2003 Outback headgasket
Asked by Caddea1 Jun 03, 2018 at 08:01 PM about the 2003 Subaru Outback Limited Wagon
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
2003 Outback w/120K miles. Seller says it needs
head gaskets replaced about how much would this
cost and where is a good place on the MA/RI
border. Can I drive it 100 miles from NH without
risk of damaging the engine?
3 Answers
No you stand the chance of warping the head(s) cause it will most likely overheat you may also cause damage the valves and or completely destroy the head making the outback useless.
Get a price from a local Subaru shop before buying it. I hope they are not asking more than $500.
TheSubaruGuruBoston answered 5 years ago
Oy. Find out if the motor is OVERHEATING, or just bleeding coolant and/or oil when running. If only the latter, you can most probably drive it for an hour...or possibly even a YEAR...by just topping off fluids as necessary. Full HG reseal will cost $1.5-1.8k max at a good Subie indie. This cost MUST include $150 or so to send the heads out to a machine shop to assure flatness and lack of cracks (pressure-testing). Note that all 2000-2004 era Legacys and Outbacks suffer from terminal corrosion in both rear quarter-panels. Be VERY careful to investigate the wheel wells and lower rocker panel junctures at the rear door openings before accepting this chariot...even if it's free! And check that old 4EAT to ensure that its ATF is clean (there's a dipstick), shifts correctly, and doesn't have more than a one-two second lag between shifting and engaging D or R. These are relics my clients now donate to charity...NOT offer for resale!
