overheated alot

[trsmechman]

I have a 93 loyale with a 1.8L(best car Ive ever had). I overheated it several times before I replaced the water pump and several more times before I replaced the leaking radiator. Now it overheats again every now and then. I have no external leaks,no coolant in trans or engine. I think the radiator is pressurizing and opening the radiator cap and loosing coolant that way. Air bubbles come out of the radiator when engine is running. Plugs don't show signs of coolant. No smoke from exhaust.

If it is a head gasket, or head which one is typical? Do heads crack when overheated? Do blocks crack?

I have 168000 on it and want more miles. I know I have been asking for trouble but us professionals(heavy duty truck mechanic) stretch our vehicles more than we should.

[GeneralDisorder]

It's usually very hard to tell which head gasket has blown on one's that are only overheating occasionally. Even a compression test typically won't show it. And if you are going to do them then you might as well do both. Not much more work really - manifolds, timing belt's, etc are already off. At that point it's just a dozen more bolts to get the second HG out.

 

Blocks never crack. Heads rarely. It is normal for them to have small cracks between the valves (they all have them - Subaru put out a TSB to ignore them). Sometimes in very severe cases those cracks will go deeper into the coolant jacket but it's very rare on non-turbo engines.

 

It's also possible that you have an internal intake manifold leak. Coolant runs through the manifold and the gaskets between the manifold and head are a common cause of leakage/overheating. Many, many people have replaced head gaskets when it was just bad manifold gaskets all along. Get replacements from the dealer ONLY. They are vastly superior to aftermarket units. That goes for exhaust gaskets, and thermostat gaskets as well. Use the Fel-Pro perma-torque head gaskets if you go in that far - they don't require a retorque and they are tried and true around here. Cheap also.

 

GD

[Ricearu]

 

Like GD said, Do both. AND GET THE HEADS MACHINED or you risk blowing the new gaskets in the event that the head is warped.

 

Also, Mine has a blown gasket, I wouldn't advise it for long, but you can plug the overflow line from the radiator. The overheating (at least on my car) only occurs when I lose water. The coolant bottle on my car assploded, so I plugged the hose, now she only loses about a pint of water per 100 miles. Income tax cannot seem to come quick enough.

Edited December 18, 2009 by Ricearu

[Animal_Gso]

I am having issues with mine Over heating,it started back about a month ago when returning from a lawn care job. I don't even know at what point it started but I was 2 miles from home so i kept going. I replaced the thermostat and on Halloween night it over heated again.

 

this time I had to drive even more to get to a safe stopping place.

 

Radiator is new, just replaced the water pump also as i thought I had a bad pump and it had started to leak, figuring the heat messed up the seal.

 

anyway I tryed some stuff called steel seal, thought it worked, but now it over heated again.

 

some times the gauge will peg, them after a about 2 miles will start to drop again.

 

when it does this I also have no heat.

 

I checked and the cooling fans are running. and the over flow is boiling over.

 

the car has 290.000 miles on it. I did a compression test right after I put the steel seal in, and all cylinders where 120- 130 psi. for some reason I can sometimes drive all day and then when I least expect it she over heats. I even pulled the A/C condensors out of the way since it don't work.

 

now I have found that if I leave the thermostat out it does not over heat,but of course no defroster either or heat then.

 

also 4th gear is gone. I am debating if I should pull the engine and replace the head gaskets or just look for another engine. kind of concerned about a warped head since I have had to drive it so far when over heated.

 

what would ya'll suggest?

 

I have been trying to sell my harley to get a Forester, but so far no luck with that so at this point I am stuck.

[GeneralDisorder]

I am having issues with mine Over heating

 

This is the wrong forum for a Legacy engine question AND you are hijacking someone else's thread. Go to the new gen forum and start a NEW thread with your issue - you are sure to get better results and people will be much less confused. Also please include all relevant information on the car - year, model, engine type in all your posts so people can answer accordingly.

 

GD

[Animal_Gso]

Ok sorry I am new here and don't know the differance of what the heck is new generation and old. to me a 1990 car with 290,000 miles is pretty old.

 

but hey if I am going to get my rump roast chewed for trying to get help I can just as fast leave the whole forum.

[GeneralDisorder]

We aren't mind readers man. And the forum's all have tags in the description saying which models and year's they are for. Old gen is 1980 to 1989 with a few specific exceptions. I wasn't chewing you out - just letting you know that we can't help you without the correct information and it won't be seen by people that know *how* to help you if it's not in the right place.

 

Threatenting to leave does nothing to us. You are asking for our help - thus far you haven't given any out.

 

GD

[mudduck]

Ok sorry I am new here and don't know the differance of what the heck is new generation and old. to me a 1990 car with 290,000 miles is pretty old.

 

but hey if I am going to get my rump roast chewed for trying to get help I can just as fast leave the whole forum.

 

 

ej cars=new generation. ea cars=old gen

[idosubaru]

if I am going to get my rump roast chewed.

Oh man, GD apparently you need to update your title to "I'm and rump roast chewer"

 

:lol:

 

Don't sweat it Animal - he wasn't being mean, he just states the facts. You'll appreciate it when you need help because he knows his junk and does not BS. If he replies it's because he probably knows the answer.

Edited December 19, 2009 by grossgary

[guydakine]

Hey, regardless of age/type etc. his car is overheating. My '96 Outback did it last year, repeatedly until I took it to the radiator shop and he tests the gasses coming out as it overheats and he knows imediately what it is. Radiator, head gaskets, cracks etc. all give off different gas fume readings which he tests. Cost $60 and worth every penny, the first shop who was reputable wanted $400 for a new radiator and the heads were blown.. Or he would've rebuilt it for $2000!! Glad I didn't take his advice..

Anyway, I opted to buy a JDM engine from eBay from Japan, $1100, less than 50,000 miles, runs like a sewing machine and will for another 200,000, sweet deal.. The engine swap is fairly easy, do it yourself and save some more money, this forum can walk you through every step for sure. Plus you have all the used parts from the old engine you can sell on eBay! Why put a head job on an old engine, just get a newer engine.. My 2 cents worth.. Good luck..

[Frank B]

I have a 93 loyale with a 1.8L(best car Ive ever had). I overheated it several times before I replaced the water pump and several more times before I replaced the leaking radiator. Now it overheats again every now and then. I have no external leaks,no coolant in trans or engine. I think the radiator is pressurizing and opening the radiator cap and loosing coolant that way. Air bubbles come out of the radiator when engine is running. Plugs don't show signs of coolant. No smoke from exhaust.

If it is a head gasket, or head which one is typical? Do heads crack when overheated? Do blocks crack?

I have 168000 on it and want more miles. I know I have been asking for trouble but us professionals(heavy duty truck mechanic) stretch our vehicles more than we should.

 

It sounds like this was the problem to begin with. A lot of us have chased a head gasket/head issue by replacing everything in the cooling system first!

The only way to know is to take off the heads. As mentioned, do both. Get a manual, search this forum, learn as much as you can about it before you do it. I know your a mechanic, but have you worked on a Subaru OHC flat four? Around here, Felpro PT gaskets are said to be the best.

You can check the heads by laying a straight edge acrossed the gasket surface at various angles. Use a feeler gauge to measure any gap between the head and straight edge. The manual may give an allowable limit to the warpage?? You will also need intake gaskets(OEM), exhaust gaskets(OEM?), valve cover gaskets, good time for timing belts, oil pump reseal or whole pump, cam seals, cam case o rings, front crank seal, etc etc. Basically your going to reseal the engine except the rear main. Unless you pull the engine....

Doesn't machining OHC heads mess up the timing??

[GeneralDisorder]

Doesn't machining OHC heads mess up the timing??

 

Nope - just means the belt tensioner moves a little farther. Not much difference though - remember we are talking less than .020"

 

It actually messes with the timing LESS than a pushrod engine - you don't have to adjust the valves after a head surfacing. The timing belt tensioner just takes up the extra slack and everything is normal.

 

GD

[catalina68]

I have an '85 GL carb EA82 that was pumping exhaust into the cooling system, thus overheating. This was only 7,000 miles after I had replaced the head gaskets. I used ebay head gaskets the first time; DON'T DO THAT!!!!! Big difference between the perm-a-torq and cheap s**t. When it blew, I didn't want to do both of them again, although I would recommend it. To figure out which head it was, I did a couple things. First, I pulled out all my spark plugs and labeled them to the cylinders they came out of. Since my car is in tune pretty good, the plugs looked good; grey across the board, except for one. It had a slight orangish tint and was a little blacker. Orange is usually a sign of burning coolant. Next I pulled down the y-pipe and found the exhaust port on the drivers side wet. It was the rear cylinder on this side that had the discolored spark plug. I decided to pull that head off and it was the one. I knew right away since there was already rust starting to form on the bottom of the cylinder from coolant pooling up and sittting and where the gasket blew out, there was a clean line about an inch wide from the gasket to the exhaust valve. This is from the coolant washing away the carbon. So if your going to do one gasket and you need to figure out which head to pull, try these tips. They worked for me and my subie is running great. Good luck, Eric