need help with head gasket....

[evolutionmovement]

Wow, those are like Audi times. I guess HGs are the jobs that make up for the losing ones.

[H4_Deucer]

Subaru was easy work, I got paid $12 per flat rate hour and made the same paycheck as I am now at $18 per flat rate hour working for Hyundai. If I could, I would go back to Subaru, its just that shops are far and few between.

[RedDevil-90]

Ok then, now I have a little more info to go on. One last thing... what's a brief list of parts that should be replaced in a standard head gasket job? It'd be good to check against what the mechanic is going to replace. Thanks guys.

[evolutionmovement]

Timing belt, water pump, maybe the tensioner if they haven't been done. Some people say the oil pump, too, but I'd save the money unless you have over a quarter million on it, then, I'd MAYBE do it.

[H4_Deucer]

2 Head gaskets
2 intake manifold gaskets
2 exhaust manifold gaskets
2 valve cover gaskets
6 valve cover bolt grommets
1 oil filler o-ring
1 oil filter
1 thermostat and gasket
1 gallon of coolant
oil
1 timing belt
2 v-belts
1 crank seal
2 cam seals
and possibly it might need the heads resurfaced and t-belt tensioner replaced, you wont know that till you get in there.
Both the dealerships I worked at never changed water pumps or oil pumps with HG jobs, I had less than a handfull of failed water pumps that all they did was just leak, and I never saw a failed oil pump from fatigue, I did however find ones where the screws on the back would start to back out.

[evolutionmovement]

I had a water pump fail. And a tensioner. Water pump didn't even have two timing belt intervals on it, so I always change them and the tensioner every other time. My oil pump at 250k still looked good, but I didn't measure the tolerances or anything.

[H4_Deucer]

The newer timing belt tensioners on the 2.5 will almost always need to be changed, you can look and it will be dry but there is marks all around the base where it has been slapping. You will put it on and start it up and the car will knock real loud when cold. Did your water pump seize or leak, I have never seen one that seized up on a Subaru, seen plenty on the GM brand though.

[Legacy777]

Just curious.....on the longer route are you continually moving or is it stop and go?

The brake light coming on could be due to being low on brake fluid or an alternator/electrical issue. I'd suggest looking at that before getting too far with anything else.

Also, both fans should go on at the same time. There is a little jumper connector behind/around the passenger side light that when connected/jumpered will cause both fans to come on at the same time.

[evolutionmovement]

I know at some point I've seen a sheared off water pump pulley from a seizure, but I can't remember if it was mine or not (about 10 years ago). The only thing I remember about mine going was it overheating at a red light and then having it towed. I THINK it might have been mine that seized and broke, but that could've been someone on the board, as well. I do remember that it had been leaking from the weep hole for a little while prior.

[mrmcq]

The longer trip home is mostly steady driving. I will have to look into the jumper thing. And maybe get the alternator checked as well.