Subaru 1995 Legacy 2.2 in VW Bus

Hi everyone,

I just bought a '72 Volkswagen Bus with a Subaru conversion in it from a '95 Legacy 2.2. However, it has a coolant leak and after driving it for a short while, the coolant overflows (drops coming out). I'm suspecting this is the head gasket that needs replacing. I know you need to take the engine apart to replace the head gasket, but I've heard that it's a common problem for Subarus and every few months or so, the head gasket might go. Do you have any suggestions for me or ways to go about this problem?

Here are pictures of the engine...

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1e_GthqtEmvE0MtHy5j-x7A4xtIUlqc-M

If you're mechanically inclined and want to diagnose then you'll have to take that route; otherwise any subaru mechanic can help you with that quickly.

The 2.2 is not a common motor to pop HG's on but it does happen about as frequently as any other really high mileage japanese (reliable) motor depending on conditions/maintenance.

I'd recommend downloading a factory service manual digitally and doing a little reading on HG's to see what you may be getting into. Do you know where the coolant is coming from? What conditions exist when this happens? It's a lot harder to cool an EJ motor properly in back of a VW, has the motor been overheated?

If you're mechanically inclined and want to diagnose then you'll have to take that route; otherwise any subaru mechanic can help you with that quickly.

 

The 2.2 is not a common motor to pop HG's on but it does happen about as frequently as any other really high mileage japanese (reliable) motor depending on conditions/maintenance.

 

I'd recommend downloading a factory service manual digitally and doing a little reading on HG's to see what you may be getting into. Do you know where the coolant is coming from? What conditions exist when this happens? It's a lot harder to cool an EJ motor properly in back of a VW, has the motor been overheated?

Thanks for the reply. In the google drive link, on the first picture, the leak is coming from the vertical glossy tube. Someone else told me that this isn't stock Subaru and he has no idea what it is. It appears to be an Upper Turbo Coolant Reservoir, but I don't think it is because my engine isn't turbo. The leak happened after the test drive when the coolant was spurting up from the top part of that.

There are a number of places coolant can come out of the EJ that aren't the head gasket. Did you mean the coolant is being pushed out of the overflow bottle? That can be a symptom of head gasket. Coolant steaming in the exhaust or milk shaking your oil are normal head gasket symptoms. Coolant coming from the outside of the engine is not usually a head gasket. I would say that you would have to abuse an EJ to blow a head gasket. Mine I drive a WOT pretty much all the time and I'm about to hit 300k on the factory head gasket. I do however replace my coolant regularly per the service specs. Not replacing coolant regularly is the kind of abuse I'm talking about. Also, continuing to drive it when you start to overheat will kill any engine.

If you find yourself a Factory Service Manual you can get some nice diagrams of the cooling system. Yours may not match perfectly, but nearly all of it will match. Then you'll see what I mean about a number of places to check.

There are a number of places coolant can come out of the EJ that aren't the head gasket. Did you mean the coolant is being pushed out of the overflow bottle? That can be a symptom of head gasket. Coolant steaming in the exhaust or milk shaking your oil are normal head gasket symptoms. Coolant coming from the outside of the engine is not usually a head gasket. I would say that you would have to abuse an EJ to blow a head gasket. Mine I drive a WOT pretty much all the time and I'm about to hit 300k on the factory head gasket. I do however replace my coolant regularly per the service specs. Not replacing coolant regularly is the kind of abuse I'm talking about. Also, continuing to drive it when you start to overheat will kill any engine.

 

If you find yourself a Factory Service Manual you can get some nice diagrams of the cooling system. Yours may not match perfectly, but nearly all of it will match. Then you'll see what I mean about a number of places to check.

Thanks for your reply. Yes the coolant is being pushed out of the overflow bottle. I just downloaded a manual. Not sure if I should attempt to replace the head gasket myself or bring the parts to a shop because I don't have any special tools, garage, and haven't taken an engine apart before..do you think I could still do it?