dm88

Finally for some more time to figure this thing out. It seems like I can't get the last of the air out. I even drained it and started over but I still hear the bubbling behind the dash and its still overheating

I really doubt it could be the head gaskets because it's notthesame symptoms I had before. it doesn't spike like did with the bad head gaskets

I replaced both with felpro. I didn't have them milled but I checked to see if they were warped. I used degreaser for the surfaces. Even if there was so me gas getting into the coolant why would it go 30 miles fine then overheat on the off ramp?

I used blue devil before I did the head gaskets. I replaced the radiator (with a used one) when I got the car in February then did the blue devil stuff. I never used stop leak or any of the other thick stuff. What should I flush it with for it to be the most effective? Any other possibilities?

So today my roommate drove it to work about 30 moles away all freeway. He said as soon as he got off it started to over heat but once he turned the ac on and got moving again it cooled back down. Then he pulled in to the parking lot at work and it started to overheat again. Do you think a little bit of air could be causing this much havoc? How would you recommend getting that little bit of air out? I don't really want to drain and refil unless I have to. Also I doubt combustion gasses are getting in because it wouldn't fluctuate like that wold it? Thanks again for all your help

so i burped the system again and went for a test drive. it did fine for really long time and now it over heats on a hill that it would otherwise not overheat. so basically i can drive it anywhere as long as theres no long uphill. i never had this problem before... whats going on!?!?

Heater hoses were never removed. I did the hg with the engine in.

ok so now i filled it up again using the proper procedure and im still over heating...it cant be the tstat because it doesnt have one. it cant be the hg because theyre new and plus i have non bubbles in the expansion tank. cant be the rad cap because its new. i dont get it.. this car is starting to really get on my nerves. i can hear bubbling from behind the dash and from the cooling system in the engine compartment once i turn it off and i pop the hood after it overheats. any ideas?

The only part I messed up was while torquing downt the drivers side head. I go the order down wrong but luckily I was only at the part where you torque down to 54ftlbs then back the bolts off 90 degrees twice. From that point on i followed the correct order. Plus I don't see any bubbles in the expansion tank and it's not spitting out the coolant like it did when the hg was bad so Im t asking a pretty educated guess that my mishap with the head bolts didn't affect it much.

Yup fans are working.. I took out the non Subaru t stat and it seems to be better (I just ripped off the spring and copper part and put in just the round part with the gasket...I know it sounds barbaric) ..I think I might still have some air because the temperature is fluctuating... Not nearly the spikes I used to get before the head gasket but it'll climb up to 2/3 then go back down. At least it's somewhat drivable for now. I'm going to wait for it to cool off then fill it with the heater on which I for to. That's probably why I could hear bubbling from behind the vents.

im pretty sure i got all the air out. i filled it to the top while it was at operating temp from both the cap side and the bleed side. now whats happening is it overheats when ic ome to a stop not while im moving rather quickly. i didnt get a rad cap because the dealer is closed but this makes me think its not the cap. what else could it be? i did put in a non subaru tstat but i tested it (in water on my stove) before i put it in.

It was the timing...I thought I did it all right but I can see how all that work fogged my mind. I'm glad it was that and not something I would have had to spend money on.

yup sorry forgot to mention 98 legacy ob. Ok i hope i can still get one today. but are those symptoms of a bad rad cap?

So i put in a new head gasket because i was getting bubbles in the coolant. so i finished up and fired her up, filled her up with coolant and took it around the block. it overheated, luckily i was close to home so pulled back in to my garage and popped the hood and could see bubbles in the expansion tank....i nearly cried... then i though maybe its just air so i opened up the bleed screw and added a lot more coolant but i also noticed that the expansion tank filled up almost to the top (this was before i opened the bleed screw) then i heard the coolant getting sucked back in and the upper rad hose got really skinny. so i filled it up and took it around the block again and it made it twice around then it started to overheat again so i got back home and looked at the expansion tank and saw it was full to the top again after being empty again. once the car cools down it gets sucked back in. maybe a bad rad cap? THANKS

got it! thanks anyways!

So I just finished up the head gasket on my 98 legacy ob. I triple checked the timing. I'm sure I connected everything up. Now it will crank but it won't start. I can smell a strong smell of exhaust/gas out of the tailpipe. I'm lost. I read on another forum that this happend to some guy but he bent a valve. Wouldn't I be able to hear that? The cams did slip once when i was doing the timing but i spun the crank around a few times after it was all tightened up to make sure i couldnt hear any metal on metal. What else cold it be? Thanks in advance

Thanks for your replies btw This is my first head gasket ever. But so far so good so I might just pull the engine and finish the job. How much does that usually cost in parts? What else would I need besides just the bearings. Time isn't an issue for me just $.

Is there a way to check oil pressure with most stuff off already? All that's left are heads and tb.

Hi I buy and sell subarus here in Utah. Here's what I recommend. Look at the receipts and call and verify that they were done. Park it somewhere you can get under it and check for leaks, that's what most shops do. When they do a pre purchase inspection anyway except they charge u way to much for that. The mileage is pretty low for subie especially of you have service records with it. To give you an idea I just sold a 97 with service records and everything and 155k for 3600 and a 96 with 147k with no service records for 3000. So it all the work checks out its worth it to pay a little extra to have the peace of mind that you won't have to do any timing belt or head gaskets in a while. Also if you can get the parts list they used try and see what brand head gasket they used. If they got it from a local parts store you usually good. Be worried if it some eBay brand or evergreen those usually tend to go after about 15k.

Im in the middle of doing a head gasket on my Subaru for the first time ever and I just have a quick question. Does the cam sprocket only go on to the cam in one position or can it be tightened down in any position. I'm worried about it moving after the timing belt comes off. Thanks guys I have a 98 ob 2.5 btw