COMPLETE SUBARU HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT start to finish

[@clarence-fw7wr]

As a mechanic all I can say is that guys are good and you make a great no nonsense video not like most videos where "mechanics" show themselves turning out nuts and bolts instead of just telling you to take them out, you guys just get to the point! and it's great because you'r not here to teach people to be a mechanic, you'r here to show competent people how to do a repair and you have nailed it. A welcome relief, mechanic to mechanic.

[@adamr1162]

5 minutes in I’m second guessing my plan to do this at home. 14 minutes in I’m calling my mechanic. Thanks for the video. That’s all really good info!

[@sharifsircar]

Same they lost me at engine mount removal, I did stuff like that before, it's a pain in the ass without prior experience or someone who did it before giving you pointers

[@ZanyT567]

I really appreciate this video, the effort and time that these guys took to record this job and put it out there for all of us. It certainly gave me the confidence I needed to do the job myself rather than pay $4k+ to have the dealership do it. However, a huge word of caution for anyone wanting to follow this video as a guide: this is a wonderful tear-down/removal guide, but this is not a re-installation guide in the slightest. This video does not include a lot of essential torque specs such as the transmission mounts, the intake manifold, the timing belt components, exhaust manifold, etc. etc. More importantly the torque specs that they follow and show in this video are wrong! Those torque specs are for the 2000-2004 Subaru Legacy, which used a much different gasket. The 2005-2009 don't even use the specs they show, and the 2010 is wildly different. You also coat the threads of the head bolts as well as the washer on it with clean engine oil. And you must either buy brand new bolts or mark the bolts with a paint marker before pulling them out because the middle bolts A and B are different bolts but look exactly the same, as they get torqued more than the outer bolts. Trust me, the bolts fall to the ground when you pull the head out so if you want to reuse the old bolts you must mark each one before pulling the head out with its position. I also don't agree with the Fel-Pro gasket sentiment. A genuine Subaru gasket for the 2010 is a Multi-Layer Steel gasket, they use the same gasket for the turbo as well as the regular 2.5L and it works perfectly fine. They also do not mention prepping the engine surface at all. While having the head prepped by an automotive machine shop is absolutely vital, prepping the engine surface is just as important and can cause the gasket to fail if not done right. The dowels that you use as guide pins to get the heads back on must be pulled so that you can carefully prep the engine surface down to bare metal without causing high or low spots. So yes I really do appreciate this video but it lacks in mentioning a few things and even has the completely wrong torque specs for the head bolts which is very unfortunate. If anyone is trying to do this job, feel free to reach out by replying to my comment and I can give much more information than I can put in this comment. You will also need a second person helping with pulling the head off and putting the head back on, this cannot be done alone.

[@hildedank8965]

i have a 2010 forester and thinking about taking the job on myself. gonna do timing belt/water pump and other components while im in there. what makes the 2010 much different then the others?

[@hildedank8965]

also would it be easier to just pull the motor at that point? im about to buy myself a engine hoist and stand to pull the engine out my 03 wrx to tear into that.

[@ZanyT567]

@@hildedank8965 The 2010 is just a different generation than the 2009 and prior cars. Engine is mostly the same but other things are different, and because of that the order and complexity of removing things and which things even need to be removed to gain clearance is different.

[@ZanyT567]

@@hildedank8965 Depends on what job you're doing to what car. And pulling the engine makes certain things a lot easier but pulling the engine itself is still a huge process

[@michaelzuromski1780]

just started the tear down on my 2012 2.5L and would love the extra install tips. i'll take anything you've got!

[@Maggie222666]

Just had these guys service my Subaru Impreza and I am impressed. They were very professional and made me feel comfortable that my car was in the right hands. Any little extra things I asked about replacing, such as spark plugs, they had no problem with and already had the part with them. That saved me alot of time and made it easy. Would definitely recommend them for head gasket repairs.

[@Luceium01]

I bet it costed you a lot, this video is to show you how to do it yourself without spending so much $ lol

[@pothead1217]

@@Luceium01 why you negative?

[@Fatjig]

@@pothead1217 bro gasket replacemens are like 3k

[@aaronkough3810]

@@Fatjighere is KS it’s closer to 4k

[@mumfugginnutz417]

Well subaru place charged 5.8k to do it

[@jeffjones4071]

2012 outback 2.5 is getting ready to get this done. You guys make it look easy but I know it’s a lot of work. Great vid

[@jameshyde1501]

I live in Lincoln, California, and I have the exact car and engine. My Subi has 227,000 miles and still clicking along beautifully. This video was VERY! helpful. Great Job!

[@Personalized_Workshop]

Thank you very much for doing this video. The only other video I saw so far to date was saying the engine had to be removed. Excellent tips and techniques. I’ve been meaning to get a set of timing tensioner pins for a while. I’ve always used small allen keys. I keep the smallest ones in a bag. But for $15 for 6, they’ll come in handy. I’ll probably watch this video at least 3 more times before I complete the R&R. Thanks again.

[@vanirman]

Two kinds of people work on Subaru head gaskets, mechanics and fools! Incredible job guys!!!

[@AegisZer]

yall make it look ez... but that's any master techs. I'm sure the time would triple if I did this myself. Well done!

[@PeachORican]

That torquing sequence is a whole dance! 2 steps forward, 1 step back, side step once and again with the other foot, half a step forward and another half step.😅😂 I’ll be looking into that reasoning!

[@AlfredoDiaz-o3v]

The reason is your compressing the gasket and leaving basically an indent like an impression on the gasket like a finger print so it can seal properly

[@barnskyeasmr9580]

Just bought my first Subaru today. A 97 impreza. I'm thinking there's a head gasket leak (there's oil all around the head gasket area) and it's amazing to see that Subaru uses practically the same engine for all these cars, for so many years

[@Drywall-Troupers]

You guys are PROFESSIONAL, you make it looks easy

[@dannysa503]

I'm about to do head gaskets job on my 97 lecagy wagon 2.2. And it looks just like your engine. I'm going to use your video as a guide. Thank you for taking the time to make a video.

[@nanu4754]

How did it go man?

[@Luceium01]

@@nanu4754 sucks people don’t respond lol

[@48busman]

So do you adjust the Valves with the Head on the Bench? Do you double check the valve lash after the timing belt is on or do you feel confident to just install and assemble? I am working on a 2010 Forrester SOHC. Your video's have been very helpful. I have my Heads ready to go back in. I had them decked at the machine shop and I just adjusted the valves Ready to go back on. Thanks.

[@gripthebars1513]

Wow this is amazing and it's free Great job gentlemen

[@zx2gamer]

Just pull the motor. It’s 45min and then you’re able to work on the engine more easily! Plus you can reseal the rear main and oil pan to give a full reseal!

[@peterad1529]

In my case I don’t t have alot of room to move a hoist around and have space for a stand so this is how I will be doing it. I have pulled ej22s from old legacies and ea engines from old gl’s I understand but for someone without a lot of space Be useful 😊. I’m glad it’s doable and not impossible and I like how it was shown.

[@peterad1529]

Just bought an outback I anticipate this is in my future I really didn’t want to pull the engine like my dad did and look at what I found it’s possible 😲. Fantastic video 👍 obviously some details missing like the “resurfacing “ and removing the valve train unless it’s also not essential 🥹

[@86kamehameha]

i got to this video because I just bought a 2018 subaru outback that has been losing coolant but no obvious leaks seen anywhere...took it in and paid for a pressurized test which they told me It was low pressured and its probably a head gasket going bad. Now I gotta take it back in into the dealership to tell them that they need to replace the head gasket or give me another car. haha

[@virtisconsole12]

These boxer motors are notorious for head gaskets.. probably because the oil is always laying on the gaskets due to the 180° layout.. but wow I didn’t realize the exhaust needs to be dropped that is probably going to be a pita for the rust belt guys.. I think I can do this myself with some help in the head installs, that looks to need more than 2 hands to keep the gasket on the dowels and without damaging it from the 4 head bolts that stay in the head.. you guys definitely made that job look a hell of a lot easier than it is. Do you lock the cans at all with the heads off? How do you keep the valves and cams intact when the heads are being redecked at the machine shop? Is there any crank locking needed? I suppose you’d want to do crank front seal at this point as well? What about oil pump is that something that notoriously is an issue you’d you preemptively do that as well here? Great job guys? I know this is a several thousand $ job

[@bestfriendjules]

You guys are amazing!! Thank you so much for giving us your time and expertise... 😊

[@Awainer1]

Following your video to replace my head gaskets so far so good. How am I going to put the crank pulley back on and torque it without the special tool.

[@ZanyT567]

Have you managed to get the pulley back on now?

[@christophertrace1307]

Great vid boys! It's going to be a big help when I do this job. Subaru says head bolts must be replaced, it looked like you reused the old head bolts, any opinion if that is really necessary? Thanks, Chris

[@ernestoch2827]

What great video, not sure the difference with my 2.5 DOHC engine, wish me luck, thanks.

[@fishfoolishness4222]

Thought I might give this a try. Thanks for letting me know that this job is NOT for me.😁

[@Vuhjayjay68]

You guys just gave me the the know how and confidence to rip into mine Great video

[@bobbydabutcha]

Awesome video! What is the life expectancy of the Fel-Pro head gaskets?

[@kinglangren]

Definitely more than Subaru gasket

[@jamesdodson9417]

How did you resurface the heads ? I guess I missed it do y’all have a resurfacing machine like the old school belt sander style?

[@micahvaughan2973]

Hi is this repair the same or similiar for the 2.5l? I have a 2012 dohc.

[@pierredesroberts8985]

Thanks for all the great information! i have a 2011 outback limited and i am about to do my HG replacement, but i don't know what EJ25 exact model is, and i don't know where to look for this information... My other interrogation is: what replacement HG should i install? i have read that the OEM gaskets won't last, and have read bad things about FelPro... What would be a good suggestion for other brands? Should i re-use the same head bolts? Thanks for any information!

[@bigeyejim]

Great Video! Cheers from 2000 miles away!

[@thomascope6482]

You guys are very informatiable. Thank you for post in your video and I will be calling you. Thank you

[@AnnabelleShafer]

Great reference and well made video. Starting head gaskets on a 2008 2.5i tomorrow

[@nonlocalcommunication6161]

How did you go?

[@v8vince761]

@@nonlocalcommunication6161its still on jackstands

[@anomalyevolution40]

That MLS was dancing around as you were trying to put the head back on. Wonder if using some 3m would keep it secure so you know it didn't move or twist on you.

[@gasketmasters]

Alignment pins

[@chrismartino2143]

How did you get a crescent on that egr tube? I can’t even get a normal wrench on it. Sucks because if I can get this out I gotta pull the motor

[@derekstarkjr5128]

Great job 4 sure and i did have 2 lift the condenser A/C up so my gun would take the balancer bolt off after the trick you showed failed ,no big deal thank U.

[@hawke020612]

Hi, can you make a list of all the tools and equipment needed, please, and thank you :).

[@AngelGarcia-iq7sp]

I used Mahle on the Foreign Vehicles? Never had a problem with them.

[@joowhanlee4081]

By chance, can I follow same instruction for 15+ Subaru wrx sti to replace gasket replacement?

[@Serpent32776]

When you say resurfaced, did you mean you had the heads planed on a machine?

[@jsnthurst1]

I wondered the same thing, but from the scratch marks it doesn't look like they were machined. I think if a head gaskets blows from overheating then you probably have to, but if you are replacing them preemptively you don't have to. Correction: it sounds like they said that they did have them properly resurfaced.

[@mikhabef5402]

My mechanic struggled doing this. I had to take it back 3 times

[@andreaechevarria6725]

How did you prep/clean the heads? Enjoyed the video.

[@windolite]

I think at a machine shop

[@Luceium01]

@@windolite no

[@fjedhfhr5250]

Would be a shame to redo the head gasket if the heads weren’t

[@ronc8489]

I have had a lot of heads resurfaced, they never looked like those. The maching marks are all you could see, these show marks from sandpaper.

[@sacri2222]

I call the gasket master in Montclair ca and unfortunately they don’t work on Subaru head gaskets in this location

[@yesmateporsche5028]

Thanks! I followed your procedure and I have the heads out although DS has some valves open. How do I close the valves but not mess up the timing?

[@gasketmasters]

Turn the camshaft until you get to the point where all the valves are closed. As long as you match up the timing marks when you reassemble you will be OK

[@yesmateporsche5028]

@@gasketmasters can I just turn it by hand while it is out of the car? I took it to two machine shops and they were clueless. First one was confused by the Subaru cams. Second one wants to pull the cams out etc to machine the head. Is that required?

[@sadboiszn]

@@yesmateporsche5028 machining is only necessary if and when your heads warp due to the the gaskets going.

[@GodsLittlegizmoguy96]

It looks like this is the same as a 2008 Subaru Outback. Would you concur?

[@douglassurprenant6469]

Black bolts go in the center of the head.. look it up... Should make sure all bolts go into same position they came from.

[@sebastiansegade]

AWESOME VIDEO THANKS WHERE YOU GUYS LOCATED ? I LIVE IN FLORIDA

[@gasketmasters]

We have a location in Tampa

[@tho2565]

@gasketmasters, Great video guys. On my 4th outback and getting slightly handy lol. 2012 187k miles head gasket blew. I have no choice but to do this myself with the. Help of your video so thx in advance. Couple of questions: felpro requires new head bolts with their gasket…is this required? Seems like a big unneeded expense no? Also, how long should I plan for this job to take lol? Great video!

[@tammisevene3575]

I have a 2012 with 222600 and it won’t start .. mechanic said replace the belt to see if it starts and go form there

[@Burningplasma]

Will this work for 2014 Subaru Legacy 2.5 Premium?

[@TopperHarleeButta]

Wow.,.,...wish all how to videos are like this. Awesome and thank you!

[@niqreesmanesia9613]

Do you have to resurface the engine side of the gasket mating surface or just the heads?

[@ZanyT567]

If you pulled the engine out of the car you could have a machine shop "deck" it, but if you leave the engine in you do have to do some surface prep to make sure the engine side is completely clean, down to bare metal, and as flat as you can get it.

[@BenitoH-s7n]

Wow you have a very good explanation.

[@chadwickhill5218]

HELPFUL INFO: When installing the heads cut 6 - 4 inch lengths of flexible tubing then cut them all open lengthways. You can put them under the head of each head bolt to keep them from sliding too far in while maneuvering the head into place.

[@davidpeter735]

Very good video. Will try and work on my 2008 Subaru Outback.

[@ai-mazing666]

do you need to disconnect the transmission when you lift the engine?

[@dant3113]

How much approximately for this job on a 2014 crosstrek?? I think I need my gasket replaced 😢

[@91gtsaul11]

When I got my heads back from the machine shop my timing mark on my driver side pully won’t line up it just spends past it

[@vincegoheen2764]

At 18:17 mark in your video do I see a stone table or sandpaper one over glass

[@creativeatheart1497]

Hi, will a 2018 subaru outback wagon have a cam carrier leak/drip at 34,000 miles on the car?

[@geoffjacobs267]

How do you keep the cam on the driver's side in alignment when there' s no tension on it? Mine doesn't give me the option of aligning it and just letting go when the notches are aligned. It jumps clockwise to maybe 2 o'clock (after letting go). I tried moving the other 2 to the 2 o'clock position and then putting the belt on. But the timing was way off.

[@ZanyT567]

Have you since had luck with this?

[@zoolmakesmusic]

Awesome guys. Great video

[@chugfoose7077]

Wicked detailed video thanks gentlemen!!!!!!!

[@vaccineskillpeople3688]

When jacking the engine up how do you prevent the engine from slipping off the jack when shoving the engine over

[@michaelzuromski1780]

Having the same issue. Using a block of wood and because of the angle of the bottom of the oil pan the engine wants to slip off when i move it. Am I missing something?

[@bigandrew07]

Well I just got a meaneye Impreza that doesn’t run, think I should take a look at the gasket before anything as the memes would state but I think it’s an electrical issue.

[@TheTaTeR187]

How long does this take

[@billporupsky4972]

Black head bolts should be in center??

[@standonze1316]

What did you use to resurface the heads?

[@windolite]

A machine shop

[@3751britishcolumbia]

​@@windolite The markings do not look like they were machined.

[@GRDDAN1]

Are you guys located in NY.

[@davey911]

I'm curious how this 2011 Subaru head gasket failed. I am the original owner of a 2011 Outback 2.5i and I see that it has the MLS gaskets, as Subaru installed MLS gaskets after 2009. I heard the MLS gaskets will rarely fail. I saw some oil in my coolant when I flushed the coolant at 131K miles so I'm worried about my head gaskets but the car shows no other symptoms of head gasket failure.

[@ZanyT567]

Head gaskets are expected to fail from overheating because it causes the head to warp and pull away from the engine causing a gap that the gasket isn't sealing. If your car has never overheated it should be fine.

[@jimbo7029]

Are you putting the jack under the drain pan bolt

[@MrMcMorton]

I hope so, that's what I just did.

[@FlipLifeNC]

Doing this on my 10 Outback. It’s depressing.

[@FlipLifeNC]

@@TheSmileyVirus Over all it wasn't that bad. I had never done a job this big on any car I've owned. Figuring out where everything was and how to get to it was probably the worst part. I had to have a little bit of help from a Honda tech friend of mine after I did the valve adjustments myself. I had a bit of ticking. After the fact now I could go into it much more confident.

[@ZanyT567]

So I made a comment explaining, but the torque specs listed in the video are actually wrong, they're for the 2000-2004 Legacy and the 2010 specs result in a tighter clamp from the bolts. I'm curious if you have completed this job and if you have had any issues?

[@matteoperron5436]

i thought the 2011 forester came with aa fb25 engine with timing chain, this looks like an ej engine from a 2010

[@eliasmorales7134]

Did you change the head gasket bolts?

[@noelsnave9395]

Yes

[@sangway523]

This is amazing video thank you

[@stringsandsprockets7845]

Awesome video.

[@nigelsmith9303]

I change my timing belt last year now have head gasket leak do you think it’s something I can do myself

[@mateocarlos2674]

I'm sure they don't want the liability of telling you "yeah, no problem. Go for it". It all depends on your ability. How would they know your ability? Common sense?

[@jamesankney7535]

How much would it cost to do that job

[@hooblabity9494]

Awesome detail!

[@8gomerpyle22]

Very professional job except for the part where you mention releasing the refrigerant into the atmosphere. That’s actually illegal, fyi.

[@KLNYC]

fantastic video

[@Subiwootn]

great video. lots of useful info!

[@tlb2005]

Omg I'm never gettin a Subaru never side engines sucks as for weekend warriors.

[@sadboiszn]

your loss buddy because Subaru's are the most fun car ever made ha

[@tlb2005]

@@sadboiszn if you work on your own cars this isnt for you imo.

[@Luceium01]

@@tlb2005 ?

[@jeffjones4071]

This happened to my 2012 outback at 140,000 miles. Subaru fixed the gasket issue on all new Subarus. You missing out on a good car.

[@BobPattersonII]

Hello, do you live anywhere near Philadelphia Pennsylvania? I was going to ask if you could please do head gasket on my 1999 Subaru Legacy GT

[@egner7897]

Cost?

[@benalon]

Super!😊

[@tonmoykhan2149]

Nice work 👌👍

[@wafel19781]

Thanks

[@famousdave7219]

Way less sketchy to use the crank pulley tool.

[@chunyingkwok3173]

good instruction

[@Phoenix-ty7yz]

Thanks a lot

[@itsamazing3825]

That's nuts 11 ft lbs

[@ZanyT567]

11ftlbs was the torque spec for the 200-2004 Legacy which did not use a multi-layer steel gasket that needs to be compressed to work right. I made a separate comment, but they supply the wrong torque specs in this video for a 2010 Legacy.

[@spenceryazzie765]

Does this work on a 2009 Forester?

[@zurihernandez-dd9dr]

$$$$ cost you fix mi head gasket too

[@alexanderkillips3121]

I wish this was the DOHC version of the motor..

[@osmandiaz3505]

I guess I’ll stick with my Toyota 😆

[@johnward6699]

What a headache. You'd think Subaru would have correct this trainwreck

[@HS-sr9ww]

why is this a headache??

[@ZanyT567]

They have. The 2010+ does not have issues with head gaskets failing without reason. They will still fail, just like any and all other head gaskets will from the engine overheating though, which I assume is what happened here.

[@DavidParker-cf2km]

NOT an '01! Totally different.

[@Kodeemcgann23]

What video is best for the 01? I have an 01

[@emarmolejo8273]

What was the total cost for this repair ?

[@alexb8926]

Parts and labor for resurfacing of head no more then 350

[@johnconnor2402]

Jeez, that looks like a pain in the butt

[@christianb8900]

Ok, after watching this, i will never buy a Subaru.

[@harileon717]

Subarus only for mechanics......Toyotas for idiots.. will never buy a subaru.