Cooling help please part2

[AutobahnSHO]

It definitely gets hot, smelled antifreeze when I popped hood...

[Eye of the Tiger]

I am confus

[AutobahnSHO]

Got car back Friday, drove it zero issues. Shop said they couldn't get it to overheat, must have been air bubble in system.

Yesterday I drove Impreza to work. Going home on interstate pegged the very top of the gauge before I could pull over and let it cool off. Anything below 3k rpms started to climb, so I drove in ultra-high gear.

Drove it back to dealership this morning, no signs whatsoever of overheating. ?!?!??!!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Eye of the Tiger]

Got car back Friday, drove it zero issues. Shop said they couldn't get it to overheat, must have been air bubble in system.

Yesterday I drove Impreza to work. Going home on interstate pegged the very top of the gauge before I could pull over and let it cool off. Anything below 3k rpms started to climb, so I drove in ultra-high gear.

Drove it back to dealership this morning, no signs whatsoever of overheating. ?!?!??!!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dude.
You spent enough money at that shop that they should ride along with you to work and see how it happens.

[AutobahnSHO]

Dude.
You spent enough money at that shop that they should ride along with you to work and see how it happens.

I was going to make them ride this morning but it didn't overheat. They said they drove it all over and it didn't happen for them. And idled it in the parking lot. Indeed they drove 80+ miles and burned an entire tank of gas last week.

[AutobahnSHO]

So only got a little warm down in South Carolina, Subaru couldn't reproduce the problem. Drives ok sometimes but we have still seen the gauge spike.

Took it to a shop on-base NY (Firestone). Couldn't get it to overheat.

I'm on a "text stop" on the interstate , spikedway high, revving to more than 4k gauge drops right down. I shut it off, coolant leaked from the cap obviously. ARGH!

[giant_mtb]

Take a video next time it happens so you can show the mechanics you're not a loony.

[AutobahnSHO]

Take a video next time it happens so you can show the mechanics you're not a loony.

Already did....

One of them will ride with me first thing Monday morning.

[AutobahnSHO]

https://youtu.be/NzK5JdXKFi8

That's one drive but the video was paused in the middle of two Overheats. And yes I held the camera the direct way , then YouTube flipped it sideways...

[shp4man]

Dude, this won't be easy to fix. If the car is actually overheating, its some kind of weird shit with a piece of gasket/debris closing a passage in the cooking system or some other really oddball thing..

[AutobahnSHO]

So I drove the car and got it to overheat status and took it right in this morning.

They said the upper rad hose was hot but lower was not. They recommended starting with thermostat and a flush. Did that and they called and said t-stat was defective, also the upper rad hose was leaking- a new clamp fixed that issue.  ALSO, once they pressurized it to test the rad hoses found a leak in the top of the radiator.
Today's adventure will be $577 and will hopefully fix it.

I suspect the thermostat was bad all along- and the Subaru dealer in Georgia should have checked that?!....

[shp4man]

So I drove the car and got it to overheat status and took it right in this morning.

They said the upper rad hose was hot but lower was not. They recommended starting with thermostat and a flush. Did that and they called and said t-stat was defective, also the upper rad hose was leaking- a new clamp fixed that issue.  ALSO, once they pressurized it to test the rad hoses found a leak in the top of the radiator.
Today's adventure will be $577 and will hopefully fix it.

I suspect the thermostat was bad all along- and the Subaru dealer in Georgia should have checked that?!....

Was the tstat replaced when they did the head gaskets? Did they recommend it then? Wish I could see all the paperwork on this car.

[CaminoRacer]

Thermostats get stuck in the open position though

[Soup DeVille]

They get stuck in both positions, and sometimes they just get slow.  Had it happen a couple of times in different cars.

[giant_mtb]

They get stuck in both positions, and sometimes they just get slow.  Had it happen a couple of times in different cars.

Really?  I thought they were designed to only fail open.  I don't really know the inner workings of tstats, though.  I did half-watch an episode of How It's Made about car tstats...had no clue they used wax in them!

[AutobahnSHO]

Was the tstat replaced when they did the head gaskets? Did they recommend it then? Wish I could see all the paperwork on this car.

No and no. The car had been overheating sporadically already- we did gasket, water pump, t- belt all as periodic maintenance. (Well, gasket was "slightly cracked")

Car was coming up on 90k miles (10yrs) and we had the money available plus upcoming move and sale of Legacy ( so down to 2 cars.)

[Soup DeVille]

Really?  I thought they were designed to only fail open.  I don't really know the inner workings of tstats, though.  I did half-watch an episode of How It's Made about car tstats...had no clue they used wax in them!

People keep saying that; but nobody can show me one and explain how. It's a was cylinder and a spring. It rusts shut, the cylinder goes sideways- it's stuck shut. Pulled out more than one like that.

[AutobahnSHO]

I asked the shop that- he said they fail open or closed.

Kinda makes sense that it was the t-stat because it only overheats once it's wellllll warmed up- and then pushed some. I don't get why it cools off quick when it's revved real high- I guess just a factor of coolant going through the system past the temp sensor even though it can't cool off all the way through the radiator??

[AutobahnSHO]

Sigh- Firestone finished rad and t-stat. Test drive it over heated again. They pulled the cap and found exhaust gases in the coolant. Head gasket or cracked cylinder head?

I hate challenging but we'll have to talk with Subaru now probably....

[MX793]

Any sign of coolant in the oil?  Excessive white smoke coming from the exhaust (tough one given the time of year)?

There's a pretty large Subaru contingent in Upstate NY.  Before you go to a dealer, you may want to try to find a good independent who may be more affordable.

[AutobahnSHO]

No and no- but Subaru in Georgia should have fixed this- going to have to haggle to get some/ most of it paid...

[giant_mtb]

People keep saying that; but nobody can show me one and explain how. It's a was cylinder and a spring. It rusts shut, the cylinder goes sideways- it's stuck shut. Pulled out more than one like that.

Guess it's just one of those myths!

[Eye of the Tiger]

I can't believe this Subaru is still overheating.

Mighty Max has a constant cracked head/head gasket leak. It blows white smoke and overflows coolant out the cap from the excess pressure, but it doesn't overheat.

[AutobahnSHO]

Smell coolant in the exhaust. I was shopping replacement motors on the web.

[Eye of the Tiger]

H6

[AutobahnSHO]

NY Subaru said to talk with GA Subaru first. Service manager there said he'll pay the $99 NY Subaru diagnostic fee but nothing he can do after that...

On hold now to get it towed to the NY Subaru- it's about 12miles away.

(replacement engines are $1500 with 30day warranty or Autozone has $3k with 3yr warranty.....)

[shp4man]

NY Subaru said to talk with GA Subaru first. Service manager there said he'll pay the $99 NY Subaru diagnostic fee but nothing he can do after that...

On hold now to get it towed to the NY Subaru- it's about 12miles away.

(replacement engines are $1500 with 30day warranty or Autozone has $3k with 3yr warranty.....)

Are you still making payments on this car?

[AutobahnSHO]

Are you still making payments on this car?

Nah, she bought it new in 2005 and paid it off in 2010. It has 89k miles. Everything else is tip top shape.

[shp4man]

Nah, she bought it new in 2005 and paid it off in 2010. It has 89k miles. Everything else is tip top shape.

I realize you can't replace it for the 3-4 grand it'll take to fix it. But damn, maybe it's time for car shopping. Sell it to 2o6 for a deal! 

[MX793]

If it's just the head gasket, you may not need to replace the whole motor.  Heck, even a cracked head may not necessitate and entire motor.