My head gaskets on my 07 Impreza are fucked. They need to be replaced. Not looking to pay out the ass for someone else to do it, especially not the dealer. So I plan on doing it myself. I need to know what everything I will need, and everything I should do while I am doing such a job. All I know is I need the gaskets and bolts? But what else should I replace while I'm at it? I know to replace things like the spark plugs, and probably timing belt.
I would also like to know if anyone can tell me if it will be better if I just take the whole engine out, or if I should just try to work around it with everything taken out. I've seen a video on some guy doing it. Not sure if it is better that way or not. I'm sure taking out the engine is the best way, but maybe it's more work than just keeping it in for some odd reason. Not to mention I would have to go buy an engine hoist and something to set the engine on.
expect to be dropping/pulling the engine. it's an impreza, you have to.
Austin Russell
you can do timing chain/belt idlers/guides if you want.. if they are near service limit. I mean you don't really need to do anything.
but yeah, head bolts and gasket is all you need. intake and exhaust gaskets if you'll be removing them.
feeler gauge and straight edge to check if the warp is still within subies specs.
Eli James
>I would also like to know if anyone can tell me if it will be better if I just take the whole engine out, or if I should just try to work around it with everything taken out.
It's a horizontally opposed engine, so I think pulling it may be your only choice.
Dominic Gray
You mean how its going to take a complete removal and resurfacing?
You can work without pulling it out. Looks like more work however.
Kevin Kelly
Do you really not have a fucking shop manual for your car? I have 2 for mine and always cross check. At least pirate it on a tablet or something.
Also, have some sage advice I learned while learning computer programming some 15 years ago: >No large task will ever go as you expect it to. Always spend 15 to 180 minutes planning with just a pen and paper. Keep a working list of all tools you will or may need and verify that you have them and they work before starting. Divide your task into smaller sections and your mind will be more comfortable with whatever you're doing.
Also, as you remove parts, organize them from left to right in order you took them off and put the nuts, bolts, and small shit in plastic baggies labeled with sharpie. Always have extra fluids on hand and properly dispose of used oil / fluid.
Good luck.
Brody Roberts
can't you just seafoam this bitch?
Grayson Collins
or just tear into it because doing a head gasket is literally babies first mildly complex task
Mason Fisher
Did you get the Haynes Manual as a reference? It will do some help.
Man one time I got a Haynes Manual for the vehicle I had at the time, and I felt it only helped about half as much. Don't blame anyone wanting cross references. You said you got two though. What else is there?
>headgaskets >seafoam fixing that Would be wonderful if seafoam could do that.
Jeremiah Davis
Findshop instructions somewhere on the internet. That should tell you what to exoect
Dylan Green
I just did the gaskets on my 98 Legacy GT.
Expect to replace, besides the headgaskets themselves of course: >radiator hoses >cam seals >front main seal, maybe rear main seal too if you feel like pulling off the clutch/flex plate/etc. >timing belt >timing belt pulleys and bearings >intake and exhaust manifold gaskets >valve cover gaskets and spark plug tube seals >heater hose (should be a short one at the bottom near the water pump) >oil and filter >coolant >possibly the thermostat and water pump Basically everything rubber. Get the heads surfaced at a reputable machine shop. They may be warped and your new headgaskets may not seal properly, causing you to have to pull it apart again.
No. The magic headgasket sealer you find at wally world doesn't work either, it just clogs your radiator. Maybe on an inline 4, but a boxer is a pain in the ass.
Do they absolutely need to be resurfaced? How much is that to get done normally?
Thanks mang.
Ryan Wright
Yep, massive pain in the ass to do it in the car. I suppose you could probably get away with not surfacing it if it didn't overheat very often, but I would do it anyway. It was $120 from a well known shop in my area. It very marginally raises the compression ratio too, so you'll get a couple HP out of it too.
Charles Price
Just pay someone. I srsly doubt you have the expertise to do it.
Liam James
$120 all together? Doesn't sound too bad if so.
Where is the thermostat located?
Sure is a lot of things to replace, but might as well while doing the job. Especially if I'm pulling out the engine.
Camden Watson
You give me $3000 to get this done on an engine with 129k miles on it, and I'll pay someone no problem.
William Carter
They do not absolutely need to be resurfaced If its warped sure but if its still in good condition, resurfacing is just throwing money away. Make sure you get all the old gasket material off it though
James Adams
Should I use any kind of cleaners or chemicals to try it all off?
Jack Diaz
Wire brush is all you need.
Justin Jones
You know the lower radiator hose? The plastic thing it fits over has two bolts. Take it off, and there's your thermostat.
Pretty much everything I listed you have to take off anyway to do the job, so you might as well have new ones now so you don't have to take any of it back off to do it later. Stuff like the valve cover gaskets and intake+exhaust manifold gaskets are one time use as well, so you really need those.
You're also going to need a shit ton of brake cleaner, like 5 or 6 cans of it. You'll want a roll of the blue shop towels too.
Elijah Foster
RIP alloy heads
Hunter Sanchez
At this point I would rather try to get rid of it, but I would feel bad selling it someone else as it is and would probably just get a car with something just as bad. Or top it off with oil and hope nothing ever goes wrong.
But doing this all by myself seems like my best option.
I guess I'll need the brake cleaner to clean shit up?
Camden Reyes
Just wondering do you ever need to have the block to be resurfaced or does only the head ever get warped?
Daniel Roberts
Yep. This is far from being a sterile process. Shit will be filthy.
Also, there should be a "kit" from the dealer that includes most of what I listed. At least, there was one for my 98 LGT. Nah, sanding down the mating surface with some fine sandpaper (3000-ish) will be fine. Blocks don't warp as easily.
Jaxon Howard
By the time you're done it'll be cheaper and faster just to buy a new engine
Anthony Diaz
I () only spent about $500-600 on the job. If I got a junkyard engine it would need a bunch of work too (and possibly headgaskets as well) or a reman which would be easily $1000+. Moreso for OP since his car is newer.
Jackson Kelly
Yeah, but they want like $1200 for all of it. I think so. Kind of hard to say because they included the timing belts, spark plugs, and spark plug wires too.
It's cheaper if I do it myself than buying a new engine and replacing it myself. I've already thought about it.
Oh, you only spent that much? Maybe it's because the car is older?
Noah Parker
if these are questions you have to ask, you are not ready to tackle this job.
Landon Scott
Possibly, yeah. I spent about $300-350 in parts (mostly OEM, some from worldpac), the $120 from the machine shop, and about $250 that I paid my uncle for helping me with it since I didn't have an engine hoist. I also bought him lunch and filled up his tank but those probably aren't expenses you're going to encounter.
Jonathan Carter
Obviously you will need a torque wrench, but have you checked to see if some of the bolts need an additional 90° (or whatever) turn? Cause you need some whackey ass add-on to your wrench to do that.
Ryan Collins
Just remember you'll need a torque wrench. And no, it's not the same as a regular ratchet wrench.
Might not be cheaper, but could be the most efficient.
>trying to ask questions to do a job right >if you have to ask you must be some fucking idiot or something :^) >one of those people Get the fuck out of here faggot.
Hudson Cox
he'll remember my post when hes balls deep in this job and gives up because he barely knows how to wrench. also kill yourself
Aiden Cox
Even buying third party parts was costing me up to $400 I believe. When looking it up anyways. I'm sure I will spend more one way or another.
Parker Kelly
so glad I have an EJ255 with no headgasket issues
Luis Baker
You know this kind of work isn't all that hard, people just get scared because they think it's hard and don't want to understand. If he's asking questions then he's not going to go in without knowing of nothing what he needs. I would rather kill myself then talk to your dumbass, yet here I am.
Ethan James
same to be honest family. >conveniently forgets our glass ringlands
Andrew Hill
the point is this guy is asking questions that some shadetree mechanic who only changes oil and does brakes asks. yet hes diving in to headgaskets on a flat 4. more power to him if he can do it but i rarely see this end well.
Nathaniel Smith
All he's got to do is take it slow, and be meticulous. He's not getting paid for it.
Ryder Cook
OP take lots of breaks if you get frustrated. you'll be amazed how clearheaded you will be if you just walk away for 15 minutes and have a snack.
Sebastian Sanchez
This, don't do it so you have to finish it in a weekend, have a week or two free so you never have to rush the job.
Jeremiah Bell
water pump water pump water pump
there's a reason your head warped.
a standard head gasket kit includes cam, crank seals, head gasket, valve stem seals.
have the heads serviced at an engine shop. check the block with a straight edge for warp. this involves a scrape, porosity check and valve job because its getting dropped in a cleaning tank which requires replacement of the valve stem seals anyway.
methyl ethyl ketone also spray the block and pistons with kerosene for rust protection while its taken apart.
you're still going to be out a grand for all the parts and machining. but its going to be cheaper than getting someone else to do it all.
Blake Hill
This is also what I'm trying to figure out. Whether or not I can get it done over the weekend in 2-3 days, or if I should do it throughout the week. Depends on if I want to buy or rent an engine hoist.
Only other problem is garage space.
Thanks user. Yeah, looks like I would probably save around $2000 doing it myself.
Jayden Reyes
expect it to take more than a week. this is your first try. hoses will split. old fragile electrical connectors will break. electrical faults will magically appear. it's an old car. and old cars have brittle plastic shit all over.
dont get degreaser on your alternator.
James Carter
Less than 10 years is old now?
Jonathan Johnson
This is literally why I don't own a subaru.
Andrew Gray
This is very good advice. Every job takes longer than you think it will.
