# 02 6cyl subie headgasket **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [June 22, 2018, 5:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/02-6cyl-subie-headgasket/119629 "2018-06-22T17:46:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2018, 5:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/02-6cyl-subie-headgasket/119629/1 "2018-06-22T17:46:32Z")
i heard 4cyl subarus had issues with headgaskets. i found a 02 6cyl that needs headgaskets. i know any car can fail but is it very common for a 6 cyl subie of this era to fail for that reason? ---
**Author:** ![COROLLAGUY1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/corollaguy1/32/7575_2.png) [@COROLLAGUY1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/COROLLAGUY1)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2018, 8:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/02-6cyl-subie-headgasket/119629/2 "2018-06-22T20:51:21Z")
What model? ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2018, 10:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/02-6cyl-subie-headgasket/119629/3 "2018-06-22T22:59:33Z")
Says online only 1 model had the 6. The outback. 3.0 did they add the3.6 as a mid year change? ---
**Author:** ![COROLLAGUY1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/corollaguy1/32/7575_2.png) [@COROLLAGUY1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/COROLLAGUY1)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2018, 11:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/02-6cyl-subie-headgasket/119629/4 "2018-06-22T23:14:54Z")
Very few complaints about head gasket failure in the 2002 Outback, mostly 4 cylinder engines. I have never heard of a 3.6 in the Outback. > **[2002 Subaru Outback Head Gasket Failure](https://www.carcomplaints.com/Subaru/Outback/2002/engine/head_gasket_failure.shtml)** > > The 2002 Subaru Outback has 3 problems reported for head gasket failure. Average repair cost is $2,000 at 110,000 miles. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 2:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/02-6cyl-subie-headgasket/119629/5 "2018-06-23T02:11:49Z")
Far fewer Subarus had the 6 cylinder as compared to the 4 cylinder so there will fewer complaints registered. Odds are the percentage of failure is the same. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 12:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/02-6cyl-subie-headgasket/119629/6 "2018-06-23T12:14:52Z")
> [@ok4450](#): > > Odds are the percentage of failure is the same. This certainly wouldn’t qualify as a scientific study, but here is my personal experience: > 1997 Outback (4-cylinder) needed head gasket replacement at ~120k miles. > 2002 Outback (3 liter six-cylinder) no head gasket replacement–or any other repairs–needed up through 2010/120k miles when I traded it in. > 2011 Outback (3.6 liter six-cylinder) no head gasket problems, with current mileage ~90k. The sole repair was the replacement of the WW fluid reservoir, under warranty. ---
**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 2:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/02-6cyl-subie-headgasket/119629/7 "2018-06-23T14:34:27Z")
my stats: 1996 Legacy with 2.2L engine: traded ~156K miles, no headgasket issue 2003 Outback with 2.5L SOHC 4-cylinder: sold at ~95K miles, no issues 2004 Outback with 2.5L SOHC 4-cylinder: sold ~85K miles, no issues 2007 Impreza with 2.5L SOHC 4-cylinder: sold ~88K miles, no issues 2007 Outback with 2.5L SOHC 4-cylinder: sold ~102K miles, no issues these were all commuters, I never allowed cars to get past 100K miles if my job depends on them other that the first Subie I owned, but my finances did not allow for better car at the moment ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 3:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/02-6cyl-subie-headgasket/119629/8 "2018-06-24T03:28:46Z")
VDCdriver, my comment was not meant to be too scientific. Over the years I’ve replaced head gaskets on the 6 cylinder 4 or 5 times. They were not blown; just leaking or weeping. One lady did not want to spend money on HGs so I said that I would try retightening the head bolts and see what happens. Tightened the head bolts, cleaned the leaky area off, and on a recheck a month later all was good. My thinking was that if I did 6 jobs some guy in the next city may have done 6 also. Another guy may have done 2; or 2 dozen. There is no way of knowing. The only definitive way (impossible…) would be if one knew how many 6 cylinder head gaskets SOA provided to their dealers; in sum total. About 15 years ago I could probably have gotten that info as a co-worker became a regional parts rep. At one point he was offered a position at SOA in New Jersey. He had no desire to go to NJ (especially after a week there and pricing housing) but with SOA if they offer you a step up and you don’t take it then you’re stuck where you’re at forever. I lost touch with him after he left OK. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 10:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/02-6cyl-subie-headgasket/119629/9 "2018-06-24T22:50:44Z")
So many more 4s than 6s, hard to tell if the 6 has as many problems. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 11:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/02-6cyl-subie-headgasket/119629/10 "2018-06-24T23:24:44Z")
> [@ok4450](#): > > He had no desire to go to NJ (especially after a week there and pricing housing) On a similar note . . . Our fleet recently hired a guy who hasn’t been in California but a few years He is shocked at the high prices for houses and is seriously considering moving out of state he just got married . . . and may want to have kids, but I didn’t ask . . . and he just doesn’t know how he’s going to buy a house in the state