Hi all.

I just rebuilt the head after a timing belt failure and after putting it all together the timing chain tensioner was making a racket. Thought I'd let it run for a few minutes to see if it built up pressure but after about 5 min engine stalled and when cranking sounded like timing belt out again. So tear it apart again. Also I had an issue installing the head and messed up the head gasket and it was squirting coolant between the head and the block on the drivers side after about 2 min of running.

I just got done taking it apart. There was no oil in the head other then then oil I had put in when assembling the head. Looks like a bent at least 1 exhast valve too!

Any ideas what could cause no oil to get into the head? I didn't see a low oil pressure light on the dash so I assue where ever the oil pressure sensor is it is reading good oil pressure. Could the bad head gasket have caused this? You would think at least some oil would have made it into the head.

I appreciate the help.

I guess on the bright side it only took me 2.5 hours to take the head off this time!

 

Well, did you set the timing right for 1? Thats the only thing causing that bent valve. Your oil pump/ pickup may be clogged. Your tensioner may be bad because its not getting enough oil. Did you have the head decked?

WHY did you let your car run for 5 minutes with a chattering chain? You know it doesn't take 5 minutes for oil to get up to the head. But im going with oil starvation killing it.

 

Not sure, but can you put that head gasket on backwards? That would account for the coolant squirting all over and the oil passages being blocked. It doesn't account for the bent valve though.

 

I dont htink the gasket can be put on backwards because it would align with the pins. Alos, just looked at one and it cant be flipped on it shouldnt fit.

 

OK. They can go on backwards on the Subaru 2.5. Ask me how I know.....

 

I hear thats one of the worse head gasket problematic engines, and a pain in the dick to get at. Some dumb **** told me once it was impossible to change a forester head gasket because subaru doesnt want you to.

 

True. Between about 96 and 2001 they all blow at least one gasket after about 100,000 miles.

Me and a couple friends buy 'em and flip 'em. They aren't hard to change at all, after you pull the motor. The three of us can have the motor out in about 2 hours on a Sat, have the head shaved during the week, then pop it back in the next Sat.

 

Yea, the ones i see for sale are usually a head gasket blown. I know you need to pull the engine, but at least subi made that job one of the easiest in any car I have worked on.

What is the exact problem? Cheap materials? Bad design?

 

Single layer gasket. They thought it would work with this coating they put around the edges of the cylinders and the other passages. It didn't. Sometimes if the warpage is less than .0002, we don't even deck 'em. You always replace them with the "improved" gasket which is a multi-layer.

 

After taking the cam's out noticed cam journals (I think that is what they are called - it is the machined part that guides the cam on the head) are scarred and digned up on one of them. I'm guessing lack of oil pressure created this. I doubt that is something that can be machined out. Looks like the head is done for. Not sure I want to invest in a new head not knowing what is causing my oil pressure issue. Engine has 100K on it. Should I just spring for a new engine? What is a good source? Thanks.