2.5 head gasket leak - use stop leak?

L

Legacy22GT

New member
Hi guys,

I just picked up a '98 outback, it's of course got the 2.5 with bad head gaskets.

the price was too good to pass up..

anyways, 228,000 miles (plenty more to go)

the guy i bought it off of loaded it up with a copious amount of stop leak, which seemed to have worked... sort of.

It isn't overheating, but it does require me to add a bit of coolant after each trip (not much, but still)

The coolant isn't going into the oil, it's being burned in the cylinder i think.

Has he done irreversable damage by using the stop leak? will i need to replace the radiator when i do the gasket job?

how long can i drive it by just refilling the coolant?

have any of you done something similar before?

Thanks!

 
stop leak is just nasty stuff, id prob say bite the bullet and swap the hg and do a few flushes to get that crap out

 
I plan on doing the head gaskets, i was wondering if i shouldn't be driving the outback with the stop leak in it?

also, does anyone know where i can get a head gasket and bolt set cheaply?

The last time i priced it out it was 250 for the hg set and 140 for both head bolt sets.

 
you can reuse the bolt set, there tech "one time" use but i know people that always just reuse them, napa has a good hg if you go that route. i wouldnt drive it if its burning coolant and if its got a ton of that stop leak in it i would imagine its not good for it.

 
Change head gasket, full cooling system with water, run til hot, drain repeat x2 to get that crap out

 
I have a 96 2.5 with good head gaskets that needs timing belt and oil seals replaced. It's still in the car right now, but I was asking $400 for the complete motor!

Just thought I'd throw it out there if you didn't want as much down time.

Also, if you do the head gaskets, only use MLS updated Subaru head gaskets.

 
Thanks for the info and opinions,

Bratman, how many miles on that 2.5?

will it need hg's at some point?

and what is the MLS hg's?

the last hg job i did i got the set from Autopart intl. in augusta,

i think it was felpro(?)

Thanks everyone!

 
It has 153k on it, so pretty low miles. The head gaskets have been replaced some time ago, and they look like MLS gaskets so they should be good. MLS stands for multi layer steel. Not sure of the Felpro ones are MLS or not. I don't think they used to be, but they may have gotten better. You should get the updated ones from Subaru, or there is a company that makes them, I think they are 5 star or something like that.

 
How bout the subaru coolant additive? Anyone use? Its basically like stop leak. I have used it on a 2.5sohc and seen slow external coolant leak stopped.

But yes sounds inevitable, replace head gaskets. I re use head bolts all time and as long as when you torque them the dont turn easy at final torque (stretch) than they will be fine.

 
blmpkn said:
Did you get this outback in gray?(town)
Click to expand...
I got it in Alna.

jaKe said:
How bout the subaru coolant additive? Anyone use? Its basically like stop leak. I have used it on a 2.5sohc and seen slow external coolant leak stopped.

But yes sounds inevitable, replace head gaskets. I re use head bolts all time and as long as when you torque them the dont turn easy at final torque (stretch) than they will be fine.
Click to expand...
I can re-use the head bolts?

What do you mean by "don't turn easy at final"

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Ok so if you re use head bolts, ok IMO, when torque they should feel "tight" or turn hard right to final movement. If as you tighten the feel like turn easier then you are feeling them stretch and then you have to replace. But I have only had this problem with high mileage vw's.

 
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