Hi Guys and Girls,
Just thought that I would pick your brains on a sunny afternoon in Kent.

My 97 Impreza Turbo has started to run hot when idling, the temp guage goes up to 'Hot' within 1 min of being stationary.
As soon as I start moving again the temperature drops to normal level.

I have checked the cooling fans and they are starting when expected but the temperature continues to rise.

Could anyone give me any advice on what I should check now or any tests that I could do to try to find the reason for this??

And before anyone says it, it hasn't got anything to do with the weather, as I remember a sunny day like today back in 2002 and I she had no problems then

Thanks for any help or advice that you can give.

JM

 

Headgasket, shagged thermostat or blocked rad.

 

thermostat

 

Ive got same problem. I have changed the thermostat on £20 from local part store. But still no joy so think its head gasget. £60 for parts if you do it yourself or about £700 for a garage to do.
Hope you get away with just a thermostat. Also just check that the expansion tank cap is not buggered

 

Thanks for the comments guys.
Mark, sorry to hear that you ohave the same problem
Fingers crossed that it's just my Thermostat then.

 

When the engine is cool, remove the expansion tank cap and start the engine. If the water in the expansion tank being taken down and returning and overflowing, this would indicate head gasket failure. Worth a try.

Chris

 

just had the same problem bro. BOTH HEAD GADKETS have gone, as well as thermostat and water pump!!!! only done 1000 miles in it as weell. Hope its not the same!£1400.

 

I had a similar problem years back when I was a proper boy-racer in my axgt, it turned out to be just the temp sender unit, cheap fix. Worth a try.

 

Having exact same prob at the moment mate .Cars getting hot when idling and around town.Although i drove 200 miles back from Santa Pod on Sunday without the temp guage moving.Seems to be only at low speeds and idling.
I am drinking alot of water though and i don't appear to be leaking any. Garage are gonna pressure test it first to see if it could be down to a hose failure.Don't let it get red hot though mate just pull over where ever u are otherwise you will end up with warped pistons.

James

 

Did you find out the problem as I've got the same syptoms aswell as mine overflows through the expansion tank overflow. Mines fine under boost and when air is cooling but temp goes up when on idle for a couple of minutes