Hello all. New to the board here and need some help. I am planning on driving my Subaru to Central America so I had it completely checked over and tuned. On the way to Las Vegas I noticed the engine getting hot. Infact it cam eto the point where it about overheated.

 

During the tune a new thermostat was installed and the system was flushed. When we got to Vegas I had the Radiator rodded out and they said it was about 20% clogged.

 

Now the car runs right under the red at speeds over 60. The strange thing is when I have the throttle open at all at 3,000 rpm the car runs hot. When I get to a hill, if I let the engine drag without my foot on the gas at 3,000 the temp drops to about the middle.

 

What can I do to make sure my Sooby is running cool when driving through the Baha?

For one, replace the Thermostat again. Wouldn't be the first time a "new" t-stat was "bad".

 

Check your lower radiator hose for softness.

If it feels soft and squishy, change it! It can be sucked closed by the waterpump, ('specially at higher RPM's), and not allow the coolant to circulate.

You can check it with the engine at temp, just get under the hood with engine running, rev it up while watching the hose, you can see it collapse if it's soft.

 

Even though you were just at a radiator shop, make sure the air passages thru the core are free and clear of dirt and debris.

 

Last resort, new 2-core radiator.

Check out my post on the thermostat subject:

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=16277

 

If they rodded it, I would hope they would have told you if the fins were too rotten to mess with. I'm sure they would have liked to sell you a new radiator if that was the case.

 

Funny how a different area of the country can make such a huge difference. I have never seen a rotten radiator like those pics - hell, I've never even seen a bad EA81 radiator here. All the cars I've bought were fine - even ones with 300k miles or more.

 

GD

jjbboonnee, Welcome to the board!

Don't wate any more time or money on an almost 20 year old radiator, just get a new one. It'll save you much heartache down the trail. Especially where your planning to go.

Do flush the engine and heater core thoroughly before installing the new radiator.

I recommend a *T* type connection in the heater hose that allows you to connect a garden hose to the system. This will allow a positive flush.

Also, when flushing, take the lower radiator hose loose to drain the system. The little drain petcocks are too restrictive and can retain crud.

I also prefer the heavy-duty flush that you put in and run for 3-6 hours as opposed to the 15-20 min solutions.

Sounds like a fun trip, keep us informed!

Yeah, I agree with Ed..it's time for a new radiator. You can probably pick one up for around a hundred bucks if you shop around Vegas (or Phoenix, if you've made it that far). That'd be a good time to replace the hoses, too.

Just my 2 bucks

Thanks for the help. I actually limped all the way to San Francisco with the heat on and the needle just below the red. There were periods when I was in the red and had to pull over for a while or hope for a hill. I hope no damage was done to the engine.

 

Is a 2-core radiator an aftermarket item? Are they still avaialbe for cars of my vintage. The last question I have is would a lower temp thermostat help and are they available?

 

The car has been completely modified for the jouirney.

 

1-hood locks

2-wheel locks

3-Spare tire lock

4-tie down hooks welded into hatchback area

5-2 full size spare tires, innertube and puncture repair kit

6-kill switch

7-hidden 150w stereo channeled through stock head unit

8-locking Tool box

9-flanges welded to frame to lock toolbox into car

10-extra belts, hoses, plugs, fuel filters, oil filter, antifreeze, brake and tranny fluid and Oil

11-locking gas cap

Take a look at this photo provided by Skip:

 

 

The one I pulled from my '88 GL when I was rebuilding the engine was even worse Gotta love MN winters! Free sand blasting and salt treatment every time you drive from November till April!

Kid, you made a wrong turn in Vegas, C.A. and baha are the other way. You better get a map.

The car is going to stay at my brother's in San Fran until I go on the trip in mid-June. I figure will get the work done here and then head back through the desert to LA. If the car is still having problems by the time I hit San Diego, I will not be crossing the border until they are resolved.

Well, it was the thermostat. They said it did not look that new so either my mechanic lied to me or the thermostat is a piece of garbage. He said he uses only OEM Subaru parts! hmmmmmm

Yeah - I really am dissatisfied with all the aftermarket thermostats I've used. In the specific case of EA81's, the subaru design seems to be quite different than what most of the aftermarket ones consider "replacements". They just don't flow as well, and the parts look wimpy. Glad to hear it was a cheap fix for you. People on here are quick to tell you to replace the radiator when that often is not the problem. I suppose they live in an area that has lots of corrosion, but for a lot of us, the stock radiators will last the lifetime of the vehicle if the coolant is just changed once in a while.

 

GD

I just hope I did not damage anything. Could I have weakened the head gasket or does it just blow when it blows? The car still seems to be running strong with no problems now that the heat is solved, but I did run in the red a little before the problem was found.

Most likely you didn't hurt anything, but EA81 HG's do blow if overheated too long/too often, so you never know. Watch for water in the oil, or the other way around.

 

GD