But with the Subaru boxer engine things may be a bit cramped in there.
Don't use HG sealant. Use Fel-Pro Multi-Layer Steel (MLS) head gasket. Best in class sealing. About $34 each side from rockauto.com. Also add new head bolts, valve cover and exhaust pipe gaskets.
Autozone's pictures on the 96 suggest it can indeed be done in the car (Fig 11-15). So clean and true the deck and use Fel-Pro MLS.
> Hmmmm...anyone have any easy way to change the head gaskets on a '97 Suby > Legacy wagon?
> The car is in decent shape and passed inspection; I don't think the BHG > did very much damage...yet.
> Is there some way to change the HG's easily on this car? It has a 2.2L > SOHC 16V engine. I am getting estimeats of $900-1200, but I have heard it > may be possible to replace the gaskets w/o removing the engine.
> One web site showed the engine being pulled from the top out the hood, but > a friend of mine says it's easier to drop the sub frame, lift the car and > then move the engine.
> Another 'mechanic' says to put someof that Head Gasket Stop Leak into it > and drive it, since it was <$200, and maybe get 3-7,000 miles out of it. > All in all, it seems like too nice a car to do that...
Hachiroku ハチロク wrote: > Hmmmm...anyone have any easy way to change the head gaskets on a '97 Suby > Legacy wagon?
> The car is in decent shape and passed inspection; I don't think the BHG > did very much damage...yet.
> Is there some way to change the HG's easily on this car? It has a 2.2L > SOHC 16V engine.
Are you sure you need to change them? This engine is not the one with the reported head gasket problems. It's the 2.5L engines, especially the DOHC ones used in 1997-1999, that had head gasket problems.
On Sat, 08 Dec 2007 02:43:05 +0000, Jeff wrote: > Hachiroku ハチロク wrote: >> Hmmmm...anyone have any easy way to change the head gaskets on a '97 >> Suby Legacy wagon?
>> The car is in decent shape and passed inspection; I don't think the BHG >> did very much damage...yet.
> BHG? That's not a common acronym. I think he means blown head gasket.
> What does this have to do with Toyota?
Nothing. I was hoping someone knowledgable would respond...
> Hmmmm...anyone have any easy way to change the head gaskets on a '97 Suby > Legacy wagon?
> The car is in decent shape and passed inspection; I don't think the BHG > did very much damage...yet.
> Is there some way to change the HG's easily on this car? It has a 2.2L > SOHC 16V engine. I am getting estimeats of $900-1200, but I have heard it > may be possible to replace the gaskets w/o removing the engine.
> One web site showed the engine being pulled from the top out the hood, but > a friend of mine says it's easier to drop the sub frame, lift the car and > then move the engine.
> Another 'mechanic' says to put someof that Head Gasket Stop Leak into it > and drive it, since it was <$200, and maybe get 3-7,000 miles out of it. > All in all, it seems like too nice a car to do that...
They can be done in-car, but thats best done on a rack from the bottom with several "tips". Even as a tech, If I were to do a h/g or a clutch at home, I would pull the eng. (from the top) Once out the heads are a breeze. Also change out the baffle plate behind the flywheel, if it isn't already metal, rear main seal. drop me a line if you plan to do the heads, I will get more specific
-- Steve ASE Master Tech L1 Diag Currently residing at a Subaru Shop 4.5 years doing tires and alighnments
On Tue, 11 Dec 2007 05:47:05 +0000, StephenW wrote: >> Another 'mechanic' says to put someof that Head Gasket Stop Leak into it >> and drive it, since it was <$200, and maybe get 3-7,000 miles out of it. >> All in all, it seems like too nice a car to do that...
> They can be done in-car, but thats best done on a rack from the bottom > with several "tips". Even as a tech, If I were to do a h/g or a clutch at > home, I would pull the eng. (from the top) Once out the heads are a > breeze. Also change out the baffle plate behind the flywheel, if it isn't > already metal, rear main seal. > drop me a line if you plan to do the heads, I will get more specific
Thanks, man. I think I'm 'back burner'ing this car until spring. I also discovered the AWD is not connected, even though the trans is the correct model for the car! (tz102##CAA or something similar. I remember the TZ102 and the CAA. It matched what was on the VIN plate under the hood).
I'm OK with a wrench, I do brakes and stuff. A HG will be an adventure. Another Suby tech suggested the same thing you did, the rear seals, front seals, water pump, etc, since he was going to pull the engine out anyway...
I also have an '89 GL coupe with working AWD that will be my new priority. After all the ice this week, I think I'll get that one going first!
This is a condensed version of pulling heads in car on a rack.
drain coolant cooling fans off Timing belt assy off, radiator stays. Bolts holding intake manifold off, lift manifold up and put wood blocks in to hold up. Exhaust manifold removed from head, bungeed up, o2 sensor un plugged, bags over manifold. remove valve covers and AC support from drivers side. 2 eng mount nuts removed, using a large prybar lift the eng up and out of the frame to the left or right. Whatever side you send it to do the opposite head. The drivers side has considerable less room for removal, but is doable, the passenger side is much easer unbolt the head bolts and remove; clean reinstall that side and valve cover, "shift" the engine to the opposite side and do it. There are a few small bolts I left out but anyway...
The sub eng pull is real easy. The wire harness has plugs, only about 6 bolts connect it together (eng-trans) Once you get the eng out, the heads bolts are now easy to get to. Everything is so simple on the eng, its almost fun to work on.
On Wed, 12 Dec 2007 06:41:52 +0000, StephenW wrote: > This is a condensed version of pulling heads in car on a rack.
> drain coolant > cooling fans off Timing belt assy off, radiator stays. Bolts holding > intake manifold off, lift manifold up and put wood blocks in to hold up. > Exhaust manifold removed from head, bungeed up, o2 sensor un plugged, bags > over manifold. remove valve covers and AC support from drivers side. 2 eng > mount nuts removed, using a large prybar lift the eng up and out of the > frame to the left or right. Whatever side you send it to do the opposite > head. The drivers side has considerable less room for removal, but is > doable, the passenger side is much easer unbolt the head bolts and remove; > clean reinstall that side and valve cover, "shift" the engine to the > opposite side and do it. There are a few small bolts I left out but > anyway...
> The sub eng pull is real easy. > The wire harness has plugs, > only about 6 bolts connect it together (eng-trans) Once you get the eng > out, the heads bolts are now easy to get to. Everything is so simple on > the eng, its almost fun to work on.
> Steve
Then why do people want $8-1200 to replace the head gaskets?!?!
It *LOOKS* easy enough, but they want $$$$ to do it! (Have to look and see where the boat's kept...)
> On Wed, 12 Dec 2007 06:41:52 +0000, StephenW wrote:
>> This is a condensed version of pulling heads in car on a rack.
>> drain coolant >> cooling fans off Timing belt assy off, radiator stays. Bolts holding >> intake manifold off, lift manifold up and put wood blocks in to hold up. >> Exhaust manifold removed from head, bungeed up, o2 sensor un plugged, >> bags >> over manifold. remove valve covers and AC support from drivers side. 2 >> eng >> mount nuts removed, using a large prybar lift the eng up and out of the >> frame to the left or right. Whatever side you send it to do the opposite >> head. The drivers side has considerable less room for removal, but is >> doable, the passenger side is much easer unbolt the head bolts and >> remove; >> clean reinstall that side and valve cover, "shift" the engine to the >> opposite side and do it. There are a few small bolts I left out but >> anyway...
>> The sub eng pull is real easy. >> The wire harness has plugs, >> only about 6 bolts connect it together (eng-trans) Once you get the eng >> out, the heads bolts are now easy to get to. Everything is so simple on >> the eng, its almost fun to work on.
>> Steve
> Then why do people want $8-1200 to replace the head gaskets?!?!
> It *LOOKS* easy enough, but they want $$$$ to do it! (Have to look and see > where the boat's kept...)
There are a lot of Tricks that are not in the books, and when you ask a shop to do a job for you are going to get a quote "the book rate" any shortcuts learned are to the shops advantage. At my last shop it cost $1500 a day to unlock the doors for service, with insurance, electricity and supplies. A cement contractor was asking me the same question the other day at my parents house; and i explained to him, "you quote 1800 dollars for this job and 4 days labor, but because of some "special tools" you have and some skills you get it done in 1/2 the time. Do you start quoting less for every job now? Do you give the customer (my parents) a refund?"
I have a problem with the rates a shop can charge, yet it pays my bills. I learned how to work on cars because I couldent afford to pay anyone. If the cost seems excessive, and you have the basic skills, do it yourself and beat the system.
Then theres the lady who did her own oil change today, took off the trans filter and drain plug. At least she didn't drive it.
