98 Forester Overheating - Solved Cheap and Runs Great

[vinshen]

Just try to spread my good experience and render some hope to other Subi owners with heating problems.

 

My Subi starts to overhead after I replaced t-belt, water-pump and thermostat (stant). Thought was stant t-stat problem, took it out, boil tested along with a new oem t-stat. Both t-stat appear to be opening up just fine...

 

Then I read posts here, people talking 130k is common for Forester 98 (Gen I) to show overheating with Head Gasket leaking. I checked, could not see much bubble in overflow, maybe one or two just after stop. (that's normal i guess), exhaust does not have much water spray, one/two drop when start in the morning. However, I do notice upper hose is warm yet lower isn't. (So the t-stat by stant is strange?).

 

My solution was replace the t-stat with OEM. Then a good mechanic friend of mine worked on Subis brought a vacuuming device to suck out air pockets in the radiator. (Same device to suck out pockets in my break/cluth fluids.) We refilled with 50/50. Viola, the car runs great now and temperatur is just stable right at 35% of the range.

 

I guess I was very fortunate to have a good mechanic to diagnosis and tried cheap method before jumping to conclusion of HG. Though I will be watchful of it, and may try steelseal in future at first signs of syptom.

[1 Lucky Texan]

Just try to spread my good experience and render some hope to other Subi owners with heating problems.

 

My Subi starts to overhead after I replaced t-belt, water-pump and thermostat (stant). Thought was stant t-stat problem, took it out, boil tested along with a new oem t-stat. Both t-stat appear to be opening up just fine...

 

Then I read posts here, people talking 130k is common for Forester 98 (Gen I) to show overheating with Head Gasket leaking. I checked, could not see much bubble in overflow, maybe one or two just after stop. (that's normal i guess), exhaust does not have much water spray, one/two drop when start in the morning. However, I do notice upper hose is warm yet lower isn't. (So the t-stat by stant is strange?).

 

My solution was replace the t-stat with OEM. Then a good mechanic friend of mine worked on Subis brought a vacuuming device to suck out air pockets in the radiator. (Same device to suck out pockets in my break/cluth fluids.) We refilled with 50/50. Viola, the car runs great now and temperatur is just stable right at 35% of the range.

 

I guess I was very fortunate to have a good mechanic to diagnosis and tried cheap method before jumping to conclusion of HG. Though I will be watchful of it, and may try steelseal in future at first signs of syptom.

 

OK - we need a link to one of these devices. Are they expensive? does it collapse the hoses?

[Andyjo]

OK - we need a link to one of these devices. Are they expensive? does it collapse the hoses?

I agree, i want one... so many uses... i still have a damn air bubble in my brake lines somewhere

[1 Lucky Texan]

I did find this;

 

http://tinyurl.com/cgzcp

 

But likely would need a lot of pumping if used in the coolant system - plus an adapter. (maybe a cheap rad cap, drill out the center o;flow return dealie, and use the o'flow hose?)

[Cougar]

With some ingenuity one could make something to hook your household vacuum to.

[friendly_jacek]

Just try to spread my good experience and render some hope to other Subi owners with heating problems.

 

My Subi starts to overhead after I replaced t-belt, water-pump and thermostat (stant). Thought was stant t-stat problem, took it out, boil tested along with a new oem t-stat. Both t-stat appear to be opening up just fine...

 

Then I read posts here, people talking 130k is common for Forester 98 (Gen I) to show overheating with Head Gasket leaking. I checked, could not see much bubble in overflow, maybe one or two just after stop. (that's normal i guess), exhaust does not have much water spray, one/two drop when start in the morning. However, I do notice upper hose is warm yet lower isn't. (So the t-stat by stant is strange?).

 

My solution was replace the t-stat with OEM. Then a good mechanic friend of mine worked on Subis brought a vacuuming device to suck out air pockets in the radiator. (Same device to suck out pockets in my break/cluth fluids.) We refilled with 50/50. Viola, the car runs great now and temperatur is just stable right at 35% of the range.

 

I guess I was very fortunate to have a good mechanic to diagnosis and tried cheap method before jumping to conclusion of HG. Though I will be watchful of it, and may try steelseal in future at first signs of syptom.

 

This tatally makes sense as someone showed experimental proof that air left behind in subaru engine leads first to overheat, second to warped head and third to headgasket leak. Many of the HG problems could just be neglected air in coolant problems. The good news is that the newer subarus are easier to burp.

[Green96GT]

I agree, i want one... so many uses... i still have a damn air bubble in my brake lines somewhere

 

Mine's a 'Mityvac 7000' - a small vacuum pump with a lot of options for hoses, and connections. I used it to bleed my brakes when I replaced my ABS unit. Works great. I think I got it at Autozone for around $30.

[1 Lucky Texan]

Mine's a 'Mityvac 7000' - a small vacuum pump with a lot of options for hoses, and connections. I used it to bleed my brakes when I replaced my ABS unit. Works great. I think I got it at Autozone for around $30.

 

does it have a radiator cap or hose or ??? adaptor?

[Green96GT]

does it have a radiator cap or hose or ??? adaptor?

 

Nope - it comes with 1/4 hoses and various attachments to fit different types of brake bleed nipples.

 

I'm not sure how it was used to 'bleed' a radiator. Maybe he just ran the 1/4 hose into the cap and sucked that way?