2002 subaru outback leakage

[mattmps88]

Hello everyone just wanted to ask you all about this issue before i went all out and started replacing stuff that does not need to be replaced. I bought my 2002 subaru outback 4 cyl at 98k and it now has 103k. I took it to the shop and they said i needed a tune up and my valve gaskets were leaking. Today i replaced the valve gaskets and di the tune up but now i see coolant leakage coming out the bottom of the engine. The coolant hoses are dry, everything on top is dry. The coolant is coming from under the engine or from a place i can not see. What do you think this is...if its a head gasket issue ill just use the conditioner everyone is talking about.

[rockhopjohn]

Sounds like a head gasket, if you clean off the bottom of the engine, you should be able to get a better idea of exactly where its coming from, but given the propensity that model year has for the HG to leak coolant that's a likely suspect.

As for the coolant condition, that's not going to improve the situation (although it might help a side that is not yet leaking). It was designed to help prevent the leak, it does nothing to stop it once you have one. Your only solution at this point is to replace the HG.

It sounds like you are right at the threshold of Subaru's 10 yr/100k mi extended warranty, so if you can show any evidence that that coolant conditioner was used in the past, you might be able to get Subaru to do the HG, or meet you in the middle somewhere, but you would need to act soon.

[xvimbi]

1. Have a dealer diagnose the issue.

2. If it's the head gaskets, contact Subaru of America about it. Tell them you love the car, that it's been taken care of meticulously, that it's sad a car like this would be plagued by this head gasket issue, and then ask politely and friendly what they can do about it at this point.

They will get back with the dealer and then make a recommendation. They may not offer any help. In that case, be firm but polite and tell them you'd expect a company like that to stand behind their products. If you do have a case, they will likely offer you something.

3. You will need to go back to a dealer to make the repairs. That could be a struggle, because the dealer probably won't make the repairs the way they should be done. If so, you could come back here for some additional advice.

Good luck!

[canubaru]

first, the timing belt, water pump, belt tensioner and ALL idlers are due at 105k miles or 105 months (8 years and 9 months). if this is not done on time and correctly you may have a bigger problem than just coolant leak or head gaskets.

you need to identify where the coolant is coming from. if it is the head gaskets, the coolant conditioner may help. if the gasket is also leaking oil the conditioner will not help with that. so look for the leak.

if you add the conditioner, do not add it to the existing coolant unless you know it is fresh and does not have conditioner in it. drain the system and start with new coolant and 1 or 2 bottles of the conditioner from the dealer.

(i bought an 01 lego with 82k miles, added conditioner to it with out draining the system. 200 miles later the engine quit on the hiway when my wife was driving it. ''it just started making noise and quit running, there was fluid coming out from under it.'' i replaced the engine, new head gaskets, but i have not open the old one up yet to see what gave up. but when i pulled the t-stat, there was about 1.5 - 2 inches of gray sediment piled up behind it. it look like gray fuzzy fluff. my thinking is that i added conditioner to a system that already had it. it blocked the flow, (some stop leak has an organic ingredient in it like ground up walnut shells or something) blocked the flow, over heated, blew the head gasket and then a rod. all of this while my wife was driving it and listening to the radio on a 220 mile trip. but until i open the engine i won't really know. the engine had plenty of oil when i pulled it.)

buy some parts cleaner (advance has some great stuff in a gold can) spray of the leak area and look for its return.

if it is the head gaskets, now would be a good time to address it since the engine will be partly apart for the timing belt.

it may just be the water pump. mine went bad and started leaking on my 98 obw at 98k miles. head gaskets had already been done. i can't believe they didn't replace the water pump then.

good luck.

[mattmps88]

Okay this could be good news if all goes well. I contacted the dealership where i bought the car and he asked me a few questions. He asked me if it was overheating....i said no....than he asked me is it leaking alot....which was also a no....its leaking but only a little bit. He told me to stop by and ge was going to check it out...he said if its not over heating and its not leaking alot the conditioner would work..is this true?

Also with the waterpump....i asked him about that. He replaced the timing belt when i bought the car...but didnt change the waterpump...so it could also be leaking from there. He said he was going to take a look at the whole car. I still dont understand why he didnt replace the waterpump...when you take the timing belt off its right there!

Thanks again everyone.

[mattmps88]

I also want to add that i took my car through the carwash to wash the bottom so i can see where the coolant was dripping from.....the coolant seems to be dripping more towards the driver side. I dont know if that helps pin point the issue.....the passenger side seems dry......its coming from the driver side and dripping towards the center....thanks again.

[xvimbi]

Originally Posted by mattmps88

Also with the waterpump....i asked him about that. He replaced the timing belt when i bought the car...but didnt change the waterpump...so it could also be leaking from there. He said he was going to take a look at the whole car. I still dont understand why he didnt replace the waterpump...when you take the timing belt off its right there!

They seem to change the belt only. This is utter nonsense, but it seems to be company policy. The sinister among us believe that it's meant to give the impression of lower ownership costs. If you'd tell people upfront that, together with a timing belt, you need idlers, pulleys, tensioners, water pump, reseal oil pump, etc. etc., they would run and buy a different car.

It's irresponsible, to say the least, but that's the way it is. I would assume that pretty much every car manufacturer has the same policy, and that every independent mechanic would laugh at it. The informed customer is ok, but the uninformed may be hosed later.