GeeDee

iTrader: (2)

Hi, I'm away from home at the moment and just noticed the temp gauge rising to max before I turned the engine off.

Initial check showed plenty of coolant in tank and possibly dark colour (it's dark out there!) but after cooling down a bit the coolant level has dropped quite low. Hopefully not head gasket but my question is can I top it up with water rather than coolant which I do not have?

It's due a service shortly so I can get it changed back to coolant so that shouldn't be a problem if water is OK as a temporary measure.

A quick response would be appreciated.

Thanks

GeeDee

iTrader: (2)

One more thing, I'm not convinced the aircon was working properly on the journey - could this be linked?

mark@wrx

Sounds like the dreaded piston failure to me. Check the oil levels.
My hawk did something very similair to that.

GeeDee

iTrader: (2)

It was running fine up to and beyond noticing the temp gauge rise apart from me driving very gently.

F1 CJE UK

iTrader: (8)

mine did that when the head gasket went, hope its not but its sounds like it needs to be looked at ASAP

Butty

iTrader: (2)

What tank are you referring to?

GeeDee

iTrader: (2)

It's the tank between the rad and the windscreen wash where, I assume, you top up with coolant.

All I want to know is can I use water, temporarily, without causing any harm so I can attempt to drive home?

mauricegb

Yes you can use water temporarily, but it sounds like it won't stay in there very long as it is. Don't dilute the coolant too much as it's going to get cold at the end of the week.

I saw in Sainsburies Epsom they sell a 1 litre universal top up coolant for a fiver if there's one close.


But tbh, if I was you I would stop using the car immediately.

GeeDee

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for that but the problem is I'm in the middle of nowhere at present. The universal top up seems a good call for my situation if I can find some somewhere without putting too much water in.

I've checked my dipstick and oil filler and no sign of mayonnaise but the coolant top up tank does seem a bit black.

Fingers crossed.

Butty

iTrader: (2)

That tank is for expansion and will go up and down as the coolant system expands then contracts.
Check the black plastic tank with the rad cap and top up from there.

GeeDee

iTrader: (2)

This may sound silly but I thought that was a sealed cap and wasn't aware it could be removed despite the warning re not opening when hot.

I'm used to radiator caps with lugs to grip!

Now I have the situation that the reservoir is way over max although it doesn't appear to be causing any problems at present.

Also, once I had added water to the system the temperature gauge has sat pretty constantly on the lower end of normal so now I'm not too sure what the problem is, or was.

I might be optimistic but maybe I was just running low on coolant which was replaced at the last service 10,000 miles ago.

53

iTrader: (41)

Shouldn't be running low on coolant if it was filled correctly. Until my coolant was changed recently is lost none in 4 years

GeeDee

iTrader: (2)

I tend to agree as I'm not aware of losing any coolant for the 10 years of Scooby ownership and if it wasn't filled properly when replaced I'm sure it wouldn't have taken 10k miles to let me know.

I guess I shall just have to keep an eye on it.

53

iTrader: (41)

How many miles have you done fella, the coolant is a 60k/72mnth service interval. I did mine early as I fitted a ZeroSports Thermostat.

gallois

overheating and no aircon = electric fan fault.

GeeDee

iTrader: (2)

My 70k service is now due, coolant replaced at 60k

The fan has certainly been working after it overheated, the air con has also worked, albeit briefly, after overheating but not had a chance to investigate further. Also, just before it overheated I had been travelling at a reasonable pace with what I would have thought sufficient air flow not to need the fan.

jura11

iTrader: (7)

If under boost car overheating,i suspect HG...But i would recommend get at least compression test....



Jura

GeeDee

iTrader: (2)

Update - After filling the expansion tank up with water it went over a week, including some longish journeys, with no problems whatsoever, including sitting in a 45 minute traffic jam, until I had stopped to fill with petrol after a 120 mile journey home - late no traffic - and when I went to pull away the temp gauge thought it was the new replacement for the Space Shuttle and headed skywards again and it took 4 stops to travel the 3 or so miles home.

Took it to local dealer who checked it over including pressure test and radiator out and could find no problem although, thinking about it, I'm not sure they did a compression test.

So now I need to keep one eye on the temp gauge, one eye on the speedo, one eye looking for speed camers and one on the road

rob84

iTrader: (5)

Headgasket mate, I wouldnt leave it too long to be honest as subaru engines dont like being overheated

F1 CJE UK

iTrader: (8)

My car ran on and off for half a year with a headgasket issue (subaru thiught it was a fault with the temp gauge). I would go with rob and get it looked at

TheDuke

Happened to me mate last heat in my sti hawkeye. Sounds like bad news I'm afraid. Heaters not working all the time. Be very careful. The HG normally fails by leaking oil into the coolant not the other way round! If it really overhears you'll have to have your heads skimmed etc.
If you are using oil then get some forged pistons at the same time. I thought mine was going again as I had some steam coming out of the bonnet from a hose that came off.
You are probably pressurising the cooling system and you notice the temp rise when you stop. Get a sniff test done at a garage.
If it is the HG go to a proper Subaru tuner and get them to do the pistons at the same time.
Not trying to scare you but it cost me £1800 to get it fixed and looks like I may have to do it all again for the pistons now.
Mine went at 29k miles and has done 46k now.
Check your thermostat first but my money is on the HG I'm afraid.
Do not drive it!

TheDuke

Happened to me mate last year in my sti hawkeye. Sounds like bad news I'm afraid. Heaters not working all the time. Be very careful. The HG normally fails by leaking oil into the coolant not the other way round! If it really overheats you'll have to have your heads skimmed etc at the minimum. This will cost a lot more.
If you are using oil then get some forged pistons at the same time. I thought mine was going again as I had some steam coming out of the bonnet from a hose that came off.
You are probably pressurising the cooling system and you notice the temp rise when you stop. Get a sniff test done at a garage.
If it is the HG go to a proper Subaru tuner and get them to do the pistons at the same time.
Not trying to scare you but it cost me £1800 to get it fixed and looks like I may have to do it all again for the pistons now.
Mine went at 29k miles and has done 46k now.
Check your thermostat first but my money is on the HG I'm afraid.
Do not drive it! Learn from my mistakes as I kick myself all the time about this. Get a cosworth HG too. How much oil does your car use? Is it an STI?

TheDuke

Here's the link to the thread. Good luck mate.

https://www.scoobynet.com/general-te...out-right.html

TheDuke

Here's the link to the thread. Good luck mate.

https://www.scoobynet.com/general-te...out-right.html

GeeDee

iTrader: (2)

Thanks TheDuke; Thanks TheDuke

Having just spent the best part of £200 having it checked and tested I still do not know what the problem is.

The trouble is that if it is the head gasket, and that's still top of my list, then I would probably only use API which is a long way from home (100 miles) practically resulting in 600miles of travel for me and another to and from including a lift not to mention the cost of getting it fixed so I would want to make sure it is HG before committing. Hence the £200 testing!

I actually spoke to David back when it first happened and spoke about booking it in but my week was totally hijacked by my client so I couldn't have got it there anyway.

I shall be keeping a close eye on my coolant levels over the next couple of days and see how things develop.

53

iTrader: (41)

I my HG goes I'll be taking it to Rich at FB Tuning in Bucks Half the distance if you need a recommendation

birchy2010

iTrader: (12)

Rich is a safe bet if he is closer, see alot about him and i'm using him too for a bit more recommendation.

TheDuke

How much oil does your car consume?

GeeDee

iTrader: (2)

Ordinary day to day running hardly any but if I do a motorway trip with frequent full throttle to get past lane hoggers, etc then it does tend to drop.

I find it difficult to keep a sensible check on it as I do not regularly park anywhere which is level combined with the normal problem of having two different levels depending on which side of the dipstick you check!

TheDuke

Yeah the dipstick is really poor. If were you I'd get some forged pistons at the same time.
Mine is using a litre every 400-600 miles depending how hard I drive it.
The pistons arent much cop in the 2.5 and tend to break pistonlands. For £400 quid more I'd get them to do that whilst the engine is out! Remember don't get Subarus HG get a cosworth one!