Just looked up your Enginetech kit, I'd use the multi layer steel (MLS) gaskets from them over an OEM single layer gasket that will fail in the same way as the originals over time. The OEM NA gaskets are single layer and the turbo version MLS and do not have problems. I think I mentioned it above but I have used the Fel-Pro MLS gaskets on my current and previous car with zero issues.
adam525i said:Just looked up your Enginetech kit, I'd use the multi layer steel (MLS) gaskets from them over an OEM single layer gasket that will fail in the same way as the originals over time. The OEM NA gaskets are single layer and the turbo version MLS and do not have problems. I think I mentioned it above but I have used the Fel-Pro MLS gaskets on my current and previous car with zero issues.
Not to beat a 20+ year old dead horse here, but I thought it doesn't matter what HG you use, it will fail over time due to the open-deck block design/rigidity/whatever. The turbo variants are closed deck and don't have this issue.
I ordered OEM Turbo gaskets, so they'll be MLS as well. There is a real possibility that I sell this to a coworker, so trying to do it "right" (relatively speaking) and maximize the pool of potential buyers if he decides against it.
Well, I punted and dropped the heads off at a machine shop around the corner from work. I'm flying to Chicago for a wedding this weekend, so this way they'll be done mid next week and I can get on with putting it back together. He's going to check the valves and do the cam seals for me, but otherwise thought they should be good to go with just a cleaning and resurfacing.
They're back! Still making progress. Shop said they were in good shape, valves sealed well so all we needed was a cleaning and resurfacing.
Ugh...flipping cars. I got a 2006 Camry V6 XLE from FIL for free... $0. 116k orig owner. Dents and dings. Nice 20 footer. Leather interior no rips but filthy. Cleaned up nice.
When the dust settled, $2200 in it, 30 hrs of brake, tires, battery, maintenance, mega de-hoarding, cleaning, clay bar ,wax, ozone machine, fix windows, broken tail light, replace trunk board and liner, clean TB, tune up, got $2500. 10 bucks an hour.(...do you want fries with that?)
Cheering you on! For better results than mine....
In reply to Agent98 :
Let's just say I'm not quitting my day job 
I haven't had a ton of time for it lately, but I've been cleaning and cleaning and cleaning when I get some time. Heads are back on the block after I performed the magic head bolt tightening ritual. I realized I forgot to take a picture proving that I used oem gaskets, so this will have to do
Progress is being made, albeit slowly. I got the intake manifold back on this afternoon, and I'm pretty sure I even managed to reconnect everything correctly. Only time will tell. I am going to replace the water pump while I have it out, so we're not 100% finished with disassembly, but it does feel like progress.
Tonight is my 9th wedding anniversary and I also got some (potentially) bad news on the work front today, so I'm going to go drink several bottles of wine instead of working on it further. Hoping to have it ready to stab back in this weekend.
Hi. Remember this? It's still in my driveway.
I lost my job about a month ago, so I theoretically should have had more time to work on it, but my overall motivation level and willingness to do much of anything has been....mixed.
In any case, it's back together. I got really frustrated with it for about a week trying to track down a loud tick in the engine that was 100% my fault (see this thread), but now it's ready to go. Today and tomorrow I'm planning on running it through the drive cycle to reset all the monitors, then I need to get it smogged so I can finally get a title.
(I thought the battery was dead in this pic, but it turns out I just missed one wire when I put the engine back in - the signal wire for the starter solenoid :facepalm:)
Let's talk about budget. Here's where we were:
Purchase price: $2000
Check fee: $20
Total: $2020
New parts:
Head gasket kit (Enginetech, on closeout): $69.89
Timing belt kit, with water pump (Gates): $175.79
Head bolts (Victor Reinz): $26.79
A/C belt (Gates): $18.43
Timing Cover Gasket (Mahle): $32.79 - this might go back, it's actually in decent shape
Total: 323.69
Total after shipping, tax, and 5% discount: 379.69
New total: 2399.69.
I ended up reusing the head bolts and didn't need the A/C belt, so those can come back out of the budget. My water pump kit didn't come with a thermostat (really?) so I went OEM for that, and decided to replace the spark plugs as well. I did get the heads surfaced and checked by a machine shop, so that came to $220 - well worth it when you consider my lack of experience here. The noisy A/C compressor turned out to be a bad idler pulley, so that was cheaper than expected. Here's how everything shakes out:
Old total 2399.69
-head bolts $26.79
-A/C belt $18.43
Subtotal 2354.47
Thermostat (Subaru) $39.52
Spark plugs (Subaru) $47.80
Tax $9.39
Head cleaning and resurfacing $220
A/C Tensioner (Dorman via Amazon) $13.26
A/C Tensioner Pulley (Gates via Amazon) $28.56
Subaru OEM Head gaskets (OEM via Amazon) $91
Rear main seal (OEM via Amazon) $17
Coolant (Zerex, 2 gallons premixed) $40
Oil (Costco) $17
Air filter (Wix) $17
Oil Filter (Wix) $11.5
New total $2906.5
Still under 3k! I'm happy with that. It will still be a few hundred for smog/registration, but this should be pretty close to my all in cost on this one.
I may be able to recoup a small amount of cash from the leftover gaskets in the various kits I bought and didn't end up using, but probably I'll just throw them all in for the next owner.
Do you have to pay taxes on it before you can register it? That's how it works here in CT, and to add insult to injury, they use a NADA value on the car, so what you actually paid for it doesn't matter. So in your example, I would probably have to pay 6% on the $10k NADA value as opposed to on the purchase price of $2k. It makes it much more difficult to fix and flip anything here, because you take a big financial hit paying taxes on an inflated value in order to actually register it.
In reply to dj06482 (Forum Supporter) :
Yes, but they use actual sale price (thankfully). I expect it will cost in the neighborhood of $400 for smog/title, which sucks but should still leave room for profit.
cmcgregor (Forum Supporter) said:In reply to dj06482 (Forum Supporter) :
Yes, but they use actual sale price (thankfully). I expect it will cost in the neighborhood of $400 for smog/title, which sucks but should still leave room for profit.
Good to hear they're counting the purchase price for tax purposes!
Took it for a quick drive to pick up lunch today, and now it's showing all monitors as ready and no codes. I have an appointment to run it through a smog check tomorrow, which will hopefully be relatively painless, then it's off to the DMV.
AND, it was nice enough to rain for the first time in ~6 months, so it's even somewhat presentable! Should make it easier to clean up anyway.
Awesome job so far!
dculberson said:Awesome job so far!
Thanks!
It passed smog today, so that's a mission success on the original point of this whole exercise. $40! Now let's get a title and get it listed for sale...
Hot damn.
I don't know your market but my guess is $6k selling price.
On one hand the manual trans will make it take longer to sell but on the other hand for someone the manual will make it the desirable and rare model they have been looking for. Black is a good color too for that right owner (a bit more masculine.) Hold out for the long dollar if you can.
In reply to John Welsh :
I'm hoping for something in that range - planning on listing it at $6500 and seeing what happens. A hefty GRM discount is available, of course.
It's officially mine! My original guess was pretty close - $397 in registration and transfer fees, should have the title in a week or so.
In the meantime, I'm going to do some minor detailing and take photos, then it's off to Craigslist.
In reply to cmcgregor (Forum Supporter) :
That is a very nice ad!
In reply to John Welsh :
Thanks! It's hard to find the balance between not enough and too much information for the CL crowd. Let's hope it bears fruit.
Well that was quick. Got a deposit on it early this afternoon. We're going to meet at the bank early next week to finalize the sale.
Maybe I should have asked for more!
In reply to cmcgregor (Forum Supporter) :
No, it's that kind of market. Either gone immediately or lingers on. Be happy with the immediate full price. Congrats.
I was gonna write above that I expected it to be "sold" before the weekend was over, just waiting for bank/paperwork in the early work week.
solid profit!
In reply to cmcgregor (Forum Supporter) :
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