Downbound Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 99 Forester,154, 000 kms, had the heads done in dec. to correct a burnt exhaust valve.. Things have been running well but today after a long drive got home and noticed a hot smell. I have been following posts about HG's and bubbles in the coolant so i checked my overflow. Coolant was right at the top of the tank and bubbles about every 3-5 secs. colant looked good, no oil or globules in it and the temp light never moved past the half way point...what should my next step be...thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 continue to monitor the car to establish normal parameters. If the car is not overheating (boiling over) it would be somewhat normal for it to transfer coolant to the coolant recovery tank and later transfer it back with vacum. If it is close to boiling when the car is running at speed the coolant will boil a bit in the open coolant recovery tank. The car should cease this behavior when it cools down. After you have had work done it is good to keep checking so you know what is normal after a hot run and after a short drive around town. If the work had just been finsihed a bit of air coming out would also be normal. There are many threads on this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downbound Posted January 11, 2005 Author Share Posted January 11, 2005 Thanks for the advice..i just went out to check it as it has been sitting for about 2 hrs and it is -15 c so it should have cooled down...the overflow tank is still right to the top about 1 inch from the cap. and I took off rad cap and can't see any coolant near the top and when i released the cap got some bubbles in the overflow tank ..started it up and let come up to warm but the coolent remains high in the overflow. should it remain that high even when the engine has cooled down.. continue to monitor the car to establish normal parameters. If the car is not overheating (boiling over) it would be somewhat normal for it to transfer coolant to the coolant recovery tank and later transfer it back with vacum. If it is close to boiling when the car is running at speed the coolant will boil a bit in the open coolant recovery tank. The car should cease this behavior when it cools down.After you have had work done it is good to keep checking so you know what is normal after a hot run and after a short drive around town. If the work had just been finsihed a bit of air coming out would also be normal. There are many threads on this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frag Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 As the cooling fluid contracts, the coolant in the overflow bottle should be drawn in the rad. What you're describing in not normal. Even if your symptom seem to point to a head gasket failure, you shoulf maybe begin by replacing the rad cap just to eliminate the cheap stuff. If a cap does'nt seal properly it could let air be sucked in during cool down and that would also prevent the fluid in the overflow reservoir to return to the rad. Just my 2 cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 in it is not good and could mean a leak or a bad cap. If you broke the sael before it cooled down it could prevent it from drawing it back in. I would fill the radiator and set the coolant level in the overflow. It does concern me that you say you smelled coolant. I would also look at the hose clamps as they may be loosening. Do you have the Subaru goop in your system? A small gasket leak could cause these symptoms but the goop is supposed to fix that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downbound Posted January 13, 2005 Author Share Posted January 13, 2005 Update: I topped up the rad with the excess from the overflow...that brought the level down to the cold mark in the tank and the coolant was covering the fins in the rad...just before i went to put the cap back on the rad started gurgling and the level began to drop ( is this a sign that there was an air lock?). I put the cap back on and have monitored it for the past couple of days...haven't done any long trips but seems like it is back to normal parameters again..overflow is at the hot level after a drip and drops back to cold after a few hrs. Looks like it may have just been air in the system...i'll keep checking..thanks for the advice... in it is not good and could mean a leak or a bad cap. If you broke the sael before it cooled down it could prevent it from drawing it back in. I would fill the radiator and set the coolant level in the overflow.It does concern me that you say you smelled coolant. I would also look at the hose clamps as they may be loosening. Do you have the Subaru goop in your system? A small gasket leak could cause these symptoms but the goop is supposed to fix that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted January 13, 2005 Share Posted January 13, 2005 it definately had some air in there. The next trip should tell you a bit more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downbound Posted February 24, 2005 Author Share Posted February 24, 2005 Update: Since this last post I have had the car back to Car Canada where I bought it ( not a subaru dealer). they burped the system and replaced the rad cap. It is about 50 kms to get back home and by the time I got home overflow was full again with bubbles. tookthe car back Car Canada and they investigated. They couldn't figure out what might be wrong so they took the car to a subaru dealer and it seems that when Car Canada reinstalled the heads they used the wrong bolts??? It appears the new head gasket is leaking. They ordered in a new HG and they just called to say it will be ready this afternoon. I also sent Car Canada a copy of the letter from soa concerning the head gasket issue and the advice to add the conditonner to the coolant. Car Canada said they did add the conditoner so i will pick up the car this afternoon and will update this thread with the results. Btw all work has been performed under an extended warranty that i purchased when I bought the car. 99 Forester,154, 000 kms, had the heads done in dec. to correct a burnt exhaust valve.. Things have been running well but today after a long drive got home and noticed a hot smell. I have been following posts about HG's and bubbles in the coolant so i checked my overflow. Coolant was right at the top of the tank and bubbles about every 3-5 secs. colant looked good, no oil or globules in it and the temp light never moved past the half way point...what should my next step be...thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 and they seem to treated you honorably. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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