Forester 2006 - Bad Head Gaskets...maybe?

Veganpotter

Veganpotter

Forum Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2021
Messages
191
Location
Salt Lake City, Utah
Car Year
2006
Car Model
Forester X
Transmission
4eat auto
On a recent 2800mile road trip, I had my temperature gauge hit the red soon after starting my car(this was in barely moving traffic) I stopped, and looked. Everything looked normal, and the engine was still quite cool. I took it to a radiator shop and they replaced my thermostat and upper and lower hose for the radiator(5000miles on the radiator). The car drove totally fine for the rest of my trip other than a small offroad adventure where the gauge went up to about the 3/4 mark. It was fine driving home after that (300 miles). I just took it into another radiator shop because it got hot letting it idle in place. The fan is working, and the reservior is full, but the actual radiator was low by about 6cm. They think I have bad gaskets. The weird thing is that the gauge stays smack dab in the middle unless I'm not moving very much. There's also nothing abnormal with my exhaust.
I have a road trip planned for Friday or Saturday into very rural areas so there certainly won't be any traffic. I'm considering just driving it and dealing with it when I get home by May 29th. I'd avoid any low speed, technical offroading(I know...boring🙃). If I go on this trip, am I an idiot?😂

*Engine was rebuilt after 182,000 miles and it now has a total of 226,000
 
@Kevin They're both spinning. And they seem to be spinning in the right direction. since the air was blowing into the bay. I'd really hate for it to actually be the gaskets😬 Especially since I haven't had it very long
 
Another sign would be bubbles in the coolant - so from a cold start with the radiator cap off just watch as the vehicle warms up. Place a rag around the fill neck to catch any overflow.
Veganpotter said:
If I go on this trip, am I an idiot?
Click to expand...

No, just be prepared for an expensive ride home :)
 
@Kevin thanks, I'll give that a shot before I head to the dog park. I'd think they'd be all out by now though since I've driven it so much since the thermostat was replaced?
 
If the head gasket is bad the bubbles will continue - but this is just one sign. Check for milky oil on the dipstick as well.
 
Thanks for the tips! I actually just checked the oil and that's good. But I lifted the radiator cap and it's now about the same level of low that it was when they topped it off. And there's actually coolant on the ground now🤦😬
 
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Depending on the source of the coolant leak, the next step may be a compression test.
 
When mine did this a bit, it turned out to be a poorly fitted and loose clamp on the radiator to overflow outlet pipe.

Haven't had a problem since @NachaLuva very kindly noticed and fixed it for me about 7 years ago.
 
Shop says it's a blown water pump. While they're there, I'm having them throw in a transmission cooler
*Not that it's always definitive, but it passed the pressure test. But it does look like my engine was rebuilt using the OEM, graphite coated gaskets. So it's gonna leak sometime in the future🙃
 
May as well do the timing belt while they are there.
 
@Veganpotter
You'll save yourself a lot of labor costs by having the timing belt, idlers etc replaced while everything is apart. They have to pull it all apart to get at it anyway so I am surprised that the shop has not suggested it already e.g.
1) Remove the radiator.
2) Remove the V-belts.
3) Remove the timing belt.
4) Remove the automatic belt tension adjuster.
5) Remove the belt idler No. 2.
6) Remove the camshaft sprocket (LH)
7) Remove the belt cover No. 2 (LH).
8) Remove the tensioner bracket.
9) Disconnect the hose from water pump.
10) Remove the water pump.
 
Veganpotter said:
But it does look like my engine was rebuilt using the OEM, graphite coated gaskets. So it's gonna leak sometime in the future🙃
Click to expand...
Not necessarily.

My SG has no sign of even seepage with original OEM head gaskets. It uses no oil between 24 month/24,000 km oil changes (Shell Helix Ultra 5w-40 FS). Not all OEM gaskets leak. SWMBO's SH (still the EJ253 engine) will get new after-market head gaskets when the timing belt needs changing at the next service, even though it only weeps 0.5L of oil in around 12,000 Kms.

As Kevin already said, they are half way there doing either job, so it will probably get a new water pump at the same time.
 
They were already done and working on my transmission cooler by the time I called. I didn't post until I got home after a 2hr dog walk from the shop🙃
 
@Ratbag I'm a big follower of Mr Subaru on YouTube. With the NA EJ25s, he really thinks they're inevitable. Normally between 100-150k miles with rare exceptions. OEM turbo gaskets aren't a problem and work on the NA engines. Maybe they actually used different gaskets in Oz and Japan?

 
From my records, nearly complete, and memory, ?????, I think my MY03 still has the original head gaskets. Doesn`t leak coolant and only times it has become hot are two radiator failures and ambient summer Adelaide temps of >45 deg C when it approached about 3/4 gauge. Rapidly cooled off when stopped and no apparent coolant loss. Temporary, but uncomfortable, drop in temp gained by turning on car heater!!!
 
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