Ever Victorious Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 EJ22. Driving around town, has normal temp on the gauge, no heat from the heater while at idle but plenty of heat while at RPM's. Never overheats, even if you just let it idle endlessly. On the highway, temp drops to the C line or just above. It will blow heat until the temp goes cold (obviously). Coolant has just been replaced and the system burped. Does not appear to have lost any coolant from the overflow tank since the system was last serviced. It's acting like the t-stat is stuck open. Any way to confirm that vs. some other cooling system failure that WON'T require me to drain the whole bloody system again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoahDL88 Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 No heat at idle is a sign of air in the system, sounds like you have a leak. It does also sound like a stuck open T-Stat, had the same issue on a brand new one a few years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rain_man_rich Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 Had the same issue in a chevy s-10 once. As it turned out, it was a piece of gasket sealant that partially blocked the heater hose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtdash Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 (edited) Unfortunately, I also think it's the T-stat. Did you use OEM as recommended on here? The gauge on all my Subies never moves once to operating temp - the opening/closing of the Tstat never is really noticed on the gauge. Everett, WA doesn't get that cold, last I checked. I also think you have may still have air...but usually that'll cause an overheating issue, in my experience. To burp: Once it cools off, take off the rad cap and fill it with 50/50 til full. Then, undo the top rad hose from the Rad on the passenger side and using a funnel or what-have-you, fill it 'til you can start to see it in the hose attached to the engine (coolant cross over pipe). Reattach the hose. This has always ensured my system is full and w/out air. GL, Td Edited November 4, 2011 by wtdash Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ever Victorious Posted November 5, 2011 Author Share Posted November 5, 2011 Unfortunately, I also think it's the T-stat. Did you use OEM as recommended on here? The gauge on all my Subies never moves once to operating temp - the opening/closing of the Tstat never is really noticed on the gauge. Everett, WA doesn't get that cold, last I checked. No clue. I've owned the car a whopping week. So far I've just done an oil and coolant change, which I always do immediately to any car I buy. To burp: Once it cools off, take off the rad cap and fill it with 50/50 til full. Then, undo the top rad hose from the Rad on the passenger side and using a funnel or what-have-you, fill it 'til you can start to see it in the hose attached to the engine (coolant cross over pipe). Reattach the hose. And now, for another episode of, EV's Stupid Question of the Day! ... Uhm, won't that hose already be full of coolant and spill all over the place if I take it off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtdash Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 No clue. I've owned the car a whopping week. So far I've just done an oil and coolant change, which I always do immediately to any car I buy. And now, for another episode of, EV's Stupid Question of the Day! ... Uhm, won't that hose already be full of coolant and spill all over the place if I take it off? Not stupid @ all....I shoulda/coulda clarified: If the system is full, then some fluid may spill out and don't bother filling. No place for it to go. :-) TD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 Coolant change .. there is an air buble. Refill procedure: remove cap. With engine running slowly fill radiator. ONce the t-stat opens (may be some overflow from the radiator) top off radiator. Put cap on radiator Fill overflow tank Drive around block Allow to cool Check fluid levels, repeat if needed. If you have to repeat it more then once something else is going on. Thats the proper procedure for all cars BTW, just people don't do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ever Victorious Posted November 7, 2011 Author Share Posted November 7, 2011 Well, it's better, I guess. I now have heat at idle. And at highway speed the temp gauge is no longer *AT* "C". It's just a hair above. :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtdash Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Well, it's better, I guess. I now have heat at idle. And at highway speed the temp gauge is no longer *AT* "C". It's just a hair above. :/ Do you replace the T-stat?? Td Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 the gauge is suppose to be in the middle. not at or near C. something is wrong with the t-stat. and maybe the radiator. i bet the car was overheating and the previous owner modified the t-stat so it would not over heat. it could be the head gaskets (look for gunk in the over flow bottle and or bubbles) but probably the radiator maybe the pump. check the t-stat. i pulled the t-stat out of a 90 nissan truck once and ran it that way for a year. i never knew a car could run that cool. and the gauge sat on cold almost all of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 It actually sounds likt it doesnt even have a T-stat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ever Victorious Posted November 8, 2011 Author Share Posted November 8, 2011 Do you replace the T-stat?? No, as indicated earlier in the thread. I absolutely ahbor dealing with coolant, so I was asking about methods that don't require draining the coolant. Which replacing the T-stat does. It actually sounds likt it doesnt even have a T-stat It now, after adding more coolant today, is acting exactly the same way that my Saturn acted when the thermostat was stuck open. something is wrong with the t-stat. and maybe the radiator. i bet the car was overheating and the previous owner modified the t-stat so it would not over heat. it could be the head gaskets (look for gunk in the over flow bottle and or bubbles) but probably the radiator maybe the pump. check the t-stat. No gunk or bubbles in the overflow tank. None of the other usual symptoms of a head gasket like coolant in the oil, white smoke, overheating, or coolant consumption, as far as I can tell. So we're pretty much down to t-stat, radiator, and water pump now, eh? Looks like I get to drain the coolant. Again. That makes me so freaking happy I could puke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 i replaced my radiator recently and i had done an engine swap about 2 years, 25k miles, ago. so i wanted to reuse the coolant. i bought a big flexible bucket or tub (purple) from lowes that holds about 3 gals. put it under the t-stat housing and loosened the lower hose at the t-stat end. i caught almost all of the coolant. then i made my wife strip off her pantyhose and i strained the coolant as i poured it into a couple of 1 gal jugs. then i gave the pantyhose back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 . . . then i gave the pantyhose back. You're such a super nice guy John. I hope your wife appreciates you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ever Victorious Posted November 8, 2011 Author Share Posted November 8, 2011 Ok, John, that made me roffle just a little... thanks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ever Victorious Posted November 9, 2011 Author Share Posted November 9, 2011 Aha! Took a peek under the hood last night after I parked the car in the garage, and found a VERY minute coolant leak. I wasn't noticing it pooling on the floor because it is so minute. It looks like the leak is coming from the driver's side of the radiator. So now I have TWO excuses to drain the coolant. That's enough to satisfy me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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