I have a coolant leak (I think it's the reservoir) and my loyale has not been hot at all, even when I don't put coolant in. My radiator core is exposed and has been for a couple days, and after driving over 200 miles in one trip, nothing felt hotter than it should. Is this normal for the ea82?

This is not normal. This needs to be fixed before you cook a head gasket.

Yes, your engine might "Cook" a head gasket, if the leak gets worse,

 

because the lack of enough coolant will Overheat the engine.

 

Maybe the plastic tanks on the Radiator are separating...

 

Kind Regards.

Don't trust your dash temp gauge.   Find the water leak, fix it.    Then replace the sending unit for coolant temperature.

Do your fans turn on?

see if this is still in my Ctrl V buttons

 

http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_odkw=12V+aquarium+temperature+unit+12V&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.X12V+aquarium+temperature+controller+12V.TRS0&_nkw=12V+aquarium+temperature+controller+12V&_sacat=0

 

yep, shout yourself one of these, ensure you find a 12V one with a range up to 120C before ordering as their values do vary in here, attach the temp sender to the metal of the engine by many methods - embed in a small block of ally bolted to engine block , fit up to a ring terminal, any handy 4mm hole ... different sort of thinking in way of monitoring what gets hot. lose all water and metal temp still keeps reading where some water sensors do not!

Don't trust your dash temp gauge. Find the water leak, fix it. Then replace the sending unit for coolant temperature.

Do your fans turn on?

I wasn't trusting the gauge, I felt multiple parts of the engine and everything actually felt cooler than I would expect, even for normal operating temp.

see if this is still in my Ctrl V buttons

 

http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_odkw=12V+aquarium+temperature+unit+12V&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.X12V+aquarium+temperature+controller+12V.TRS0&_nkw=12V+aquarium+temperature+controller+12V&_sacat=0

 

yep, shout yourself one of these, ensure you find a 12V one with a range up to 120C before ordering as their values do vary in here, attach the temp sender to the metal of the engine by many methods - embed in a small block of ally bolted to engine block , fit up to a ring terminal, any handy 4mm hole ... different sort of thinking in way of monitoring what gets hot. lose all water and metal temp still keeps reading where some water sensors do not!

 

Oooh. Those look interesting. I pulled my AC but left the electric fan for it and have been scheming on a way to on/off it with engine temp.

... I pulled my AC but left the electric fan for it and have been scheming on a way to on/off it with engine temp.

 

Even easier using a Thermoswitch on the Radiator.

 

For a Single electric fan setup, without the Mechanical (Pulley driven) fan, you'll need a Thermoswitch with slightly less kicking on temperature, to keep the EA82 engine, healthy; I used one from another brand of car, which is a direct fit for the Radiator; more information, here:

 

~► http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/125754-easy-guide-on-five-steps-to-twin-electric-fans-swap/

 

Sorry for hijack the Thread, Kind Regards.