soylentgreen33

Well, I tried all of the things you did and the problem only got better when I stopped using the air conditioner. It is still there but is not nearly as bad with less load on the engine. All of this is a mute point as I now have head gasket problems. I will probably be getting rid of the car at this point.

So what should I look for when I look at the car?

According to KBB this car would be between 4700 and 5800 on a private party. I'm not sure about the timing belt. If it breaks, what kind of damage might ensue?

Hey grossgary, I got a price on the car and can have it for $3900 plus tax, and fees etc. Out the door for about $4400. Does this sound like a good deal? The guy says it runs great and has no problems. Also have 75% tire tread left.

Trouble is, buying used, you never know what kind of maintenance was done. I just can't buy new right now. I may be selling my wagon soon, if the other one goes through. For future reference, does anyone know of a good Subaru specialist in southern California? I am about 60 miles north of San Diego.

So they are prone to oil leaks? Where do they leak from?

Well, Thanks everyone. I will probably have the headgaskets done. I do however have my eye on another 96 with a 2.2. It is an nearby auction but is only at $2900 right now. 148K miles. If it doesn't go up, I think it is a good deal. I haven't seen it yet so no telling if there is anything wrong with it. Is there anything I should know about the 2.2?

The shop tells me the coolant is going somewhere. Could it be an external leak that is burning off and then the car overheats due to low coolant? Everything seems to be circulating fine, apparently. They are not finding any hydrocarbons or oil in the coolant. A quote for a reman 2.5 from CCR was $2895 plus shipping, So if that is the case I may not even bother. Like I mentioned before, the body is not in the best of shape (car was involved in a sandwich situation) and is probably not worth the extra expense of replacing the engine.

Is there any test for the water pump? Or any way to tell if it needs replacing without pulling the timing belt and all that?

Did your car intermittently overheat? I have been able to go short trips before the temp rises. I noticed that later in the day after several small trips that it overheats much easier. Could that be due to the tired water pump? And do you think a bad water pump would cause air bubbles? It is at the shop right now as I have neither the tools or the time to work on it. Also when it blows the coolant out the overflow the radiator cap is cold. Did that also happen to you? Oh, by the way, had a carbon test done and it showed nothing.:-\

What kind of tools would I need? I have only basic wrench and sockets. Also would I need to pull the engine?

Any idea what a 2.2 from CCR would cost? What about used low mileage imports from Japan? Good idea or should I stay away?

Well, Money is tight right now and I would like to do this as cheaply as possible. The body of the car is not the greatest and I don't really want to put a ton of money into it.

I was hoping you wouldn't say that. Any idea how much a HG job might cost? I am in Southern California.

Hello everyone. Hoping someone has some advice for me. I have a '96 OBW 2.5 auto with 152k miles. About a week ago the car suddenly overheated, according to the gauge. When I stopped, it was puking antifreeze but the radiator cap and top hose was cold. I immediately thought the thermostat was bad and had it replaced. The next day on the way to work the temp went up some over normal in traffic. After I stopped it blew some antifreeze out of the coolant reservoir. Took it back in to the shop and they could not get it to overheat all day. The car was fine, never got above normal and didn't leak until the evening of the next day. Long story short, in traffic sometimes it gets a little hot, and when I stop, it blows antifreeze. It is not consistent. Runs good otherwise. Any help would be great. :-\