hove102
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Update: checked radiator today, full to the brim with fresh, bright green coolant. Doesn't smell gassy or abnormal. Car doesn't run hot, and heat seems to work (checked it last night), so all signs seem to point towards something electrical unless there's something I'm missing.
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I'm definitely being schooled on this, and that's not a bad thing! I'll check that first thing in the morning. I'm starting to think that it might not be bad insurance to check the t-stat and refill the car with fresh Subaru coolant & conditioner, just so I know what's going on in there. Also, is it easier to replace a clogged heater core or flush it out?
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You are right about not checking the heat...it was warm on Sunday, when I bought the car, and I ran the AC the entire hour-ish drive home with no incident (no running hot). The fans didn't stick on that day even though they were functioning, even in traffic with the AC on. The receipt for the timing belt and water pump change, which was the most recent service (done back in April, IIRC) shows 2 gallons of premix on the materials list, so I know the coolant mixture is at least 50 antifreeze/50 water. I'm assuming the easiest way to check for a clogged heater core is to turn the heater on and see how hot it gets? You'll have to forgive me for not knowing a lot about cooling systems; I did my research on these cars before deciding to buy one but I've never driven anything where I've had to think about cooling this much!
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Fairtax, I was thinking about that. The coolant isn't low, it was between the markers and I put a splash more water in it (just a tad) to keep it level. I haven't checked to see if the car has the original t-stat in it or not but it doesn't run hot so I'd like to think it's not a cooling issue, but some sort of electrical gremlin, mainly because the symptoms are erratic and not constant. That being said, I know it should have Subaru coolant & conditioner in it.
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Update: tried tapping all the relays and the fan stayed on. It was the fan on the passenger side of the car, which, if I'm not mistaken, is the Sub fan. I know they both work because the main fan was running the other day, and the car doesn't overheat or feel like it's heatsoaking. Should I change the relays anyway, or should I check the grounds and the CTS? Or do all three?
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Grounding totally hadn't occurred to me, I'll look into that as well. I haven't tried tapping the relays yet but if I can get the symptom to reoccur then I'll give that a shot.
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1 Lucky Texan, where are the test connectors? I know they're under the dash on the driver's side but what am I looking for exactly? The only other electronic gremlin the car has is a speedo that will work for a while, and then stop working and then come back on whenever it chooses, but I know that has more to do with the circuitry in the gauge cluster. Grossgary, do you know which relays control the fans?
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I just became the proud new owner of a Rio Red 1999 OBW, EJ25D, 4EAT, that's had a fair amount of work done by its previous owners, including the timing belt & tensioner, headgaskets, and a full trans service. So far, it seems to run pretty well, but the one weird quirk it has (so far) is that both the Main and Sub Radiator fans seem to be a bit overactive and will often stay on when the car isn't running, but the key is in the ACC or ON positions. The weird part is that when I drove around today in the heat (mid to high 80s) today with the A/C off, the fans didn't stay on, but as soon as I drove with the A/C on on my way home from work, the fans stayed on when I got home. Then, tonight, driving home with no A/C, the fans stayed on again. What I'm trying to figure out is what could be causing this. Bad/unplugged Coolant Temp Sensor? Is the relay getting stuck on sometimes? Are the fans themselves faulty? When I did research on these things before I bought one, I never found anything relating to this topic so I'm kind of at a loss here. I just bought this thing so I'm hoping it's not something catastrophic, as the car runs pretty well other than this weird gremlin. Any help would be appreciated, just go easy on me since I'm new to this whole "Subaru ownership" thing
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I just wanted to have it reaffirmed for me. I do like that most of the Gen 1s came with cloth seats and not a lot of other frivolities...generally I like things as simple as possible because it means there's less to go wrong. I do like that Gen 1s seem to be a bit more plug and play when it comes to engine swaps as well, since it seems like dropping an EJ22 in is a common path people take.
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I'm doing some thinking about my preference for the 00-04 Subarus, and I'm wondering whether it's right to be scared of the EJ25D motor...there are a lot of Gen 1 OBWs out there, some of them with manuals (which is now my transmission preference), and I'm wondering whether I should consider them seriously as an option. I know it was kind of already touched on, but do you guys think a 96-99 OBW with a stick is a solid investment? If I found one with a documented HG and t-belt service, would it be worth the cash? The time is getting closer to selling my Montero so I want to have a clear idea of what I'm looking for once I have cash in hand so I know which cars to pass on and which to pursue, and if I should expand or narrow my search. You guys have given me a lot of help, and I hope y'all keep it coming!
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I'm jealous! I'd love to find a car like that down here...hopefully one will appear at some point. I keep trying to think of what else could do everything one of these Outbacks could do but there's just nothing else like it. I understand why you guys all like them so much!
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That's what I meant. Used the wrong terminology
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Also, I drove this OBW today: http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?dealerId=75839&zip=92705&endYear=2016&sortBy=derivedpriceASC&location=Huntington%2BBeach%2BCA&startYear=1981&dealerName=Ocean%2BImports&searchRadius=100&listingId=398093766&Log=0 It was tired as hell, and definitely had been ridden hard and put away wet by its previous owner. However, I figured I would drive it, and let me say that you guys are all right about these cars...even with 204K on the clock and an engine that was doing some really odd things at idle (really violent vibration/shaking?), it still pulled pretty hard and the chassis felt way more solid than a car with 204K should feel. I pitched it into a couple corners and I was surprised at how well it just stuck, even with bad tires. I'm definitely sold on the OBW, especially the Gen 2, and I'm sure there's the right one out there. You were right about the automatics being less peppy...even though I haven't driven a stick yet, I could tell that it was hunting for gears and took a bit to respond to my input.
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Makes sense...I spent some time in Oz and I know the regulations over there are pretty crazy when it comes to modding your vehicle, so I'm sure you guys across the Tasman have the same, if not worse regulations. I can't believe how much certification there is for modifications compared to the states! A lot of guys put the Baja springs (not sure if you guys got that vehicle in NZ) on their OBWs and it gives you another inch or so of clearance, so I'll probably just do those and a set of KYBs or Bilsteins when the time comes, and maybe spacers for a little more lift. Thanks for the input!
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I did not know that Olnick, thanks for the tip. I put premium in my truck currently so I'm used to spending a bit more. By any chance, do you know if the rest of the EJ25x family runs better on premium as opposed to regular? And Todd GT5, that's the kind of personal experience I'm looking for. I'm not looking all the way back at the early Legacies, mainly because they're just too old, but good to know that you've had good luck with your Gen 2. Did you buy it from the O.O. or just another owner who also took good care of it?