# Valve question **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [March 26, 2019, 6:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/valve-question/137290 "2019-03-26T18:25:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Brett\_Goodrich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Brett\_Goodrich](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Brett_Goodrich)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 6:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/valve-question/137290/1 "2019-03-26T18:25:27Z")
So I have coolant leaking into my exhaust. I for sure have a warped exhaust valve. Would that be the cause of the coolant dumping in my exhaust? Or is there another problem revealing that problem? I dont understand engines that well. The gasket was fine, and I don’t believe the head is warped or cracked ---
**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:** [March 26, 2019, 6:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/valve-question/137290/2 "2019-03-26T18:33:28Z")
a warped valve is an incorrect way of referring to things. did you come to this conclusion on your own or did a mechanic say that? ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 6:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/valve-question/137290/3 "2019-03-26T18:35:52Z")
> [@Brett\_Goodrich](#): > > The gasket was fine, and I don’t believe the head is warped or cracked But you don’t know that for sure . An exhaust valve most likely has nothing to do with your problem . A mechanic can determine your problem for you. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 6:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/valve-question/137290/5 "2019-03-26T18:49:19Z")
without seeing it, I would guess a cracked head leaked coolant into the exhaust port causing the valve to get warped. ---
**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:** [March 26, 2019, 6:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/valve-question/137290/6 "2019-03-26T18:53:22Z")
Your exhaust valve could not cause a coolant leak, wavy or not. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 8:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/valve-question/137290/7 "2019-03-26T20:57:37Z")
Some cars have coolant passing through the intake manifold, a cracked manifold or gasket could let coolant into the cylinder and out the exhaust valve. The only other possibility I can think of is a cracked head. ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 9:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/valve-question/137290/8 "2019-03-26T21:21:18Z")
The head gasket might have an internal failure but look fine from the outside. I’m betting that is why you have coolant in your exhaust, a damaged head gasket and a warped head. The only way you _might_ not have a bad head gasket and a warped head is if this engine never overheated, not even a little. BTW, what kind of car are we talking about? What’s the year, make, and model? Anyway, head gaskets can be tricky. You can have one that is damaged, but if it doesn’t give what the mechanic considers the symptoms of a bad head gasket, he might mistakenly rule it out. I had that happen to my car. ---
**Author:** ![Brett\_Goodrich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Brett\_Goodrich](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Brett_Goodrich)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 10:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/valve-question/137290/9 "2019-03-26T22:30:35Z")
It’s a Subaru legacy engine. 1996 ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 10:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/valve-question/137290/10 "2019-03-26T22:50:54Z")
At that vintage, you likely need a new head gasket just based on age-wear alone, and the fact that Subarus of that era are known for head gasket failures. It’s not going to be easy to find someone who will do the head gasket job without a confirmed head gasket diagnosis, so it might be time to let this car go to the scrap heap. Coolant in the exhaust is the death knell of many engines. ---
**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:** [March 26, 2019, 11:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/valve-question/137290/11 "2019-03-26T23:02:59Z")
Head gasket problems are common (some would say epidemic) on older Subarus. So find a good Subaru shop and get a price, if you’re wanting to keep it. ---
**Author:** ![Brett\_Goodrich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Brett\_Goodrich](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Brett_Goodrich)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 1:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/valve-question/137290/12 "2019-03-27T01:13:17Z")
This is a project I already have it apart. Head gaskets were metal layered ones and looked fine, heads have no cracks and no warping. So I might just toss new head gaskets and drop a sealer in and if it doesn’t work I’ll push it off a cliff ---
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 1:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/valve-question/137290/13 "2019-03-27T01:27:00Z")
> [@Brett\_Goodrich](#): > > heads have no cracks How was this verified, a visual inspection isn’t good enough.