RS Blown Head Gaskets ??

[Jae]

Does anyone know if there is a known issue with the ej25 blowing head
gaskets ?
I have had two head gaskets go out on me. One at 30K and another right
before 60K. I'm trying to determine if this is an overall Subaru
issue or a 2.5 engine issue. I've read that many people have no
problems with the ej20 and even boost them up to 400HP. I don't plan
on doing that but I would like to know if this engine is going to make
100K without another blown head gasket.
The first two were covered under warranty. Now I'm at 65k and I don't
want to look down the barrel at a major fix like that. I've been
debating the WRX STI or a 350Z but since the STI is a turbo ej25 I'm
not sure if this is a good idea. Thoughts??

Shu

 

[Kevin Hall]

From what I've learned the '99 Forester and 2000 Outback 2.5s ( first year
for the SOHC in each model) had some head gasket problems. Our Forester
chucked it's gaskets at 60k km. I understand the replacement gaskets are
upgrades and should resolve the issue, unless of course they were installed
under poorly checked and warped or cracked heads.

When ours were replaced by Peterborough Suby in Ontario I was assured by the
service manager that the heads were sent out for magnafluxing to detect
cracks, and would be planed if they showed any signs of being warped. When
I asked if they had checked the decks of the block for flat his response
surprised me. He told me he had no idea why anyone would do that, and
confessed he had no idea how to go about it anyway.

I guess to become a service manager in some auto dealerships these days you
need not have ever met a straight-edge and a set of feeler guages.

With todays' ever-more-technical vehicles the quality and experience of the
service staff at the dealership is every bit as important as the original
build-quality of the vehicle.

KH

 

[Rick Courtright]

I asked if they had checked the decks of the block for flat his response
surprised me. He told me he had no idea why anyone would do that, and

Hi,

Way back when with iron heads on iron blocks, the deck of the block
seldom caused much problem--planing the head would take care of most
"inaccuracies." I've been told the same is true of aluminum heads on
iron blocks (by the guy who owns the machine shop I use, and I've seen
nothing to prove him wrong yet) but do the alloy Subie blocks warp
enough to worry about?

Just curious, cuz one of these days I might get brave and replace the
gaskets in my engine and wonder how much work is really necessary?

Rick