52 replies to this topic

[ccrinc]

mabee thiss got missed the rad can only be filled properly when car is not running with bleeder plug open fill rad till comes out bleeder and wait for last of bubbles to get out the fill takes about a 1/2 hour to 45 is a slow fill i think people lose patencie and dont fill it enuff or run engine and airate the coolant always fill subarus not running

Where DO you get your information? Initially, you have to fill it not running, but the only way you're going to get all the air bubbles out is to have it running, so the coolant can circulate and move those air pockets!

[danbennett2u]

I am going to agree that this sounds simply like you need to replace the radiator, and fill it properly. Air in the system will make it SEEM like the radiator is full but if you have coolant all over the engine it has to come from somewhere, and no heat = no coolant in heater core.

[mikaleda]

i am going to get a new radiator and thermostat. i figure i am going to do this anyway even if i do the head gasket. so i might as well do it first and make sure that is not the problem. tomorrow i am going to test the head gasket just to make sure before i do anything. so no matter what i am covered. thank everyone for you'r input it did help fell free to keep posting if you want i will post my results when i get it fixed.

[ivans imports]

Where DO you get your information? Initially, you have to fill it not running, but the only way you're going to get all the air bubbles out is to have it running, so the coolant can circulate and move those air pockets!

i get it from doing subaru engines for 16 years have done thowsands of subaru engines and always from day one fill not running always thats why it takes time the air will come to top running engine just airates coolant and makes a mess and knowing exactly how mutch coolant the system holds helps to i never get air locks or fill problems

[johnceggleston]

the last 2 i did (not at the same time but weeks apart) i siphoned in a gallon with the bleeder plug open. poured the left over into another jug with a half gallon and then siphoned that in. the process was so slow i wondered if it was even filling, but it did the trick , no air locks or other troubles.
obviously this is extreme, but it worked and i was able to do other stuff while waiting.

Edited by johnceggleston, 31 May 2012 - 10:53 AM.

[Cougar]

where is the bleeder plug? my manual didn't tell me anything about this.

The valve is at the bottom of the radiator. I'm not sure if all models have one.

[mikaleda]

oh that is the valve that is stuck solid. that might explain alot of my problems i am having. i got a new radiator and am waiting for thermostat to come in at napa it will be here at two. if the weather cooperates i will have new radiator installed and new thermostat by the end of today.

oh ya how much coolant should my system hold?

[johnceggleston]

legacys and outbacks have a bleeder vent plug on the top of the rad at the top hose.
it is supposed to be open when filling the cooling system.
it is almost impossible to fill it correctly with it closed.

it has a phillips head fitting. at 26.25 inches in pic.
i'm not sure imprezas and foresters have them, but i don't know.

Edited by johnceggleston, 31 May 2012 - 02:20 PM.

[johnceggleston]

legacy and outback hold about 1.5 gallons of coolant.

[Cougar]

Thanks for the pointer about the bleeder outlet JCE. I was confused and thinking of a drain valve in my previous posting.

[mikaleda]

it was an air bubble i have replaced the radiator and thermostat. when i drained the system i only had a 1/2 gallon of water/antifreeze in it. when i drained the first time when i was going to flush the system it had less than that. i am pretty sure that it was the crack in the radiator leaking anti freeze and causing an air bubble that was causing me to overheat. when i refilled it the last time i didn't do it properly and that is why it over heated the last time i think. i am refilling the system now it has taken a gallon so far and i am letting it sit for a while before i put more in. i have the plug that you showed in the pic off. when it is full i will take it for a test drive and find out if this worked, i'm almost sure it will.

[mikaleda]

it was the radiator. it runs great now, i haven't taken it to far yet but i can tell by the little bit of driving i've done that it fixed the problem.

[Suba_GL_87]

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[1997reduxe]

just posting a reply so i can keep track of this one, but thanks for all the info. i never knew how to fill the rad. either. And as to the punctuation, god forbid these people ever read Faulkner...

[ccrinc]

just posting a reply so i can keep track of this one, but thanks for all the info. i never knew how to fill the rad. either. And as to the punctuation, god forbid these people ever read Faulkner...

Meh. You should see what would happen over on AWD Pirates forum.

As one guy's sig says, "it's not a car forum, it's a grammar forum".

[mikaleda]

well to anyone still looking at this thread around 300 miles after i changed the radiator i decided to take my car for a road trip. it over heated 60 miles from home in the exact same place as before and it is acting exactly like it was before. just before i over heat my heater quits working. i have a new radiator and thermostat so it is probably the head gasket i am going to test it asap but it is going to get parked for now. man this is really frustrating
it is an oem thermostat.

[Cougar]

Having the heater stop working and over heating are some of the classic problems with a bad head gasket. If you want to prove it you could do a block check. It will most likely confirm what you already have seen.

[mikaleda]

i was thinking of trying what gd and ivans said and put 120 psi in each cylinder at tdc and look for bubbles in the radiator. i have the tools to do this myself

[mikaleda]

blown head gasket. when running i have bubbles in the radiator small and frequent.

[danbennett2u]

Could also be a bad radiator cap. Bubbles in the overflow tank can be caused from the loss of the seal on the cap, and it would cause you to lose antifreeze. I would try replacing the cap if you haven't already and refilling it.

[mikaleda]

the cap radiator and thermostat have all been replaced but that is good info for the future and i am also having circulation problems as i said earlier right before i overheat my heater blows cold

[mikaleda]

resurrecting this thread again to ask one more question. it looks like i found a nice shop to do my head gasket in. i am going yo pull the engine like gd said. does anyone have any tips tricks to pulling an ej22?
i am new to this i have never pulled an engine from a car yet and i just want to make sure i am doing it right when i get to it. hopefully everything will work out because if it does i just might end up with a rebuilt engine when i am done

[mikaleda]

never mind after sitting around for a month or two i started driving my car around since my other one broke and it isn't over heating at all i guess i just didn't get all the air out.

[mikaleda]

Sorry about this back again had over heating happen again but weird part was it did it coasting into my driveway replaced cheapo cap with a Stant no problems since and have driven a tankful of gas through it and pushed the engine to its limits climbing the hills around here no sighns of even getting hot. I will double check with a block check when I have money but I doubt it was the head gasket

Edited by mikaleda, 10 December 2012 - 01:33 PM.

[Fairtax4me]

Head gaskets cause over heating because the extra pressure in the system pushes coolant out and the coolant level gets low. Coolant gets too low and it can't circulate properly, it stays in the engine and boils.

Keep the coolant topped off (check it every morning) and it should be drivable for a while.