Lawsonmh15
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Posts posted by Lawsonmh15
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As much as I hate to say this... It overheated on the way to work today. Not feeling inclined to pay $1500 to have them replaced, so I suppose it may be time to trade this sad, sad subie in...
The reality of the situation is that I have a month old daughter and lady to support and $1500 seems ridiculous for an 11 year old car. If there's someone out there in the Denver area who can do it for much less, let me know. Also, is the machining of the heads the most costly part of this, or the labor?
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As much as I hate to say this... It overheated on the way to work today. Not feeling inclined to pay $1500 to have them replaced, so I suppose it may be time to trade this sad, sad subie in...
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Alright, drove for about 1:45 minutes in rush hour traffic in weather that was about 20 degrees warmer than the past few days and had no issues. Since this began I haven't had a drive that didnt result in overheating so I feel pretty good about it being air in the system. Oil was 5W-20. Feel better about that too. thanks for the input.
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Just did another quick but hard drive no issues. I have to wonder if I saw frothiness or not the last time, as this time, before driving I checked the reservoir and there was no coolant in the reservoir and when I got back I left in drive w the parking brake on and checked the reservoir and there was coolant in there but no froth look, making me wonder if what I saw the first time was actually, nothing but an empty reservoir. I did note there were bubbles bubbles coming up while it was running, but they didn't sit at the surface. I suppose if it's the HG... then it's the HG and I get it cleaned up and trade it in, but really I guess the only thing I care about is that it doesn't overheat and remains reliable.
The more I read about the HG issue, I guess I'm not sold. Perhaps you can chalk it up to "ignorance is bliss", but everything I've read talks about the HG's going out between 60-130,000 and I bought it with 80k and it now has 170K.
This all started after an oil change using the new Mobile One 0W-30... Nothing but problems from there (albeit they "guarantee" warranty protection up to 15W 30...
Lesson learned. It used that 0 weight quick too so I made a change to the 20W-50, hoping it will start with the impending cold weather.
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Bubbles in the overflow
. CLASSIC head gasket symptom on that engine. It will get worse. With EJ's - you pop out the vent plug, fill them till coolant comes out the vent, close everything up and you are done. That's it - no other burping or fussing should be needed. If it overheats then it's either leaking it, burning it - bad head gaskets.
GD
As I mentioned in the original post, I couldn't tell exactly where the leak was coming from, but in my search for a "burping tutorial" I realized it was coming out of the top of the reservoir.
Also, when my friend's employee did the swap and t-stat, he did not pull the vent plug so I'm beginning to feel more confident about it having to do with trapped air, however, I'd love to know why you say it may be the HG based on the frothiness look. As I mentioned, yesterday my buddy did a pressure check (pass) and there is no trace of exhaust fumes in the coolant. Also, as I mentioned, the engine was replaced or rebuilt prior to my purchase.
Lastly, given that the mechanic did NOT pull the vent when he did the fill on the coolant, could that cause the HG's to go bad?
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Well, I just unscrewed the vent and burped it while adding water, then flipped on the ac and put it through the paces for the last 10-15 minutes and the temps stayed where they ought to be. I filled it with water through the radiator cap until water came out of the vent then tightened it and took it for the aforementioned spin. When I got back I sat with it in park for a few minutes to simulate a light and then checked the reservoir. The reservoir now has coolant in it. Nonetheless, the coolant looks weird, as though it has froth on the top. Any ideas on that?
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Can you give us the year, model and engine size?
you should do a search on the board for "Burp" or "Burping". You may have air trapped in the system since the reservoir was empty.
Also buy a new radiator cap, the one on there may not be working correctly and needs replacement.
I wondered about this exact thing since I noticed when his guy did the coolant flush, he didn't pull the valve on the top left side of the radiator. The fact that it fluctuates at odd times also made me think the coolant would almost get stuck, then for whatever reason, begin circulating again.
Almost forgot, it's a 99 Legacy SUS. From what we've found, it looks like the engine has been either rebuilt, or replaced.
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So, a few weeks ago I noticed my temp gauge fluctuating in a way that made no sense. I figured it was time for a new thermostat and flush so I had it taken care of. All seemed fine for a week or so, then the same thing again. The weird thing is that the temp would spike and fall under driving conditions that doesn't make sense. (i.e. I may be nursing it doing 30mph and it spikes, but then getting on the gas going up a hill would drop the temp to normal).
I checked the reservoir and noticed it was bone dry so I added water and drove home. It still overheated, but when I checked the reservoir, it was still completely full... I took it to a friend's shop yesterday and they did a pressure check and tested for exhaust and the pressure was fine and there was no exhaust in the coolant. Furthermore, they could not get it to overheat (which seems odd because today it did it about 9 miles in to my drive to work). Nonetheless, they topped off the coolant and I went on my way.
As I mentioned, on my way to work, the same thing happened again, however, today I moved my car from the parking spot to another after about 10 minutes and discovered a puddle of coolant on the ground. Popped the hood and I see that there is coolant leaking from the right side and it looked like everything on the right side of the radiator from the fill valve and top of the reservoir, down to the hose had coolant on it, making it difficult to see where the leak is coming from.
Is there a particular point of failure I'm not recognizing here? Also, is the heater core in the vicinity by chance?
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Does anyone know if this has been done yet? There was an article on Johnathon Goodwin in a recent issue of Fast Company. He can get 40MPG out of an H2 with a combination of either Diesel/Bio-Diesel/Ethanol and either natural gas or hydrogen. It also runs on an electric motor. That's not the half of it though. Not only do you getter ridiculous mileage, but DOUBLE the horsepower and torque. He is negotiating with UPS to convert several trucks which would offset UPS gas costs by 50%.
If that's not enough, he's engineered a new hybrid that utilizes a TURBINE engine which kicks on for a few seconds, in turn charging a set of supercapacitor batteries in seconds... This Kansan may very well be the saving grace for the American car manufacturer.
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WOW. Nobody see's the potential in this???
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Does anyone know if this has been done yet? There was an article on Johnathon Goodwin in a recent issue of Fast Company. He can get 40MPG out of an H2 with a combination of either Diesel/Bio-Diesel/Ethanol and either natural gas or hydrogen. It also runs on an electric motor. That's not the half of it though. Not only do you getter ridiculous mileage, but DOUBLE the horsepower and torque. He is negotiating with UPS to convert several trucks which would offset UPS gas costs by 50%.
If that's not enough, he's engineered a new hybrid that utilizes a TURBINE engine which kicks on for a few seconds, in turn charging a set of supercapacitor batteries in seconds... This Kansan may very well be the saving grace for the American car manufacturer.
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How nice it must be to live in states that don't use ethanol, and octane STARTS at 87 or 89.
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I don't know about the heat range, but have you considered the NGK iridiums? Those are known to work fine in Subaru's, which can be fussy about plugs and wires. Buffalo here, which is pretty cold in the winter, stock heat range seems to work fine.
Well, the heat range is a factor because it has been so hot here in Colorado recently. I have a feeling that these plugs are done (most likely just fouled) but considering what a pain in the rump roast it is to do the plugs on the '99 2.5L, I may as well just spring for new plugs. I know the Denso's work, they're a little pricey, but everything I've heard has been very positive. Everytime it's hot, like 130 in the sun in a black car, I throw a knock code. No big deal right? Just disco. the neg. batt cable, hold down the break for about fifteen sec., then let it sit for about 15 mins, reco. the negative, and voila... No more 325. Pulled the knock sensor and it looked fine. The fact that it resets and doesn't return when started, makes me think it's the plugs. I can feel it bog itself down when driving at "warm up idle". My theory is that it's not combusting enough fuel and causing an occasional ping or knock that sets off the CEL.
All too aware of the Subie's plug pickiness. Made the mistake of first installing some Bosch Plat +4's. Didn't take long to throw 301,303 codes. Replaced with stock NGK's and have been using those since.
What's crazy, is that I am seeing ALOT of people on the board asking gas related questions. I am wondering where they're from, octane and chain of gas station. Wonder if extra ethanol is making it's way in, or if everyone's just using 85 they way i had been... I want answers.
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plugs can cause ping. You may be getting the knock sensor code because no matter what the knock sesnor does it cant get rid of the ping.
How old are they?
nipper
A couple years. Probably 40-50k miles.
Hate to say it, but have also been using 85 because of the ridiculous oil prices. Just doesn't make sense to pull and clean considering on the 2.5 it's such a momentus pain in the rump roast to pull the plugs.
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Going to pick up some new denso iridums and am wondering if I should go one step hotter here in Colorado. Thinking that stock isn't combusting enough but would like some user experiences, or just the right answer. TIA.
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Well, it seems as though the code gets thrown when the engine gets hot. If I disconnect the batt. ground, discharge all capacitance by holding down the break pedal, then let it sit for about 15 minutes, the code is cleared until I'm in stop and go in 100+(in sun). Thinking it may be the plugs and a need to get a real FLUSH done on the radiator.
Anyone deal with something similar?
I pulled the knock sensor and the casing is fine with very little corrosion on the sensor. Seems strange.
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I replaced one a year ago on our 2000 Forester and its in almost the same place on the engine block, there's just some other misc. crap around/above it. Our car was throwing the same code.
Since your in town...I got my knock sensor at Checker to save money. If you order on line and pick it up in the store you save some more cash. Here's a link but I'm not sure exactly what you're driving:
http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=NIE&MfrPartNumber=WA1751&PartType=412&PTSet=A
71 bucks and you can probably find it online even cheaper.
If you need tools cheap, you can go to Harbor Freight.
Buy their extensions or the 13.99 "wobble extensions" set.
cheap torque wrench (better than guessing...) 20 bucks or borrow from neighbor down the street since you probably won't use it much if your just doing maintenance stuff only. You know the guy that's always revving his Camaro up in the driveway Sunday mornings. Go ask him, he'll have one and will probably end up helping you swap the sensor.
PS- Harbor Freight tools are cheap but if you use them infrequently maybe that's for you. I'm a Craftsman wrench guy and figure I'll use most basic tools for the rest of my life so it's an investment plus I can't afford to drop the cash on Snap-On stuff although I'd love to.
I'd also normally buy OEM for sensors and thus a Bosch unit but the knock sensors suck and fail no matter what...
I hear you on the harbor freight beauty. When the woodruff key on my crankshaft went, I refused to remove the radiator so I went to harbor freight which, oddly enough, was the only place I could find around town that had 60 degree offset wrenches so I could do work on the tensioner pulley. I think I spent $30 on a full set of metrics.
All are still in working order. -
Ha! I can only DREAM about the good 'old days of in state tuition. My youngest graduated from the School of Mines in Golden with a Chemical Engineering degree and now is about to start his 2nd year of out of state med school. $$$$$! Right now he has a summer internship at Mission Control in Houston helping with some cardiology research so I can't enlist him for any wrench turning.
We're proud but poor parents! Gulp! That's why I'm fixing the Sooby myself...so he can repair my worn out body parts in a few years when he's a Doc!
I have to mention to you that I really like most of the CU kids most of the time. This past year I was in McGuckin's hardware and saw a pair of female students who were obviously from the "entitled" class attending Ski U. They were getting frustrated at the hardware guys who were having trouble fitting a Yakima rack on their new Porche Cayenne SUV. They had to be able to carry the mountain bike AND the snowboard at the same time, you know.
Can you imagine the conversation? "But Daddy it snows there and I need that car to get to class..." You gotta laugh or you'll cry.
Now, back to Subarus after this short break!
:eek::eek: I Hope you're proud of your kids. -
Usually a knock sensro code means the knock sesnor is dying.
Now if your AC is self destructing and making god awful screaching knocking noises, well yes it may confuse the knock sensor.
Bad gas is a rarity these days, but it happens.
ONe option is to unbolt (do not disconnect) the knock sensor and see what happens. i bet you need a new knock sensor.
nipper
Not Exactly what I was hoping to hear. Nonetheless, going to hope I don't see it come back. Until I freak out about the what-ifs and money flows nicely.
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That's weird. Do you have any pics of where it is ON the engine? Hoping I don't need to replace one, but if the 325 keeps returning... Hoping that the locations are the same between the 99 and 2000. I keep hearing that it's on the driver's side below the mani but not feeling like unbolting for fun. TIA.
If it's visible from above, I may know where it is, but could you post a pic please? Thanks.
More threadin' Found a good pic that is CLOSE to the same location as my 99 2.5. Found the link in a thread in here from a couple years back. Here it is.
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This is the worst I've seen and it's not a great design by any stretch of the imagination. The new one is stronger in some way that I can't see but we still had to replace it in our 2000 Forester after 5 years. I thought it would help folks to see what the little troublemaker looks like...
That's weird. Do you have any pics of where it is ON the engine? Hoping I don't need to replace one, but if the 325 keeps returning... Hoping that the locations are the same between the 99 and 2000. I keep hearing that it's on the driver's side below the mani but not feeling like unbolting for fun. TIA.
If it's visible from above, I may know where it is, but could you post a pic please? Thanks.
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It's my kid's car and he's a starving college student so I'm gonna try and keep it going as long as possible for him.
You try and be helpful and look what you get...
In state tuition at CU... You sure that YOU aren't the one starving??? Make that little punk come home and turn a couple wrenches. Or go the route of his East Coast roommates parents and just get him a 5 series XI. LOL.
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SUbarus respond extreemly well to regular tranny fluid changes.
nipper
They seem to like the Royal Purple quite a bit as well.
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Oh I know, it's been awhile. Nonetheless, I've got a new weird one for you folks. Lately we've had 90+ degree days so last week I thought, "backsweat isn't so neat. I should turn on the AC". So I did. Then I noticed I had a CEL. Hmmm, everything seems to be OK with the exception of the horrible performance I get with the AC on. A day or so went by. The weather cooled off. The CEL disappears. Super. One less stress. Gets hot, at some point the AC goes on, as does the CEL. For the last day or two the CEL stayed on WITHOUT the AC on so I went to checker and had the code pulled. PO325. Shize!!! No biggie on a 2.2, no clue where to find it the knock sensor on a 2.5. Did some threadin' and found that people have attributed false positives to bad gas. Cleared the CEL, drove to checker, bought some seafoam, drove home, no code. SeaFoam at this point was just for good measure.
What I'm wondering, is it possible that my F'd up AC could be causing my false positive??? Would it be more likely that I may have gotten a batch of freshly filled gas = BAD? Either way, as long It doesn't come back I'm cool but would like to get some of the Vets' takes on this (that's you nipper). Anyone gone headlong into replacing the Knock sensor, did it, then had it throw a 325 shortly thereafter? I know that is has to some people but very few followed up with the resolutions. I read in one thread that a dude started filling with 93 and that alone seemed to resolve the problem but really. Considering all I've read about neglecting knock sensors results in catastrophic engine failure, I don't want to lull myself into "false sensor" security. (it's a pun)
EDIT:
Found a pic. Looks like I need to get a long extention and go between the throttle cables and TB for a straight shot but going to try to save the $100 until I KNOW that the problem can't be solved by a $7 bottle of Sea Foam and wishful thinking.
Overheating Issue
in 1990 to Present Legacy, Impreza, Outback, Forester, Baja, WRX&WrxSTI, SVX
Posted
Thanks for the heads up. I really hate the idea of having to part with it, at the same time, the last payment was made about a month before this all went down. I just wonder when the next repair would be coming and at the same time, I have to think it's no coincidence that this all started happening after the oil change with the 0W-30 Mobile one.