Head Gasket / Upper Oil Pan replacementwhat else? 2014 2.5i 92,000 miles

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Howdy, as stated in the subject line. Dealer indicated there was an internal leak and recommended a head gasket and upper oil pan replacement. I believe that requires pulling the engine - is that correct? If so, what else should we do given the mileage?

Timing belt and water pump?
 
An internal leak? Of what? From where to where?
I don’t know. The service advisor stated there is a leak and the print up states, “Driver’s head gasket and upper oil pan (oil leak)…same written in the tech notes of suggested service.
 
Generally, a head gasket leak can be to the outside, so you can see coolant and that you're losing it from the overflow/radiator levels. It can also leak into the oil system, making milky goo. Either way, you'd need the work done, but I'd certainly want to know and see what they've done to diagnose it. It is an expensive repair and if needed, not one that you want to put off.
 
Head gasket failures are quite rare on the FB25 engine, but I guess not unheard of. It doesn't have a timing belt that should need replacement, it has a timing chain.
 
Are you having trouble with it? Why did you take it to the dealer? Was it for routine maintenance?

If you were having issues with it running or driving right, have you noticed is consuming more oil than usual? Has it lost any coolant? If the answer to the last two questions is no, then I'd be suspect of the dealers diagnosis.

BTW I have a 2014 Legacy 2.5 with just over 150k and none of those issues.
 
Are you having trouble with it? Why did you take it to the dealer? Was it for routine maintenance?

If you were having issues with it running or driving right, have you noticed is consuming more oil than usual? Has it lost any coolant? If the answer to the last two questions is no, then I'd be suspect of the dealers diagnosis.

BTW I have a 2014 Legacy 2.5 with just over 150k and none of those issues.
No, not having issues. Mentioned to Pep Boys service and they said they would put some dye in the system and track that. So, going back in a couple of weeks to check it out. They have no skin in the game as they wouldn't do any of the work.
 
Abscam, the job of the head gasket is to keep the combustion gases inside the combustion chamber. If the head gasket fails, combustion gases can escape and be forced into the cooling system and cause overheating. Coolant in the engine's combustion chamber can leak past the rings into the sump and can turn the oil into a milky goo as Bmart stated. There is not enough room to pull the cylinder heads off while the motor is in the car, because the frame rails are in the way. So, You are right, the engine must be removed to replace the head gaskets.
Since your car is more than 10 years old, I would not recommend the dealer. The Deaker is probably the most expensive, but there are independent shops that can do it for less money. The boxer 4-cylinder engine has two head gaskets, and it would be a good practice to have them both replaced at the same time, even if it is only leaking on the driver's side. This is because most of the cost is in labor. Pep Boys made a good recommendation, since you want to be sure there is a problem with the headgasket(s).
Did you have an over-heating event? There is usually something that happens to cause a problem with the factory headgaskets.
Generally, most cars, including Subaru, do not have an issue with head gaskets until the mileage is a lot higher. Even if you do not plan to do the job yourself, you can learn a lot from a YouTube video such as this one:
 
Still confused here. You say in your first post that the dealer told you there was an internal leak but somehow Pep Boys is now involved? Did you take it there for a second opinion? If so, it is always a good idea to get a second opinion, but I would recommend getting it from a certified mechanic, not a parts salesman. But at least the dye will tell you if combustion gasses are getting into the coolant.

If you are not losing enough coolant to be noticeable, but it fails the dye test, go to the Subaru dealer and get a bottle of coolant system conditioner. It will stop very small leaks and is safe for your cooling system. This is not a "head gasket repair" in a bottle which will ruin your cooling system and engine.

But at 92k miles and 11 years, you are due for a coolant service so do that first. All you need is a drain and refill with Subaru coolant. Do not allow the dealer or shop to do a flush of the system, that often does more harm than good, depending on how it is done. A coolant exchange type of flush at the dealer generally is safe but unnecessary. Other types of flushes are not safe or effective.

At the drain and fill, add the conditioner.

If you start losing a lot of coolant, like say a quart a week, overheat or have other issues and a diagnostics is done by a mechanic determines that you do need head gaskets, then get a quote from the dealer. They do quite a few of these on older Subarus so know how to do it right. Often their price is very competitive with local independents, but do get more than one quote. Also get recommendations on any independent and make sure they have a good reputation and have experience with Subarus. I'm just saying don't automatically rule out the dealer just because someone else you don't even know says they will be way overpriced because it ain't always so. Just do good business here as car repair is a business transaction and you don't need to be an expert on cars, just follow good business practices.
 
Appreciate the guidance. The dealer made this recommendation about two years ago. Didn’t seem right so I didn’t act. The pep boys guy has been a trusted advisor on three cars of ours. Not pushing services. Brought car in for a leaking tire and mentioned the recommended service by the dealer and he thought it odd and recommended the dye to check things further. They don’t provide head gasket service, so he isn’t in it for the money.
 
Shops, dealers more than any of them, generally make a lot of money on certain jobs...sometimes they don't even do them. Brakes are a common one. Just remember, problem before solution. Find out what, if anything, you have going on. I've had many places tell me I needed brakes badly...usually right after I serviced them..myself, so everything was new. Educate yourself and make great decisions. :cool:
 
I hope the dealer didn't recommend changing the timing belt on your FB25 engine. From what I know head gasket failures on this engine are hardly any more common than other inline or V engines.

What unfortunately is common is for the cam carrier seals to leak. They're not really gaskets, but seals - RTV sealant. I've heard it's usually more like a seep, rather than a leak. Unless it's leaking onto a sensor, there may not be an immediate need to reseal them. But of course that requires the engine to be removed.

Also that the dealer mentioned an internal leak and head gaskets - as bmart said a head gasket leak should be to the outside. The 1st generation EJ25 engines in the mid-late 90s typically had head gasket failures, but those were worse as it was an internal leak and was more of an urgent situation to repair.
 

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