skiu4ikjames

Great discussion here. Thanks again for all the good thoughts. My rig is back on the road as of 9/14. Against all advice here on this thread I kept the car at my local shop and let them tear it apart. It was 't their 100th Subaru breakdown but it wasn't their 1st either. They didn't find a broken gasket but they did find a cracked head. I was surprised to say the least. Even as I stood there looking at the block and heads sitting on the work bench next to each other (I didn't think the engine needed to leave its compartment) I could look at discoloration and be told there was a crack but not really know what I was looking at. So, after the new/used heads planed, gaskets, tensioner, idler, pump, timing belt, fluids, and the add ins of filters (fuel, oil, and trans), seals (oil, trans, rear diff), and 17.5hrs of labor the car is running with a CEL that throws EVAP System fault codes. I replaced the filler cap just for giggles. It should have reset after thirty miles right? It didn't. I brought it back to the shop and after having it a few hrs he tells me, I think your intake solenoid is bad. What am I supposed to think? Does this guy sound legit or not? I beg anyone to tell it to me straight. Because I hate feeling that I can't trust this guy but knowing enough.

Thanks. I guess I'm just a half-full kind of guy. Sounds like good advice.

A friend of mine has had, and done a lot of work on, this generation. He thinks I should rule out the coolent pump first by replacing it. I asked the mechanic here in town to rule it out early on. His response was, you know they're gone when they leak or make a terrible racket. Mine does neither but does anyone know a real test? Seems like if coolants not circulating, the pump would be first culprit to look at right? -JO

Thank you all for posting. I'm embarrassed to have jumped on the posting "wagon" before reading any of the perfectly relevant info already here. The thread about overheating with 30 replies just this month was particularly helpful. I'll get on the profile update ASAP. My shop has a 4 gas test set for tomorrow. I'm sold that the HG is failing. I've been wondering why the coolent was dirty since the middle of last winter. On the upside, the temp has only hit "H" once and I stopped driving immediately. that was this past Friday. Thanks again JO

My 99 2.5 outback has been in my local shop since friday for overheating. It has a new thermostat and holds good pressure, no milky oil, no funky exhaust, and an operating water pump. Any suggestions or leads on a good thread to read would be extremely helpful. Thx JO