I'm thinking about getting a 97 legacy gt with the 2.5l motor and was wondering how hard a head gasket replacement is. Should I tackle the job myself? I have done my own clutch job in my evo. Is there anything I should know that is hard about it? Or should I just take it to a shop to fix the head gasket problem. Which shop would you guys recommend? Thanks in advance.
Have the two mentioned above done any previous work for mnsubaru members? If so, what are the experiences with them? Have anyone done a head gasket swap right out of the Haynes manual?
I dont know how much people charge that kind of head gasket work but the last quote I got for a 01 impreza head-gasket change was 4 grand, I ended up doing it myself. If you have all the tools necessary, it's not hard, it's just alot of labor. I got lucky and it worked out for me as a DIY. But I wouldn't sell the car to anyone just because I can't back up the reliability of the engine.
They are paid to work on Subarus 40+ hours a week, so I feel they can handle it. If you are comfortable with that kind of work, it isn't difficult, just tedious. A factory service manual is your best friend.
Hmmmm...if I get the car I think I'm going to pay one of the guys mentioned above to fix it. I just don't have time to do tedious work. Another question. The 2.5l is the DOHC or SOHC? What about the 2.2l that is found in the 5spd leagacy?
96-99 Legacy's 2.5's are DOHC. 2.2's are all SOHC, and are about the greatest engine Subaru ever made.
things to remember, whoever does it: it can be done with the engine in the car, but it really should be pulled. BOTH sides need to be done. And the heads need to be checked over, specifically for warping. AFAIK, none of these things are considered SOP at the dealer. But, they are entirely necessary to ensure that it is fixed for good.
I agree, after doing a SOHC engine, my brother and I both agree this was way easy, especially compared to other engines just time consuming since we decided to pull the engine to make things easier. I never actually worked on a DOHC but I've seen people try it and it didn't look fun. Anyways back to the topic, Yes if you can pull the engine out, it will be much easier as you're not working with such tight spots. But if it's your first time, take pictures or you'll be like me, you'll end up with a handfull of screws and no idea where they go. If you take it to the two guys mentioned, yes you may pay more then if you did it your self, but it's a peace of mind that it's done by someone who does this for a living. So I guess, my advice would be if you have the money, have someone else who's got experience doing it.
Do they have the Legacy with the 2.2l with an automatic? Most of the automatics I have seen has the 2.5l engine. What's the price range at shops? $1000? $1200?
Last week I just did TWO headgaskets back-to-back on a Leggy 2.5GT, '00 RS, and just finished a '00 RS tonight... Started 11am and finished 11pm.....12hr shift!!!!!
