Overheating

[swilde20]

No head gasket just did those, new radiator, heater core, water pump, Thermostat everything i could think of has been done. It's a 97 Legacy Outback with the 2.5. I can drive it and the temp. gauge reads normal for about 40-50 miles then it bounce around and if you stop it will need a 1/2 to a full gallon of antifreeze. When i leave in the mourning i check the overflow bottle and it's half full, but when i stop and leave the car running after driving it for about a half hour it's full to the top and bubbling. Anyone have any other ideas?

 

Steve

 

P.S Has anyone had any luck using this stuff, looks like the same bottle that Subaru uses.

HOLTS "RADWELD PLUS" SEALS RADIATOR LEAKS 250ML

 

Edited December 9, 2010 by swilde20

[davebugs]

Bad burp job.

 

Or you used generic head gaskets.

[GeneralDisorder]

Your head gasket job didn't hold. Generic gaskets? Messed up the torque procedure? Improperly cleaned surfaces? Etc.

 

That's a bummer dude.

 

GD

[Rooster2]

Your head gasket job didn't hold. Generic gaskets? Messed up the torque procedure? Improperly cleaned surfaces? Etc.

 

That's a bummer dude.

 

GD

 

+1 that you are having continuing problems with the head gaskets. I know that is not what you want to hear. I hope you can take it back to whoever did the work, and get it fixed under warranty.

[bigbearrick]

Also, if you did not check your heads and block to make sure they were perfectly flat, probably have a new head gasket issue.

 

Have you tried the "coolant conditioner" that Subaru sells? It's really a head gasket sealer as they know they have a head gasket sealing issue. It comes in a little blue bottle and doesn't cost much. I used it in my 2005 Impreza after the dealer replaced the head gaskets--at their recommendation. Still put a bottle in the '05 Outback now and then, which has not had any problems, go figure.

[idosubaru]

should be very obvious where a gallon of antifreeze is going, it would certainly leave a trace if it's leaking that much......seems like headgaskets are likely.

 

how badly was it overheated before the headgasket job?

 

i've heard of blocks cracking but that's extremely rare and would take some serious abuse.

[Fairtax4me]

Do a block test. (combustion gas test)

[Subeast-EA81]

I would lean twards a head gasket issue if you didn't get the heads decked, simply removing the heads warps them, as which point they need to be Decked by a machine shop to true up the mounting surface before reinstalling.

[MilesFox]

Classic symptoms of HG problems, at least with combustion gasses getting into the cooling system, pushing out coolant past the overflow jug, and losing coolant and getting hot.

 

This would be a slightly blown headgasket as i would call it, and you should have good luck using a can of block sealer.

 

I have had luck using this stuff on various toyotas and subarus when the radiator is bubbling exhaust gas. I use the K&W 'nanotech' block sealr in the green bottle. IT is a sodium silicalte "liquid glass" compound with copper flake suspended. Costs $20. Use only once the engine is flushed with pure, clean water, and no anti- freeze in the cooling system to use the stuff. Be sure to follow the directions on the bottle precisely. I would recommend to bypass the heater core with a 2 ft piece of 5/8" hose with e flushing tee in the middle to administer the product.

 

The blue stuff is about $60, but would pose less chance of plugging the heater core.

 

This should work to keep you going and may be a permanent fix. My 3.ov6 toyota u-haul truck has held out for a year of daily driving since using block seal.

[swilde20]

Has anyone tried this stuff, and if so what kind of result did you have?

 

Thanks Steve

HOLTS "RADWELD PLUS" SEALS RADIATOR LEAKS 250ML

 

[davebugs]

That was already mentioned in this thread.

 

Won't help if they are already leaking.

 

 

But Subaru uses it like a "miracle cure". They put it in all years after doing a HG job I was told just last week.

[GeneralDisorder]

That stuff will fix the external leaks on early phase-II engines. It will not seal a combustion leak on a phase-I. It is not designed for that nor will it work. If you have an overheating phase-I EJ25 (EJ25D) then you need to replace the head gaskets.

 

GD

[idosubaru]

Has anyone tried this stuff, and if so what kind of result did you have?

 

Thanks Steve

HOLTS "RADWELD PLUS" SEALS RADIATOR LEAKS 250ML

 

read the label and seeing if it recommends using it on internally leaking headgaskets. if it says it does, i wouldn't believe it, or it's a very low success rate.

 

if it doesn't work on properly installed, seated, and sealed gaskets from the factory (which it doesn't) - so it would be very odd for it to seal improperly seated headgaskets.

 

conditioners/additives are used in the externally leaking Phase II EJ25's - not the internally leaking Phase I EJ25's. fixes in a bottle are unlikely to hold up to the combustion process.

 

for a short term fix and a block or vehicle you plan on junking - try it, use three bottles if you want and see what happens.

 

if you want to keep the car and engine for awhile then don't use it.

 

this kind of stuff will never have an answer, it's all anecdotal, so do whatever you want - it sounds like you want to try it, so go try it. it may help %10 of the time (i doubt it's that high on internally leaking subaru headgaskets)....but there may short term fixes in %90 and long term consequences in %80 of the those %10...it's a differential equation, not a black and white question like you're making it out to be.

Edited December 9, 2010 by grossgary

[Qman]

Anyone who tells yo uto use a block sealer in a Subaru is an IDIOT! The only thing those will seal is the heater core. What Subaru uses is a conditioner not a sealer.

[GeneralDisorder]

Anyone who tells yo uto use a block sealer in a Subaru is an IDIOT! The only thing those will seal is the heater core. What Subaru uses is a conditioner not a sealer.

 

It's Holt's Stop Leak with a Subaru label on it. It is chunky and it IS designed to plug leaks. It actually works quite well on the Phase-II EJ25's - both from my own experience and talking to the local dealer - they have told me that MANY cases of external leaking head gaskets never have the problem again with proper application of the "conditioner". Incidentally - there's nothing left to "condition" when they start leaking - you have two block surfaces, a thin strip of metal (HG core) and all the sealant is washed away from either side - so there's nothing to be "conditioned" - that's a marketing term to keep people from freaking out.

 

GD

[Qman]

It's Holt's Stop Leak with a Subaru label on it. It is chunky and it IS designed to plug leaks. It actually works quite well on the Phase-II EJ25's - both from my own experience and talking to the local dealer - they have told me that MANY cases of external leaking head gaskets never have the problem again with proper application of the "conditioner". Incidentally - there's nothing left to "condition" when they start leaking - you have two block surfaces, a thin strip of metal (HG core) and all the sealant is washed away from either side - so there's nothing to be "conditioned" - that's a marketing term to keep people from freaking out.

 

GD

 

It is designed to go in with the new headgaskets. Anyone who tries to seal a head gasket leak with fix a leak by any name or brand is an idiot!

[GeneralDisorder]

It is designed to go in with the new headgaskets. Anyone who tries to seal a head gasket leak with fix a leak by any name or brand is an idiot!

 

So you are saying that Subaru is a bunch of Idiots? So you drive them why?

 

They say to put it in everything as a CYA - it is not needed nor do I ever use it on the new, updated head gaskets.

 

The leak on the EJ251/EJ253 is purely a result of poor coolant/oil gallery sealant used on the (old) head gaskets. It does not affect the combustion chamber fire ring. The stop-leak product DOES work - often long term but even in the short term it is a useful product as it can buy someone TIME. Time to gather the funds and make the arrangement so as not to be out a vehicle at the wrong time.

 

Blanket statements calling people that use the Holts product an "Idiot" is foolish. It has it's place, it does a job. Use a $1.50 product (sanctioned by the dealer) to avoid a $1,000 repair bill and often the problem never returns - how does that make someone an idiot?

 

GD