I know you are all probably tired of hearing about this saga...my mechanic thinks my overheating problem can be attributed to needing a new radiator. He ordered a radiator and when it arrived it didn't fit. Now he has ordered one from Subaru which will be there in a couple of days. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this will fix the problem.

but some of us think you are very likely to have a head gasket problem. Best of luck!

but some of us think you are very likely to have a head gasket problem. Best of luck!

 

i figure that is what the problem will end up being but i don't want to jump the gun. thanks for the support.

Well, I guess it doesn't hurt to replace everything that is engine cooling related...once you get those new head gaskets you will be all set Good luck!

Melissa,

 

After your mechanic installs the new radiator he will want to remove it again so he can replace the head gaskets.

 

Tom

Melissa,

 

After your mechanic installs the new radiator he will want to remove it again so he can replace the head gaskets.

 

Tom

 

FORTUNATELY, HE TOLD ME IF THE NEW RADIATOR DOESN'T FIX THE PROBLEM HE IS GOING TO TAKE IT OUT AND PUT MY OLD ONE BACK IN. I GUESS THEN WE'LL REPLACE THE HEAD GASKETS. THIS CAR HAS BEEN OUT OF COMMISSION FOR SEVERAL WEEKS NOW. I'M READY TO MOVE ON WITH MY LIFE.

that will work with you like that. Then you don't have a giant bill for parts you don't need.

that will work with you like that. Then you don't have a giant bill for parts you don't need.

 

Yeah this guy has been really nice but he told me the other day he is getting really frustrated. I hope he doesn't give up before the problem is solved.

gaskets? look at it this way, the next time he see a Subaru like this he will easily find the problem.

gaskets? look at it this way, the next time he see a Subaru like this he will easily find the problem.

 

i think he is competent but he hasn't found anything to indicate that the head gasket needs to be replaced. would it be dumb for me to just tell him to do it if the radiator doesn't fix the problem?

and find at least 50 instances of blown head gaskets on this model says this is very likely.

If it were mine I would just say change the head gaskets to the mechanic. Wait a minute! I already said that which is why I have new head gaskets! At the time my dealer did not admit it was a problem.

Just explain that it is a really common problem and by the time he gets the symptoms he is looking for it may be too late.

Well, I got my car back yesterday. They replaced the radiator and think the problem is fixed. Took it on a long test drive last night trying to get it to overheat with the a/c on high. No overheating. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the problem is fixed.

Just to be sure try not to put yourself in a situation where you could be discomforted if you had a breakdown for a while. It is also possible for a new radiator to lower the temp the car runs at. This could cause it to stop having a head gasket leak until it reachs that temp again.

I hope this is the end of the problem for you!

Just to be sure try not to put yourself in a situation where you could be discomforted if you had a breakdown for a while. It is also possible for a new radiator to lower the temp the car runs at. This could cause it to stop having a head gasket leak until it reachs that temp again.

I hope this is the end of the problem for you!

 

I drove it for a good 30-40 minutes in hot weather with the air cranked up and down steep hills but I am with you. I am still expecting it to overheat. I won't be taking it on any long trips until I feel I am definitely over this hurdle. Thanks for all you help.

I love hearing that something is easier or cheaper than predicted. This rarely happens to me!

Might worth the effort to look for bubbles in the coolant.

 

I agree, I hope it's fixed. Did the mech say the old rad was clogged?

 

Carl

Might worth the effort to look for bubbles in the coolant.

 

I agree, I hope it's fixed. Did the mech say the old rad was clogged?

 

Carl

 

what do bubbles in the coolant mean?

The coolant reservoir is right behind the radiator (it's actually mounted to the radiator) on the driver's side of the engine compartment and should be about 1/3 full of green fluid. After turning the car off, remove the cap and see if there are bubbles coming up through the fluid. also, check the level of the fluid. If it rises to half full or more and doesn't go back down after the engine cools (an hour or two), then it is just a matter of time before you overheat again.

 

Tom

The coolant reservoir is right behind the radiator (it's actually mounted to the radiator) on the driver's side of the engine compartment and should be about 1/3 full of green fluid. After turning the car off, remove the cap and see if there are bubbles coming up through the fluid. also, check the level of the fluid. If it rises to half full or more and doesn't go back down after the engine cools (an hour or two), then it is just a matter of time before you overheat again.

 

Tom

 

Yesterday after driving the car for an extended period the coolant had risen up in the reservoir and there were bubbles. I'm not sure if the car was running or not when we checked it. I will check it again tonight and let you know what I find. The thing I don't get is why it isn't overheating now.

I found the following technique helpful when trying to create head gasket related bubbling in the overflow:

 

Drive the car until it's fully warmed up, then beat the snot out of it for about 5 miles to get it as warm as possible. Immediately open the hood and look in the overflow, hold the throttle open to rev the engine to about 2500 revs. If you see bubbles the gaskets are likely blown.

Yesterday after driving the car for an extended period the coolant had risen up in the reservoir and there were bubbles. I'm not sure if the car was running or not when we checked it. I will check it again tonight and let you know what I find. The thing I don't get is why it isn't overheating now.

 

Melissa, it WILL over heat. You just need a little more air in your cooling system. Really. I swear.

 

I've driven two of these cars with leaky head gaskets a couple hundred miles after I bought them without dramatic overheating. The guage would rise at a stop, but on the highway the air flow would keep the car cool enough.

 

You are a tough customer. As is your mechanic. You have bad head gaskets.

 

Keep us posted.

 

Tom

Melissa, it WILL over heat. You just need a little more air in your cooling system. Really. I swear.

 

I've driven two of these cars with leaky head gaskets a couple hundred miles after I bought them without dramatic overheating. The guage would rise at a stop, but on the highway the air flow would keep the car cool enough.

 

You are a tough customer. As is your mechanic. You have bad head gaskets.

 

Keep us posted.

 

Tom

i'm not trying to be a tough customer. since we got it back from being repaired the tempurature gauge hasn't risen above the half way point. i know it sounds dumb but i can't justify making a $1500 repair if the mechanic says it isn't warranted. i'm sure you will be saying i told you so in a matter of weeks. i guess i just need to wait it out.

just to let ya know, my 99' outback was in 3 different shops for overheating problems.. they replaced everything, radiator, thermostat, at one point they left the thermostat out..

 

then i bought the car cause it got overheated so many times it cracked the block and siezed the motor..

 

i ended up replacing the hole engine... just to save yourself a headache and alot of money.. ($1500 headgasket replacement vs. $3000 in a new engine)

 

i all of the engine swapping myself, and i put in a 2.2L instead of a 2.5L so i don't have to worry ab out the headgasket issue ever again..

I have a 97 OB. The head gaskets failed. I got the telltale bubbles (and resultant sludge) in the coolant expansion bottle. It was never so bad that it overflowed, but it did rise up to nearly full.

 

I don't know how long the problem was happening in my car (several weeks I figure) when I found it. I discovered it when I checked the coolant one day (saw the sludge). I never saw the temperature gauge move off of it's normal position. And I was watching very closely at the time as there were a rash of reports of failures at the time. I was fortunate (if you can call it that) to catch it early.

 

Over 3 years now and almost 200,000 km, the head gaskets are still holding.

 

Commuter