Hello all,

I've owned this 2004 Impreza 2.5 non-turbo from NEW. Early last year I blew the headgasket and had that replaced along with the thermostat and the radiator.
Now 18 Months later, when I start the car...after running for 10 mins the temp goes from normal to almost hitting the Hot mark...but then goes back down to normal and stayed there for rest remaining 20 minute drive to work. I turned off the car at work and noticed the upper radiator hose was collapsed. I noticed the overflow reservoir was very high, way past the full mark with green coolant. I slowly opened the radiator cap and the hose went back to normal,...after fully opening the radiator cap I noticed very THICK Brown sludge... what could this be? I mean I just replaced the Headgasket...and put a New radiator in....I haven't driven 20,000 miles yet since that very expensive repair.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

had this on my old rad, flushed it through several times, and manually blew it through then it was right as rain. Its where crap sinks to the bottom, your gasket would be the cause and the brown is rust from inside your rad!

 

...or it could be the result of mixing two different types of coolant (can't remember the technical name for them but one is usually blue and the other red )

 

OAT coolant shouldn't be mixed with earlier coolant

 

Empty out the coolant overflow tank. Do a few runs in 4th & see if the overflow tank gets full up. If it does its most likely headgasket.

I would also do a coolant change. The sediment can be caused by rusy pipes & also make sure the coolant/water mixture is correct, 50/50.

 

Thanks for the response guys....Im thinking the mechanic that changed the rad...mixed the coolant.

This is what I did... I drained and flushed the system twice with prestone super flush.....then flush with just water. Then replaced the thermostat and the radiator cap and refilled it with new coolant...added new coolant to the reservoir as well.

So far I haven't seen the temp needle go past normal operating range and the upper rad hose stays in tact.

I will monitor it...but I hope that solved the problem..