gurgling sound behind passenger dash

[depleted]

I have a newly purchased '94 Loyale Wagon and we make all kinds of new discoveries together. The latest is a gurgling sound that comes from behind the passenger side of the dash. It's somewhat random but happens often. Sometimes it's when I turn hard or brake hard, or sometimes just for the heck of it. My mechanic said it was a filter for the coolant system but it would be a lot of work to remove the dash to fix it and I should ignore the sound. It's getting under my skin though. Do you guys have any ideas?

[Turbone]

It could be just air in the lines that run to the heater core. Its quite common in earlier Soobs. To rememdy this, remove the radiator cap (while cold) start the engine and slowly fill with water. You may have to let the engine run for a while to let the thermostat open, this will help release more air from the system.

[azsubaru]

My mechanic said it was a filter for the coolant system

BS.

Turbone is right. My Loyale makes that sound whenever it gets a little low on coolant and air gets in there. When you add coolant, you can squeeze and release the upper radiator hose several times to sort of help pump the air out a little faster.

[Subarian]

There's no filter. I'd find a new mechanic. Both Turbone and azsubaru are right. It also helps if you're parked with the nose of the car uphill while you burp the air out of the system.

[WagonsOnly]

At the very very worst you have a leak at the top of your heater core somewhere that's letting air in--but you'd notice you were running low on coolant and/or have water/coolant dripping onto the passenger floorboard.

 

Or--this is a long shot--sloshing around in your washer fluid tank? It's mounted on the passenger fender, so that's a possibility if you're not low on coolant.

[cutie-ru]

Probably your coolant line. Kind of a common problem in older Soobs. Check your coolant levels... It'll keep making that weird noise until you "burp" the coolant system. It should be fine after that.

[monstaru]

i had that sound once,and di not have this resource to let me in on all kinds of goodness.

 

i blew a geadgasket from looking at everything but the coolant.mine sounded more like a rat scratching in a cardboard box..nahh, it was actually gurgling.

[idosubaru]

my XT6 makes rushing water sounds often when i would first start it, but never lost coolant, fresh rebuild, etc. i figured there's a restriction in the heater core line somewhere causing things to act funny. maybe trying to get some more air out would have helped it, i never worried with it though. always did it and never had a problem. i never worked on the heater core, heat worked, no leaks, nothing, just the noise of rushing water behind the dash at start up.

[depleted]

I'm new to the layout of the system in a Subaru. I opened the radiator cap but there's also a plastic reserve on the drivers side, next to the battery that confused me. How do the two relate and where should the fluid level be in relation to the plastic guide line on the reserve? When cold or when running.

 

EDIT: Is that the expansion tank?

 

I parked on an incline, nose up, engine running, the fluid level was full in the tank. I also opened that reserve which, while running, was lower then the plastic guide line. I filled that up to the line but not to the top, burped the hose at the top of the radiator at the cap, eventually coolant threatened to burble over so I capped it up. Still got that sound driving around after a couple of blocks.

[depleted]

There's no filter. I'd find a new mechanic. Both Turbone and azsubaru are right. It also helps if you're parked with the nose of the car uphill while you burp the air out of the system.

After reading this thread about Coolant Replacement, I think my mechanic was refering to the cabin heater matrix or cabin heat exchanger, just adding that in his defense and to make me feel better about his being the only Subaru mechanic I can find in the Los Angeles area.