Vehicle: 97 Legacy Outback 2.5L 143k

 

I just drove from the east coast to the Rockies and the car has pushed all the water out of the radiator into the bottle and there are bubbles in the water bottle. The car still runs good...I keep blowing the water out of the bottle back into the radiator so I am doing alright and am still able to drive. After a while, the radiator empties out and high temp conditions occur. I am currently at Rim Rock Subaru in Montanna. The thermosat is 6 months old (OEM) and we put a new radiator cap on. Is the head gasket shot? cell# 860-573-9218. Thanks

 

Flash

Yep, head gasket. You might be able to nurse it home but be very careful with the temperature.

If you have never had the HEad gaskets done, I would Say yes for sure, you are having the typical headgasket Issue....

 

You can try limping it, but I would Not suggest it that far from Home...

How many miles can you put in before it blows all water, and needs more...?

Is the Dealer not wanting to do Heads....?

 

Good Luck, John in Oregon.....

Sure, dealer wants to do it, but I don't want to pay...I am a do it yourselfer. Last night I went 100 miles with no spikes in temp so I think I can limp it home. Thanks fellas.

 

 

 

If you have never had the HEad gaskets done, I would Say yes for sure, you are having the typical headgasket Issue....

 

You can try limping it, but I would Not suggest it that far from Home...

How many miles can you put in before it blows all water, and needs more...?

Is the Dealer not wanting to do Heads....?

 

Good Luck, John in Oregon.....

I don't know if the gaskets were done. I bought the car a year ago with no history with 125k.

 

 

 

If you have never had the HEad gaskets done, I would Say yes for sure, you are having the typical headgasket Issue....

 

You can try limping it, but I would Not suggest it that far from Home...

How many miles can you put in before it blows all water, and needs more...?

Is the Dealer not wanting to do Heads....?

 

Good Luck, John in Oregon.....

Just survived this with our 91 Loyale to/from Sioux Falls. If you're near Bozeman, call the Auto Doc - he helped us MAJORLY. The upshot is wait 'till cool, then check radiator itself - we had vapor lock at sensor, with three leaks in system, two in hoses and one in water pump. I'd wonder about your thermostat.Auto Doctor, Kerry White, Shop: 587-3653; Cell: 580-1927. Hope our experience helps you! I'll try calling your Cell. - Carrick

 

Vehicle: 97 Legacy Outback 2.5L 143k

 

I just drove from the east coast to the Rockies and the car has pushed all the water out of the radiator into the bottle and there are bubbles in the water bottle. The car still runs good...I keep blowing the water out of the bottle back into the radiator so I am doing alright and am still able to drive. After a while, the radiator empties out and high temp conditions occur. I am currently at Rim Rock Subaru in Montanna. The thermosat is 6 months old (OEM) and we put a new radiator cap on. Is the head gasket shot? cell# 860-573-9218. Thanks

 

Flash

So how many hours to do myself? 8 hours to pull the engine, 8 hours to do the gaskets, 8 hours to reinstall engine? That's my best estimate. I could fix my rear breather plate oil leak thing too!

Just talked with Flash - ouch, Billings is quite the distance from Bozeman - just been there, done that drive. All I could do is send best wishes - did head gasket R&R on other Sube - ouch. Good luck, Flash & Crew!:-0

 

Note: If in the Bozeman area, Kerry really knows his stuff, and he comes to your location. Of course, head gasket is more of a shop project - but I was sure impressed with his capability of R&R water pump and other items in the parking space of hotel we were staying at. A regular Louis L'Amour hero guy.

 

 

Just survived this with our 91 Loyale to/from Sioux Falls. If you're near Bozeman, call the Auto Doc - he helped us MAJORLY. The upshot is wait 'till cool, then check radiator itself - we had vapor lock at sensor, with three leaks in system, two in hoses and one in water pump. I'd wonder about your thermostat.Auto Doctor, Kerry White, Shop: 587-3653; Cell: 580-1927. Hope our experience helps you! I'll try calling your Cell. - Carrick

OK - Redneck Ford/Chevy solution:

 

- Check/tighten prn head bolts

- Bar's Leak sealant

- JB Weld at leak point - let seal

- Drive/limp with care

 

Flashing back to yesteryear road solution . . . .

 

Vehicle: 97 Legacy Outback 2.5L 143k

 

I just drove from the east coast to the Rockies and the car has pushed all the water out of the radiator into the bottle and there are bubbles in the water bottle. The car still runs good...I keep blowing the water out of the bottle back into the radiator so I am doing alright and am still able to drive. After a while, the radiator empties out and high temp conditions occur. I am currently at Rim Rock Subaru in Montanna. The thermosat is 6 months old (OEM) and we put a new radiator cap on. Is the head gasket shot? cell# 860-573-9218. Thanks

 

Flash

Sounds like you have a cheap place to stay - we didn't, so had to get local assistance.

 

If your basic needs are met, then it's a rebuild - don't forget break-in process!

 

- Carrick

 

So how many hours to do myself? 8 hours to pull the engine, 8 hours to do the gaskets, 8 hours to reinstall engine? That's my best estimate. I could fix my rear breather plate oil leak thing too!

if you want to take it home rent a uhaul truck and a trailer (not a dolly) and tow it home (one way rental). Might be expensive but sitting in a motel and waiting for someone to fix your car or cooking the engine in the middle of nowhere (montana, wyoming, south dakota etc.) sucks too and is very costly also.

 

Good luck....sounds like ya need it right now.

 

Matt

FWIW in 2001 I rented a Ryder truck and car trailler, one way from Wichita KS to Rochester NY was about $900. Ryder was cheaper at that time than any other company.

 

I once nursed an F600 truck from Albany to Rochester with a badly blown head gasket on the thruway in the middle of the night. Took about 8 hours and countless stops to get water. Your experience shouldn't be nearly as bad if you choose to try it. I recommend removing the thermostat and stopping for water very frequently.

I thing I am going to make it. I have arrived at a friends house in Eastern PA and am now only 200 miles from CT...which is a lot better than being in Montanna or Wyoming! During the cold nights, I could get about 300 miles without any special attention. Today during the last leg of the trip, it got tough however. It was hot and I only made it 50 miles at a time near the end.

 

If anyone is interested to know, when I was at the dealer in Billings, I bought a bottle of the special Subaru head gasket sealant that they put in the newer cars for their external head gasket leaking problems. I don't know if it helped me any, but it was worth a shot for $4. It was nasty and brown in color. Yuk.

 

Flash

 

FWIW in 2001 I rented a Ryder truck and car trailler, one way from Wichita KS to Rochester NY was about $900. Ryder was cheaper at that time than any other company.

 

I once nursed an F600 truck from Albany to Rochester with a badly blown head gasket on the thruway in the middle of the night. Took about 8 hours and countless stops to get water. Your experience shouldn't be nearly as bad if you choose to try it. I recommend removing the thermostat and stopping for water very frequently.

Thanks for the update, Flash.

 

I can relate to your adventure/misadventure, and likewise was thankful for cool mountain temperatures.

 

200 miles: oh yeah, know that feeling . . .

 

Learned a lot, including now having extra hoses tucked away - got chided by mechanic for wanting so, but takes several days to get them, in a dealer-rich area, no less.

 

Please continue to keep us informed!

 

Thanks!

Hey, had I checked this post a couple of days ago, I would have given you a call. I live in Billings, and there's a pretty good mechanic here who works only on subes. Helped me a number of times already. But that's bridge under the water now, so good luck!

Hello Mentis:

 

Could you list this mechanic?

 

We're returning to Sioux Falls again next year, and it'd be great to have a just-in-case resource in Billings.

 

If you don't wish to post in the open forum here, email is certainly welcome!

 

Thanks,

 

- Carrick

 

Hey, had I checked this post a couple of days ago, I would have given you a call. I live in Billings, and there's a pretty good mechanic here who works only on subes. Helped me a number of times already. But that's bridge under the water now, so good luck!