cloudbrk Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 So I have a 93 Loyale and I am having problems with it running hot. I had the timing belt replaced a while back along with the water pump, thermostat, hoses, and the temperature sensor. Recently I have noticed that the car has been running warmer than I think it should. The guage gets to between halfway and three quarters of the way to overheating. I also notice a faint coolant smell. What should I be looking for? There are no visible leaks that I can see. The engine doesnt seem to be losing coolant. Any suggestions? Should I try to get a cooler running thermostat? Could it be a head gasket problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86BRATMAN Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 Sounds like you might be in need of a new radiator. Has this one ever been changed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky92 Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 Have you replaced the rad cap yet?? I would try to flush the rad good....check it for bent missing clogged fins... and replace the cap...try that first.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbarber Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 I have a '94 Loyale and I had the same thing - running hot, but no leaks. My rad was shot and I'm in the process of replacing it. It's a dirt simple replacement in theory as long as everything comes apart OK. The fan shroud is giving me a hard time (see the thread I just started about unplugging the fan). An aftermarket rad was $150.00CDN. BTW, if you go through with replacing the rad, I recommend buying all new bolts for the shroud and coating the threads with grease before installing. My bolts were pretty much shot: one was missing, one's head was almost completely corroded off, the head of the third bolt twisted off in place, and the last one was OK. I'm also going to clean the metal on the fan shroud and paint it with high heat paint. BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fat tire Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 Last time I had my radiator out I hosed out the fins and was amazed at the amount of crap that came out. I'm not sure if it made a big cooling difference or not but it definately couldn't hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudbrk Posted August 7, 2007 Author Share Posted August 7, 2007 I replaced the radiator cap last night....the old one looked fine, but I went ahead and got a new one. Took it out for a drive and had the same problem. I am going to try burping the system one more time to get any air out and if that doesnt work, I guess I will replace the radiator. Thanks guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom63050 Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 As an emergency fix to bring the temp down, you can turn on the heater and open the windows. That would also be a way to check on the responsiveness of your temp gauge, if there is a blockage. If the radiator and thermostat are OK, your gauge shouldn't move. You might have a thermostat that's stuck partway closed. If you are replacing the radiator, replace the thermostat too, with one from the dealer--aftermarket ones are not considered very reliable. And of course hoses unless they look really good. Also there's an important and often overlooked o-ring on the metal pipe that connects the lower rad hose to the water pump, replace that too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudbrk Posted August 7, 2007 Author Share Posted August 7, 2007 Yea I did replace the thermostat with an aftermarket one when I had the t-belt and waterpump done, but I am thinking now that I will get one from the dealer....as well as that o ring you are speaking of. I will also give the heater thing a try as well to see if that make a difference to give me indication as to where to look. Again, many thanks for the help I always seem to find here on this forum. I wish I could contribute to the knowledge base instead of sucking it dry... The help is appreciated guys. I will let you know what I discover. Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 Recently I have noticed that the car has been running warmer than I think it should. The guage gets to between halfway and three quarters of the way to overheating. I also notice a faint coolant smell. What should I be looking for? There are no visible leaks that I can see. The engine doesnt seem to be losing coolant. Check the condition of the hoses going to the heater. They are just about the highest point in the cooling system. So they ussually only leak under pressure and in the form of steam. Seems like whenever there is a faint antifreeze smell in one of these it's ussually from those hoses leaking steam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky92 Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 Again, many thanks for the help I always seem to find here on this forum. I wish I could contribute to the knowledge base instead of sucking it dry... The help is appreciated guys. I will let you know what I discover. Nick Many of us started here being knowledgeless..this board has helped so many of us out...ME..I knew bare basics..But thanks to this board I am pretty comfortable doing almost anything...and when I feel intimidated..there are a few memebers who have actually came to my house to help or picked up the phone and helped walk me through stuff. You will figure this out..just always start with the very simple fixes first..like the cap..checking hoses ..tightening clamps.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Check the condition of the hoses going to the heater. They are just about the highest point in the cooling system. So they ussually only leak under pressure and in the form of steam. Seems like whenever there is a faint antifreeze smell in one of these it's ussually from those hoses leaking steam. I was going to say the same thing Last time I had my radiator out I hosed out the fins and was amazed at the amount of crap that came out. I'm not sure if it made a big cooling difference or not but it definately couldn't hurt. It DID help. I was going to suggest doing just this to the original poster. Do not just replace a bad radiator without checking a couple of "last ditch" things. Make SURE that plenty of air is passing through the coils of the radiator, and coming into direct contact with either bare metal, or painted metal. Road grime, drit, oil sludge, sand, bugs, mud, ANY of that insulates the radiator and nullifies its functioning. If its dirty, spray it with some concentrated degreaser (simple green works great) from both sides, and then blast it out with a garden hose from inside the engine bay. If it is REALLY dirty, go ahead and just take it out to clean it. Once you know the rad is clean, (or not awfully dirty; it would have to be close to muck solid to cause as much overheat as you are describing) you also know the conditions of the fins on the coils; rotten, "disappearing" fins are cause for a new radiator in and of themselves. Anyhow, given that the rad is clean, the fins are good, next step is get the car hot (normal operating temp, no need to get hotter than that) and feel with your hand the entire surface of the radiator, checking for spots that are cooler than the rest. Cool spots indicate clogged spots; just like with the rotten fins, excessive clogged areas warrant a new radiator. You should also verify that your fans are functioning as they should; a non functional electric fan is common (thermoswitch issues) and in the summertime often can cause an issue like this to "come up." There is a very good chance you have a bad radiator; if you want to just throw the money at it and bet that you do, you can. If you go through all these tests, find a beautiful rad and flush it out and still find overheating with a new thermostat and radiator cap and functioning fans, and STILL have cooling issues, then you wind up having to buy a new radiator anyhow.. but it is frequently worth it to check these simpler things before dropping $150. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudbrk Posted August 10, 2007 Author Share Posted August 10, 2007 Well...It turns out the answer to my problem was a simple solution. The auxilliary fan was not coming on. And the reason for that....are you ready? Was because the guy who did the timing belt a few months back must have forgotten to plug it back in when he put the radiator back in. Thanks guys for all your help. I learned a lot and apprecaite your willingness to help. I guess us Subaru owners are family! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted August 11, 2007 Share Posted August 11, 2007 Well...It turns out the answer to my problem was a simple solution. The auxilliary fan was not coming on. And the reason for that....are you ready? Was because the guy who did the timing belt a few months back must have forgotten to plug it back in when he put the radiator back in. Thanks guys for all your help. I learned a lot and apprecaite your willingness to help. I guess us Subaru owners are family! Glad to hear it was so simple, and thanks for the update. seems like any time I bother posting the whole overheat post, its something simple like that. Thats better than long difficult problems, any day, eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awlllwa Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 well, good to know it was that simple. The one thing i would check if someone else is having an overheating problem, and its not the aux fan. The ~3/8in hose going to the throttle body, mine had a tiny pin prick hole in it for like 6 months and i couldn't figure out why i was loosing coolant, smelling coolant, and running just a little bit hot. Those tiny coolant line hoses going over the engine seem to get neglected a lot, and they don't seem to get enough pressure to burst but they like to crack. Just my 2 cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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