97 outback 2.5 overheating - Page 2 - Subaru Outback

crshbandit · 12-20-2012, 08:53 PM

How do I bleed the radiator? Is there a specific procedure for this?

crshbandit · 12-20-2012, 08:56 PM

How do I go about bleeding the radiator? I have heard mention of this but I'm sorry, I just don't remember how.

Note: You guys must be so sick of hearing questions about overheating problems on these cars!

RobLog · 12-20-2012, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crshbandit

How do I bleed the radiator? Is there a specific procedure for this?

Check out the thread in my signature for some tips.

crshbandit · 12-23-2012, 06:07 AM

I just got the my car back from my mechanic after paying him $600 for replacing the rotors, brake pads and calipers and doing the water pump. He did a leak down test and he said all cylnders checked good. I drove the car for about 15 miles, both highway and back roads. When I pulled into the driveway and was parking the car the temp. gauge started creeping up. I shut it off and noticed the level in the overflow bottle was way above the full level. My mechanic also said he tested the new subaru thermostat that I installed and it chked out o.k. The level in the bottle was at the low mark when I started driving the car yesterday. The outside temp. was only about 25 degrees for my test drive. I did add a bottle of subaru conditioner to the radiator before driving yesterday. I am thinking this is a blown hg and now I have air in the system and that's why the fluid level is so high now in the overflow. The fluid in the overflow did not get sucked back into the radiator after the car cooled off. I am thinking of trying some Bars stop leak in the radiator since I can't afford $1500 for a hg job right now! I stopped at NAPA and they wanted $45 for the kit for testing for gasses in the coolant. Should I go ahead and spend the $45 or take it to a dealer and have them test it? The shop said they would charge me $65, but then I would know it was being tested correctly. I am really stuck with this lemon now and don't know what I am going to do. I may be trying to trade it in and hope I can find an affordable truck that I will have to make payments on.

Xnander Bishop · 12-23-2012, 09:16 AM

Last year I had a 97 outback (if you had the same design) and when I first got it it started to overheat as well and I was about to call the dealer back and tell them to pick it up the day that I had just got it. Well I toughed it out and went off and looked to see what's going on. Well I know I can keep the heat stable by turning the heat up at max. So I got a new thermastat went back to the house, undone the housing bolts and....there was the problem. Someone wasn't thinking and put the thermostat in backwards. The spring on the thermostat was facing the waterpump. I still put in the new one (spring facing down) and I didn't have a heating issue again.

It may not be your problem, but I figure I mention something little like that.

RobLog · 12-23-2012, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Someone wasn't thinking and put the thermostat in backwards.

An OEM thermostat cannot be installed upside down ... the shorter aftermarket ones can be ... and the spring goes up, not down.

Xnander Bishop · 12-23-2012, 12:57 PM

Ok sorry, I got mixed up of what goes in first but I still knew which way it went in by looking at the valve. I do know that the car that I got from a used car dealer had put their thermostat in backwards.

crshbandit · 12-23-2012, 11:11 PM

O.K. I have finally just accepted the fact that I am screwed and I have blown head gaskets or a cracked block. From spending alot of time reading threads about this it seems it would be a waste of money to even have this thing fixed because there is a good chance it will just blow another head gasket because it is so common in these engines. Should I even think of wasting more money on this car? I am already into it for more than 3 grand and I can't even drive the POS. Time to start thinking about declaring bankruptcy I guess.

Xnander Bishop · 12-24-2012, 10:25 AM

Ever try looking for a metal head gasket. The wont give out as easily as rubber or cork or whatever they make them out of.

dianer · 12-24-2012, 12:31 PM

My head gasket hasn't blown after the first time BUT I am on my third radiator. I also do not climb the Sierras with the car loaded with gear in August with the air conditioning on to keep the dogs comfy. That is how I got there in the first place. I think it blew at around 77,000 miles and now I have 174,000. On the other hand I now cannot pass smog in California. If you don't have that issue then it is worth fixing.

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12-20-2012, 08:53 PM	#11 (permalink)
crshbandit Registered User Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 43 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	How do I bleed the radiator? Is there a specific procedure for this?

12-20-2012, 08:56 PM	#12 (permalink)
crshbandit Registered User Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 43 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	How do I go about bleeding the radiator? I have heard mention of this but I'm sorry, I just don't remember how. Note: You guys must be so sick of hearing questions about overheating problems on these cars!

12-23-2012, 06:07 AM	#14 (permalink)
crshbandit Registered User Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 43 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I just got the my car back from my mechanic after paying him $600 for replacing the rotors, brake pads and calipers and doing the water pump. He did a leak down test and he said all cylnders checked good. I drove the car for about 15 miles, both highway and back roads. When I pulled into the driveway and was parking the car the temp. gauge started creeping up. I shut it off and noticed the level in the overflow bottle was way above the full level. My mechanic also said he tested the new subaru thermostat that I installed and it chked out o.k. The level in the bottle was at the low mark when I started driving the car yesterday. The outside temp. was only about 25 degrees for my test drive. I did add a bottle of subaru conditioner to the radiator before driving yesterday. I am thinking this is a blown hg and now I have air in the system and that's why the fluid level is so high now in the overflow. The fluid in the overflow did not get sucked back into the radiator after the car cooled off. I am thinking of trying some Bars stop leak in the radiator since I can't afford $1500 for a hg job right now! I stopped at NAPA and they wanted $45 for the kit for testing for gasses in the coolant. Should I go ahead and spend the $45 or take it to a dealer and have them test it? The shop said they would charge me $65, but then I would know it was being tested correctly. I am really stuck with this lemon now and don't know what I am going to do. I may be trying to trade it in and hope I can find an affordable truck that I will have to make payments on.

12-23-2012, 09:16 AM	#15 (permalink)
Xnander Bishop Registered User Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Rockdale Car: 1999 Outback Limited 5MT Posts: 59 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Last year I had a 97 outback (if you had the same design) and when I first got it it started to overheat as well and I was about to call the dealer back and tell them to pick it up the day that I had just got it. Well I toughed it out and went off and looked to see what's going on. Well I know I can keep the heat stable by turning the heat up at max. So I got a new thermastat went back to the house, undone the housing bolts and....there was the problem. Someone wasn't thinking and put the thermostat in backwards. The spring on the thermostat was facing the waterpump. I still put in the new one (spring facing down) and I didn't have a heating issue again. It may not be your problem, but I figure I mention something little like that.

12-23-2012, 12:57 PM	#17 (permalink)
Xnander Bishop Registered User Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Rockdale Car: 1999 Outback Limited 5MT Posts: 59 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Ok sorry, I got mixed up of what goes in first but I still knew which way it went in by looking at the valve. I do know that the car that I got from a used car dealer had put their thermostat in backwards.

12-23-2012, 11:11 PM	#18 (permalink)
crshbandit Registered User Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 43 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	O.K. I have finally just accepted the fact that I am screwed and I have blown head gaskets or a cracked block. From spending alot of time reading threads about this it seems it would be a waste of money to even have this thing fixed because there is a good chance it will just blow another head gasket because it is so common in these engines. Should I even think of wasting more money on this car? I am already into it for more than 3 grand and I can't even drive the POS. Time to start thinking about declaring bankruptcy I guess.

12-24-2012, 10:25 AM	#19 (permalink)
Xnander Bishop Registered User Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Rockdale Car: 1999 Outback Limited 5MT Posts: 59 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Ever try looking for a metal head gasket. The wont give out as easily as rubber or cork or whatever they make them out of.

12-24-2012, 12:31 PM	#20 (permalink)
dianer Registered User Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Northern California Car: 97 Outback 178,000 Miles Posts: 256 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	My head gasket hasn't blown after the first time BUT I am on my third radiator. I also do not climb the Sierras with the car loaded with gear in August with the air conditioning on to keep the dogs comfy. That is how I got there in the first place. I think it blew at around 77,000 miles and now I have 174,000. On the other hand I now cannot pass smog in California. If you don't have that issue then it is worth fixing.

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