2007 SUBARU OUTBACK
84,000 MILES
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ANONYMOUS
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  • 1 POST
What can I do about a leaky head gasket? Dealer suggests a $2600 replacement.
Dec 27, 2012 at 9:08 PM
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CARADIODOC
  • AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR CONTRIBUTOR
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Get a second opinion from an independent shop.
Dec 28, 2012 at 6:48 AM
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CHZYRIDER
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As long as it was not caused from overheating which can warp the cylinder head. There are plenty of fluid additives on the market to seal smaller leaks over time. Some are added to the coolant, some are added to the oil. Pending which way the contamination is crossing; oil in the coolant or coolant in the oil, or just a plain oil seapage down the side of the engine... will determine which one to get. Stick with popular brand names of these and read the labels carefully. Coolant in the oil is far worse than oil in the coolant.

And as long as you did not let it go for very long or have not been driving it many miles with contaminated oil to possibly cause bearing and journal damage, you may be able to save it. Change the oil first before adding these products to engine, they can save you from having to replace the entire engine or labor-expensive repair to replace the gasket. If afterwards, the problem appears to be solved, check for lowered oil pressure that could indicate possible bearing and journal damage may have occured from the bad oil.
Feb 12, 2013 at 1:18 AM
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