I have a 1996 Legacy wagon which has done 100,000 miles. I have noticed that even after driving 60 or so miles I can (without waiting for the engine to cool) take my radiator cap off without so much of a hiss and splutter. The radiator cap is only slightly warm to touch. Engine is the EJ22.
The top radiator hose is very hot but the coolant in the neck of the radiator (where I take the cap off) is just lukewarm. I am not losing coolant and the temperature gauge is reading normal. Hot air comes out of the heater and the cooling fans do come on.
I only became aware of this because I heard a trickling water sound under my dash whilst driving and tried a couple of times to bleed air out of the system without much success I may add. In the course of this I noticed the cool radiator cap. I'm wondering if the coolant is circulating properly.
Do I have any cause for concern? Seems odd that after driving so many miles my top radiator hose is boiling hot but my radiator cap can be taken off without a care in the world.
Hope someone out there can help. I'm not sure if continuing to drive my Subaru with this condition is going to cause a big problem or maybe I already have one.
Radiator Troubleshooting
in 1990 to Present Legacy, Impreza, Outback, Forester, Baja, WRX&WrxSTI, SVX
Posted
Hi,
I have a 1996 Legacy wagon which has done 100,000 miles. I have noticed that even after driving 60 or so miles I can (without waiting for the engine to cool) take my radiator cap off without so much of a hiss and splutter. The radiator cap is only slightly warm to touch. Engine is the EJ22.
The top radiator hose is very hot but the coolant in the neck of the radiator (where I take the cap off) is just lukewarm. I am not losing coolant and the temperature gauge is reading normal. Hot air comes out of the heater and the cooling fans do come on.
I only became aware of this because I heard a trickling water sound under my dash whilst driving and tried a couple of times to bleed air out of the system without much success I may add. In the course of this I noticed the cool radiator cap. I'm wondering if the coolant is circulating properly.
Do I have any cause for concern? Seems odd that after driving so many miles my top radiator hose is boiling hot but my radiator cap can be taken off without a care in the world.
Hope someone out there can help. I'm not sure if continuing to drive my Subaru with this condition is going to cause a big problem or maybe I already have one.