1Subaru1 Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 CAR: 1999 Subaru Legacy Brighton, Auto, EJ22 Phaze 2 engine 175,000 kms, bought used at 167,000 kms. I noticed bubbles in the coolant overflow tank a month ago. Since then I've been scouring this site looking for clues as to what could be causing this as EJ 22's are supposedly not prone to head gasket issues. PROBLEM: In the morning when the car is cold I make sure the rad is filled properly (remove bleed screw and raise the front of the car by driving up and parking on my steep driveway, fill slowly and squeeze the air out of the upper rad hose) and that the coolant expansion tank is at the "Full Cold" mark. I drive 20 miles into town, (the car does not over heat and the temp gauge remains normal -just slightly less than half, and it will blow hot heat out the vents too), do some errands and come home. Let car idle. Check coolant expansion tank and notice bubbles in the tank, about 1 per second at idle. Let the car cool off until next day. Coolant in expansion tank is now at "Full Hot " mark, so I remove the coolant to "full cold" level and put it in a jug and then top off the rad again with new coolant - about a pint, roughly equal to what was extra in the expansion tank. Drive, then repeat the process. What I've done: Bought a new rad cap (non Subaru) in February, as routine maintenance. This week I took the car to the local Subaru dealer who supposedly purged the air from the system, but obviously didn't check the expansion tank for bubbles after he was done as it was bubbling after I drove it four blocks. I took it back; he says "headgasket." I read posts on this site that suggest it could be a thermostat problem too. The local NAPA parts guy suggested a backyard mechanic who has 9 yrs. Subaru experience and I had him to do a "block test" which came up negative, so he suggests a bad thermostat or rad could be the problem as the lower rad hose was cold (the car was warm)and he couldn't see the coolant flowing through the rad with the cap off. He replaced the thermostat and "O" ring (Subaru parts) last night and noticed the rad was flowing better with that change.He also noticed it had a non Subaru thermostat, so it had been replaced before. We warmed up the car in the driveway and no bubbles. He did a "sniff test" of the exhaust and said it seemed OK. Then we took it for a 10 minute drive at 50 mph, temp guage at normal level and there were bubbles in the overflow tank again when we returned. Now he thinks it's a possible head gasket issue, but is not 100% sure, as the car has not overheated, the temp gauge is normal, and the EJ 22's are not known for this problem - in 9 yrs. at Subaru, he only saw 1 other. Something just doesn't seem to add up. Maybe I'm just stupid.:dead:I checked all of the repair bills from the previous owner and the thermostat was replaced in Jan. '05. Repair bill said "diagnose no heat". A new thermostat and coolant was installed. Since then all of the receipts for oil changes/fliud checks, until I bought it say that the coolant level is OK. Any other diagnostic suggestions before I go ahead with a headgasket repair? I love the car, but no one can give me a definite yes or no on a headgasket repair, and I'd rather not waste my money if it's not necessary. Thank you for your time and attention. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reveeen Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 It would appear that you have done all the "stuff" you would do, WITHOUT taking the heads off, to cure your "problem". Sometimes air can get sucked in the water pump seal, I say sometimes, because it's not likely (and the water pump should have been changed by this time in your car's life?). So, with nothing "easy" to fix, what is left? If it was mine, and not overheating, I hate to say it, but I would drive it until it got worse, then decide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azbret Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 my 91 wagon had this same set of problems. It was the head gasket.... A cooling system test passed... the problem was that those tests are done at fairly low pressures... where as the cylinder compressoin is much higher.. it was taking cylinder compression pressures to push air passed a starting to fail headgasket. Checking the compression of each cylinder... (may show something) then pressurizing each cylinder at close to those pressures will possibly help solve which sides gasket is failing by producing bubbles or raising the fluid level in the over flow tank. You have to make sure each cylinder is on its firing faze so the valves are closed... I waited about 5 minutes on each cylinder... it was lucky #3 cyl for me.... Bret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Subaru1 Posted July 28, 2007 Author Share Posted July 28, 2007 T T T S :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azbret Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 what's T T T S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Subaru1 Posted July 29, 2007 Author Share Posted July 29, 2007 "To The Top"... it's a bump to put the post at the top of the list again, hopefully someone will see it and respond with an answer. S is for Steve :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Subaru1 Posted August 22, 2007 Author Share Posted August 22, 2007 Anyone with any other suggestions, before I commit to the replacement of the headgasket? The car still runs fine, same coolant loss, same replacement routine, no coolant in the oil. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 Its a Headgasket. No engine is immune from HG's, just the 2.5's are more likelyto blow one then the 2.2L. Bubbles are a dead give away. nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron917 Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 The bubbles and filling-up overflow tank are exactly what happened with my '99 2.5 DOHC. For a while, I would check the overflow daily and move coolant back to the radiator with a turkey baster when it got full. Most of the time, it would take a few days of my normal commute to fill it up, but a 20 minute run on the highway would do it. The car never overheated. New HGs fixed the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 agree, it is a bad head gasket, not really bad gasket leak at this point to cause over heating, but the bubbles in the overflow tank are surely caused by a bad hg. I had one go bad on a 2.2, where it put so much extra heat in the cooling system that it forced a leak in the radiator. Not knowing any better, I though a new radiator would fix the problem. That only worked for about a week. Then after driving about 3 miles, the coolant temperature would sky rocket to "hot." It seems that when the hg goes bad, it is always exhaust gas going to the cooling system. I think I read that the hg goes bad between the cylinders, usually on the driver's side. Never heard of the hg going bad to allow coolant to enter the oil. Good news is that I have heard that hg problems only affect about 10% or so on Subies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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