serious issue?

[evolegacy]

ok, I just finally noticed this was a bigger issue that just "piston slap" noise, I dont really know how to describe the sound other than the driver side of the engine sounds like its splashing in water/sputtering/smacking against something liquid, idk how to describe it, but what bothers me is that I used to think it was just engine noise until i noticed that it was specifically on the driver side, not all over, and has slowly been getting louder and louder. When you get under the car while it is running you can hear it the loudest there, almost sounds like you can hear the injectors firing off but as if they were right next to your ear.

The only things ive done mechanically on that side is replace the spark plugs, wires, and most recent, change the valve cover gaskets for both sides.

Any thoughts on what it could be? help asap would be very appreciated.

[J-Rock!]

have you checked your plugs on that side??,, IDK but it could be normal, but we cant hear what the noise is...

[birukun]

Loose plug allowing some 'squishing' noises?

[2.5GT]

Possibly a headgasket failure coming soon. I had this water splashing sound inside the cabin area. Seems like the coolant is flowing around the heater core. Not sure how you would fix this type of problem. Just keep an eye out on your temperature gauge and check your coolant level.

[evolegacy]

Possibly a headgasket failure coming soon. I had this water splashing sound inside the cabin area. Seems like the coolant is flowing around the heater core. Not sure how you would fix this type of problem. Just keep an eye out on your temperature gauge and check your coolant level.

i think you are right, thats what it sounds like to me. but the only water leaking i have seen in the cabin at all is just a bad seal on my front windshield, passenger side, but thats been taken car of. most likely it is a failing gasket, or total blownout of one, on that side, and the reason i think thats the most likely cause is because one of the bolts for the headers-to-engine snapped off and another was poorly fixed by mineke (stripped the threads on it back when i first installed them, so mineke decided to just throw some washers on the bolt and tighten it that way, again, just noticed this and its been about a year) I'm hoping that a mechanic can fix the issue, I was told by the tech and mineke that he didnt re-thread the bolt because of the fact that i would have to get a whole new block because it was stripped (wtf? is he telling the truth?). Think it would be ok for the next few days until i get it to the shop?

[evolegacy]

ok, scratch that theory, I found out the issue. During lunch at work today i decided to open the hood to check out the issues that I thought were the reason for the noise, turns out I was wrong.

My driver side Valve cover gasket, the one i replaced, had a catastrophic blowout in the lower section closest to the firewall, along with that I am leaking oil out of my drain plug. I just tried tightening the drain plug in case it might have been loose, but other than that I am going to head to a shop asap to get that valve cover replaced.

Anyone know what the going rate is for that kind of work?

[99gtlimited]

^^^ far more than it should be, i think my parents were quoted ~$420 just for the valve cover and spark plug gaskets to be replaced on their '01 outback. I was able to get the parts for under $50 and did the work in about 1-2 hours by myself.


you can do them yourself without too much trouble, i've now done them on both types of N/A 2.5's. I even posted a DIY to show you how!!

[evolegacy]

doing it myself is probably one of the reasons why it busted in the first place >.<. also, the lower corner bolts, the ones near the...engine mount support???.....are so hard to get to that I cannot reach them with a socket wrench, and well, my tool inventory is kinda limited at the moment, hehe ^^; (ya i know, poor excuse for an amateur mechanic)

[T_F_E]

Well bud do what you are comfortable with, but remember the only way to get better is with practice.

[evolegacy]

true, i might just do the work myself, i get paid 2morrow so i could just get new set of tools and the gaskets and go at it heh.

[T_F_E]

Most important part about learning how to work on cars is having some one else that knows what they're doing, whether it be a buddy, or your dad, or anyone else really

[evolegacy]

well i read in another topic about how to put the valve covers on correctly, and its completely different from how i did it, so i know thats one of the reasons why it failed, second is cuz of those hard to reach bolts that I mentioned before.

[99gtlimited]

a set of ratcheting wrenches will do wonders in tight spaces. I didn't have them the first time i did the valve cover gaskets and it was much more stressful having to deal with the rear bolts.

what motor is this for?

[evolegacy]

EJ25D and ya, I totally understand the stress level in doing the job w/o the ratcheting wrenches O.O

[evolegacy]

hahahaha i feel like an idiot.


OK so i went to a mechanic to get a second opinion on the motorboat sound coming from the engine. there is in fact a broken gasket but its not the valv cover like i thought, the valve cover is leaking because i was an idiot and didnt use a sealant with the gasket, so im doing that on sunday. the culprit for the noise is the broken bolt at the headers, the bolt deteriated in the fitting and now air is blasting out of that spot.

SO i got to wait a week til i can get the mechanic to take that stupid thing out and then replace the gaskets. More strange looks from ppl on the highway to ensue til then :neutral: