2002 Outback overheating at idle

[Chris Kueny]

Good day everyone, and thank you in advance for the help. Our 2002 4-cly Outback got close to the red yesterday, a cool day, stop and go traffic, both fans running. I had my wife turn on heat and she made it home without the temp going to the red. In the driveway, it rose up close to the red. Took it out on a country road, turned off heat and put on A/C, and gunned it. Temp came right down. Back in the driveway, goes back up. One thing I noticed is that the bottom radiator hose seemed cool, top hose hot to the touch. Also, I barely cracked the radiator cap and fluid gurgled into the overflow tank. If this is a thermostat, as I suspect, where it it, under the fuel injector runners? Yikes! Any tricks to changing it?

 

Thanks

Chris Kueny

Cayce, SC

[Dickensheets]

Thermostat is probably at the end of the lower rad hose. At least on mine it is. Very easy to replace. Get a haynes manual.

 

rd

[nipper]

thermostate is at the the lower radiator hose. When you take it out, test it just to get it in your head if you have something more evil going on. Out it in pot with water and a meat thermometer, let the water boil, i think it should open at 180 ... if it doesnt there is your problem, If it does open uour going to have to get somone test the radiator for hydrocarbons.

 

 

nipper

[idosubaru]

replace the thermostat, very easy and good insurance.

 

do not let it get anywhere near the red anymore if you can help it. heat kills motors. the gaskets and seals and other items will not treat you kindly in years to come if the motor is run hot. failure of items later in life can be attributed to scenarios like this.

 

have you had any coolant loss? how many miles? water pump could be going south as well. they often will leak prior to complete failure. looks for drops/wetness under the water pump area - close to the lower radiator hose and the thermostat.

[Chris Kueny]

do not let it get anywhere near the red anymore if you can help it. heat kills motors. the gaskets and seals and other items will not treat you kindly in years to come if the motor is run hot. failure of items later in life can be attributed to scenarios like this.

 

have you had any coolant loss? how many miles? water pump could be going south as well. they often will leak prior to complete failure. looks for drops/wetness under the water pump area - close to the lower radiator hose and the thermostat.

 

No coolant loss, no coolant in oil. 50,000 miles, mobil 1 since about 12,000 miles. Tomorrow I will put it up and look underneath. I have the thermostat and rubber gasket from the dealer and will pull the old thermostat and test it. Turning on the heater does drop the temp, and it blows hot.

 

Chirs Kueny

[Chris Kueny]

RESOLUTION:

 

 

I changed the thermostat with one from the dealership. Old thermostat failed to open in boiling water, once the new one was installed and it was all buttoned up, it quickly got half way between 1/4 and half way to hot, and stuck there no matter what I did. Let me add bullet dodging to my resume.

 

Only problem was the coolant I got at the McParts was for aluminum radiators, but the damned stuff was orange. So, should I re-flush and put in some other kind? I guess the archives are all over on this, but I'll still ask.

 

Chris Kueny

[nipper]

way cool. Always happy to hear good news.

i would use subaru coolant and the subaru additive.

 

 

nipper

[1 Lucky Texan]

RESOLUTION:

 

 

I changed the thermostat with one from the dealership. Old thermostat failed to open in boiling water, once the new one was installed and it was all buttoned up, it quickly got half way between 1/4 and half way to hot, and stuck there no matter what I did. Let me add bullet dodging to my resume.

 

Only problem was the coolant I got at the McParts was for aluminum radiators, but the damned stuff was orange. So, should I re-flush and put in some other kind? I guess the archives are all over on this, but I'll still ask.

 

Chris Kueny

 

I think, if the orange stuff is like Dexcool (nicknamed DeathCool) it is imperative it not be mixed with even a little glycol (normal, old-fashioned green stuff) due to a serious sludging issue. If it has been installed already and you did not do an EXTREMELY good job of flushing the green - could be a problem. I hope someone with direct experience here will chime in as I am only regurgitating what I've read. Low silicate green stuff should be used for subes but folks have used 'normal' stuff with no reported issues - so YMMV

[Chris Kueny]

So I'm going to the dealer today to get the right stuff. I will pull the bottom hose and remove the thermostat, put the housing back on and the hose, fill with clear water, run for a while, drain and put the right stuff in. I'm just glad the thermostat is such an easy job. BTW, my wife said not to worry, she said 'Orange is used a lot in the fall.' Ah, to apply fashion sense to chemicals.

 

Chris Kueny

[1 Lucky Texan]

So I'm going to the dealer today to get the right stuff. I will pull the bottom hose and remove the thermostat, put the housing back on and the hose, fill with clear water, run for a while, drain and put the right stuff in. I'm just glad the thermostat is such an easy job. BTW, my wife said not to worry, she said 'Orange is used a lot in the fall.' Ah, to apply fashion sense to chemicals.

 

Chris Kueny

 

ROFL!!!

 

good one!

 

tell her soobs use green year-round so they are always ready to 'spring' into action!

[Setright]

"YES PLEASE!" on the flush!

 

I suggest draining by removing the thermostat. The rad hoses don't like being opened and close many times, they will start to leak.

The rad itself also has a small drain valve at the bottom, same side as the top hose.

 

Flush at least four times, tap water will work well, as the impurities will tend to bind to the coolant chemicals. You might want to do a final flush with demineralised water to remove said impurities.

 

Getting all the air out of the system can be tricky. If you fill very slowly, with the car on a slight uphill incline you won't have much air in the system.

 

Idle until the fans start to run! With the rad cap off, then top off with engine still running, screw the cap on, and fill the overflow tank to the FULL mark.

 

Keep an eye on the overflow tank level the next few days, adjust the level when completely cold. Don't open the rad cap anymore.

 

 

(By the way, when you "cracked" the rad cap, the coolant in the small rubber hose would have run down into the overflow, that's why it gurgled)

[Cougar]

Good job on the repair Chris.

 

To One Lucky Texan:

I think you have the wrong signature message. To go with your avatar I think it should be; "Gort! Klaatu Barada Nikto!"

[1 Lucky Texan]

Good job on the repair Chris.

 

To One Lucky Texan:

I think you have the wrong signature message. To go with your avatar I think it should be; "Gort! Klaatu Barada Nikto!"

 

yeah lol! I'm all over the map with my handle/avatar/sigs - but some who know me would say 'all over the map' fits me fairly well! hah!

 

Carl

[Chris Kueny]

Thanks, will flush it thoroughly. I removed a plastic panel to access the thermostat. It is like a stone shield for the front underside of the car. Mine is pretty cracked (after I ran it over) and I want to replace it, but can't find a part #. Any ideas what this peice is called or what the part # is? Thanks as always.

 

Chris Kueny

 

 

 

 

"YES PLEASE!" on the flush!

 

I suggest draining by removing the thermostat. The rad hoses don't like being opened and close many times, they will start to leak.

The rad itself also has a small drain valve at the bottom, same side as the top hose.

 

Flush at least four times, tap water will work well, as the impurities will tend to bind to the coolant chemicals. You might want to do a final flush with demineralised water to remove said impurities.

 

Getting all the air out of the system can be tricky. If you fill very slowly, with the car on a slight uphill incline you won't have much air in the system.

 

Idle until the fans start to run! With the rad cap off, then top off with engine still running, screw the cap on, and fill the overflow tank to the FULL mark.

 

Keep an eye on the overflow tank level the next few days, adjust the level when completely cold. Don't open the rad cap anymore.

 

 

(By the way, when you "cracked" the rad cap, the coolant in the small rubber hose would have run down into the overflow, that's why it gurgled)

[1 Lucky Texan]

Thanks, will flush it thoroughly. I removed a plastic panel to access the thermostat. It is like a stone shield for the front underside of the car. Mine is pretty cracked (after I ran it over) and I want to replace it, but can't find a part #. Any ideas what this peice is called or what the part # is? Thanks as always.

 

Chris Kueny

 

I'd contact jamie (aka subiegal) who works at http://www.subarugenuineparts.com . she'll know. There are other discount dealers on line as well - or maybe someone over on the Marketplace forum has a used one.