Wife coming home in the 02 impreza bug and steam came pouring out from under the bonnrt. She turned it off but it seems to have lost all the coolant through the rad cap, it is hard to tell though as coolant everywhere. Only came back from the garage the other day after having the fuel lines done.
Anyone got any ideea where to start?

 

Cracked radiator would be my guess, and your cheapest hope.

If it really emptied itself through the radiator cap something worse is gone wrong.
Either a plugged/failed waterpump, or a headgasket failure.

 

It had only gone less than 4 miles when it happened, there is a lot of coolant around the rad cap but there is a lip so suppose it would collect, there is coolant at the front around the rad but it looks dry behind the rad cap?? I will have a look in the light but as I said any thoughts or advice welcome in the meantime.

 

Has same sort of problems and was Cracked radiator at the top air line crack but did steam and make a mess

 

What's the best way to test this? Shoul i fill up with coolant and run it to see what happens? Or water as a temp measure then coolant when problem found?

 

Just water to test is fine. Just a waste of coolant if its all going to leak out again

 

clean ya engine bay of the white stuff and bone dry it then as said above m8 then look for bubbles and leaks

 

Will give it a clean up of coolant (pink stuff) and fill it up and run it on the drive to see what happens.
Is there anything I should be wary of while doing it? I don't want to cause any damage.
Thanks

 

fuel line under the manifold? if so
1 header tank cap may of failed due to been disturb
2 check coolant pipes going to header tank and main one underneath
3 coolant pipes goin to throttle body as all these would of been disturb if inlet manifold
been off

 

Yes it was the fuel line under the manifold that was replaced as a recall due to a fuel smell. they had it for over a week in the end due to an air leak where a pipe split (vacum hose). I know they had that area apart several times.

 

i would check over them areas above as pipes and cap are ten years old so disturbing them might have split one or might just be loose jubilee clip.

 

Lot's of bits have to be removed to do the fuel lines - have a good check of all the coolant lines in that area, refill with water and test - my Rads just gone on mine as well as the top rad hose and water pump hoses all in the last 6 months and it's about the same age as yours! Good excuse for silicones!

 

Right been out this morning and filled up the coolant, only needed about 250ml.
Started it up and when it got up to running temp a stream of water came out the side of the top hose, think I've found the problem!!
Need to have the car back and running by tomorrow so only place to get the part for me was the main stealer so no silicon
Had to drop it to the garage up the road to do it for me as got my right arm strapped due to surgery so should have it back shortly. Just hoping nothing else wrong.
Looked a bit like the hose had been rubbing but the clearances were all good when I looked this morning and nothing loose.

 

Fixed