j22ajm

bought a 1996 wrx on wednesday,drove it around town but temp guage was creeping up and dropping but when sitting stationary it would rise near the top but drop when on the move,hot air is working,pulled into a filling station,popped open the bonnet and white smoke came out - discovered water spurting out of the overfill pipe and water bubbling inside the expansion tank,left it to simmer down - few minute's it was sorted so back on the road again.

temp guage was fine and hot air,hit the dual carrage way and upto speed 60/70 and bang temp shoot's up near H and no hot air - eased off the throttle and temp dropped down - strange - anyway kept driving playing with the throttle and temp guage was rising/dropping - drove about 45 miles like this to get home (lucky)

let it cool down and checked the header tank - no water so topped it up and done a bleed test,all good so ran it out the road - bang lost hot air and temp up near H - both rad pipe's were solid but bottom 1 was cold after the run nd water spurting out overflow pipe

round 2 - done another test but nothing so didnt do a test run - no hot air - temp guage up near H -rad pipe's solid and bottom rad pipe warm

round 3 - fitted new thermostat and done another test but still nothing, all pipe's solid and warm again

round 4 - today filled the radiator dirctly and the engine side water turbo pipe instead of using header tank - ran the test and bang everything perfect, heating roasting - temp sitting at 1/2 pipe's hot and air free (boost) - ran it out the road and **** me lost the heating - temp guage up about 3/4 and bottom radiator pipe cold bat all still air free

any idea's or suggestion's on my problem/issue guy's

all answer's will be much appreciated

chopperman

Sounds like a head gasket issue to me.

blackvenom

100% head had gone mate, you need both heads and both blocks skimmed.

j22ajm

both head's and both block's skimmed?? dont you mean just skim the head's mate

chopperman

Normally they skim the heads and blocks to get a true surface. Then use thicker head gaskets.

imprezaworks

iTrader: (9)

Great start

scooby1929

iTrader: (1)

You will probably find the previous owner new this and hence moved it on. Personally if it was me I would drive the car round to his house and ask for my money back or at least have a chat with him. If I had just sold this car I would do something to help out the new owner
Did you take it for a good test drive?

j22ajm

yeah a great start NOT!! the joys of motoring as they say mate, i will see how bad the block's are when the head's are removed and take it from there mate, erm i cannot get in contact with the seller as he is refusing to answer his phone call's and txt's,also he took me to a house that he said he lived in which i actually found out was faulse but im on the case to track him address then i will take it from there!!!! erm no i didnt really drive it far,he met me at a train station and i drove to his place which was approx 5mins away so i never managed to get it out onto the open road,it was pissing down of rain,cold and i had my wife and kids with me which i was trying to get a good look around the car and do a deal quickish to save them standing aound in the rain - so basically its my own fault for not having a proper investigation threwout the car or a proper run in it,the temp guage was fine and heater's were fine when he met us and drove to his (ment to be house),actually was still fine after we left,it was about 15mins after we left that i noticed the temp guage, as they say you win some and lose some so i will just have to bight the bullet and get it sorted, yeah if he was a genuine guy he would co-operate with me and sort out some sort of deal but the bellend is having none of it - as they say you can run but you cant hide and im sure he will cross my path 1 day

im going to run a sniff test tomorrow and see what the results are but iv also been advised to get a genuine subaru thermostat and try that before taking the head gasket's on board, just due to the fact that im still getting heating on idle and after a run i loose the heat and that the bottom rad hose goes cold (due to it being connected to the thermostat housing the it could be the problem as if its not opening properly) its worth a try and only a few ££ to do.finger's crossed its my problem but heyho if its the gasket's then it will get sorted

360ste

iTrader: (1)

A easier option could be to pull out the thermostat completely. Yes it will take longer to warm up but if the same thing happens again then deffo not the thermostat.

j22ajm

if the same thing happens again after removing the thermostat then could it be the head gasket's or would there be other solution's i could look at??

chopperman

Quite often a head gasket issue will only show itself when you go on boost. This could be the reason you didn't notice on your short test drive. Sniff test doesn't always show if there is a HG issue but worth a go. You can run the expansion tank tube upto the windscreen. Then go for a drive and see if it sprays coolant over the windscreen when you drive on boost.
Sounds like the seller shafted you, not a lot you can do really other than learn by the lesson.

RoyPinhey

Doesnt sound good, as said disconnect the stat and give it a go

j22ajm

just took out the thermostat (new 1) and threw it into boiling water,it opened right up

yeah the boy obviously aint a genuine/honist seller but 1's its sorted i will be happy as the shell is mint and the engine will be sweet aswell (after iv sourced the issue)

at the end of the day fare enough iv got to throw a few £££ at it to put it right but least i will know what's been done tho and as youv'e said you learn from your mistake's

toneh

iTrader: (1)

Just check for water leaks on the turbo pipes , I had this and it threw allsorts of issues , cold pipes , hot pipes , boiling up , temp rising on boost ,I was sure it was the stat or heads until I saw water dripping (wasn't a lot but enough to cause havoc )
Worth a quick check , you might be lucky

j22ajm

ok mate i will double check it, yeah i hope its not went as far as the gaskets,thanks