I haven't worked on Subaru's other than maintenance but have heard they have some head gasket issues. Particularly the 2.5 that seemed to be in everything. Subaru is on my list of possiblities to pursue for my next enjoyable car. Anything to watch or avoid? Should I avoid the 2.5 all together? Have you owned one? I'd love some feedback.
Subaru head gasket concerns
- Thread starter ram_man
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extremely broad question
turbo or non turbo, what years we talking about.
There at a min 4 separate 2.5L engines used.
They all had separate issues.
report back with at least a range of years and the particular subaru model you are interested in.
Also need price range
it really depends on the car too a boy tuner specimin could self destruct. vs something that was treated with respect and not running a super hot canned tune.
turbo or non turbo, what years we talking about.
There at a min 4 separate 2.5L engines used.
They all had separate issues.
report back with at least a range of years and the particular subaru model you are interested in.
Also need price range
it really depends on the car too a boy tuner specimin could self destruct. vs something that was treated with respect and not running a super hot canned tune.
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JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
What do you mean by enjoyable?
We've had many in the family and I owned 3 different models from 2012-2016.
They're safe, well thought out in terms of visibility and driving dynamics. I guess you can get them optioned such that they're more enjoyable.
We've had many in the family and I owned 3 different models from 2012-2016.
They're safe, well thought out in terms of visibility and driving dynamics. I guess you can get them optioned such that they're more enjoyable.
The FA and FB are supposed to be much better in terms of the head gaskets, and they have a timing chain instead of a stupid timing belt.
There is a 2.5L FB, and there is nothing wrong with it. Very early ones burned oil, but they had the short blocks replaced under warranty, and now that problem is gone. The FB25 is a good engine. Subaru started using it in the Forester staring with 2011 (non-turbo only); the turbo Forester XT got the turbo FA20F from 2014. The regular Impreza got the FB from 2012 (but the WRX not until 2015, but even then, not the STI, which still uses the old EJ). The Legacy/Outback was the last to switch over, starting in 2013.
Direct injection was only added recently. So people that are afraid of TGDI should like the Subarus from the first half of the decade: timing chain, no more head gasket problems, no DI. The 2011-13 Forester should be particularly popular with the BITOG crowd, since it still had the 4-speed auto (no CVT until 2014 for the Forester, although the other Subarus got the CVT during the EJ-to-FB switchover).
The FA turbos finally use equal length headers, so they shouldn't sound like a 60s Beetle about to fall apart like most turbo Subarus do. The turbo EJ, of course, used unequal length headers (except some JDM versions). All non-turbo Subarus are equal length (at least from the factory!)
Fel-Pro came out with redesigned head gaskets a few years ago for the EJ that are supposed to finally eliminate the famous head gasket issues for good
There is a 2.5L FB, and there is nothing wrong with it. Very early ones burned oil, but they had the short blocks replaced under warranty, and now that problem is gone. The FB25 is a good engine. Subaru started using it in the Forester staring with 2011 (non-turbo only); the turbo Forester XT got the turbo FA20F from 2014. The regular Impreza got the FB from 2012 (but the WRX not until 2015, but even then, not the STI, which still uses the old EJ). The Legacy/Outback was the last to switch over, starting in 2013.
Direct injection was only added recently. So people that are afraid of TGDI should like the Subarus from the first half of the decade: timing chain, no more head gasket problems, no DI. The 2011-13 Forester should be particularly popular with the BITOG crowd, since it still had the 4-speed auto (no CVT until 2014 for the Forester, although the other Subarus got the CVT during the EJ-to-FB switchover).
The FA turbos finally use equal length headers, so they shouldn't sound like a 60s Beetle about to fall apart like most turbo Subarus do. The turbo EJ, of course, used unequal length headers (except some JDM versions). All non-turbo Subarus are equal length (at least from the factory!)
Fel-Pro came out with redesigned head gaskets a few years ago for the EJ that are supposed to finally eliminate the famous head gasket issues for good
No problem with the FB 2.5 from 2014 on
To be fair, Subaru (and/or loyalists) have been claiming the head gasket problem has been put to rest since the early 2000's. I think they are getting better over time, but still maybe higher HG failure rate than normal. The open-deck designs were most prone, with the semi-open deck (mostly turbo models) were better and the old turbo full-closed deck designs were the strongest.
Subaru also took some heat for ringland failures on their turbo engines for some time. The 2.5 engines put out a decade or so ago that ate several quarts of oil every 1k were also a huge blunder.
I owned several Subarus and both had leaking HG eventually. Great cars in terms of performance and all else, but they've always been a bit behind what one could expect from Toyota 4 cylinder engines. I would be all over an AWD Subaru with a Toyota 4 banger in there instead of the Boxer. Much easier to work on! I always hated working on those flat 4 wheel well pushers.
Subaru also took some heat for ringland failures on their turbo engines for some time. The 2.5 engines put out a decade or so ago that ate several quarts of oil every 1k were also a huge blunder.
I owned several Subarus and both had leaking HG eventually. Great cars in terms of performance and all else, but they've always been a bit behind what one could expect from Toyota 4 cylinder engines. I would be all over an AWD Subaru with a Toyota 4 banger in there instead of the Boxer. Much easier to work on! I always hated working on those flat 4 wheel well pushers.
AutoMechanic
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I heard the older ones had a problem but the new ones do not.
That's been said every couple of years for the last 20 years. LOL
If they start putting out N/A engines that routinely hit 300,000 miles without HG issues, then I will personally declare it fixed. Although, my 1990 Legacy ran with a HG issue for 100,000+ miles and I never fixed it even when it was sold for cheap to someone while still running. Just needed air bled from the cooling system every couple of weeks or after a long drive.
AutoMechanic
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LOL. Yeah my neighbor had one that was a 2000 model he just got tired of fixing it including the head gasket so he sold it to my friend who flips cars he flipped it and sold it to a single mom for ultra cheap I think $800 he paid $500 for it.
OK you guys with the 20 or 30 year old car knowledge. I don’t know what else to say. The guy still driving his 2015 Crosstrek with over 1,000,000 miles on it since he bought it new, had reached 300,000 miles in his first 18 months of ownership.
That's the other kick to the gut. The fixed head gaskets would often fail again no matter what, especially if the heads were surfaced with a rotary tool and a wrench ape ruining a surface more than it was to begin with. Even with doing it properly for a flat surface on the heads, they would still fail with the stronger metal sandwiched HG. After 2+ HG jobs, everything is below the tolerance threshold and new heads have to be purchased.
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I have a 17 OB with 3.6 only 86k miles so far but no issues. When I was researching I read a lot about the HG issues and oil burners. This was a few years ago but I believe I read that it was Porche engineers who came up with the HG solution for Subaru. If anyone has further on that please post it.
AutoMechanic
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Yeah lol he had all his work done at Firestone so who knows what they did probably scratched it all up.
it's also about how Subaru handled those head gaskets. Instead of honoring the warranty to replace them, they added stop leak with every coolant change. Subaru Coolant Conditioner is Holts Radweld.
Subaru should really consider using pushrods again. That would make the engines much narrower. A wide engine in a narrow car is no good. You may have seen a pushrod vs DOHC picture, article, or video showing the difference in size between a pushrod V8 vs DOHC. Well, same thing for the width of a boxer.
Even SOHC would be an improvement. At least SOHC spark plugs are easier to do than a DOHC boxer.
2012 Outback EJ253 non turbo, 44K. The owner was 94 years old and drives it easy and has had religious dealer maintenance, blown HG and rod knock. Doing a rebuild.
it’s not that hard.....
99% of cars aren’t designed for ease of service, they’re designed for function. subaru isn’t gonna make performance compromises to satisfy some random tech
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He's looking for a fun car, not some old lady grocery getter.
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