My '92 Legacy SW AT, 233K sat for about 36 hours during the blizzard. When I started it up and moved it, I returned and noticed a line of antifreeze colored drops near where the radiator would have been I believe.

 

I checked the coolant level cold and it appeared to be filled to the top.

 

It's been very cold and I also have a few small oil leaks...but it really looked like coolant to me. Nothing noticeably dripping when the car is off or while it's running.

 

Timing belt isn't due again until 250K so I was hoping to make it 'til then without having major work done. Any chance this is just a fluke from the cold?

Interesting...my 2000 OBW had the exact same thing happen. My wife and I were shoveling more than two feet of snow (!!!) from the front of the driveway and pulled the car out to shovel the other half. When we moved the car, I noticed green drops in the snow. Nothing major, only a few drops, maybe an ounce or two at the most, but a concern of course. Because of the snow, it was hard to tell how much coolant leaked. Well, needing an oil change, and my wiper motor checked out, I brought it in today. I'll let you know what they say about the coolant issue.

 

 

 

My '92 Legacy SW AT, 233K sat for about 36 hours during the blizzard. When I started it up and moved it, I returned and noticed a line of antifreeze colored drops near where the radiator would have been I believe.

 

I checked the coolant level cold and it appeared to be filled to the top.

 

It's been very cold and I also have a few small oil leaks...but it really looked like coolant to me. Nothing noticeably dripping when the car is off or while it's running.

 

Timing belt isn't due again until 250K so I was hoping to make it 'til then without having major work done. Any chance this is just a fluke from the cold?

Extreme temp changes will brake the seal on hoses from the metals expanding and contracting. Just like a tire will loose small amounts of pressure over a very cold winter. Try to find it, losen the hose clamp and reclamp it for a new seal.

I noticed that with my 93 all this weekend... I changed the oil on Sunday, I looked with a trouble light for about 20 minutes and found no source of the leak. Since then I haven't seen any green in the snow....

 

I will have to double check the tightness of my lower rad hose at both the block and the rad.

Yeah, my old Loyale does that when it is zeroish (F) outside. It seem pretty superficial and seals itself back up once it starts to warm up. Subes aren't the only ones to do this BTW.

Yeah, my old Loyale does that when it is zeroish (F) outside. It seem pretty superficial and seals itself back up once it starts to warm up. Subes aren't the only ones to do this BTW.

That's good to know, I was starting to shop for a new rad... Thought that the bottom was starting to rot out.

 

Kinda wierd, no coolant loss noted in the rad either, that's what had me kinda stumpped...

Some people have reported cracked side radiator plastic panels on first gens.. When they heat up,they leak a little. Try a search.

....I brought it in today. I'll let you know what they say about the coolant issue.

Well, I wish I read this thread before I brought the car in! No big deal, but I paid $25 to have the shop tell me everything is fine. They didn't see any leak. Oh well, at least I got some new wipers and an oil change.