TYLER R Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 I posted this in the welcome section, but never got many responses. http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/137024-sad-new-owner/?do=findComment&comment=1153297 pretty much the cliff notes... Put a parts store tstat in... Overheating... Going to do a 'Subaru' one, but my Napa here in town has the same brand as the one made for Subaru, Tama. Is this a safe bet over the one from the stealership or the xactstat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikaleda Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 Get the exactstat I put one in my 90 legacy and haven't had any problems with it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TYLER R Posted March 18, 2013 Author Share Posted March 18, 2013 The problem is I cant find the exactstat. I kinda need the car fixed asap, and I found a Tama brand one, which is who makes the OEM ones for Subaru. I just need to make sure these Tama's are ok since they are not official Subaru branded ones. Sorry if I sound pissed. Not directed towards anybody. I am just tired of this car already. Makes me remember why I swore to never buy a used car again.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikaleda Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 I know what you mean I went through all kinds of overheating problems on my legacy when I first got it, after lots of searching I found out that only use oem or Stant exactstat. Since napa doesn't carry them try rockauto.com use the part number in the exactstat thread to find the right one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 If you need it ASAP order it online someplace. If you found what you think is a OE replacement, just compare it to the one you have. if it is an original it will look alike. If it is better it should have a wider openining then aftermarket. If your really pressed for wheel just take out the T-stat till a suitable replacement arrives. Your heat will suffer and so will MPG, but for a few days it wont hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 is there a dealer nearby? You might pay a coupla bucks more. The Tama may be OK, just not sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 you can see the difference, Subaru tstats are notably beefier than aftermarkets...folks have posted pictures online comparing them side by side, huge difference. find a picture and if looks like the big beefy one instead of the 4 year old toy variety then you're probably good. i don't use them but it's not like they all fail, plenty of cheap aftermarket tstats work fine too, so i wouldn't obsess about it. make sure you got all the air out of the system, these engines notoriously get air bubbles that stop coolant flow and cause overheating. all that being said - this motor has headgasket issues, which you already know. unfortunately you bought Subaru's worst engine ever, a little research on any Subaru forum would have showed the extent of the headgasket issues of that motor. and you bought one that was previously overheated (HG's were already replaced)....that is a very risky purchase, there's no telling if the block was compromised at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivans imports Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 i only use factory subaru ones never a aftermaket of any kind but before you blame the thermo make shure all the air is out and headgaskets are holding. Thremostats do not make the car overheat unless they are stuck closed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TYLER R Posted March 19, 2013 Author Share Posted March 19, 2013 Alright, I think I got this figured out. I went with just a Subaru brand 'stat. When the wife got home, I pop the hood to find foam in the overflow container. What I am thinking is that I didnt get every last bit of the Prestone flush crap that I put in it, out, and it is getting hot and foaming up like a shook up soda pop. What happens when you shake up a soda and open it??? 3/4 of it bubbles out! Soooo... I am going to empty the radiator after work every night this week and just fill it with water. Once it looks good, I will dump in another jug of genuine subaru coolant and conditioner, and I should be good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 Rut roh ... foaming is bad, very bad. Time for a compression test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TYLER R Posted March 19, 2013 Author Share Posted March 19, 2013 (edited) Yeah.... Dont think it could just be residual left over prestone crap in the coolant system?? http://prestone.com/node/424 thats the stuff I ran through it. On the phone with prestone now. Edited March 19, 2013 by TYLER R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TYLER R Posted March 19, 2013 Author Share Posted March 19, 2013 Alright, so Prestone tried to pass the buck and blame the Subaru Conditioner, so that call got me no where.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 if you have active bubbling, those are likely combustion gasses from a bad HG. There is a chemical test you could use if you need confirmation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 When you filled the system how much coolant did you put in? It should take right about a gallon and a half or a bit more. If it took any less than that it didnt get filled all the way. Foam is never a good sign, and I don't think it's because of the flush treatment. Either the coolant is boiling due to insufficient flow (low level) or you have a bad head gasket. A combustion gas test (aka block test) will tell you if there are combustion gases in the cooling system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TYLER R Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 I am thinking it has been filled ok. It took about a gallon and a half after all the burps. My friend did the test where they see if hydrocarbons are coming in when I first took it into his shop after I noticed it drinking the water, but it tested fine.... Could it of opened up a bit more since two weeks ago? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 (edited) if there are still bubbles in the radiator, there is either enough localized heating somewhere to boil the coolant, or there is a HG leak. maybe a shop with a tailpipe 'sniffer' could test for hydrocarbons in the radiator better than the chemical test? I dunno, sure seems frustrating and I hope you get it pinned down. Edited March 21, 2013 by 1 Lucky Texan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TYLER R Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 Yeah. The thing that buggs me is that we havent even put a thousand miles on it. lol! Thats the gamble you take when you buy a used car, but crap I wish we could of got more use out of it before having to do $1000 repairs on it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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