# 2000 subaru outback head gasket **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** outback, subaru\ **Created:** [September 29, 2012, 4:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-subaru-outback-head-gasket/74725 "2012-09-29T04:49:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![psus08](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/838e76/32.png) [@psus08](https://community.cartalk.com/u/psus08)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 4:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-subaru-outback-head-gasket/74725/1 "2012-09-29T04:49:51Z")
i have 180K miles on this & it just started showing signs of coolant seeping from one of the head gaskets. its never blown white smoke & never over-heated. is there anyone who has used a ‘stop-leak’ type product with any long term results, or am i faced with the $2000 repair bill, or even scrapping it out instead??? what would you recommend ? thank you. ---
**Author:** ![RemcoW](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/remcow/32/2471_2.png) [@RemcoW](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RemcoW)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 4:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-subaru-outback-head-gasket/74725/2 "2012-09-29T04:52:57Z")
Subaru sells a coolant conditioner that is supposed to fix small head gasket weeps. They’ve been having issues in your vintage engine. It is $10 so worth a try. Should that not work, I’d get the head gasket replaced. It is a lot cheaper of an operation with it never having overheated so it likely isn’t warped. ---
**Author:** ![psus08](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/838e76/32.png) [@psus08](https://community.cartalk.com/u/psus08)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 5:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-subaru-outback-head-gasket/74725/3 "2012-09-29T05:24:34Z")
right. i did hear that the conditioner was a preventative ‘recall’ to that problem. but i wasn’t sure if that would actually work AFTER a leak has developed. ---
**Author:** ![RemcoW](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/remcow/32/2471_2.png) [@RemcoW](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RemcoW)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 6:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-subaru-outback-head-gasket/74725/4 "2012-09-29T06:00:35Z")
It it supposed to. Here’s a write up: [http://www.scoobyenthusiast.com/subaru-maintenance/all-about-subaru-cooling-system-conditioner-soa635071](http://www.scoobyenthusiast.com/subaru-maintenance/all-about-subaru-cooling-system-conditioner-soa635071) It is a rebadge of Holts Radweld: [http://www.holtsauto.com/products/group/repair-and-maintenance/cooling-repair-systems](http://www.holtsauto.com/products/group/repair-and-maintenance/cooling-repair-systems) That stuff is known to fix small weep leaks. Granted, it doesn’t perform miracles as it isn’t snake oil but it does work. ---
**Author:** ![psus08](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/838e76/32.png) [@psus08](https://community.cartalk.com/u/psus08)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 6:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-subaru-outback-head-gasket/74725/5 "2012-09-29T06:31:34Z")
oh ok. i was wondering if it was only a temporary fix or not. i’ll check out the articles. thank you. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 7:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-subaru-outback-head-gasket/74725/6 "2012-09-29T07:40:35Z")
You could trying having the head bolts retorqued. It’s at least worth a shot and may well work. ---
**Author:** ![psus08](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/838e76/32.png) [@psus08](https://community.cartalk.com/u/psus08)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 8:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-subaru-outback-head-gasket/74725/7 "2012-09-29T08:38:10Z")
hey good idea. i wonder if the engine would still need to be pulled in order to torque the head bolts?? ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 10:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-subaru-outback-head-gasket/74725/8 "2012-09-29T10:59:16Z")
It can be done in the car but a socket will need to be modified in some way depending on the engine and model. The sticky part would be if the coolant has been leaking for a long time. In a case like this hot coolant can eat part of the gasket away and can even etch the aluminum in the cylinder head and/or engine block. With this situation retightening head bolts may not work. However, it’s always worth a shot and won’t hurt to try.