Help diagnosing Subaru

[ViPER1313]

In the future, to save yourself a lot of time and money having dealerships attempt to diagnose a failed head gasket, buy one of these if you want to diagnose it

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0007ZDRU...ref=plSrch

This is the most foolproof method of diagnosing a failed HG in my opinion, and I can verify that the kit does work and give a very clear color change when combustion gasses are present in the cooling loop.

[D_Eclipse9916]

^ill check that. Interestingly enough Navin put me in contact with a guy at MachV and he said the HG was failing. "#1 pic top right from cylinder to water jacket burn mark where it's leaking".

If Deren verified it's a headgasket then it was. No question about it.

Clean it up, put it back together and then move forward. Playing this "what if" game is detrimental to your mental health when there is zero you can do about it until the motor is back together.

[ispoonwithmugen]

Well I guess I'm going to put it back together. Would you all even bother getting it pressure tested? I'd prefer not have to take apart the heads if I don't need to.

Another predicament I got myself into was I removed the Cam Sprocket off one of the heads while tearing it down. Doesn't that have to be aligned a certain way for the timing or am I thinking wrong here? Tried doing some digging online and couldn't find much of anything.

[ViPER1313]

There is normally a pin or a directional mark to align them.

[D_Eclipse9916]

Well I guess I'm going to put it back together. Would you all even bother getting it pressure tested? I'd prefer not have to take apart the heads if I don't need to.

Another predicament I got myself into was I removed the Cam Sprocket off one of the heads while tearing it down. Doesn't that have to be aligned a certain way for the timing or am I thinking wrong here? Tried doing some digging online and couldn't find much of anything.

I always get mine pressure tested, its usually only an additional $75.

[ispoonwithmugen]

Well tests came back bad. Two valves are leaking pretty bad. This guy builds Drag/Race motors and still isn't convinced it's the HG either. He says his bet is on a sensor or loose connection. So now we need to pony up a grand total of $700 or so to get this stupid thing running...I'm trying to save some $ here and buy a kit for him to reseal the valves. Does this look like it has everything? Should I even care about the STI HG if we're about to sell this thing? I can't find shit in there description.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://www.amazon.com/Fel-Pro-Hs26170Pt1-Head-Gasket-Set/dp/B000C2AISU">https://www.amazon.com/Fel-Pro-Hs26170P ... B000C2AISU</a><!-- m -->
or should I buy these
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.partsgeek.com/gbproducts/MC/345-07024165.html?utm_content=MC&utm_term=1998-2012+Subaru+Forester+Valve+Stem+Seal+Kit+Felpro+98-12+Subaru+Valve+Stem+Seal+Kit+2008+2007&utm_source=google&utm_medium=ff&utm_campaign=PartsGeek+Google+Base&gclid=Cj0KCQjw557NBRC9ARIsAHJvVVOQ6x1Qk0oZhi9zmCWnKDvxDGSwAnpXxRxw4ESLVvrXapTXRvMHlAkaAmEFEALw_wcB&ad=47433970452">http://www.partsgeek.com/gbproducts/MC/ ... 7433970452</a><!-- m -->
and get the other kit plus an STI HG?

It sucks because she is wayyyyy past her budget here and doesn't have much to go on. All of this time, effort and money and it's probably still not going to run right.
/rant

[ViPER1313]

How much is a head on car-part.com? Junk yard a used one. Fuck getting it rebuilt.

[ispoonwithmugen]

How much is a head on car-part.com? Junk yard a used one. Fuck getting it rebuilt.

Probably not that much but after all this work it seems pointless to just grab a junk one, especially given the likelihood that a junk motor had HG issues/potentially overheated. We already have to pay the machine shop $200 for the resurfacing/pressure test. It's only another $250 for them to redo the valves and I already need to get a gasket kit regardless.

[JPolen01]

How have you not lit this thing on fire and filed an insurance claim yet?

[ispoonwithmugen]

How have you not lit this thing on fire and filed an insurance claim yet?

100% would have if there was even one chance of getting away with it... This has been the biggest PITA.

[ispoonwithmugen]

Well finished things up yesterday. Things done include:
- new timing belt
- new water pump
- machined heads
- redone valve seals
- new idler pulleys
- new gaskets for everything taken apart
- new timing belt tensioner
- new head gasket
- new rear 02 sensor
- new plugs

THEN today I get two cylinder misfires again.... so 
- new plug wires
- new ignition coil pack

About to take it for a 30 mile round trip to ensure everything is back to normal. This thing is essentially brand new at this point

[Senor_Taylor]

Great job on getting it all done! Not sure how you found the time. So I guess you're going to keep it for a while?

[ispoonwithmugen]

Lol JK. Now throwing a P0420 - Catalytic Converter Efficiency Below Threshold. I've already replaced one 02 sensor and the cats been replaced within 5k miles.

And yeah many late nights were had (that I'd prefer spending otherwise). Definitely going to keep it now that we have ~$1,000 in parts into this dumb ass thing.

[ScottyB]

did you ever look into the injectors? i can't remember if it was mentioned. P0420 would be a rich condition i think? where the pistons or valves pretty carboned up?

[ViPER1313]

Did you set the timing correct when you put the belt on? 2 cylinder misfire + rich condition may be that the belt is off by a couple teeth.

[ispoonwithmugen]

Did you set the timing correct when you put the belt on? 2 cylinder misfire + rich condition may be that the belt is off by a couple teeth.

Yep. Had to remove it after the faulty timing belt tensioner and went through two revolutions to ensure it was on.

did you ever look into the injectors?  i can't remember if it was mentioned.  P0420 would be a rich condition i think?  where the pistons or valves pretty carboned up?

No. I guess I should. At this point we should've just gotten a damn crate motor. I need to look into PO420 but I don't think it puts it in limp mode like the misfires did. The pistons and valves weren't too bad at all. I need to see which 02 sensor I replaced (I think it was the rear and if so then the front does probably need to be changed).

[.RJ]

I would be surprised if a rear O2 caused that code. Its only job is to reference the front O2 to make sure the cats are doing their job.

But, the code just says the mixture is out of whack, not that the o2 is bad....

[Senor_Taylor]

Po420 would be the front 02 sensor most likely if it is a sensor.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

[ispoonwithmugen]

Po420 would be the front 02 sensor most likely if it is a sensor.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

Yeah it would be the front 02.

I would be surprised if a rear O2 caused that code.  Its only job is to reference the front O2 to make sure the cats are doing their job.

But, the code just says the mixture is out of whack, not that the o2 is bad....

Nope. It would be the front and from our paperwork an independent shop told us the rear was bad so I had already replaced that one. I think it's one of three things: 1) Front 02 is bad 2) some exhaust leak between head and front 02 (don't think so, I just put new gaskets on that thing) and 3) some other issue like the injectors or something.