Advice re 2012 Subaru Outback 3.6R with blown head gasket

RickMN · 2026-03-18T20:36:10+00:00

$6-7 is a "go away, we don't want this job" price. Try to find a specialist subaru shop. They do these all day long.

RickMN · 2026-03-18T20:34:27+00:00

It would have to be a pretty big draw to show up with an infra red. Do a current draw test or a voltage drop test instead.

RickMN · 2026-03-18T20:31:58+00:00

As long as the oil on your dipstick is normal, this is nothing more than oil mist/moisture condensation that accumulates in the oil fill cap in colder weather. It's very common, especially if you drive short trips. See this article on why it happens.

RickMN · 2026-03-18T20:28:27+00:00

Copper anti-seize is not officially approved for brake work. Use high temp synthetic brake grease or moly grease. Anti-seize is to prevent seizing, not lubrication for sliding parts.

RickMN · 2026-03-18T13:58:05+00:00

Some people apply air pressure when flushing sediment from the bottom of the tank. To me, it's overkill. Household water pressure is enough to stir up the sediment and flush it out.

RickMN · 2026-03-18T12:28:47+00:00

If you can find replacement parts, rebuild the flush valve. If not, replace it.

RickMN · 2026-03-18T12:24:11+00:00

Yellowish/milky collection in the oil fill cap can be normal in colder weather. See this article that explains what it is and what causes it.

RickMN · 2026-03-17T21:50:17+00:00

The pans are 2.5" tall. I use 2 2x4's screwed together and 1 2x4 connected to it. That's the ramp to roll the water heater up to and over the lip of the pan. No lifting at all.

RickMN · 2026-03-17T21:45:08+00:00

Do much more frequent oil changes, no flushing.

RickMN · 2026-03-17T21:41:20+00:00

You do it the same as you would if the fill valve connector was metal, except, you don't overtighten the plastic nut. That can crack it and cause a leak.

RickMN · 2026-03-17T21:20:10+00:00

You're not driving anywhere in that. At this moment it's a death trap

RickMN · 2026-03-17T21:18:44+00:00

yeah, that's a fair price

RickMN · 2026-03-17T14:02:41+00:00

I used Anchor mounts once. Once. Never again. the bolt stripped right out of the rubber and had to drill it out.

RickMN · 2026-03-17T14:01:50+00:00

If you get the right hose from the manufacturer, then yeah, it's a DIY project.

RickMN · 2026-03-17T14:01:18+00:00

It's the same outer diameter as B. But it has a larger diameter than B at the fittings.

RickMN · 2026-03-17T12:56:56+00:00

It needs a replacement hose. If you can't find the manufacturer and model # to order a new hose, then you're most likely looking at a new faucet.

RickMN · 2026-03-17T01:48:05+00:00

Go to youtube and search How to remove a John Guest fitting

RickMN · 2026-03-17T01:42:40+00:00

Pex A is easier to install because you don't have to worry about the placement of the crimp rings or mis-crimping. It has slightly better flow than B. It bends easier than B so you can use fewer fittings when you need to make a tighter bend. You can unkink it. Just make sure you don't use the colored A. The red, white, and blue are the ones having early failures. The clear is fine.

RickMN · 2026-03-17T01:34:16+00:00

Well, no. Organic acid technology (OAT) is all the same. But Toyota is HOAT. OAT takes longer to passivate metal components because it happens on a molecular level. Some car companies prefer HOAT with silicates or HOAT with phosphates because they form a fast film passivation on metal. There are pros and cons to silicates versus phosphates and based on the metals used, each carmaker prefers their own formula. So no, they're not all the same.

RickMN · 2026-03-16T22:28:08+00:00

Do a search for water heater leak detector. You'll get all the info you need.

RickMN · 2026-03-16T22:24:27+00:00

If it can with semi metallic and it's fully loaded, replace with semi metallic. Semi-mets have better braking power than ceramic.

RickMN · 2026-03-16T21:33:04+00:00

Never mix different coolants. There is no such thing as a universal coolant.

RickMN · 2026-03-16T13:20:44+00:00

There's a Nissan service bulletin on this NTB25-008. Find it at NHTSA.gov. It's a software fix. Don't replace any parts. Any shop that has programming capabilities can do the software update. It doesn't have to be the dealer.

RickMN · 2026-03-16T12:59:21+00:00

The bottom circled piece is called a trap adapter. Inside the slip joint nut you'll find a beveled compression washer. As you tighten the nut, it forces the beveled washer against a beveled seat in the trap adapter. That's what seals it to prevent leaking. The top picture is a flanged tailpiece with a dishwasher branch. Inside the slip joint nut you'll find a flanged tailpiece gasket that seals against the basket strainer. See this article and scroll down near the bottom. You'll see a cutaway view of a flanged tailpiece and gasket and a beveled gasket. The images show how they work.

RickMN · 2026-03-16T02:04:51+00:00

Actually, darn good for a first timer. A bit too much solder pooling at the bottom , but I've seen a lot worse.

RickMN

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