[Mountain Subi]

Hey all. I have a 2001 Outback LL Bean with the 3.0 6 cyl engine. I have a driver side leaky valve cover gasket that I want to replace and had a couple of questions. I have looked at multiple videos on youtube and most people seem to be able to do this job without lifting up the engine, but they are also working on 4 cylinder engines. Can't find any of a 6 cyl. Am I going to have to remove all motor mount nuts and bring it up to get this out??? Also, the videos online show guys torquing the bolts down to 40 ft lbs...I called the dealer and a tech told me 4 ft lbs! Quite a difference...Another question is do I need to use grey RTV silicone anywhere on the gasket??? The tech at the dealer told me to use a little just to hold the gasket in place in the cover until you get it in place to bolt down...the guys on the web are putting it in specific spots that require it. They are also, once again, working on 4 cyl engines. They are also using these half moon plastic pieces on the back side and using RTV (actually I think it is a product called The Right Stuff, although I have never used it. Is it the same as RTV?) I know I am saying a lot, but I would like to do this job tomorrow as well as the oil cooler leak I have too, but don't want to get into the job if I am going to run into too many issues I can't handle right then. I am fairly familiar with cars and trucks, so I think this should be pretty straight forward, just a pita because of all the stuff you have to remove first to even see the valve covers. I just did the ones on my truck and wish they were that easy. ANY info would be greatly appreciated. Just want to make sure I only have to do this once... hah!

 

[eagleeye]

more H6 people on this board then the rest of the known universe.

2001-2004 H6:
http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums...s/46918-diy-ez30d-h6-valve-cover-gaskets.html

and maybe some more tips on a similar 2005-2009 h6
http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums...g-valve-cover-gasket-2005-ll-bean-3-0-h6.html

the RTV to buy in the modern day is the ones in the "EZ cheese" cans so you have more control of the product without manually squeezing:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HBNU4U/

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

those shoulder bolts have a reputation for being easy to snap - 4 sounds right, 40 would be disastrous.

You could try tightening yours - I found 3 very loose ones on my car , one I swear was finger tight! (no leaking - yet)

if you do it, change the spark plugs.

 

[Mountain Subi]

Thanks guys, ironically, I was going to get the parts today at the parts store, but we had a brief but cold snow last night and the only road to town (20 min), without going the long way around (3 times the distance), was closed by the CHP. It didn't open until about midday today and I lost the window I needed to do the job. I will have to do it on Saturday. I did change the oil, tighten the bolt that holds the oil cooler in place, and check tightness on vc bolts.

Thanks Eagleeye, read thru those. A lot of good info, but there is not much said about torque. Yes when the engine is out of the car, but what about when it is still in there? If getting a wrench on there is tough enough, how the heck you going to get a torque wrench on those bolt heads, especially the one in the back? Some people were saying torque or just hand tighten. I am no human torque wrench, but it seems like that might be what most people do???

I did tighten the few I could get at today 1 Lucky Texan, they were all pretty tight. I will replace the plugs as well. Yeah, I don't know where I got 40...will do 4.6, maybe it's the spec for the oil cooler hold down bolt...I have to do that at the same time.

I do see some grey silicone in the front, but I don't know if I have the half moon pieces on the back...so my take on the silicone is going to be...if I have the half moons, I will use it...if I don't, I won't. Seems a lot of people have done this job without it and had no ill effects (so far).

Thanks again and again for any info. Now that I'm not doing this for another couple of days, I have some time to do a little more planning ahead.

 

[Mountain Subi]

Well, it is done! Definitely a pain in the ass. I had to lift the engine up in order to get the last coil pack out. No way around it. Other than that, no problem, Hah! I am going to have to do the other side now also. Because I cleaned all the gunk and grime from around it, it is leaking. At least I did the hard side first. Thanks again for all the helpful advise.

By the way, can anyone help me find a repair manual for this vehicle. The Chilton and Haynes manuals do not cover the H6 for some reason??? I found a link to an online repair manual through another post on this site and it also does not cover the H6. Unless someone can help me out, it looks like I may have to buy a used manual from a retired Subaru mechanic (factory repair manuals), they are just so **** expensive. Thanks!

 

[gen2lover]

Well, it is done! Definitely a pain in the ass. I had to lift the engine up in order to get the last coil pack out. No way around it.

Strange....Maybe you have a bad motor mount that is sagging the engine to one side?
Removing the 6 coil packs is the easiest part of the job, normally.
Hope you changed the plugs while you were in there.

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

the first time I did it, I was stuck for hours trying to get a CP back ON.

 

[RoughDiamond]

Every FSM Ever

The link above will have the service manual, as written by Subaru, for your year. It doesn't get any better than those.

 

[joe_pinehill]

Every FSM Ever

The link above will have the service manual, as written by Subaru, for your year. It doesn't get any better than those.

this is a great link. I had downloaded the manual from the subaru site years ago. But you end up with hundreds of pdfs you have to sift through.

Searchable pdf files, great!

 

[idosubaru]

1. the more rearward COPs are very snug and hard to manuever, taking multiple tries on your first attempt - but do not require lifting the engine.

2. you should always do the spark plugs at the same time. you might as well do them both and never have to do either again - the spark plugs are easy with the covers removed and 10x harder than your valve cover gaskets with the covers not removed.

3. always get the FSM - they're free and have been all over the internet for years. follow the torque values in there.

 

[Mountain Subi]

Hello all, sorry for the late reply, but I was on call for 10 days and dealing with family for the holidays as well...

First of all, Gen2Lover, yes I did replace spark plugs when doing this job. I am very meticulous when it comes to things being clean so I spent a TON of time cleaning years of oil leaking all over the engine, suspension, frame and everything in between. I take my time when doing this, so needless to say I was in the garage from noon till 10.

Like I said, I am meticulous...I cleaned everything that I removed, and everything was filthy. I bought this subi off my Dad and he has neglected the heck out of it. He never used to be like that, but in his older age, I am learning, he has finally said F it. This being said, this car has over 200k miles and very little maintenance. He complained one time about the trans shifting funny, and I asked him the last time he had the fluid/filter changed? He told me he didn't know. That's how everything is with this car, so my plan is to hit everything that you regularly maintain...and then some.

Hey RoughDiamond, I downloaded that manual you referenced, and it is the same as the other manual I downloaded from a link on this site...nothing regarding the H6!? Am I missing something? I did kind of browse through it quickly, but, when I came across the intake manifold, and saw only four ports, I kept scrolling for a picture or addendum of the six cylinder intake pic and found nothing...??? I hope I just jumped the gun, but a little guidance would be appreciated, please. Don't want to spend a fortune on Tech manuals.

Idosubaru, I will try the other side without lifting the engine, although it wasn't that difficult and made it a lot easier to clean all the grime! Maybe you also can tell me what I am doing wrong with regards to looking at the FSM. I am failing to find the six cylinder section. Any hints would be awesome.

Thanks again to all who made this A LOT easier! I plan to do the other side soon, but now have another problem to contend with in the mean time...sometimes upon cold start up, the car idles very erratically. It starts up fine, but after about a second or two of idling, it goes up and down like it has a ghost goosing the gas. I thought it was something related to what I had done, but my wife said it has been doing that for a while now, several weeks before the VC job.

I will search the site, but just in case...

Thanks to all

 

[RoughDiamond]

The file name should be "USDM Legacy FSM 2001 (BE-BH)"

In that folder is a pdf called "SUPPLEMENT FOR 6 CYLINDER ENGINE SECTION". About 910 pages, it has all the H6-specific info, including wiring and diagrams of H6-systems.

(I tried to attach it here, but it's too big)