Head gasket finally went

[jason.nugent]

Well, it happened on Friday. My 98 Forester with 147K kms started to
overheat on the way to work, and after getting it towed to my dealer,
I found out that my head gasket is done. Bummer.

I guess my question is, will this happen again? It's been a great car
up to this point.

 

[Edward Hayes]

It should not happen again if they do it correctly. Use latest design
gaskets, check the block & heads for warping, JMO ed

 

[Rick Courtright]

I guess my question is, will this happen again? It's been a great car
up to this point.

Hi,

If PROPERLY done, my machine shop buddy says probably not. Block should
be checked for warpage (not too likely), heads should be shaved if
there's ANY warpage (often times there's some, but it's under the limit,
so the shops don't bother), and use the latest design gaskets.

His take on the problem is that alloy heads will almost always warp a
little initially, then quit, so once you've experienced that warpage
(usually resulting in a gasket failure), you can shave them and they'll
stay "flat" from there on. My limited experience with this issue says
he's right.

Rick

 

[glasceus]

i just bout a 98 forester with 130k miles, i love the car. and i am
seriously considering keeping it. but all this head gasket problems is
making me wanna sell it as soon as i get the title in the mail. seems
like this is bound to happen to every forester.

question: does driving your car a certain way help prevent head gasket
problems? i hardly every go over 65mph or over 2500rpm, will this help
save the head gasket? if u put less stress on the engine by drivng slow
with low rpm's will that save the gasket?

this is a really nice car, looks great, runs great, can do a lot with.
but is it worth the headache and looking over your shoulder all the
time? i might just get rid of it as soon as i get the title because
nothing would be worse for me than being stranded in the middle of the
freeway out in the middle of nowhere!

 

[glasceus]

can u tell us what speeds u usually drive ? what kind of rpms do u
usually use while driving? did u put a lot of stress on the engine?
thanks!

i'm just trying to see if i can avoid blowing mine or if i have to sell
it

 

[jason.nugent]

I bought it with 110K kms on it, so I can't comment on how it was
driven previous to my owning it, but the last 40K or so kms have been
80% highway driving, and almost entirely cruise control, with the CC
set to 110-115 km/h (so, about 68-70 mph, which is the highway speed
limit here in this part of Canada). At that speed, the RPM needle
stays around 2800 rpm.

 

[glasceus]

i just bought mine with 130k miles on it, and i know for a for sure
that there is air in my heater core because i can hear the water noises
coming from under the dash. i think air is trapped in the heater core.

the car runs silent and the engine sounds healthy. did your scar
exhibit any problems before it tanked? can it be working perfectly fine
today and bottom out the next? thanks

 

[Michael Pardee]

i just bought mine with 130k miles on it, and i know for a for sure
that there is air in my heater core because i can hear the water noises
coming from under the dash. i think air is trapped in the heater core.

the car runs silent and the engine sounds healthy. did your scar
exhibit any problems before it tanked? can it be working perfectly fine
today and bottom out the next? thanks

For any car - yes, head gasket failures are always sudden, but not always
catastrophic. One minute everything is fine, the next minute... not. I came
across a turbo Saab beside the freeway one day; it had steam coming from the
tailpipe and two women looking forlornly under the hood. My brother used to
have one, so I knew what it was - head gasket failure between cylinders 2
and 3, which are too closely spaced. Sure enough, within the last mile the
engine had gone from hunky-dory to no hope of running. When they cranked the
engine the coolant level in the reservoir pumped up and down. D'oh! Other
head gasket leaks can be nursed for months.

Mike

 

[glasceus]

For any car - yes, head gasket failures are always sudden, but not always
catastrophic. One minute everything is fine, the next minute... not. I came
across a turbo Saab beside the freeway one day; it had steam coming from the
tailpipe and two women looking forlornly under the hood. My brother used to
have one, so I knew what it was - head gasket failure between cylinders 2
and 3, which are too closely spaced. Sure enough, within the last mile the
engine had gone from hunky-dory to no hope of running. When they cranked the
engine the coolant level in the reservoir pumped up and down. D'oh! Other
head gasket leaks can be nursed for months.

Mike

i noticed one day that when the engine is hot the coolant in the
overflow tank rises. is this a symptom of head gasket problems? thanks

 

[Dominic Richens]

i noticed one day that when the engine is hot the coolant in the
overflow tank rises. is this a symptom of head gasket problems? thanks

No, that is normal. Coolant expands when hot and overflows, then gets
sucked up again when the engine cools.

When you see bubbles in the overflow tank, then you have a problem.

 

[jason.nugent]

No, I hadn't had any problems that would have indicated the gasket was
going. The weekend prior to the head gasket going, I had driven it
1600 km on the highway, in two 8 hour back to back days without any
problem at all. Then a work week of normal around town driving, and
then it went on Friday.

 

[Josh Assing]

When you see bubbles in the overflow tank, then you have a problem.

some people mistake this "bubbling" for "boiling" There's a subtle difference...
and it's important -- one says "air is being pushed in" and the other says
"There's trapped air and cooler coolant just hit something hot"


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[glasceus]

it may have been that long drive that did u in man, i know one time in
my old 1990 toyota celica i drove back from vegas (approx 300miles) and
when i got home i immediately opened the hood for no reason. i dont
know what it was but something under there was GLOWING HOT. i think
long drives put a lot of stress on engines. the scary thing is i have a
3000 mile drive i have to make early next year. my big concern is
breaking down in the middle of no where. all by myself.!!!!!!!!

 

[Bugalugs]

it may have been that long drive that did u in man, i know one time in
my old 1990 toyota celica i drove back from vegas (approx 300miles) and
when i got home i immediately opened the hood for no reason. i dont
know what it was but something under there was GLOWING HOT.

"Glowing hot" just very hot or glowing "RED" ?

i think

long drives put a lot of stress on engines. the scary thing is i have a
3000 mile drive i have to make early next year.

So you're going to drive like a Granny for a year just to make this trip.

Just get out there and cane it. If it's going to blow it will blow.

But make sure you GET RID OF THAT AIR in the system before you do ANYTHING.

 

[glasceus]

"Glowing hot" just very hot or glowing "RED" ?

it was dark outside, and when i opened the hood the plate over the
"cylinders" (if thats what they are) was glowing red! funny thing is
that if i didnt get into a accident with that toyota , i wouldnt have
this subaru. toyota is extremely reliable!! i'm gonna sell the forester
for a honda crv or rav4. i just hope it doesnt blow before i get my
title and can sell it!!!

But make sure you GET RID OF THAT AIR in the system before you do ANYTHING.

will do, but do u recommend i just go to a local mechanic or do i have
to go to a subaru dealer? will the average mechanic be able to refill
the coolant properly on the problematic forester? thanks

 

[jason.nugent]

I dunno. I make these long trips a few times a month, for work
reasons. I've been doing some more reading, and I *may* have had air
in my radiator core. A week ago, I remember hearing draining sounds
for a second or two, immediately after shutting off my car. I didn't
really think much of it at the time, because I had never heard it
before and it had been raining a lot. Of course, one of the gaskets
may have been leaking and air might have gotten in that way.

Anyway, if you're worried about breaking down, just get a CAA
membership, a roadside kit, and make sure your phone is charged. "Can
you hear me now?"

 

[glasceus]

reasons. I've been doing some more reading, and I *may* have had air
in my radiator core. A week ago, I remember hearing draining sounds
for a second or two, immediately after shutting off my car. I didn't
really think much of it at the time, because I had never heard it
before and it had been raining a lot. Of course, one of the gaskets
may have been leaking and air might have gotten in that way.

yes. there might have been air in your heating system. another scary
thing for me is that i know there is air in mine, i mean i can hear it
everytime i drive off from an extended park. after learning this i am
going to walmart to buy 2 gallons of coolant so i can bleed out that
air pocket. i just hope its not a leaky gasket that caused the air to
enter the system!!! that would really piss me off.. but then again
even if i have to shell out 2 grand for a gasket tomorrow, it still
wouldnt be that damaging for me because i was lucky enough to get this
car for more than 2 grand below the market value. gonna get dirty with
coolant today.

another thing. ever since i bought this car a few weeks ago, i've
learnt more about cars in the last two weeks than i ever knew before.
terms like: head gasket, heater core, synthetics, horizontal engine,
dohc, sohc, blow by, etc. hope this car is worth the trouble.

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

yes. there might have been air in your heating system. another scary
thing for me is that i know there is air in mine, i mean i can hear it
everytime i drive off from an extended park. after learning this i am
going to walmart to buy 2 gallons of coolant so i can bleed out that
air pocket. i just hope its not a leaky gasket that caused the air to
enter the system!!! that would really piss me off.. but then again
even if i have to shell out 2 grand for a gasket tomorrow, it still
wouldnt be that damaging for me because i was lucky enough to get this
car for more than 2 grand below the market value. gonna get dirty with
coolant today.

another thing. ever since i bought this car a few weeks ago, i've
learnt more about cars in the last two weeks than i ever knew before.
terms like: head gasket, heater core, synthetics, horizontal engine,
dohc, sohc, blow by, etc. hope this car is worth the trouble.

You might enjoy reading some of the threads at www.usmb.net message
board(Forums) or asking questions there. using the search function for
specific questions can be a good resource too.
many soobs will give up their air bubbles if filled 'nose up'. park on
an incline or drive up on ramps or on a curb or (safely) a stack of
lumber,etc. Fill the radiotor (make sure the climate contorl is set for
max heat) run engine till fans come on, rechek rad., put rad cap on,
Turm everything off and fill the o'flow to proper level. Check
everything in the morning. If radioater and/or o'flow are low. repeat
procedure. If JUST the o'flow is low, top it off and monitor for a few days.

Carl

 

[glasceus]

yes, i already did. i read all the horror stories on there. my only
redeeming factor is that i payed below market value for the car from
the dealer, so if the gasket does blow, the repair costs will make me
cut even with the market value. i did some research before i bought
this car, but i didnt do enough. if i had seen all these stories before
i bought the car i definitely wouldve steered clear from it. thanks

 

[John O]

i did some research before i bought

this car, but i didnt do enough. if i had seen all these stories before
i bought the car i definitely wouldve steered clear from it. thanks

Same here, but I paid market value. So if my HG blows, I'm screwed. Plus,
the tranny is screwy, and now I need new ball joints. Standard maintenance
to be sure, but the predictable HG is just too much. I wonder why Consumer
Reports doesn't know about this, and reflect it in their ratings.

I love the car, but it's falling apart and going to explode some day.

-John O