1999 Subaru Legacy outback

[albert_tevs2020]

Hello I need help I'm fist time Subaru owner yesterday my Subaru Outback overheated like redlined it than shut off in November we changed water pump thermostat and gasket radiator and hoses What else could be the problem?

[heartless]

possibly headgaskets

 

how long have you had the car? have you ever noticed it getting warm before this?

you say "shut down" - did the car die on its own, or did you turn it off?

if it shut down on its own, hate to say it, but that engine is dead

[lmdew]

Most likely Head Gaskets.

Look in the coolant overflow bottle, if you see black oily stuff it's the HG for sure.

2.2 swap is a good option.

[1 Lucky Texan]

any new , 'concerning' noises when you crank it over? If it shut down in it's own, a check of the timing belt system and turning it over by hand with a wrench might be a good idea.

[forester2002s]

You say: "...we changed water pump thermostat and gasket radiator and hoses..."

If the cooling system wasn't bled properly, there might have been air trapped in the system, an 'air-lock'.  And that could cause overheating; and it might not manifest itself immediately on short trips around town.  But eventually the engine would overheat.

[nelstomlinson]

Assuming the engine starts and runs ... start it with the radiator cap off. Let it idle a few minutes, and look for bubbles of exhaust in the radiator. If you're getting exhaust into the coolant, that can cause it to get hot, and it will pressurize the cooling system. If you don't see any burping or bubbling, the level just rises smoothly as it warms up, you probably don't have a bad head gasket.

 

'99 Outback means 2.5L DOCH, right? They had a lot of head gasket problems. I have one of those as a parts car, because it had head gasket problems and overheated. The previous owner fixed that, then it developed a bad rod knock and he gave it to the mechanic who passed it on to me.

Edited December 17, 2021 by nelstomlinson

[idosubaru]

11 hours ago, albert_tevs2020 said:

Hello I need help I'm fist time Subaru owner yesterday my Subaru Outback overheated 

 

Headgaskets - install a 95-98 EJ22 engine. 

Make sure it's burped, Subaru OEM thermostat and radiator cap.  But you will find the headgaskets are bad eventually.   The previous owner sold it with bad headgaskets and you bought it with bad headgaskets.  That's the worst Subaru engine to buy used without very careful attention to details. 

[GeneralDisorder]

Likely not worth repairing based on it's cosmetic condition and age. Sell for parts and get something that doesn't have the 25D in it. Maybe a 2.2 swap but in Colorado it's probably a rusted hulk and based on what I can see it's likely not worth the effort. 

GD

[idosubaru]

28 minutes ago, GeneralDisorder said:

 in Colorado it's probably a rusted hulk 

Why do I see examples of rusted and rust free cars in CO?  There’s lots of examples of no rust but there’s still some rusted Subarus and comments like yours. 

[GeneralDisorder]

Probably depends on not only care and maintenance but also location in the state and proximity to the mountains and ski resorts, etc. 

GD

[idosubaru]

17 hours ago, GeneralDisorder said:

Probably depends on not only care and maintenance but also location in the state and proximity to the mountains and ski resorts, etc. 

GD

I assumed that. So CO in general has more rust than the PNW?

[lmdew]

Colorado has zero rust problems.  Rusty cars don't sell well here!

[GeneralDisorder]

Well in the PNW there are zero rust issues. That's all I can really comment on. 

GD

[lmdew]

Yes the auto carwash keeps everything clean in PNW.