2007 Subaru Forester with a 2.5l non turbo need valve lash specs

Hello all…

Recently picked up a 2007 Forester in decent shape cheap. Reason it’s cheap? Needs a head gasket job and heads machined. Seems the last head gasket job done about a year ago was severely botched.

Talked with a few machine shops in the area and decided to go with one of the guys that’s been around the longest. He’s now retired (he’s been doing engine machine work for something like 40+ years….) He’s cutting me a break on removing the warps that both heads have. Spec is supposed to be .002. One’s at .007 and the other at .004. Gee, wonder why the head gaskets failed?

Now he looked ’em over and we talked about how to do this. The engine uses VVT and a complex spring setup, etc.. He let me know that the easiest way to get this done, would be to spin the cam so the valves are closed in the heads, and to ensure they are 100% closed- Back off the lash adjustment until it’s assured. Then screw in the spark plugs and re-install the valve covers to create a “Sealed” area where metal shavings wouldn’t be allowed to enter. Seems he’s done this procedure several dozen times and he swears by it. (according to him: Why buy special tools, tear everything apart….when you can do this and have the same result?)

He then asked me if I knew how to do valve lash adjustment for afterwards. Actually yeah I do know the process. However what I lack? Are the specs for the exhaust and intake valve lash adjustments. I can always measure it before backing the adjusters off, and reset back to where it started. However this engine is pushing 207k. (Before anyone asks….it sounds surprisingly solid! No oddball noises, ran smooth as silk…granted after 5 minutes it would create a geyser out of the radiator from the exhaust gases entering the coolant passage. Heck, it didn’t even have any coolant in the oil!)

At any rate. I’d rather see about resetting the lash adjustment back to factory specs using the factory procedures. Over 200k I’m fairly sure things are a wee bit worn out for adjustments. However I can’t find anything solid for a 2007 2.5l non turbo? I’ve a shop manual here that covers up to 2006. So that’s the first year that Subaru started using this model of 2.5 with the variable valve timing. Before that it was the old design pre-2006. So the manual is a bit poor in the information department.

Anyone here have any decent specs and data for a 2006-2010(1) 2.5 with variable valve timing?

Thanks!