I have a 98 outback wagon that on occasion the temp gauge will rise to hot and lose heat from the heater. I have checked for bubbles and oil in the over flow. I have checked for coolant in the oil. None of these are present. I am all but convinced that I have a bad head gasket regardless.

any suggestions. And yes I did a search.

No suggestion needed, you nailed it.

 

nipper

Yep. In response to post title, failed thermostat could not cause temp gauge to rise to hot and lose heat from the heater.

 

Failed closed could cause the cooling system to run hot but that would give you great heat. Failed open could cause the system to run cool with poor of heat but temp gauge would not rise to hot.

That is really what I figured. I am going to pull the engine and do the hg's myself. I am going to use the new fixit gasket from Subaru. Also planning on t belt, water pump, and thermostat. Anything missing?

 

Do the ej25s have a cam box like the ea82? I am serioulsy unfamiliar with the entire ej series.thanks.

<<Anything missing?>>

 

<<I have a 98 outback wagon that on occasion the temp gauge will rise to hot >>

 

well, being that have let it get to the "H" more than once, have the heads checked for warpage.

Sounds like the common problem of air trap. I did not see your reason for thinking the head gasket was bad. Let the engine cool and take of radiator cap and start engine with heater on put more coolant in ever times the engine sucks a little more down. I would try this first or if you already have I would try it again.

That is really what I figured. I am going to pull the engine and do the hg's myself. I am going to use the new fixit gasket from Subaru. Also planning on t belt, water pump, and thermostat. Anything missing?

 

Do the ej25s have a cam box like the ea82? I am serioulsy unfamiliar with the entire ej series.thanks.

by occasionally I meant twice. Both times the engine was immediately shut down. I will be getting the heads checked and since the engine will be out I will replace front and rear main seals. Any idea on the heads if they are like the ea82.

Sounds like the common problem of air trap. I did not see your reason for thinking the head gasket was bad. Let the engine cool and take of radiator cap and start engine with heater on put more coolant in ever times the engine sucks a little more down. I would try this first or if you already have I would try it again.

I have done this a couple of times. I actually did it today even though the problem was not rearing its ugly little head. It has only over heated on me twice. I shut it off and checked the coolant level in the over flow. I never opened the rad when it was showing hot on the gauge. but I would top off the coolant in the over flow and it would get sucked in.

Are the front and rear seals leaking? I had a 98 wagon the gauge goes to hot and the heater blows cold when the coolant gets low and air gets trapped. My 98 was very hard to get the coolant right after changing anything to do with the cooling system.

by occasionally I meant twice. Both times the engine was immediately shut down. I will be getting the heads checked and since the engine will be out I will replace front and rear main seals. Any idea on the heads if they are like the ea82.

I will try burping it and see if that fixes anything. I don't have high hopes.

On page three check out the posts that were made by gcleeton

I will try burping it and see if that fixes anything. I don't have high hopes.

Well the symptoms he described in that thread are almost identical to mine. I guess there might be hope after all. gonna burp that baby tomorrow and see what happens.

I Pulled the rad cap off and started the car when it was cold and added coolant as it was needed. I then used the car to deliver pizza (I couldn't think of a better torture test) the heater was blast furnace hot all night and the temp gauge never waivered. I am hoping that this simple fix worked, as the other fix is not nearly as simple.

I have a feeling your timeng belt is getting glazed, and not driving your water pump fully. Funny, I NEVER hear anyone suggest this possibility. Water pump is driven off timing belt. If the belt slips on it, you will get poor circulation. Engine gets hot, but heater gets no flow so the heat is quickly sucked out of it. This is one of the major differences between the EJ and old EA series.

 

Another though related to circulation. Do you know the condition of the water pump? Have you ever run it "lean" on coolant. Meaning mostly water? If so the blades may have rusted off of the impeller in pump, causing the same type of no circulation problem.

 

BTW, headgaskets would not cause "no heat" unless you where actually losing coolant enough coolant to empty the heater core. You say in your first post that you are not, and are getting no bubbling or overflow. Hot engine+no heat+full coolant= bad circulation

Sounds like you got it, but another check is if your OB has the bleeder screw on the passenger side, like my '90 Legacy...If it does, open it just enough to let out either steam or coolant - air = bad; coolant=good. I fixed my air bubble by filling from the the top heater hose.

 

Credit goes to Setright's write-up.