cyberfire Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Hi, I have a 96 Legacy and almost every moring when I leave home I hear a strange water sound when I make my first left trun. Is like the sound that you make when you emtpy a large bottle. I live in an apartment building, so I have to drive up 3 basements before getting on the street. All the turns from my parking spot to the first main street are right turns. I would say it takes me 2 to 4 mins to make that first left turn. Any ideas on this!? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikem Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Hi,I have a 96 Legacy and almost every moring when I leave home I hear a strange water sound when I make my first left trun. Is like the sound that you make when you emtpy a large bottle. I live in an apartment building, so I have to drive up 3 basements before getting on the street. All the turns from my parking spot to the first main street are right turns. I would say it takes me 2 to 4 mins to make that first left turn. Any ideas on this!? Thanks. Try backing out of the garage real fast and see if it makes any difference! May not but it sure as heck will be fun and a different way to start the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry DeMoss Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Is it your cooling system gurgling letting out bubbles? Maybe that it isn't bled properly.Not sure if that is even related to the noise you hear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyberfire Posted January 3, 2006 Author Share Posted January 3, 2006 Is it your cooling system gurgling letting out bubbles? Maybe that it isn't bled properly.Not sure if that is even related to the noise you hear. Where would I check that? Just open the radiator cap and look? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyberfire Posted January 3, 2006 Author Share Posted January 3, 2006 Ok.... going out for lunch. Will check for bubbles.. Update after lunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyberfire Posted January 3, 2006 Author Share Posted January 3, 2006 Ok. Radiator is "full". If I accelerate a bit it starts to overflow. Question, how long should it take to get to "normal temp"? I had the car pared in the garage 5 hours and it took 3 to 4 blocks to reach "normal" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzam Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 How long are your blocks? Seriously... do a search for burp on the board. It will explain how to remove a bubble of air trapped in your cooling system. Your radiator can appear full even with a bubble. This may cure your water sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoahDL88 Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 3-4 blocks seems fast for winter, but in Chile its Summer right now yeah? I'd also check your oil level, just to be sure, its 99% probably not this, but its worth the peace of mind. Also check the power steering fluid resovoir, if its low it may make woosh sounds only when cold, so you only notice them leaving the garage. I'd still vote for the heater core though, if you have a syrupy film on the inside of your windsheild it could be leaking too, which would certainly cause the burble sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOMAD327 Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 The fact it occurs going around turns makes it sound like the drain on the air conditioner box is blocked. The condensate that drips off the evaporator lands in the bottom of the air box, and normally drips onto the pavement from a rubber or plastic tube that leaves the bottom of the heater enclosure and goes out through the floor somewhere on the passenger side near the firewall. If seeds or dirt get into the ventilation system through the air intake, they can block this small vertical hose, causing a backup of water which will rush around on turns making a sloshing sound. The scenario of bubbles in coolant are more common, but would be related to gunning the throttle, not making right or left turns. If it gets bad enough, going around a sharp turn, you will eventually get a slosh of water out of the floor heat outlet. An antifreeze leak will normally have an unplesant sweet odor, and normally will cause the windshield to fog up on the inside when the defroster is on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyberfire Posted January 3, 2006 Author Share Posted January 3, 2006 mmmm where is this hose? It could be. I never see water under the car and I use the A/C a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeoLogic Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 I'd bet this is the same as what happens to my Geo Prizm: It's probably coolant flowing through your heater core. Try moving your interior temperature lever to 'cold' and see if the water sound stops. As said, my current car is a Toyota (all Prizms were Toyota Corolla clones), so heater core operation might be different in a Subaru, but it wouldn't surprise me if that water sound you're hearing is simply harmless coolant flowing through the core. I trust the sound goes away, no matter where your temperature lever is, once your engine is fully warmed up? Anyway, there's another possibility to consider! Irritating I suppose, but so far I've found it to be harmless in my old car... Cheers, all! (And by the way, I'm here as a possible future Subaru owner-- I had been thinking about an old GL 4x4, but decided to keep my Geo Prizm and continue saving for perhaps a new Outback or Legacy-- I figure I have about a year of saving to go, then I'll be ready to spring! ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOMAD327 Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 My 99 manual shows the hose coming out of the firewall horizontally a few inches directly below the refrigerant hoses with a small hose clamp and an approximately 90 degree bend downward. I do not have my car nearby to check. The hose is probably about 3/8" diameter and comes to an open end at or slightly above floor level. On a lot of cars, it comes straight down from the heater and goes through a hole in the passenger side footwell. In this case it will extend slightly below the level of the floor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike-in-Ohio Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 I too had the same problem with my 99 obs. but only in the summer when the a/c was running and mostly on left turns problem fix when i poked a pencil up the drain pipe and remove the "bug" that has nested there last winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyberfire Posted January 4, 2006 Author Share Posted January 4, 2006 mmmm well, befor I went home yesterday, I unpluged the A/C drain hose and it was dry. Ok, work is only 10 mins form home and it only 95+ here so I would have to drive more for it to condense some water a guess. I will see what happens this weekend. Thanks guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOMAD327 Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Should your problem be a blocked airbox drain, the blockage could be in the hose, but would more likely be something inside the box that can't get through the choke point where the hose connects. To check, poke a nail or short pencil in gently for an inch or so. The water would be ever-present if this is your problem, and a small gush of water will normally come out when the hole is opened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Maybe a door or fender drain is blocked and rain has collected in the bottom of a body panel? I dunno Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyberfire Posted January 4, 2006 Author Share Posted January 4, 2006 mmm I unpluged the hose and stuck my finger in there as far as it would go and it was dry, but I will check again today at lunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyberfire Posted January 4, 2006 Author Share Posted January 4, 2006 Ok I lied! I did not sick my finger in the hole (I tried at lunch and it does not fit!). But I left the hose unpluged and drove around town and when I got back to the office I did have a few drops on the carpet. I hope its becuase it's not that how and my A/C dose not cool that much (must need a recharge) George. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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