

If you notice a thick cloud of white smoke out of the exhaust that persists after initial startup, you probably have a head gasket leak. If your engine starts to overheat, pull over to let it cool down for a bit before you continue driving.Īn overheated engine could cause more engine damage and a more expensive repair bill. One of the telltale symptoms of a head gasket leak is an overheating engine. This issue is common on second generation Outbacks, as those leaks tend to be internal. Many Subaru cooling systems route their heater core in such a way that the heater will blow cold air when you have air in the heater core.Īssuming the cooling system was bled correctly, air in the heater core is almost always caused by a head gasket leak. You may notice oil leaks between the head and the block of the engine. On first generation Outbacks and second generation Legacy models, the gaskets tend to leak externally. 1) Oil LeakĪ blown head gasket can manifest in several ways. Many symptoms of a head gasket leak on a Subaru are very similar to head gasket leaks on other vehicles. Symptoms of a Subaru Head Gasket Leak The black carbon deposit on the bottom of cylinder #4 (right) is a textbook symptom of a head gasket leak. They are also rare on the turbo models such as the turbo Baja, Impreza WRX, and Impreza WRX STI. Head gasket failures are less common on the Subaru 3.0 and 3.6 L H6 models like the Tribeca. The naturally aspirated EJ25 engine was used across Subaru’s lineup and can be found in the non-turbo Baja, Forester, Impreza, Legacy, and Outback. However, DOHC engines produced between 19 have also been known to leak. The SOHC motors can be identified by their single circular indent on each side of the engine.

The single overhead camshaft (SOHC) variant experiences failures much more frequently than the dual overhead camshaft design (DOHC). The most common engine to have head gasket failures is the naturally aspirated (non turbo) Subaru 2.5 L four cylinder engine, commonly known as the EJ25 motor. The main problem years are 1996 through 2004.

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