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Head gaskets finally failing--at 215k miles

10K views 12 replies 6 participants last post by  psygnal11 
#1 ·
We have had a relatively uneventful ownership over the last 8 years. Bought our '07 with 30k miles on it 8 years ago. Other than routine maintenance we have only had to replace a few minor parts, and one manor part. Did new struts at 100k and again at 206k. Replaced a caliper and axle at 170k miles. Replaced the drivers side window controller in the door around 180k. Two tensioner pulleys over time and the radiator and hoses last summer. We replaced the transmission at 206k with a used trans (total bill around $2k).

Over the last two weeks I've been losing some coolant, anywhere from 4-10 Oz after a day of driving. Temp guage only ticks up when using the a/c and coolant is a little low. Some bubbles in the overflow tank after driving. Seems to slowly be getting worse. No white smoke though.

With 215k miles I have no intention of rebuilding this engine. Depending on cost I may drop in a lower mileage used engine as the rest of the car is in great shape. In the meantime I may try one of the "miracle" head gasket in a bottle snake oils.

Wish me luck.
 
#2 ·
Good to hear about the uneventful ownership until 206K.

However, it is disappointing that the transmission failed. The head gaskets...are they so tough to do on the H6? Isn't it better than dealing with a used engine? I do not know.

Good luck anyway!:tup:
 
#3 · (Edited)
A used engine could at least be rebuilt/worked on outside, then dropped in.

That being said, I'd rather rebuild the one I have if I know it's in good shape otherwise - knowing its history is important, something I discovered with my Forester.

It is great to hear that your vehicle has been pretty reliable. What went wrong with the transmission if I may ask?

Also - if you're going to try a miracle bottle, the Subaru coolant conditioner bottle is pretty inexpensive and designed to do that. Be warned - like all of those add-ins, it can clog a radiator if it's prone to being clogged. I didn't have any trouble on my Forester with 245,000 miles on the radiator, but just an FYI.
 
#4 ·
Head gaskets on the H6 are time-consuming, but not difficult. You just need the right tools/equipment.

The "miracle in a bottle" isn't going to do you any good... the success stories people will tell are from people who 1) have had either external HG leaks, 2) have no idea what a head gasket is or 3) are simply lying. If the external leak was small enough, the bottle stuff might buy you some time, but you're either burning or pushing out a lot of coolant, indicating the HG failure is beyond everything except pulling the heads. Even at my 3.0's worst point (before I replaced the HGs), I wasn't losing more than a couple ounces of coolant a week.
 
#5 ·
It looks like about $3k for the used engine and labor with preventative maintenance on the new engine.

Doing head gaskets means replacing tensioners, water pump, and who knows what else once the block comes apart. Parts and labor figure $1,500-2k.

Car is only worth about $3k and I can find a low mileage 06-07 Tribeca private sale for $6-8k. Or I can trade it in towards a newer Tribeca, or other comparable newer SUV.

Not sure what I'm going to do.
 
#10 ·
Would you rather your current Tribeca, in great shape after $2K of repairs or a new Tribeca for $6-8K with an engine in unknown shape?

Replace the headgaskets and you have removed a huge question mark from your Tribeca, a question mark that will apply to any used Tribeca.
 
#6 ·
I'd personally just replace the head gaskets and related items, that sounds like the cheapest overall solution. Once a car is worthless to others, it is usually worth keeping it until repairs are manageable, which this one certainly is. The only reason we got rid of the 95 Legacy in 2013 is because I was fed up of sharing a main and a short-range car, wanted a good car for each, and also because I did not want to keep it on the street. If I had a three-car garage, I would still own it and drive to the nearby stores.
 
#7 ·
I agree with MiddleAgeSubie - provided you're not having any other issues with the vehicle that are going to make you sink a ton more money into it.

It's always tough to spend almost what a car is worth in repairs because you never know what could happen (accident --> totaled) the next day.

You said you replaced the transmission recently, so it sounds like you either need to double down and hope the car lasts you another 100,000 trouble free miles (if not more) or cut your losses and rid yourself of the car.
 
#8 ·
Don't jump to the conclusion that the timing components need to be changed just because you're going into the heads... provided you've changed the oil regularly, unless you have chain slapping, the water pump has a damaged fin (or is weeping coolant), or the guides are noticeably worn/brittle, none of these components need to be replaced.

Sure, it doesn't hurt to replace these things, but it is $300+ of parts that will probably last until your next HG replacement.
 
#9 ·
I'm the type of person to fix what I can while it is accessible. I may not replace the chain, but definitely the tensioners, water pump and seals. There is a small oil leak from behind the timing covers that would need to be replaced. Heads always need to be resurfaced.

I may try going the head gasket replacement and see the condition when we disassemble everything. If needed then buy the replacement engine. We have three cars so having the Tribeca down for a couple weeks isn't an issue.

Car is good otherwise. But I imagine it's only a matter of time before other things start going (steering system, electrical components, etc). Still working through the decision.
 
#11 ·
i wouldn't replace the chain/guides either without visual damage. water pump likely, tensioners probably depending on how i felt about particular vehicle/maintenance/history.

have a good quality/condition tool for removing the chain cover bolts. impact screw driver, particularly in the rust belt if they're showing any rust. i had one where all of them but 3 or 5 would not come out with the proper tool. removing 50 fasteners that won't come out with the proper tool is no fun.
 
#12 ·
So we tried our luck and pulled the engine. The insides were in great shape. No buildup, no marks or damage or warping. Head gaskets were brittle and there was a clear leak to cylinder 6. All timing components and water pump looked pristine with no noticeable wear. Engine is back together and other than a coil pack that popped off after assembly has been running strong for 8k miles. Knock on wood I think we made the right choice.

The only real hiccup was the fasteners that hold the timing covers together and to the engine. They have the inverted hex heads, most of which stripped out and needed to be replaced and two of the cast aluminum covers were "frozen" to the block and cracked on removal. They are pricey and a pain in the ass to order as you have to measure each hole to find the right covers. They aren't vin specific. Differences were measured in thousandths of an inch.
 
#13 · (Edited)
.... and two of the cast aluminum covers were "frozen" to the block and cracked on removal. They are pricey and a pain in the ass to order as you have to measure each hole to find the right covers. They aren't vin specific. Differences were measured in thousandths of an inch.
Are you referring to the inside timing cover or the valve covers? The inside timing cover comes in three sizes, 'A,' 'B' and 'C' (which are not VIN specific as you said) which pairs to the size of the oil pump, but a) there's only one of them and b) the holes are the same on all three (only the depth of the trochoid chamber is different between the variants).

However, there's only one size of valve/rocker cover for each side of the Tribeca... not to mention it crosses with the 2005-09 Legacy's and OB's with EZ30 engines
 
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