<< t obrien wrote:

 > Could it be that those clever  Japanese engineers accounted for the
 > corrosive effect of American water in designing their waterboxer? I have
not
 > heard that leaking gaskets and corroded heads have been an issue with the
 > subarus.
 >

 Could be a different alloy, that withstands it in a different way? Or maybe
even
 some coating etc. I don't know the Subs at all, so I cant say. Just guessing.

 PerL
 87 Syncro 112i >>

Had an oportunity to check out a Subaru engine without a head on it at a junk
yard.  The main difference I saw was that the cylinders were pressed into the
cast aluminum block.  This allowed them to use very short head bolts (not 12"
long studs) with the normal metal head gasket that every motor except the
waterboxer uses.  This would be more of a pain if you ever had to replace
pistons and cylinders (have to crack the case to change the pistons and might
have to bore the cylinders one over instead of replacing them) however it
eliminates the extra expansion and contraction that you get with the long
head studs.  This is the design flaw of the waterboxer in my opinion.  It
allows for too much movement between the heads and the case (hence the thick
rubber gasket trying to take up the slack).  This leads to the water seeping
around the gaskets, the head corrosion, the gaskets ripping, the case pitting
(why is that folks don't say much about this issue?), etc, etc, blah, blah.
So in my opinion, you will never get rid of the main flaw of the waterboxer.
It is an inherent design flaw.  Either live with it, or put another kind of
motor in there.
My opinion, flames welcome (it's pretty cold here :)

Thanks,
Ken Wilford
http://www.vanagain.com
John 3:16
Office (856)-765-1583
Shop (856)-327-0027
Fax   (856)-327-2242