07/20/2026
🔧 Friday we asked you to name a symptom of a failing head gasket. Here's the full list — how many did you get?
First — thank you to everyone who commented. You came through. 👏
Here's everything to watch for on the 2.5L Subaru engine:
✅ Sweet smell from the engine after driving — that's coolant burning off
✅ White smoke from the exhaust, especially on cold starts
✅ Coolant level dropping with no puddle under the car
✅ Overheating — sometimes only at highway speed
✅ Milky or frothy oil on the dipstick or under the oil cap
✅ White crusty buildup around the engine block
✅ Heater blowing cold even when the engine is warm
The sneaky one most people miss:
👉 Coolant disappearing slowly with zero puddles in the driveway.
No leak to point to. No warning light. Just a reservoir that keeps getting lower. The coolant is burning internally — seeping past the gasket and going out the exhaust as steam. By the time the engine starts overheating, this has usually been happening for weeks.
That's exactly what caught the owner off guard. Came in for an oil change. Left knowing they had a head gasket job ahead of them — and caught it early enough to actually matter.
Caught early: $800–$1,200.
Caught late: engine replacement.
If your Subaru has more than 80,000 miles and any of these sound familiar — even just the smell — give us a call. We'll take a look and tell you straight.
📞 (425) 245-5805
🌐 chaplinautorepair.com
📍 Snohomish · Lake Stevens · Monroe · Everett
The Shop Your Neighbors Trust.
