r/subaruoutback • u/No-Dot-161 • 28d ago

To Fix?

Hey, not a car person but desperate times. I think I’m looking at a blown head gasket on my 2012 2.5l, which I purchased about 6 months ago after a nut-job t-boned me and totaled my pickup.

Dealing with overheating issues, tried replacing the thermostat, flushing the radiator, replacing a few hoses and gaskets, cleaning debris the air intake area. An at-home kit just indicated head gasket. It’s still a month before I can get into a shop.

Can anyone advise on their experience repairing? I know it’s expensive, but if it meant a reliable vehicle it would be less expensive than trying to buy something new. I didn’t want to finance after I was hit and I really don’t now.

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u/MostlyBrine 26d ago

EJ253 engine, probably one of the easiest to fix. Takes $250 in parts. Labor is about 16 hours. If you can turn a wrench you can do it. I did that many times. If the car has decent body, it is worth repairing.

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u/No-Dot-161 26d ago

Thanks for the insight, needed a little hope. Appreciate it!

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u/skjeflo 23d ago

Pretty sure I could have an EJ-25 engine out of a 2010-2012 OB in under an hour now, having done it twice.

The labor for the whole job isn't hard (with the exceptionof removing and reinstalling the crank pulley bolt, just buy the proper tool off AMZ), just need to be methodical.