[kingdog63]

Ok so im new to this post and like what im reading. But I have a question??? I just bought an 98 outback with 2.5 and im sure the hg is bad, so I wanted to try the cheap way first just to see if it would help, in doing this.....i flushed my rad, twice....both times with the thermostat out car didnt get hot???? put in the blue devil head sealer car ran for 1 1/2 hr with out over heating...I drain it, fill it with coolent, put in a new thermostat with in 6 mins its HOT...I DON'T GET IT....any words good bad or ugly for me

 

[rasterman]

Gotta use an OEM thermostat from the dealer. The stants and store brand ones just don't work right.

 

[kingdog63]

I'll try that.....just boggles my mind...been stressing over it. I'm going to pull it out and try running it and see what happens, seemed to run with out a hitch when it was out.

 

[rasterman]

You might well have other troubles, but it's one of those things you get to learn about subarus: as many generic parts as there are, the thermostat is not one of them. Gotta spring for the real deal.

 

[kingdog63]

so I boiled the stock one I have and it opened at 180-190 is that about right? and was closed again at 175 in the kitchen...

 

[idosubaru]

that engine is absolutely notorious for overheating randomly. they are never predictable. you should not assume "it ran hot" and "it didn't run hot" mean anything significant for any 1996-1999 EJ25D. once you know this specific motor you realize that your interpretation is causing

...I DON'T GET IT...

your confusion, not the symptoms:

on these motors - this also means it's probably been run hot and overheated multiple times...this doesn't bode well for the future but you no doubt got a got a good deal so hopefully it lasts.

I'm not a "magic snake oil in a bottle" guy so I'm unsure on this but since this engine fails headgaskets by blowing exhaust gases from the combustion chamber into the coolant passages I would think the bottle fixes are probably low percentage since they have limited access to the breach and don't "run through" the leak like they would other traditional failures.