Possible blown head gasket

[KerryL]

[JoeT]

Fix the head gasket, use the STI 3 Layer gaskets to replace it. As for the other stuff you asked for, it'll cost about 6500++ bucks all in to do the swap, and that's whithout a transmission, just the engine, swap, wiring, and crossmember.

Replacing the head gaskets involve removing the engine out of the car, removing the heads, sending them out to get planed (flattened), while it's out, might as well replace the timing belt, pullies and water pump.

How many KM"s on the engine, and if it's in your Legacy, it's a Phase 1 block.

[alf]

If you go the swap route, it's gone cost you about 5K+. You need to replace

Motor
Crossmember
Clutch
Exhaust
ECU
Wiring(that's the hard part)
Fuel pump
+what ever need to be replace one you are there....

Fun to drive after....

If you have a DOHC, it's a phase1 block. Phase1 block are the problem, they were a ej22 modified block. The block isn't stable, it will blow up again. How long, no idea... 10K-60K-100K, don't know but it's probably will die after an other 60-70K.

Phase2 block swap, Evan Gablin(on of the Ottawa guys who won Targa few year ago) did it on his Legacy after 2-3 motor rebuild(ya the car has ~400K and still track it as much as he could). He seem to have some good result with that swap. He's the only person I know who has done it. His main problem was the manifold intake, it didn't fit properly. He re-drill the hole for the screw that hold the intake in place.

[KerryL]

Thanks for replying guys, this is alot of useful info.

Joe, it is my Legacy and it has 160K on it. The 97 never gave me a problem with overheating, but I guess the Phase1 has caught up to me. Could I get a Phase2 engine and swap the heads with no problem, after planing and replacing with the STI 3 layer head gasket?

Alain, was Evan's motor a DOHC, as I was thinking of doing the same thing, maybe?

[JoeT]

Better just replace your existing head gaskets unless you're thinking of getting more power out of it. That's what I would do if I were you, at the very least, it'll be good for another 170 - 180 K, which will be the life of the car.

Now, if you plan on keeping the car, and wanting a bit more performance, then I'd go with the complete swap route using a USDM WRX engine mated to your drivetrain.

[STeveD]

Just a reminder... your 97 is 12 years old and you're looking at putting $6500 into it. That's about three times the resale value.

There's enough guys who've done swaps who need to sell their "projects" of that era and you'll have something on the road immediately.

Pay the minimum to keep it rolling, or sell it off as parts and buy something newer for your $6500. You already have something that's a little more fun to drive, don't you?

[Navigator]

I agree with Steve, just do the head gaskets or move on to something else, less headaches and less down time.

[KerryL]

Thanks for the replies guys, that is what I will most likely be doing is the head gasket.

I got the garage to remove the stat and I will drive the car for the weekend, just to confirm what is causing the problem.

[BruceE]

My 2cents.
If your car is otherwise really nice and you want to keep it for a few years, then you can get a modest power increase from using a Phase II shortblock with your current heads for a mild compression bump. So if you can find a GOOD s/b for cheap than that is an option. Needs 89 octane afterward
Otherwise go with just the new HG job with Subaru gaskets. Cometic gaskets are a little less money, but some guys think they won't last.
Don't drive it much until you fix it. Your bearings won't like it at all. It would suck to fix the HG and then have your bearings fail. Ask me how I know. It would also suck to swap the sb for a not so good phase II. Ask me how I know that.
For my money I would just do the HG right away and call it good. Timing belt, tensioner, water pump and seals if they are due.

[KerryL]

Bruce, how do you know all this.

I thought we had it fixed, with a new thermostat, but then 2 days later the overheating happened again.

I did'nt notice immediately until taking off from a light and the car hesitated a little more than usuall and I looked at the gauge, I pulled through the light and pulled over with no water spewing out and the top of the rad was cold and something smelled a little different. I was able to keep driving with the gauge at a normal position after turning on the heater at full.

Something does feel a little differnet about the car.

Thanks for the 2cents.

[STeveD]

If the top of the rad is cold ... might this not be a premature thermostat failure?

If you're blowing compression gas into the coolant, you should have to bleed the air after every cool down.

[Robin]

1st thing people think is thermostat but it's headgasket... pre-2000 legacy with 2.5L will always headgasket probs.

one Ottawa suby tech does JDM 2.5L swaps for about the same price as the headgasket fix price.

Like Alf said, evanG did it 3 times on his 97 legacy gt wagon but he sold it with about 420k kms....

[BruceE]

your HG is blown for sure. Really stop driving it because you are most certainly damaging your already weak bearings.
I too had a 99 Legacy GT than ate HG, ate bearings and then the replacement block burned oil like a 1975 Ford.
The HG starts out with a small hole that gets worse. The first time it fails seems to be right after a period of hard use followed by a slow down. Then after that it continues to loose coolant and overheating occurs frequently after shorter intervals. This is all bad for your oil quality and too much heat in the critical engine parts.

The cold rad is due to air pockets that prevent circulation of coolant. I would wager that the T-stat is fine.

[KerryL]

Robin, would you happen to know what shop does the swaps?

Bruce, I took the stat out, and now the engine stays too cool and no overheating yet. I just wanted to see if it would overheat without the stat. I will be getting the HG done next week.

[Robin]

it s a 1 man shop... Roch Drouin at 613-867-5859

[alf]

Robin wrote:
it s a 1 man shop... Roch Drouin at 613-867-5859

One man shop that does a lot!!! He did my swap and help me rebuild me new motor.

[Robin]

yup. we're lucky here in Ottawa.... we have 3 small shops with TONS of Subaru experience (from general maintenance to full wrx/sti swaps).

Roch is one of them... he's an ex-subaru tech (can't remember the amount of years he worked at a dealer probably 8-12 years) and started his own shop a few years ago.

[KerryL]

Too bad we don't have a shop like that in the Toronto area.

I don't think my car would make it to Ottawa.

I have to drop my car off at the garage tomorrow, the car is losing water too fast so I can't drive it anymore.

Thanks for the info.

[JoeT]

We have 6 shops like that in the Toronto Area. Select one and go for it.

[KerryL]

Which shops would be in the east end of the GTA, that people feel good about using?

Thanks.

[KerryL]

My garage found a motor, but turns out that it was out of an automatic and the mounting holes for the tranny and starter are not the same.

Now looking for a motor for this car, any reliable shops where I can pick one up?

Looking for a DOHC that can bolt to a 5 spd., and preferably a low miliage engine, I know how hard that may be for a 99 Legacy.

[Navigator]

Kerry thats not possible, any engine should fit any tranny. What car was the engine from?