'02 legacy and head gasket?

[tom klein]

i've got an '02 legacy wagon with the 2.5l engine, built 02/02.

how can i tell which rev of head (and head gasket) i've got? if it's
the leak-prone phase II, i'd like to give it the leak-stop treatment,
but if it doesn't need it, i'd rather not risk clogging up my cooling
system unnecessarily.

any suggestions?



........ tom klein

 

[Todd H.]

i've got an '02 legacy wagon with the 2.5l engine, built 02/02.

how can i tell which rev of head (and head gasket) i've got? if it's
the leak-prone phase II, i'd like to give it the leak-stop treatment,
but if it doesn't need it, i'd rather not risk clogging up my cooling
system unnecessarily.

any suggestions?

Call the dealer with your VIN, and ask the question.

Best Regards,

 

[Jeff]

I have an 02 and was not subject to the recall. Did you get a any recall
info from Subaru.

 

[tom klein]

i don't know how on the ball they are; i bought mine used and i don't
know if the dealer sent in my particulars.

probably worth phoning "the mother ship", or the dealer service
department, tomorrow and getting them to check my vin#.

 

[Mickey]

i've got an '02 legacy wagon with the 2.5l engine, built 02/02.

how can i tell which rev of head (and head gasket) i've got? if it's
the leak-prone phase II, i'd like to give it the leak-stop treatment,
but if it doesn't need it, i'd rather not risk clogging up my cooling
system unnecessarily.

any suggestions?



....... tom klein

Know this is getting a little dated but just returned home from long trip.

I would advise NOT to use any stop leak product including Subaru's. I
had used Subaru's cooling system conditioner when I first bought the
car last year (00 model) and again when I replaced the belts and water
pump. Was a thousand miles from home when I started experiencing over
heating problems. Took the radiator down to a local shop and they
removed the top tank and was full of particles from a stop leak
product. Lot of stuff laying around and most of the core was plugged.
Subie radiator has very small passages. Spoke with my local
independent subie mechanic and he said they do not use any products of
this type including factory product and they only use factory parts
for repairs.

Got the radiator "rodded" and back in the car. After another 4+k
miles and climbing numerous Mts., no more cooling issues.

Mickey

 

[Edward Hayes]

I had my dealer put the "cooling system conditioner" in about 30,000
miles ago and absolutely no problems. General Motors and others do it
at the factory. Subaru increased my warranty from 3/36 to 8 years and
100,000 miles so give me one go reason not to. To find out if you
qualify for the increased warranty coverage go to www.subaru.com and
give them your vin number. Radiator shops hate the stuff as it takes
away business. ed

 

[Mickey]

I had my dealer put the "cooling system conditioner" in about 30,000
miles ago and absolutely no problems. General Motors and others do it
at the factory. Subaru increased my warranty from 3/36 to 8 years and
100,000 miles so give me one go reason not to. To find out if you
qualify for the increased warranty coverage go to www.subaru.com and
give them your vin number. Radiator shops hate the stuff as it takes
away business. ed

My car is way past the extended warranty period.

Subaru is not GM. As I mentioned the core passages are very small.
Rad shop had to look to find a rod small enough to fit in a push the
crud out. If you saw the crap I saw plugging up the tank and core you
might think differently but you are free to do as you please.

What do you think Subaru would do IF radiator did get plugged up and
caused major problems? Think they would step up to the plate or find
some way to get out of footing the bill? IMO the cooling systems
conditioner is a band-aid solution at best and will hopefully hold off
when the head gaskets will have to be replaced past point where they
have to cover the cost. Hopefully latest HG design has really fixed
the problem.

Don't see how the rad shops hate this stuff IF it plugs up a radiator
or heater core, that brings in business. For some vehicles using a
stop leak product may be an acceptable band-aid for but for cars like
Subaru with tiny passages it not such a good idea. Like I said before
the mechanic I've used wouldn't touch a product like this. They're a
small shop and they couldn't afford to use something like this if it
could create problems of it's own and they had to foot the repair
bill. The shop is a Subie only shop and have been in business for
over 20 yrs. I think they have more knowledge than I about this. I
followed Subaru's recommendation and it created problems for me. My
mechanic wouldn't use it and acknowledges the dealers do.

Everyone is free to do as they choose but some times lessons can be
spendy to learn.

Mickey

 

[Edward Hayes]

It takes away business because if it's used properly it most often
alleviates the leaking problem. I think Subaru's extended warranty of
8 years and 100,000 miles instead of 3/36 demonstrates this very well.
Indiscriminately used stopleak for cooling or oil problems can cause
problems. The key word here is indiscriminately or improperly used.
ed

 

[Jeff]

Isn't usually covered 5 yrs or 50,000 miles engine and drivetrain then
extended to 8 years 100,000 miles.

 

[Danny Russell]

It takes away business because if it's used properly it most often
alleviates the leaking problem. I think Subaru's extended warranty of
8 years and 100,000 miles instead of 3/36 demonstrates this very well.
Indiscriminately used stopleak for cooling or oil problems can cause
problems. The key word here is indiscriminately or improperly used.
ed

Ed, keep in mind that the only thing covered for the extended period is the external leak, so for
everything else you're on your own. Here's a partial quote:

"If the vehicle owner has this Service Program repair performed promptly, Subaru will extend
coverage under the Subaru Limited Warranty on the vehicle for cylinder head gasket external coolant
leaks to a period of 8 years or 100,000 miles, whichever occurs first."

Seems like every stopleak manufacturer claims boldly that "their's is the one that doesn't cause
blockages". That makes me kinda nervous, so I've held off-on the goop. Also, the whole way that
Subaru has handled this problem appears to be modeled after the way GM would handle a problem, and
that's the second reason I'm reluctant to take the deal. I don't think it's a sure bet either way.
-Danny

 

[Edward Hayes]

I agree with you Danny and did realize that the warranty covered
external seepage which IS the issue with some phase 2 engines. The sad
thing is that the engine destroying HG problem with phase 1 engines
was not addressed properly by Subarus insistence keeping the std
warranty when it was an engineering design fault. ed

 

[Jeff]

Isn't covered under engine/drivetrain 5 years 50,000 miles not 3/36?

 

[John Rethorst]

Isn't covered under engine/drivetrain 5 years 50,000 miles not 3/36?

Or 5/60? 3/36 is bumper-to-bumper.