My dad has a 99 legacy sedan with the ej22 and today I did a timing belt, water pump, and front seal job on it. Well, it runs great and at idle runs normal operating temperature, but when you rev it and hold for a few it begins to over heat. I noticed it only holds about 1/3-1/2 gallons of coolant, and the thermostat looks to be rubbing its brace. I think the thermostat isn't opening all the way ( it is original BTW). I did over heat it briefly while on a test drive, but shut if immediantly and within 20 secs it had cooled off, so it didn't get to hot.

 

Also when you rev it, it begins to back flow(coolant runs out of the radiator with the cap not on), which means to me the water pump is pushing more coolant than it can bring in.

 

I bought the belt at Subaru, and the pump at NAPA. It is a new one, not a reman. Can someone please help out here. I need to know why it is overheating. Thanks.

You have an air bubble in the motor, and it is not letting the antifreeze circlulate. If it was my car I would get a new thermostat and gasket (if you did not get a gasket last time). Replace the thermostat. Take the upper radiator hose off at the radiator and put antifreeze in it (going into the motor) until it almost came out the hose. Should take 1/2 gallon to maybe 2/3. Fill up the radiator til it stops bubbling. Start the car, and finish filling up the radiator. Fill the over flow bottle about 2 inches about the full line.

 

Good Luck Richie

 

 

My dad has a 99 legacy sedan with the ej22 and today I did a timing belt, water pump, and front seal job on it. Well, it runs great and at idle runs normal operating temperature, but when you rev it and hold for a few it begins to over heat. I noticed it only holds about 1/3-1/2 gallons of coolant, and the thermostat looks to be rubbing its brace. I think the thermostat isn't opening all the way ( it is original BTW). I did over heat it briefly while on a test drive, but shut if immediantly and within 20 secs it had cooled off, so it didn't get to hot.

 

Also when you rev it, it begins to back flow(coolant runs out of the radiator with the cap not on), which means to me the water pump is pushing more coolant than it can bring in.

 

I bought the belt at Subaru, and the pump at NAPA. It is a new one, not a reman. Can someone please help out here. I need to know why it is overheating. Thanks.

OK that is what I will try then. I will let everyone know sunday. My wife yelled at me and told me to "come home". I told her the garage was my home, but she argued.

 

Thanks, I will do that.

My wife yelled at me and told me to "come home". I told her the garage was my home, but she argued.

 

Mine once told me that the auto parts store (Canadian Tire) was my "second home". Well, maybe cars take up too big a part of our lives. I wonder how it was with horses before...

Mine once told me that the auto parts store (Canadian Tire) was my "second home". Well, maybe cars take up too big a part of our lives. I wonder how it was with horses before...

 

LOL, well you kind of have to feed them and stuff, or .......they die!

 

Any how, I threw in the new t-stat (170) and filled her up from the top radiator hose, then the radiator neck. Ley her warm up and took her out for a hard drive. She did great. I thought thats what it was. Thanks.

 

Cliffs: thermostat fixed the problem

Start the engine cold and with the radiator cap off add coolant. Bubbles should come out that way.

I don't "think" it was the thermostat, you had an air bubble in the motor. The thermostat was just a back up guess. Thermostat was not bad when you took it out and unless you dropped it or damaged it, it didn't go bad.

 

If you look in the manual it says you have to take the relief valve out of the passenger top side of the radiator to get it to fill. I just take the hose off to make sure the antifreeze gets in the motor.

Filling through the top rad hose is the trick to getting only a small air bubble. For more of my ramblings search for "coolant replacement" without the bubbles :-)