bunnymama

And it's good news! I posted several days ago about an overheating problem with my 96 Legacy Wagon. I got lots of good suggestions about what the problem might be. My husband and I "burped" the radiator of air on Sunday and dropped the Legacy off at the mechanic on Wednesday and told him that we suspected air bubbles, radiator problems, catalytic or head gasket trouble. The mechanic started with the simplest--he was able to get a lot more air out of the coolant and added another 1/2 quart of liquid by the time he was done. Then he took it for a drive, let it idle with a thermometer on the engine and couldn't get it to overheat. He tested the coolant for exhaust gases and that test came out negative (whew!) so I don't think we have HG problems at this time. The overheating started the day after we had gone to a jiffy lube type place and had them flush and fill the coolant. They apparently didn't know what they were doing--so we will have our real mechanic do it from now on. My husband took it for a long drive this evening and no problems! But, I am still a little distrustful of my poor little Subaru and am hesitant to take it to work tomorrow. The overheating we had makes me so paranoid, my husband and I commute about 45 miles a day to and from work and I would hate to overheat again in the middle of Nowhere, Nebraska. I think it will just take a little time to "feel the love" for the Legacy again. Really it has really been a great car considering how many miles we have on it (170K). Thank you all so much for your suggestions and help, I really appreciate this community! Bunnymama

Sisu, your post intrigues me. Took it for a drive. Overheated about 15 miles from home Followed some advanced burping instructions I found in another thread. Got alot of bubbles out. Ran it for awhile at ~2000 RPM with occasional revs to 3000. Noticed steam coming up. Looked for the source. Not the radiator. It's not steam, it's exhuast. It is coming from the Y joint right in front of the front catalyst! Could it be that a catalyst blockage is causing the overheating and exhust escape? My mechanics sensor for check for gases is dead so I am going to find somewhere that can check for me Monday. I'm going to have them check my catalyst also.

We burped it today, and let it idle for ~40 minutes with no overheating. I'll take it for a lengthy drive tommorrow. Fins look ok. Will have it checked for coolant gases asap.

I'll have to check the fluid level in the morning, but I believe the coolant is being pulled back into the radiator. I had a coolant change done by a Valvoline Instant Oil Change place. Did they burp it? They do them all the time, I would expect them to know how but I really don't know. Friday, when my regular mechanic (who has been super every time we used him.) changed out the thermostat, he explained to me how they hooked it up to a machine that removed all the air pockets. I assume this means he burped it. Yes, 96 with the 2.5

Opps, let me jump in the way back machine. It overheated about two months ago. At that time I replaced the radiator cap. No overheating problems until the recent round. However I just got a sick feeling. Sometime after I replaced the cap, I got an oil change. They said my coolant tested "not safe" I had them change it out. Could coolant gases cause it to test "not safe" ? I should add, I've got ~170,000 miles on it.

First post, it's a big one. My 96 Legacy wagon has been overheating. No bubbles in the resevoir and the large hose on the passenger side of the radiator is hot when I check it. It doesn't seem to fit the symptoms of the dreaded head gasket problem. I am stumpted. Here's the story: Tuesday we were commuting into work, after ~20 miles of pure highway driving the temp gauge started to climb and quickly reached the upper limits of the gauge. I pulled over and shut it down. There was a small amount of steam coming from under the hood. I left the key in so the fans would run to help cool the engine and then popped the hood. Anti freeze had sprayed inside the engine compartment on the driver side. I checked the resevoir, it was more or less full. No bubbles. Turned the vent cap a little and thought better of it when liquid hissed at me a bit. We let it cool and got got back on the road. While waiting (stopped) for a chance to turn around and head home the needle started climbing again. As soon as we got moving again it began to drop and probably hit the halfway mark within 200 yards of driving. Gauge remained just below halfway almost the whole way home. We got of on an exit ramp, stopped at a stop sign for about 5 seconds, and were on our way. Needle began climbing. Within a mile it hit the bottom of the "H" I pulled over again. No steam, Fans turning, check resevoir - half full, no bubbles. Here's the odd part. I didn't feel a lot of heat under the hood. Placed my hand on the engine (manifold?) not hot at all??? Let the temp gauge hit halfway and head home again. After about 2-3 miles were on "H" again. Pull over repeat steps. Resevoir is nearly empty. Engine still feels cool. Gauge drops we are moving again. Repeat above steps after a half mile or so. We are home. Resevoir is empty. Hose is hot. Engine is only warm. I crack the radiator vent cap, no spray. I remove it. I open the radiator cap with a towel. No spray. I add about 32 oz of water before coolant percolates out of the open vent. Engine cools for abaout and hour and a half and it's of to the mechanic. 4 miles no overheating. He uses it as his daily driver the rest of the week, no overheating. He replaces the thermostat as a Hail Mary. I take it home tonight (Friday.) No problems on the way home. 2 hours later I am running to the store. Less than 2 miles and I'm overheating. Pull over, pop hood. Fans turning. Hose hot. Engine hot. No coolant spray. Resevoir is almost full. I stop three more times before I make it home. Any ideas? I am lost.