Hi everyone!

 

I have a 96 Legacy Outback wagon w/ 124,000 miles on her (her name is Fuschia), and I'm having problems with overheating. I am afraid that it may be the head gasket. It first overheated several months ago, and I had the thermostat replaced. It was fine for a while, then yesterday when I was headed out to my folks for Thanksgiving, it overheated again. It's spraying radiator fluid; the radiator felt pretty cool but when I opened it there was a radiator fluid fountain. In August, I had the radiator flushed because there was a lot of gunk in it...(I know, bad). It seemed to be ok after that. I drove from Northern California to Eugene Oregon, and didn't have any problems.

 

I think the best thing to do is to have someone who knows what they are doing (not me ) check it out, but I am new to Eugene and don't know of anyone to take it to, so I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions. I am so frustrated right now! I have been reading that head gaskets for my model are a notorious problem... I've also had to have the alternator replaced. I am wondering if I should just cut my losses and try to sell to someone who knows how to fix her and get something else..... We seem to have a love/hate relationship.

 

Thank you for reading my babbling and I hope that everyone is having a wonderful holiday (my parents are driving down to me so I will have Thanksgiving after all . This is a great message board -- I've been reading through it.

 

Thanks!

Wendy

There is a Subaru repair shop down there (Soobaroo Specialties) but I've heard a few bad things from him, another good mechanic down there is John Bloom, I dont' have his number handy but he's Mudrat79 on here, and his email is mudrat79@hotmail.com.

 

 

You said the radiator felt cool? It's probably clogged, I'm not sure what a NEW radiator would cost, but they usually run ~40-60 from a junkyard, and there are several good ones in Eugene, Pick a Part and B&R Auto Salvage are both offa 99, good yards. I can help you in about a month, I'm from Albany, I'm just here in Wyoming going to school, but I'll be home for Christmas, I could slap a new radiator in it for ya if you dont' find anyone else by then. COULD also be a stuck thermostat, I'd try replacing that first (if you get a Haynes manual for the car and a small set of metric tools, you could replace it, it's not hard) and see if the problem goes away, won't hurt anything to replace it and I think a thermostat is all of about 12 bucks. (I'd go with an OEM one from the dealer..)

ill have to agree, i think your radiator is clogged, its too clogge to flush, so either youfind a solvent, something that wont eat through your radiator, or you buy a used or new one. you already replaced the thermostat so thats okay. B&R and the other place have cars like yours, youmight have trouble fiding a radiator though, they tend to be pushed into the crank pulley in an accident:brow:

 

 

 

~Josh~

i concur with all the statements posted above

 

I would also higly reccommend getting ahold of John, he'll know what's wrong, because he knows all about subaru's... or something along those lines. I've never delt with him directly, but from what i've seen & hear he's a great guy, and knows his (and your) stuff like nothing else.

i concur with all the statements posted above

 

I would also higly reccommend getting ahold of John, he'll know what's wrong, because he knows all about subaru's... or something along those lines. I've never delt with him directly, but from what i've seen & hear he's a great guy, and knows his (and your) stuff like nothing else.

 

Hi Guys,

 

Thanks for all your help and suggestions! I will get in touch with John.

 

Wendy