eski_wrx

Hey lads..

only just got a scooby, and my bottom rad hose split so i bought a new one off one of the guys on the forum. fit it in yesterday.. and topped it all up with water. took for a small drive and it was fine.

however at night when i was driving back (half mile journey..lazy i know!) the engine was overheating.. and so presumed because there was no coolant in the engine i should buy some and top it up from bp.. so filled it up and i think it cooled the engine down a bit more to get me home.

before i get back home from work tonight, just a quick question. is there some sort of plug on a 95 wrx on the bottom of the rad through which i can drain the water? or am i going to have to take the bottom rad pipe out again? (Sorry cant check at the moment im at work!).

also, where is easiest to fill the water.. through the aluminium tank (on the drivers side, near the front of the engine)is where i did it yesterday.. so where else shall can i fill/check the level is okay? Where is the expansion tank?

sorry to ask stupid questions but ive never flushed a system of coolant and re-filled it, all the other cars have been full.

Thanks lads, any advice much apreciated

myblackwrx

iTrader: (1)

Air blockage perhaps?
https://www.scoobynet.com/general-te...cooling+system
This may help and as far as i know there is no drain plug.

eski_wrx

Which one is the header tank.. the square box that i mentioned on the drivers side of the engine?

myblackwrx

iTrader: (1)

yep has a pressure cap on it

eski_wrx

cheers buddy

eski_wrx

hi i filled up the coolant and the temperature is now fine.. however the other day i took it for a long-ish drive (15/20 mins) and came back, the engine was steaming (water) so i let it stop.. opend the bonnet and everything seemd fine again. engine temperature wasnt high either.. and water wasnt dripping out (unless it was dripping onto the engine).

yesterday, took it for a longer drive..boosting.. then driving soft.. followed by boost again.. and temperature was fine. came home, let it cool down and saw water dripping from the bottom (next to the oil filter).. but because it was dark i couldnt see where it was dripping from.

is it possible that because the water levels were too HIGH it is letting off the excess water?? because the coolant in the catch tank was to max.. and has now gone down to just below the nozzle.. and the coolant in the regular funnel (behind the passenger headlight) has gone down slightly (from full to the brim).

it gets me worried though as to what it may be.. but im confused because its not leaking from the pipe which i've just replaced (which was DEFINITELY split before).

any feedback would be great! thanks

The Zohan

I would put money on an airlock

eski_wrx

even though the temperature is fine?

and how comes it is still leaking, a pipe split again? or maybe coming out as excess water. because the drip coming out of the regular coolant tank was wet when i checked. would you advise me running the car without topping it up to the brim, and seeing if it goes down unusually again?

myblackwrx

iTrader: (1)

My tube behind the passenger headlight doesn't have any coolant visible and don't think it should (i have a 93 wrx).
I think you may have overfilled the coolant and a possible airlock has made it more obvious.

eski_wrx

so what would you advise.. drain out the system and re-fill again? or wait to see if its still leaking somewhere. i was thinking it may be overflowing when at a high pressure.. but i dont know if theres a drip near the middle of the engine.. because thats where it was coming out yesterday night (near the oil filter).

The Zohan

As mentioned above

https://www.scoobynet.com/general-te...cooling+system

God luck

coddy2200

iTrader: (1)

Hey up.
I had similar problem on my Scoob (my98 uk turbo).It ended up being the bottom of the radiator on offside corroded.Changed the radiator,measured 7 litres of coolant (which is how much owners manual says it takes,50% water and 50% antifreeze i used) and filled it up SLOWLY through the header tank located on offside (drivers side) in the middle of the engine bay.When brimmed,i then topped up the resevoir locsted on nearside (passenger side) till it hit the MAX mark.Bang on 7 litres used.Thus no air leaks,and if the level was to have dropped i'd have known i'd have had a prob/leak!

eski_wrx

this is a pain! lol. thanks for help though.. im just worried if another pipe is now leaking. but the water was dripping out of the nearside under the engine (not much water, and not continuous.. just as the car was cooling down). is there a pipe which would let off any excess water on that side?

i know im going to have to drain the system and re-fill it but i just want to make sure theres no more leaks :-(

eski_wrx

what are the typical symptoms of an air lock? (dont say "YOURS" please)

coddy2200

iTrader: (1)

Another cheaky thing i did while i was filling it,my mate was squeezing the hose at the bottom on the nearside to get rid of any airlocks.Before i realised my rad was buggered tho i was topping it up all the time,and to get rid of air locks left the header tank cap off while it was running from cold to let any air escape.

myblackwrx

iTrader: (1)

Radiator hose at the top hot and the bottom hose cold (i think).
May be worth checking for hairline cracks in the sides of the rad as there are plastic and leak slightly.