Jacking up motor for valve cover replacement

I just wanted to be sure of this.

I jacked up my motor to replace the spark plugs before but only loosened the front motor mount behind the radiator.

I read that there is a rear motor mount you can access from under the car too, but i did not know this at the time of doing my spark plugs and jacked up my engine without loosening the rear mount.

Do i need to loosen both motor mounts to raise the engine enough to take out both valve covers?

I had an 05 lgt before and its different than the 11’ lgt i have now. On the 05’ lgt, i had to loosen both motor mounts under the car to jack up the engine as well as take off my top radiator support brackets. The 11’ lgt only has the front and rear mount right? Would there be anything else to loosen?

Thanks on your input as ive only found threads on the 05’+ lgts on this issue.

do you really need to lift the engine to do the valve cover gaskets?

I haven't done them on my Legacy, but on my old WRX (an 02, so an EJ205) it wasn't necessary when I changed them on that car (it would leak on the passenger side and drip onto the up-pipe... pretty annoying)

It makes it easier for me to take out the rear coils and spark plugs.

Access is just much easier with the engine lifted a few inches..

do you really need to lift the engine to do the valve cover gaskets?

 

I haven't done them on my Legacy, but on my old WRX (an 02, so an EJ205) it wasn't necessary when I changed them on that car (it would leak on the passenger side and drip onto the up-pipe... pretty annoying)

I did some more searching and read there are 4 mounts,..

The front, the left and rear mounts, and the transmission mount.

I was able to life the engine 2 inches or so by loosening the frint mount only not knowing that i should have loosened all 4.

So should i or need to loosen all 4 mounts to raise the engine properly to get to the plugs and valve covers? Someone should do a “How To” for the 5th gen..

Thanks

You would need to unbolt the transmission mounts. (Which were the motors mounts were move to on the 5th gen). It isn’t too hard to unbolt them.

It makes it easier for me to take out the rear coils and spark plugs.

Access is just much easier with the engine lifted a few inches..

fair enough (the rear drivers side coil is a bit annoying!)

where do you lift from? I had contemplated lifting the engine when trying to do the rear swaybar, but didn't see anywhere that I was comfortable pushing from while messing around under the car

I jacked the engine up using the turbo cover as that seemed to be strong enough.

On my 05’ lgt, i used my transmission housing as a jackup point as i dont want to damage an oil pan even with a block of wood.

Is the turbo housing an ok jackup point?

do you really need to lift the engine to do the valve cover gaskets?

As far as I am aware, yes. When Subaru re-sealed my engine (including valve cover gaskets) they had to take the whole engine out, and I didn't mind since that would mean I was getting a free repair including the oil, coolant, brake fluid, and some other things changed.

The turbo oil pan is NOT the place you want to be using. Not even the skid plate under the turbo. If you don't have access to a hoist then a diy wood brace and ratchet straps should give you enough lift to get to the valve covers.

I dont consider it necessary, but it helps to have the extra room. Personally, I would just do it without lifting the engine. Not as fun but not impossible either.

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As far as I am aware, yes. When Subaru re-sealed my engine (including valve cover gaskets) they had to take the whole engine out, and I didn't mind since that would mean I was getting a free repair including the oil, coolant, brake fluid, and some other things changed.

you don't have to lift the engine to do valve covers, and i know in the past you can do head gaskets in place, would be surprised if you couldn't with this generation(i did my 2001 outback's head gaskets with the engine in place). it does make your life a whole lot easier though, and subaru engines are surprisingly easy to yank, i've seen good mechanics do it in about an hour, so it makes sense to just take it out and do the work on the engine stand where you have much better access, and it's not a case of up and down and up and down getting to stuff.

you don't have to lift the engine to do valve covers, and i know in the past you can do head gaskets in place, would be surprised if you couldn't with this generation(i did my 2001 outback's head gaskets with the engine in place). it does make your life a whole lot easier though, and subaru engines are surprisingly easy to yank, i've seen good mechanics do it in about an hour, so it makes sense to just take it out and do the work on the engine stand where you have much better access, and it's not a case of up and down and up and down getting to stuff.

the 13 has a different engine, and they were replacing everything (the valve cover gaskets are the least of what was done, if I remember the post correctly) - if you are a shop, it's way easier to just pull the engine out of the car so that you can do everything (the timing chain cover for the FB25 engine looks like it would be pretty annoying to do)

you can lift the engine with a piece of 2x4 between the jack and the oil pan. don't go crazy with the pressure, but the oil pan is solid enough to lift the engine a couple inches if you've got the mounts undone. alternately, if you've got a cherry picker, there's a couple lifting points on the engine itself you can use.

I don't have a cherry picker to lift from the top, and didn't feel comfortable lifting from the oil pan - on my old WRX I lifted the engine a bit when I replaced the up-pipe, but I was able to get the jack+2x4 onto the block, so I was pretty sure I wouldn't damage anything.

the 13 has a different engine, and they were replacing everything (the valve cover gaskets are the least of what was done, if I remember the post correctly) - if you are a shop, it's way easier to just pull the engine out of the car so that you can do everything (the timing chain cover for the FB25 engine looks like it would be pretty annoying to do)

I just assumed that Subaru lifts the engine out for similiar repairs, but obviously I can't confirm it.

The turbo oil pan is NOT the place you want to be using. Not even the skid plate under the turbo. If you don't have access to a hoist then a diy wood brace and ratchet straps should give you enough lift to get to the valve covers.

 

I dont consider it necessary, but it helps to have the extra room. Personally, I would just do it without lifting the engine. Not as fun but not impossible either.

 

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So its a big no for the turbo skid plate.....

How about the transmission housing since i dont have and engine lift?

Also, ive done plugs and valve covers on 05’s from fxt, several lgts (mine and a friend) sti,..and now this 11’ lgt and raising the engine a little is the only way i can get my big hands to get the cools and plugs out on the rear sides as well as having easy access to the valve cover and the bolts...

It saves me time, less cut up hands, and much less cursing,...lol

I don't have a cherry picker to lift from the top, and didn't feel comfortable lifting from the oil pan - on my old WRX I lifted the engine a bit when I replaced the up-pipe, but I was able to get the jack+2x4 onto the block, so I was pretty sure I wouldn't damage anything.

yeah i get that, engine's gotta be pretty high to get a jack and 2x4 in there, and i don't know about the oil pan on the FB, but i would assume it would work fine if you can fit it. but yeah, whatever you're comfortable with as long as you can get the job done, you're good to go.

How about the transmission housing since i dont have and engine lift?

That is what I would do if I didn't have an engine lift.

I just assumed that Subaru lifts the engine out for similiar repairs, but obviously I can't confirm it.

IIRC they did headgaskets on your car, you should to remove the engine to do those.

I gotta throw this into the mix. Can the front swaybar be replaced if the engine is jacked up a couple inches?

I disconnected all three mounts (and lifted it) and had plenty of room to get the wrong 3.6R one out and the correct GT one back in.