Subaru: Head Gasket-Battery

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Just a nutty theory by a mechanic...........

The headgasket has a poor design that Subaru tried hard to fix and not sure if it ever really was in the non turbo 2.5 EJ series.
 
Originally Posted By: rjundi
Just a nutty theory by a mechanic...........

The headgasket has a poor design that Subaru tried hard to fix and not sure if it ever really was in the non turbo 2.5 EJ series.


It was fixed with a redesign in 2010, which closed the block deck, eliminating movement between the cylinders and the heads.

Then, a completely different design was generated for the 2013 model year. No head gasket issues, but they did have a year or 2 of oil consumption problems.
 
That is a super interesting theory, with corroded battery and/or ground cables having such a high resistance that the next path of least electrical resistance is through the engine coolant! Corrosive coolant then attacking head gaskets.

I do know with having owned two late model Subarus, the batteries seem to be grossly undersized. Even my FB20 with 0w20 oil in the crankcase, cranks over like a Model-T in cold temps. Very slow and ominous. My 2012 Legacy EJ253 was the same (with synth 5w30).
 
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I bought a new 07' WRX and sold it with 135K miles. Had the 2.5 turbo engine. I added a Perrin tune which added more boost. I never had a head gasket issue. Most reliable car I ever had.
 
It's been the N/A engines that have had most of the head gasket troubles. I'd argue against the battery/corrosion being the cause of most of the problems. I did replace corroded grounds on my '97 Outback, but still ended up with head gasket issues. Replaced the gaskets and drove it into the rusty oblivion.

My '09 has a slight oil 'weep' since less than 45k. The grounds look as clean as can be, and there are several more than on the old Outback.

I'd call it an engineering failure on the gasket in nearly all cases.
 
Originally Posted By: 4wheeldog


It was fixed with a redesign in 2010, which closed the block deck, eliminating movement between the cylinders and the heads.

Then, a completely different design was generated for the 2013 model year. No head gasket issues, but they did have a year or 2 of oil consumption problems.


I thought it was model yr 2008 when the HG issue was fixed for the EJ25. It was the advent of the FB25 in 2011 when the oil consumption issue began. As far as I can tell over on subaruforester.org it has continued at least through 2014 for the FB series. Its kind of whacky some FB's have no oil consumption issues yet some, enough to crank up a class action lawsuit by the way, really guzzle the oil.
 
Originally Posted By: 4wheeldog
Originally Posted By: rjundi
Just a nutty theory by a mechanic...........

The headgasket has a poor design that Subaru tried hard to fix and not sure if it ever really was in the non turbo 2.5 EJ series.


It was fixed with a redesign in 2010, which closed the block deck, eliminating movement between the cylinders and the heads.

Then, a completely different design was generated for the 2013 model year. No head gasket issues, but they did have a year or 2 of oil consumption problems.


If redesign was to EJ25 non turbo wait and see. They supposedly fixed this issue in 2003 and year after but low and behold it would reapppear!

That being said my extended family has owned 10 Subaru(150k+) with non turbo EJ's 1996-2004 and only one blew its head gasket at 230k miles.
 
When doing research on Subarus last year, I found the info on the Internet very conflicting. There was a lot of:
"it was fixed after this particular year"
"no it wasn't"
"It was definately after so and so model year, not that model year"
"No, it was fixed 4 years before that"
"They still haven't fixed it."

I'm starting to think that maybe everything I read on the Internet isn't true.
 
Originally Posted By: KzMitch


I'm starting to think that maybe everything I read on the Internet isn't true.
 
Originally Posted By: rjundi
Just a nutty theory by a mechanic...........

The headgasket has a poor design that Subaru tried hard to fix and not sure if it ever really was in the non turbo 2.5 EJ series.


+1. Either that guy is a total loon who knows nothing about physics and chemistry, or he's just bending over backwards as a fan-boy to avoid any criticism of the marque he's hung his fortunes upon.

I looked into getting a Subaru a year or more back and discovered this problem. Still looked at one used Subaru and on checking it out found it did have a bad head gasket. Trying to stick your head in the sand about this endemic problem is not the way to address it.
 
i'm sorry but looking at a head gasket and attempting to see where the gasket failed is as accurate as a bone bag wielding shaman predicting the next 15 presidents.
 
There is an after market HG that is superior to the OEM. It uses a similar coating but is a three piece part which allows more margin for expansion/contraction thus relieving the coating of some of that duty. You can only get the after market one at independent shops-- dealers will replace failed OEM with an updated OEM that while an improved design is still a one-piece part that puts all the duty for allowing expansion and contraction on the coating.

Given all the utility a Subaru offers, and the excellent reliability notwithstanding potential HG failures, I still think they're a solid value. What other car in the sub-compact SUV class can you take out and do this with, then clean it up and go to the grocery @ 24 mpg in the city or down the highway @ 28 (excuse the ghey techno music)?
 
Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
i'm sorry but looking at a head gasket and attempting to see where the gasket failed is as accurate as a bone bag wielding shaman predicting the next 15 presidents.


Jeb Bush
Jeb Bush
Eliz. Warren
Chelsea Clinton
Chelsea Clinton
kid Bush
kid Bush
kid Clinton
kid Clinton
grandkid Bush
grandkid Clinton. What do I win?
 
Originally Posted By: Barkleymut
Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
i'm sorry but looking at a head gasket and attempting to see where the gasket failed is as accurate as a bone bag wielding shaman predicting the next 15 presidents.

.......
What do I win?


Remedial math classes?
grin.gif
 
Quote:
I stumbled across this article on how a neglected battery, cables, and/or ground strap can possibly contribute to the early demise of a head gasket on a Subaru boxer engine.


This guy might have been a boat mechanic at some point. I actually blew a head gasket on a 4.3 MerCruiser as a result of a bad ground. They are known for this and this condtion is easily searched. This is most common on MerCruiser 3.0 engines. What happens on a MerCruiser electronic ignition module (modified GM HEI), is when it lacks proper voltage, the ignition severely advances. I have been in a GM HEI car when the alternator dies and prior to stalling, the ignition severely advanced and there is some massive pinging going on. People who have forgot to jumper GM HEI / MerCruiser ignitions prior to setting base time, have experienced blown head gaskets.


As to the Subaru, I find this very hard to believe. Besides, later EJ's are flat out known head gasket blowers. Many mechanics assume if it happened to one make and model of car (or boat), it will happen to any make and model of car. DIS ignitions either work or they don't. They do not run on low voltage.

I added a link with little reading that brushes on the head gasket / low voltage phenomenon.

The link
 
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