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91 Liberty (Legacy) overheating...

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Just a lil bit of background.

 

Car is a manual 2.2L '91 Liberty (Aussie Legacy) got 253,000km on the clock.

I replaced the Radiator a few weeks back, due to the old one having a crack down the drivers side (common problem in these cars).

 

But today on the way to work, I noticed my car was over heating. Pulled over, and saw the the Overflow tank was Full. The top radiator hose was boiling to touch, and the radiator wasnt too hot to touch. Opened the radiator cap with a Towel, and noticed that hardly any pressure or hot coolant came out. Put my finger in the coolant in the radiator, and it wasnt too hot either. Have just checked engine after it has been off for a hour, and have noticed that engine is still quite hot, and the overflow tank is now empty.

 

When I get home tonight, I will try "burping" the car, just to remove any air that may be caught. Also going to look at removing the thermostat to see if this will fix the issue (where I live...it never gets cold...so getting the engine warm isnt problem :P).

 

Just wondering what else could be causing this problem?? Any other things to check?? I thought maybe the head gasket, but there is no oil or residue in my radiator/overflow tank that I can see.

 

Any help/advice/hints/tips would be greatly appreciated :D

 

Cheers,

Damo

SOUNDS THERMOSTAT(ISH) IF WATER WAS COLD AT RAD

 

IM IN NSW IF YOU EVER NEED PARTS AND MY LIBERTY HAS 354000KLM ON IT WITH JUST TWO NEW HEAD GSKTS AT 250000KLM ----GOOD CAR LOVE THE 2.2ENGINE

 

Just a lil bit of background.

 

Car is a manual 2.2L '91 Liberty (Aussie Legacy) got 253,000km on the clock.

I replaced the Radiator a few weeks back, due to the old one having a crack down the drivers side (common problem in these cars).

 

But today on the way to work, I noticed my car was over heating. Pulled over, and saw the the Overflow tank was Full. The top radiator hose was boiling to touch, and the radiator wasnt too hot to touch. Opened the radiator cap with a Towel, and noticed that hardly any pressure or hot coolant came out. Put my finger in the coolant in the radiator, and it wasnt too hot either. Have just checked engine after it has been off for a hour, and have noticed that engine is still quite hot, and the overflow tank is now empty.

 

When I get home tonight, I will try "burping" the car, just to remove any air that may be caught. Also going to look at removing the thermostat to see if this will fix the issue (where I live...it never gets cold...so getting the engine warm isnt problem :P).

 

Just wondering what else could be causing this problem?? Any other things to check?? I thought maybe the head gasket, but there is no oil or residue in my radiator/overflow tank that I can see.

 

Any help/advice/hints/tips would be greatly appreciated :D

 

Cheers,

Damo

  • Author
SOUNDS THERMOSTAT(ISH) IF WATER WAS COLD AT RAD

 

IM IN NSW IF YOU EVER NEED PARTS AND MY LIBERTY HAS 354000KLM ON IT WITH JUST TWO NEW HEAD GSKTS AT 250000KLM ----GOOD CAR LOVE THE 2.2ENGINE

 

Yeah I'm gonna take it out 2night when I get home from work if I get a chance. I live up in the North West WA and getting parts for this car is a nightmare

I WORK FOR A SUBARU DEALER IN GRIFFITH NSW ...HANDY HEY.... IF YOU EVER NEED ANY HELP GIMME YOUR VIN NUMBER CAN GET ANYTHING....ISH

Yeah I'm gonna take it out 2night when I get home from work if I get a chance. I live up in the North West WA and getting parts for this car is a nightmare
  • Author
I WORK FOR A SUBARU DEALER IN GRIFFITH NSW ...HANDY HEY.... IF YOU EVER NEED ANY HELP GIMME YOUR VIN NUMBER CAN GET ANYTHING....ISH

I jsut took it for a 10 min drive to get lunch, and the temp popped up a bit....then went back down to normal.....so will be interesting on the hour drive home....

 

Thank god its raining and cool today :D

 

And I'll keep that in mind....So far I have replaced radiator, taken the hyrdolic suspension out, new clutch and new alternator on this car....who knows whats next to go hahaha

EMAIL ME AT AGreen@domsmotors.com.au if ya need anything ..... do ya get cool weather there? i lived in katherine for ten years and never had a bloody cool day

 

 

 

I jsut took it for a 10 min drive to get lunch, and the temp popped up a bit....then went back down to normal.....so will be interesting on the hour drive home....

 

Thank god its raining and cool today :D

 

And I'll keep that in mind....So far I have replaced radiator, taken the hyrdolic suspension out, new clutch and new alternator on this car....who knows whats next to go hahaha

The cold rad only indicates that coolant is no longer circulating. This can happen for a number of reasons:

 

Thermostat stuck

Waterpump impeller loose or missing propellers

Timing belt slipping on water pump wheel

Waterpump bearing seizing

Vapour lock in the water pump

Blocked radiator or coolant hose

Running very low on coolant

 

Vapour lock means there is gas in the system, could be atmospheric air from the rad replacement, could be compression/exhaust gases due to a small HG leak.

 

 

Do a site search for "coolant replacement" that's my best bet at getting it done without air bubbles.

Yea it sounds like your thermostat is sticky if your going to pull it out only remove the centre section of it as it does control water flow as well as temp

I had mine fail as well but my hose blew not the tank

regards camo

  • Author
Another vote for the thermostat.

 

Replace it and see how things act. Also, make sure you use a subaru tstat. Myself and others have had issues with non subaru tstats.

 

Well I didnt get a chance to get under my car last night and test it.

 

I have confirmed that its not my head gasket or anything, checked my oil/coolant, no mixing has occured :D

 

Will get my car up on a car ramp this arvo and take the thermostat out. I wont be able to get a replacement for a week...as I live in a very remote part of Western Australia, and the Subaru dealer here is ************ty. Must ring them soon for a quote.

 

Thanks for the advice, ill let ya all know

YOUR PART NUMBER FOR THERMOSTAT IS 21200AA072 $27.50 RETAIL GSKT PART NUMBER IS 21236AA010 $4.40 RETAIL PLUS FREIGHT (AIRBAG ???)I HAVE TWO IN STOCK IF INTERESTED

Well I didnt get a chance to get under my car last night and test it.

 

I have confirmed that its not my head gasket or anything, checked my oil/coolant, no mixing has occured :D

 

Will get my car up on a car ramp this arvo and take the thermostat out. I wont be able to get a replacement for a week...as I live in a very remote part of Western Australia, and the Subaru dealer here is ************ty. Must ring them soon for a quote.

 

Thanks for the advice, ill let ya all know

  • Author
YOUR PART NUMBER FOR THERMOSTAT IS 21200AA072 $27.50 RETAIL GSKT PART NUMBER IS 21236AA010 $4.40 RETAIL PLUS FREIGHT (AIRBAG ???)I HAVE TWO IN STOCK IF INTERESTED

 

Ill send you an email with regards to this amte.

 

Cheers :D

  • Author

Ok...

 

I checked the thermostat....its fine...We tested it and it tested fine.

 

Gonna give in and take it to a mechanic to get it looked at :(

  • Author
You should really just replace it. It's a wear item, and even though it may "test" ok, it may not act properly when in the engine.

 

It's not that expensive.

 

Yeah, well I actually think that the Thermostat might be an Aftermarket one, so Ill see what I can do about going around and replacing it.

  • Author

Andy,

 

I have sent you an email with regards to a time to call you, as I will order a new thermostat through you.

 

thanks for ya help mate :)

JUST BUISSNESS HOURS WOULD BE GOOD NSW ONES DAMO

Andy,

 

I have sent you an email with regards to a time to call you, as I will order a new thermostat through you.

 

thanks for ya help mate :)

  • Author

Ok

 

I might replace the water pump.........how dangerous would it be because to get to it i gotta take the timing belt off, which I know is a pretty critical bit of the enginge...

DO YOU NEED TO ?IS IT WEEPING ?

Ok

 

I might replace the water pump.........how dangerous would it be because to get to it i gotta take the timing belt off, which I know is a pretty critical bit of the enginge...

  • Author
DO YOU NEED TO ?IS IT WEEPING ?

 

OK, i fixed it!

 

It was the thermostat. I jsut took the guts outta it, and put it back in (so there is still something restricitng the flow of coolant, albeit a lil bit) and my car runs fine now :D

 

I will eventually ring ya Andy to get a new thermostat, but for now, its running smicko :D

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