Best automotive replacement head gasket sets according to redditors

http://www.amazon.com/Bars-HG-1-Gasket-Cooling-Sealant/dp/B003RGIWO0 I put this stuff in a F150 Coyote motor with cracked block (damaged in a front end collision) & it held for a couple thousand miles until I could find a junkyard motor. Granted I didn't drive it far away from home because I figured it would fail at any given moment.

https://www.amazon.com/ITM-Engine-Components-09-11174-1994-1999/dp/B000CI1QC6

What are those little circular plug looking things? Figure it'd be worth it to check it out since my head is out.

I mean kudos for the ingenuity.. but for the same cost and time you could have just changed the head gasket. A 2001 Civic head gasket can be done in a couple hours and the parts aren't that expensive at all.

https://www.amazon.com/Evergreen-HS4038-Cylinder-Head-Gasket/dp/B007P73PQ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491865419&sr=8-1&keywords=2001+civic+head+gasket

My friend and I had limited knowledge of Subaru engines before we dove into my overhaul. We decided it was worth it to pull the engine out. It needed a lot of high mileage maintenance.

Felpro Gasket set $130 - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C2AISU/ref=od_aui_detailpages02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Timing Kit $150 -
http://www.amazon.com/Gates-TCKWP307-Engine-Timing-Water/dp/B003TUCFT2/ref=pd_bxgy_auto_img_z

I also did clutch, flywheel, spark plugs, wires, thermostat, and a few other things I'm probably forgetting. I believe that my costs, including the machine work and refreshing my heads, was around $600-700. Considerable savings over taking it to a shop or dealer.

There are more than enough how-to videos and forum write-ups to keep even a newbie mechanic from loosing his/her mind. Gasket failure rates are insane for these years of Subaru, lots of people have been in your shoes. A quick search of "subaru head gasket" on youtube will bring up tons of stuff. Many videos are of people doing the repairs with the engine still in the car. In my opinion, you "might as well" pull the engine all the way out, since you really only have a few fasteners left. Engine mounts, pitch stop, and the bolts/nuts holding the transmission to the engine.
With the engine out, it just makes the rest of your job a lot easier. And you can stand in your engine bay, and that's fun.

Best of luck!

this is what i was going to originally buy on amazon :

http://www.amazon.com/Gates-TCKWP307-Engine-Timing-Water/dp/B003TUCFT2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_slice_detailpage

http://www.amazon.com/Fel-Pro-Hs26170Pt1-Head-Gasket-Set/dp/B000C2AISU?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_sfl_title_1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

http://www.amazon.com/Fel-Pro-ES-72212-Cylinder-Head/dp/B000Q0R4QC?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_slice_detailpage

Two of the head bolt sets.


This is what my mechanic told me to buy. I think i can save an extra $100 by buying off ebay.

I have a 98 and had to have my head gaskets done. I had a friend who works on Subarus for fun so he did it for significantly cheaper. The shop I worked at gave me an estimate of about $1500 +parts so if you can I'd try to find a smaller mechanics shop or get a friends recommendation with a Subaru "expert" and maybe get a deal. If you went and bought parts they might charge you slightly less. If you do get Fel-Pro. Check your specific model for fit but this is what the pros will use and it's what I used. Honestly I'd buy this anyways and have whoever you use make them put these parts in. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C2AISU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_cEIpyb6P0RDAW

Here's what a new head gasket kit will include:

Kit on Amazon

If the guy bought only the head gaskets, then they didn't replace all the other casket, that come in a kit. That they did the whole kit rather than just the head gaskets is good. Better, according to everyone else, that that they did the head bolts too.

Basically, you should get this kit and replace all of these https://www.amazon.com/Fel-Pro-HS9790PT8-Head-Set/dp/B000C2AJNE

if you have a 2.2L http://www.amazon.com/Evan-Fischer-EVA12372047347-Cylinder-Includes-manifold/dp/B009DJQ6QQ

2.5L http://www.amazon.com/Evan-Fischer-EVA12372047340-Cylinder-Includes-manifold/dp/B009DJQ3YQ

or a 1.8L http://www.amazon.com/Ishino-Cylinder-Head-Gasket-Set/dp/B001G7F2AO

A S52 will bring only marginal benefits over the M52 he has in the car. If he wanted to spend that type of money he should rebuild the M52 with S52 internals.

I assume you were talking about this engine? No way in fuck I would touch that thing. Said he put $1200 in head work into it, but has no receipt listed for the "$800 in machine work." His "$275 head bolts" include the "headgasket" he bought, and he rebuilt it with OEM components, not even using an MLS gasket and ARP hardware. That's not a headgasket he paid that much for, that's the seal kit which has a shitty included headgasket.

A proper rebuilt S52 will be in the 3-4k area, not just shy of $1500. Something like this is more what you can expect.

Compression test makes it look like a head gasket , symptoms sounds like a head gasket

If it’s getting junked fill her with head gasket sealer and ride the wave until she gives up , some people will advice you against it , but it’s like using meth to stay awake .... it’s not ideal .. but it works

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003RGIWO0/ref=sspa_mw_detail_0?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is the set I got,

https://www.amazon.com/DNJ-HGS310-Graphite-Gasket-1991-2002/dp/B00TM0VU9E/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=Saturn+sl1+head+gasket&qid=1556060244&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1


I will look into the piston rings.
Would new valve seals also be a good idea?

This is the gasket/timing kit I bought. The description says that I has the updated gaskets that don't leak and they appear to be multi-layer steel, at least to me. https://smile.amazon.com/Evergreen-HSHBTBK9012-Gasket-Timing-Subaru/dp/B01AMVR0EU/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1526777704&sr=1-1&keywords=Evergreen+HSHBTBK9012+Head+Gasket+Set+Head+Bolts+Timing+Belt+Kit+Fits+04-09+Subaru+2.5+SOHC+EJ251+EJ253