I noticed my subaru had started running hot (not totally overheating) just running real hot. I had the radiator flushed (the car has 338k miles on it, figured it couldnt hurt) and was planning on getting a new thermostat for it. As I was coming home it started to overheat, loss some power and stalled out. It would crank again but only idle very low and occasionally it would just cut out and die. If you try to give it gas it dies. Checked the air filter that I had replaced same day as the radiator flush and it was wet, the fluid is dirty gunky mess. Suggestions? Love my soob help me out!

Is it a efi or carb?

 

Is it oily or muddy?

 

Is there any gunk on the intake hose, on the motor side or the outer side (the part between the filter and the mudguard?

 

Gannon

Ok update on the situation

 

The mystery liquid is water and oil mix i think, because the oil also has water in it.

 

So that leaves me to think I have cracked the head or if I am lucky could I just need a head gasket?

 

Also the car is fuel injected(I think that was asked)

if you have your radiator cap off while the car is running, see if you can see bubbles coming up... real clear sign of a cracked head.. most of the time its between the intake and exhaust valve

 

(got the same problem on my 88 GL SPFI)

Well

 

Lol, I cant even get the car to stay running, so and the way my luck goes I am guessing its the head.

 

if you have your radiator cap off while the car is running, see if you can see bubbles coming up... real clear sign of a cracked head.. most of the time its between the intake and exhaust valve

 

(got the same problem on my 88 GL SPFI)

if you have your radiator cap off while the car is running, see if you can see bubbles coming up... real clear sign of a cracked head.. most of the time its between the intake and exhaust valve

 

(got the same problem on my 88 GL SPFI)

AFAIK, the cracks between the valves are relatively unimportant. It seems that if you just pull EA82 heads at random the vast majority of them will have this crack. The turbo heads seem to be the only ones that seem to suffer from cracks that are problematic, and these cracks are in the exhaust port runner divider. The headgaskets die from old age, abuse, overheat, poor maintenance, or a mixture of the previous.

 

If you change the headgaskets, examine the head and block surfaces for damage/erosion around the "fire ring" sealing area, and surface the component as needed.

AFAIK, the cracks between the valves are relatively unimportant. It seems that if you just pull EA82 heads at random the vast majority of them will have this crack. The turbo heads seem to be the only ones that seem to suffer from cracks that are problematic, and these cracks are in the exhaust port runner divider. The headgaskets die from old age, abuse, overheat, poor maintenance, or a mixture of the previous.

 

If you change the headgaskets, examine the head and block surfaces for damage/erosion around the "fire ring" sealing area, and surface the component as needed.

 

So is it to be assumed that all i need is headgasket? Or is it more likely that I need new heads?

 

Thanks all for your answers-car is going to the shop Wed. I hope.