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Wagons Subaru Crew Subaru Forester Subaru Forester Maintenance & Repair Forester - Headgasket Repair & Engine Rebuild
97 messages, Last post on Jun 24, 2009 at 6:36 PM
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98 Forester, 104,500 miles. It seems worth it to rebuild engine but really would like opinions. I'm nervous about future breakdowns of other parts. No major problems before this. Car runs tight, no weird shifts, clangs, wobbles, noises. Body in good shape. Been rearended 2x at low speed, but frame OK. Front windshield cracked 2x and replaced; power steering pump replaced. Preventative replacement of water pump and timing belt at 60K big service. Head gasket blew 75 miles from home. Stopped as soon as temp rose and found ugly oily bubbly in coolant overflow. Local shop flushed radiator, new thermostat, etc. did not fix overheating. Pressure test showed head gasket problem. Towed car back home to my mechanic as I am AAA Plus member (100 miles free). My trusted mechanic says rebuild your engine, oil and coolant mixed in engine so head gasket repair won't be enough. Rebuilding my engine costs $3100, includes 3 yr unlimited mileage guarantee. Labor $1400. Includes new water pump, new seals/gaskets, new oil pump, new timing belt, new rings, new cam bearings, regrind valves, recycle bloc and cylinder heads. Tradein value seems low $3600, used car prices around $4500-5000. I bought Subaru expecting 200K so upset at this major engine flaw. Prefer not to buy new car, but am liking Honda Element. Opinions/experiences on rebuilding your engines would be greatly appreciated!"> 
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Replying to: chien (Dec 09, 2007 12:02 pm) If the body is good, I would do the repair, especially with the waranty - you also seem to be getting more work done than I had to do, so I can't comment on the price. It may be a closer call with your costs and the value of the car. There are others in this forum that are better on the mechanical and cost issues! 98_incuse |
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Replying to: chien (Dec 09, 2007 12:02 pm) It does seem a shame to give up on an otherwise good vehicle and unfortunate that the headgasket failed in the worse possible way. I had a Nissan that developed a head gasket leak but the leak was external so was cheaper to repair. Unfortunately, headgasket failures is the biggest issue with your model year. By nay chance did you get the coolant conditioner added? FYI, I believe that Juice sold his 98 Forester this past summer for $5k. -Frank |
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Replying to: chien (Dec 09, 2007 12:02 pm) |
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Replying to: p0926 (Dec 11, 2007 7:55 am) |
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Replying to: p0926 (Dec 11, 2007 7:55 am) The coolant conditioner was for the 99 engine which was a SOHC vs my engine, a DOHC. I never got any notification from Subaru about it. The sale prices for a running car are $4-5K. My car is not what I would call "running", so I guess it's value is $0. It goes for 5 - 10 miles before overheating. Some might try to trade it in without mentioning the head gasket but I just can't do that. I'm mad at Subaru for ignoring this, so my next car will not be a Subaru -- probably a Honda. I'm not sure if the oil was drained but the first mechanic I had the car at did a pressure test after trying the radiator flush/new thermostat route. I had checked the oil before leaving on my trip and the oil on the dipstick was brown not black. I didn't realize what I was looking at but my trusted mechanic says that indicated that oil and coolant had mixed in the engine and compromised the bearings. He'll have a closer look before the rebuild starts. I thought a lot about getting a new car (Honda Element springs to mind and I got quotes from CarsDirect and others) but I decided to make that $5K bet that I could keep the Sub running at least 3 more years as everything else on the car seems in good running condition. Personally, I hate throwing away stuff that still has use in it. Would love a new car but that would cost $23-25K and I don't want to buy on payments or lease. This was not an easy decision to make and it still depends on what my mechanic finds when he pulls the engine. I'll know soon! Thanks for your input!
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Replying to: chien (Dec 12, 2007 3:51 pm)
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Replying to: ateixeira (Dec 13, 2007 8:29 am)  -mike |
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Hi all -- re: the DOHC engine flaw causing blown head gasket. I ended up getting my blown engine rebuilt. Not an engine swap but my original engine rebuilt, with new rings, new water pump, new timing belt etc. I really wanted a Honda Element, but this was $5K vs $25K. I am the original owner. The body is still good and the car mechanically well-maintained, so I felt it was the most practical solution. My mechanic used a shop and person he absolutely trusted, and he is hard man to please. It took a 5 weeks because of end-of-year supply problems, but I got it back in late January and it runs really well. I also replaced the cassette player with a CD player and had the car detailed inside and out, so it would feel like new. My mechanic told me to let it warm up for a few minutes before taking off so the aluminum parts and steel parts were near the same temp. So far, so good. Everything runs smoothly and there are no new noises,weird engine shifts, or temperature issues. I'm taking it in soon for a 1,000 mile oil change as the engine is "new" still. I do smell a slight burning odor at the end of the day when I garage it, but it is slight. This may not be the best solution for everybody, but for me, who hates throwing away good things, it was. I figured it was an unacknowledged (by Subaru) engine design flaw. A rebuilt could make the engine go another 50-100K (I hope) which for me, means another 5-10 years as I don't drive more than 10K/yr. I also have a long-term relationship with a trusted mechanic who has maintained this car from Day 1. He did not push me to rebuild the engine because he knew it was a lot of money and a big decision, but I know he also likes to keep cars on the street for as long as possible. Most of the cost was for the rebuild itself. There is a 3 year warranty on the engine, parts and labor. I loved my Subaru before this, and hope to regain that love and trust after a few more miles!
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Replying to: chien (Mar 12, 2008 2:50 pm) When I purchased my first Subaru, I had several problems that made me want to tear out my hair. I flatly declared that I was going to sell that car and never buy another Subaru. I, like you, decided that it was cheaper to keep the car I had than to buy something else. I am quite glad I did. Even though that car took more than a little of my blood and tears over the years, it turned out to be a fantastic machine. All told, my ownership experience with it was quite rewarding. |
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