so. I was driving my 87 turbo wag, when I got home I noticed my temp gausge was a little high.

so I let it run for a while and the gauge went higher and higher til it hit the red so I shut it off.

 

I get out and pop the hood I check the normal things, the rad was cool, the hose had a little pressure, the motor was deffinatly not hot..

 

so I loosen the rad cap, there was a small hiss. then nothing. so I pull the cap off everything seems normal.

 

then about 3 seconds later.... WOOSH a ten foot guyser shot out of the rad and covered me in luke warm antifreeze.. NEVER have I had this happen before.

 

I think it might have been a clog.. not sure though.

 

 

 

Thoughts?

Stuck Thermostat? 

 

But you're Alright, isn't it? ... 

 

Hot antifreeze is very Dangerous...

a huge air bubble in the block... but yeah... is pretty weird...

You're *extremely* fortunate the coolant wasn't hot. You should never open up a radiator just after driving the vehicle. I'm sure you know that now, and in retrospect, count your blessings lol

Drain the system and refill it and purge it of air. Check for leaks. Never ever open the radiator cap like that again!

Oh trust me i know not to open the rad.. Normally there will beba little antifreeze that comes out but this time there was nothing and yes i know im lucky

Yeah that could have really sucked lol. Real curious how your cooling system got to that point. Weird!

Well i filled the car back up and drove it all day no issues. I think the car might have just been pissed at me

Strange. If you were driving, your coolant should never be luke warm under normal circumstances.

 

Stuck Thermostat? 

 

But you're Alright, isn't it? ... 

 

Hot antifreeze is very Dangerous...

So, if, like the quote says, stuck thermostat?

So your engine does not feel so hot, but tells you, "I'm so overheated I'm about to kill myself, and it will be your fault!"

Believe the gal you came home with.

 

Probably the thermostat primary, possibly water pump secondarily.

 

Also you are fortunate, but come on guys, we all have done it, but usually we are expecting the coolant geyser immediately.

Replace the thermostat, it is cheap and easy as long as you do not snap a bolt. Sticking thermostats can be intermittent. If you don't replace, and it sticks, hit the housing with the handle of a hammer, or use a rubber mallet.

i replaced the therostat last year. But im thinking about just getting another. And yeah was not expecting an explosion of coolant.. I think the sending unit was in an air bubble which is why the gauge read so hot. The car normally runs very cold. I put a 160 thermostat in it.

Sounds like a stuck Thermostat. 

 

all the experienced hands in here say to assure to use Subaru make thermostat, it give better flow etc.. also, 

 

It has been years since I have changed one out but some car makers of these, Subaru? come with a little hole and if I recall should be placed at the top when installed.  Some have a little check plug type thing but those would go to the top to allow movement of air to prevent what ever.. take a look at that perchance...  I know a mechanic that also drills a small hole just to assure the flow of air/water to better balance the system.  

yeah the jiggler valve, i put it in the right spot.

Was it an aftermarket thermostat ?

 

if so get a new one as most are lucky to last more than a year (unless they are a very good brand)

 

TOONGA

I had a bad burn for opening a cap when I knew I had overheating issues.  I had had some alcohol earlier and although not drunk wasnt 100%.  Suffered 2nd degree burn to my chest.  The coolant shot up so high it hit the roof of the garage I was about to refuel at.

yeah, if the car was actually overheating i wouldnt have opened the cap, but like i said the car wasn't hot, I actually put my hand on the head and it wasn't hot, not sure what caused this problem but it hasn't done it since..

 

 

although the coolant did shoot up really high. Ive never seen this happen on a motor that aside from what the guage said was not overheating.

Sounds like a stuck Thermostat...  

 

Yes.

 

by the Way, I Run my Carburated "BumbleBeast" Subaru and my Wife's EFI "KiaStein" without Thermostat for three reasons that only works at the Caribbean area and similar climate zones of the World. First: Here Never Snows. Second: Temperature here doesn't go Too Low, nor Too High; Third: Without Thermostat, the Car's Engine only takes a couple of Minutes more to reach its Normal Operatin' Temps.

 

Have you ever considered the option to run it without Thermostat for a While, in order to stablish if your engine does not have a Head Gasket Problem? Because it probably was running low on coolant and thus explains the Air Bubble.

 

Kind Regards.

Edited September 16, 201312 yr by Loyale 2.7 Turbo

If you had been driving the car for some time the engine had to be hot. It sounds to me the coolant level was so low the temperature sensor wasn't reading correctly since no coolant was getting to it. Even the thermostat was staying closed until it got hot enough to let loose the explosion. I have to wonder if there is a head gasket leak that caused coolant level to get low. Watch to see if the level drops down or you see signs of bubbles in the coolant.

the head gasket idea has crossed my mind... i hope it isn't... but i haven't noticed any steam, water oil mixing or coolant loss.

Well you definitely dodged a bullet on this issue by not getting burned and hopefully the car engine dodged one too.

the head gasket idea has crossed my mind... i hope it isn't...

 

Any News in the Subject?

I think he sold the car... problem solved.

indeed I did sell the car, its recently been sold again and Im now friends with the new owner.

 

the problem hasn't happend again that im aware of.