thinking of overheating

[akc]

My car does not seem to be leaking fluid 86 subaru gl, but on hot days I cannot run the a/c or it theatens to overheat. I also cannot drive long distances with out the heat on or it thinks of overheating on hot days .(1 hour plus) If I run it with the heater on but fan off it is fine. I have replaced the thermostat. No oil leaks (noticably at least) and oil pressure its good. It was fine all winter but in spring when the temp went up so did the temp in the car sometimes almost to the red but never in it. When I drive with the heater on it always stays in the same spot where it is supposed to be. It does not appear to be losing water but I have had to add it a few times and other times it is full after driving it several weeks. Oh most of the time the temp comes up only when the A/C is on (but not always.)

 

I am thinking of

 

checking the fan (to see it it comes on)

flushing the radiatior

 

would the radiatior cap do it? . it is a little worn on the ends of the rubber under the cap.

 

as I just changed the temp gauge could it be bubbles in the radiator sometimes it does not seem to fill up all the way.(I do know he flushed it when he changed the thermostat. but car was barely nose downhill. ( when I Fill it and drive it and then add more water (after it has cooled of course one day I added another quart after I drove it 5 miles) other days it is still full when I drive 100 miles. )

 

Sorry I am not a mechanic nor mecanically inclined. so bear with my interestsing descriptions. I do not actually fix my cars hubby does (or my sons) and he is getting a little stumped with this thing. (he is pretty good mechanically just not a mechanic. IT is so frustrating to have the only car we have with a real good A/C and we cannot even use it. He is used to fixing GM vehicles so not used to tin cans as he calls the subaru (sorry it is my car he tolerates it) (GMs mostly he has dealth with bad exhaust sytems and trannys and rear ends.and a new engine on our two dodges we have had.) . It seems to be the little stuff at least on the subaru.

 

I believe it has a new head but am not sure (we bought it around December and they had done tons of work to it.)

 

Any other ideas on what to check or does it sound like I am looking into the right things?

[Gloyale]

You need a new radiator.

[akc]

Let me guess I do not want a used one. from looking at other posts they tend to go bad.