Hi Folks,

I'm having some problems with my 2003 WRX and I’m struggling to find theroot cause.

Basically the car seems to be overheating,the temperature gage fluctuates between high and medium, however the problemseems to be intermittent. I can drivenormally and the temperature gage stays in the middle, then if I go above 50mphit goes to high. Or, I can be driving normally and the temperature gage will bein the middle and then when I stop the gage shoots up to high.

The car has been sitting for 8 weeks and when I starteddriving it again, the heater had stopped working and there was a flushing watersound coming from around the glove box area, so I checked the coolant and it was low, so that’sbeen topped up. The heater now works, howeverthe flushing sound is still there.

The pressure in the radiator has been checked and it wouldseem that the water pump is working correctly.

The fans are coming on when the engine is idle and cold, soI had the sensor replaced, and the problem still persists and temperature gage stillshoots up to high when I slow down or stop!

The garage has warned me of the head gasket, however theyare reluctant to diagnose this as the problem as all the tests they havecarried out seem to indicate trapped air in the system as opposed to thegasket.

If anyone has any thoughts or advice it would be most appreciated!

Ally

 

Sounds to me like a air bubble in your cooling system.

When the car is cold, Open the radiator cap, squeeze(burb) the pipes, run the car with heater on full and cap still off. Keep topping up the water level as the air bubbles out.
Put cap back on and hope for the best!!

should fix it... had exact same problem.

 

Or better still, do it properly.
Drain system completely and refill.
Remove rearmost pipe from metal header tank, and jam a funnel down it. SLOWLY pour in 50% anti-freeze until it is full. DO NOT let it "gulp". Replace pipe. Leaving cap off and with heaters set to hot, start engine. Watch for bubbles. Top/mop up as needed. When fans kick in, switch off, replace cap and drive round the block. Leave to cool, remove cap and check level again, topping up if necessary. Job's a good'un.

Or, do it as posted above, take the risk, be lazy and suffer a headgasket go in a couple of weeks.

 

Hi, thanks for the replies, the coolant has been drained and new coolant correctly applied, I took the car for a quick spin directly afterwards and the same flushing sound came from the glove box area and the temperature rose again to high! However, I left the car sitting overnight and it seems to be fine now, well ive just driven 20 miles and temp gage has remained just below half way and no flushing sound. Does this makes sense??