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  #16  
Old 10-18-2008, 08:08 PM
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Re: Considering a 1997 Legacy 2.5GT

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Originally Posted by benebob View Post
I'd also walk away unless it has an LSD.
Ben, we both know they don't have LSDs.


















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  #17  
Old 10-18-2008, 08:10 PM
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Re: Considering a 1997 Legacy 2.5GT

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Ben, we both know they don't have LSDs.




















Dude! He's a cop exnay on the LSDa!
Sorry Subaru's LSD.
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  #18  
Old 10-18-2008, 09:17 PM
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Re: Considering a 1997 Legacy 2.5GT

the early 2.5l were a crap shoot... Most of them puke their HG's within the first 100k miles. I just bought a 98 Forester w/ a 2.5 DOHC w/ 200k on the clock. Asked the PO if he or his father ever did the head gaskets, which the response was a prompt, no. Now the engine had shown no signs of HG issues... but I plan on making this car reliable. So I pulled the motor, rebuilt the heads, and did a full engine seal for piece of mind. I would expect to do this within a short time of ownership if you would like some reliability out of that engine. Also something typical is skirt slap out of those motors... I have no idea what possessed Subaru to make their piston clearances so large, but as long as you are easy on the engine while it is cold, it should not cause major issues. I love my 2.5, its peppy and I am trusting it to make a 7500mile x-country trip w/ over 200k on the clock

Tom
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  #19  
Old 10-19-2008, 09:34 AM
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Re: Considering a 1997 Legacy 2.5GT

Of the 6 Subaru's I've owned, only 2 have had the 2.5L. The 2000 Forester which had 125K on it with zero issues, and the 2007 Forester that replaced it. I never had any issues with any of the 2.2's.
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  #20  
Old 10-19-2008, 12:06 PM
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Re: Considering a 1997 Legacy 2.5GT

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Of the 6 Subaru's I've owned, only 2 have had the 2.5L. The 2000 Forester which had 125K on it with zero issues, and the 2007 Forester that replaced it. I never had any issues with any of the 2.2's.
Woo then I'll give you a heck of a deal on a 03 GT 5 speed cream puff wagon with all of 35k on the odo. Just needs another transmission (3rd one!), some new cats, a clutch that isn't a cycle slipper clutch set up, 1/2 the body panels put on by someone with at least 1 good eye and a repaint where the clearcoat has been peeling since new. GM quality at its height in 83!

The Forester engines seem to fair better in terms of HG issues though still quite a high percentage.
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  #21  
Old 10-19-2008, 12:45 PM
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Re: Considering a 1997 Legacy 2.5GT

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Originally Posted by benebob View Post
Woo then I'll give you a heck of a deal on a 03 GT 5 speed cream puff wagon with all of 35k on the odo. Just needs another transmission (3rd one!), some new cats, a clutch that isn't a cycle slipper clutch set up, 1/2 the body panels put on by someone with at least 1 good eye and a repaint where the clearcoat has been peeling since new. GM quality at its height in 83!

The Forester engines seem to fair better in terms of HG issues though still quite a high percentage.
Forester and Legacy engines are the same

Tom
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  #22  
Old 10-19-2008, 03:00 PM
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Re: Considering a 1997 Legacy 2.5GT

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Forester and Legacy engines are the same

Tom
Tom, I though you were smarter than that. The Legacy 2.5 has a much higher percentage of HG issues than the Forester has had. No idea on the reason but this definately has been the case. Research it if you believe me, makes no sense to me but crap is just what the 2.5 ordered!
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  #23  
Old 10-19-2008, 03:32 PM
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Re: Considering a 1997 Legacy 2.5GT

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Tom, I though you were smarter than that. The Legacy 2.5 has a much higher percentage of HG issues than the Forester has had. No idea on the reason but this definately has been the case. Research it if you believe me, makes no sense to me but crap is just what the 2.5 ordered!
I know my forester was made in Japan... I am pretty sure the Leggos were built in America... Maybe thats the difference??

Tom
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  #24  
Old 10-19-2008, 04:06 PM
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Re: Considering a 1997 Legacy 2.5GT

I would guess that all of the engines are assembled in Japan though???
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  #25  
Old 10-19-2008, 05:25 PM
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Re: Considering a 1997 Legacy 2.5GT

All the fun aside, what is the best way to look this one over this week? How can I spot a bad head gasket other then wetness or drips? Coolant in the oil?
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  #26  
Old 10-19-2008, 05:50 PM
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Re: Considering a 1997 Legacy 2.5GT

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I would guess that all of the engines are assembled in Japan though???
I think they're now making them in the US for the Legacies (or at least I seem to recall the guide saying that they were building an engine plant when we were there for the 10th anniversary meet). The cars with the biggest hg issues were Japanese assembled engines. Maybe the salty air without coolant causes the increase in failure.

Royal there is very little to tell of a bad headgasket at least early on on the 2.5. It'll simply drink a little more coolant then you should be loosing. Once its failed though the standard hg symptoms appear (overheating, smoke, etc). I'd be leary if you have coolant that looks brand new. Nicely used coolant (not overly worn of course) without any oil floating on top is what I'd look for.

I don't think I've ever noticed coolant in the oil on a Subaru HG as its my understanding that it pretty much just gets sucked into the tailpipe. Then again I haven't had a single hg fail as I personally stay as far away from the 2.5 as I can.
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  #27  
Old 10-19-2008, 08:09 PM
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Re: Considering a 1997 Legacy 2.5GT

The 2.5l does mix oil into the coolant. But also look for coolant stains around the rad cap and also the overflow.. This would be a big indicator that the HG's were bad at some point in time or still are.

Tom
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  #28  
Old 10-19-2008, 10:35 PM
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Re: Considering a 1997 Legacy 2.5GT

just out of curiosity, what year was the HG issue finally fixed?
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  #29  
Old 10-20-2008, 07:36 AM
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Re: Considering a 1997 Legacy 2.5GT

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just out of curiosity, what year was the HG issue finally fixed?
When they started using the SOHC 2.5...

Tom
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  #30  
Old 10-20-2008, 08:02 AM
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Re: Considering a 1997 Legacy 2.5GT

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just out of curiosity, what year was the HG issue finally fixed?
It wasn't. Idiots keep buying the crap so they're not overly modivated. It has lessened with the SOHC 2.5 but is still a higher percentage of failures of the hg then virtually any other car made today.
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