akphil

thanks for the replys. I'll replace the thermostat tonight. I purchased the car from an old lady who doesn't drive any more. I doubt she removed the thermostat before selling. The price was right and I wasn't asking too many questions. The car is in perfect condition otherwise and books for $2000-$2500, so $500 sounded good to me, even if I have to replace the head gasket. There are no signs of coolant in the oil or exhaust though...but i guess exhaust could be leaking into the coolant?? What's a reasonable price for head gasket replacement. How much oil does the 2.2L take...searched this site but couldn't find it? thanks again...

I just purchased a 1990 Legacy 2.2L AWD wagon yesterday with 150k miles. Everything looked good and was a strong runner, only $500. The car warms at idle, but when driving the engine temp cools to 0 after about a min and I get very little heat. Could this be as simple as a thermostat stuck open, or is it something worse. The air temp is about 30F.