Hi ALL!
I got a '05 Legacy Wgn a few months ago. I was told that the head gaskets were done...but I have my doubts! It uses some coolant. Not really around town but doing highway speeds. I think I have a internal Head Gasket leak. It doesn't leak anything in the driveway and I don't see any.  I'de like to add some of that Subee Stop Leak to see if it takes care of the problem ! I thought it would be SIMPLE ! I did it in my '01 Leg GT Wgn. This '05 has a plastic skirt below. I hoped to be able to feel my way around the lower end of the radiator and figure out were the petcock is ! NO luck ! I thought I might  pop the upper hose of and get rid of some fluid that way, don't want the mess ! So what's the easiest way to do this ? Just were is the petcock ? Any hints !?

Thanks, SubeeTed

05s leak externally and its usually very slow. Usually only noticeable as a slight seepage on the bottom corners of the heads where they meet the block. If you have an internal leak its because someone did the head gaskets wrong.

"Using" coolant on the highway may be due to a bad radiator cap, or an aftermarket thermostat.

Drain the coolant and put a Subaru T-stat in it, or get a Stant Exact-stat (there was a thread with the stant part number here somewhere). Put the coolant conditioner in when refilling.

In a pinch - you can simply use a bunch of napkins, towels, etc to soak up coolant under the radiator cap.  I've done that more than once.

 

Or a eyedropper, turkey baster to draw it out.

 

Or just barely crack one of the hoses, don't completely remove it.  But that's tricky and may not go well first time!

 

Headgaskets were done - with what brand headgaskets?

 

I agree - check or replace radiator cap and thermostat or look for additional leaks.

 

I've had two friends with relatively new Subarus have very small/slow/hard to find coolant leaks on a 2002 and 2006:

2002 was the lower coolant pipe going from front to back on the drivers side was rusty and leaking slowly, took a long time to find it as it just started very slowly loosing coolant.

 

2006 was the heater core hoses...very odd for original Subaru hoses/clamps that have never been removed, but hey it happens.

 

Keep your eye out in that engine bay for leakage signs.

 

Once replaced, Subaru headgaskets tend to vary a bit more in headgasket failure symptoms, so while these engines do always leak externally, sometimes they can leak internally once they've been replaced.

drain on lower right (US pass side) either a mickey mouse eared plug or a big Philips-type plastic screw-plug (depending on model I think?)

I talked to the guy I bought the car through.....long story. He worked at a Subee store, went on his own and sold this car for a client. I bought the car 6 months ago, he doesn't remember if he replaced the T- stat. Anyhow, he said something about the 2005's and how Subee put in a heater core that was higher than usual. He was saying that it might just be the car needing a good burp ! He said that Subee had a special tool so you could give the car a good burping. Don't know how true this is, but he also suggested doing the cheap and easy thing and getting a Subee rad cap, which I have just bought via FeeBay from a Subee Dealer, see if that works !

THANKS, Ted

 he said something about the 2005's and how Subee put in a heater core that was higher than usual.

 

i don't think that holds any water at all. (LOL).  that doesn't have anything to do with it.