Thread: Subaru head gasket repair

I'm looking at the possiblility of buying a 1998 Subaru Forester S with a blown head gasket.

It's in beautiful shape aside from that, and I need to find a few more details on exactly how it's been treated, but it's been pretty good as far as I can see. The DOHC EJ25D engine has 180,000k (111000 miles) on it, and the left gasket is pooched. If anyone has any experience with this issue, which was fairly common for Subaru's shit gaskets at the time, please let me know. I have yet to replace a head gasket, but feel capable enough to get it right the first time, so any advice on head gasket issues would be great.

I have all the tools, and time needed to pop the engine out (or not), and do the job (apart from machining) if it's not that bad, but some advice would be nice.

Since I'm not 100% on how the car was treated, particularly once the overheating started, I was wondering if a new engine would be better or to go for the gamble on a 180000k motor.

Price a factor in this, as whatever I save goes straight into an extended road trip in whatever car I get, which I hope to be reliable enough for a long while.