JC-R

Hi chaps, Ive got a problem with my type r regarding the coolant squirting out of the top of the overflow of the resevoir bottle when the engine is hot. Its got a smaller radiator fitted because of the big front mount intercooler. It was fine up untill a couple of weeks ago but now the coolant just keeps emptying out of the intercooler resevoir via the plastic bottle to the right of the rad. Ive bought a new 1.3 bar rad cap for the intercooler off ebay but it hasnt solved the problem. Any ideas on what's the problem fellas ??

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

Have you done a sniffer test to check that one if the head gaskets hasn't failed? Also, are you filling the coolant to the designated mark. My 2005 wrx max coolant mark is way down the bottle.

Could also be air trapped in the system from the rad change.

gpssti4

iTrader: (6)

Indeed, sounds like it could be a head gasket. Get it checked out properly before you cause any damage.

JC-R

Ok thanks alot fella's

Dave Y

iTrader: (52)

oh dear John......Good luck

JC-R

Thanks m8

53

iTrader: (41)

Have you fully drained it and refilled with the correct amount of fluid. If it's overfilled the first place it will disperse is out the expansion bottle Especially with a smaller rad running perhaps a little hotter ? Have you fitted a racing thermostat ? Might be an idea

JC-R

Its the intercooler resevoir that keeps emptying out of the top of the plastic bottle. I drove 100 miles in it a couple of weeks ago without stopping knowing it had this problem but the temp gauge didnt rise untill i was about 8 mile from home and even then it didnt go too hot but when i got home the intercooler was very low on water and im guessing also the rad. Ive checked for air lock and got the air out by pulling a small hose off the top of the rad and letting it run untill water comes out and kept topping the water up , but it always pisses out water from the top of the bottle when hot and it comes out faster when the car has stopped and idling . What difference would a racing thermostat do ?

Oranges

A racing thermostat won't make any difference if the HG is gone, or it's an airlock.
Get a sniffer test done first buddy.

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

Surely the intercooler water spray and coolant are not connected in any way? Otherwise you would be spraying the intercooler with hot water and you would always been running out of coolant.

You sure you are not talking about the expansion tank?

53

iTrader: (41)

Yeah I'm lost too lol.

@Oranges of course a racing thermostat won't make any difference if the HG is gone, or it's an airlock. I don't remember saying it would You're fooked regardless if your HG is toast

However, glass half full it would help mitigate cooling issues derived from running a smaller rad A racing thermostat opens sooner than a standard thermostat. On my own 3 scoobs it runs a maximum of 10 degrees cooler than previous peak temps

I think you need to articulate a bit better what where and when water is squirting

JC-R

Yes sorry im on about the intercooler expansion tank emptying itself by squirting out of the overflow of the rad filler bottle which is located on the right by the rad. I'll take it to my local mechanic who knows alot more than me about these cars and see what he thinks. Thanks Buddys.

blackvenom

I would suggest you have a head issue, mine does it, no overheating or oil water mixture, but lower coolant pipes pressurise, shows up with a sniffer test.

stedee

iTrader: (4)

intercooler expansion tank??? i think youve got your wires crossed somewhere mate.

if your car does have a water spray to cool the intercooler this is not connected to the radiator or coolant system in any form.it will have a bottle that you fill up with cold water, everyday if its as small as mine

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

Agreed. No offense to the op but you clearly don't understand how the cooling system works compared to the intercooler water spray. They are completely separate systems.

JC-R

Ok , lets clear this up. This coolant squirting out problem on my car has nothing atall to do with the intercooler water spray. The intercooler water spray that was meant to cool the top mount intercooler has been disconnected and is not in use on the car because now it has a front mount intercooler so there's no need for water spray to cool it.
So the problem i have is nothing atall to do with the intercooler water spray. It about the coolant thats inside the intercooler and the rad that squirts out of the overflow of the plastic filler bottle .
I hope this has cleared up any confusion

peter zippy reid

iTrader: (25)

You dont have water in your intercooler its air the bottle next to it is rad overflow to replace the standard one when your cooler was fitted so the intercooler pipe goes by the bottle

Gavs blue scooby

iTrader: (1)

call me stoooopid and I aint no mechanic but I didn't think intercoolers had water in them because I have never took a water pipe off when ive took my intercooler off

JC-R

Im no mechanic either guys , thats why im asking for help on here. By what i can sum up it looks very likely to be a HG issue. Thanks for the help fellas !

peter zippy reid

iTrader: (25)

Sounding that way unless you have air lock have you changed coolant or or taking any water hoses off while fitted cooler

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

As above. You don't have water in the intercooler. It is air cooled. Intercoolers with water do exist and these are called charge coolers but rarely fitted to the impreza.

Sit back and look at it clearly. As water heats up, it expands. The expansion tank is there to cope with this issue. This is why it is never filled to the top. If one of your head gaskets has failed, the pressure from the cylinder will be forcing coolant out of the expansion tank.

It is that simple.



Not probably the news you wanted to hear but this would make sense if the radiator is too small and getting less air due to the front mount. I thought most aftermarket front mount intercoolers didn't require a smaller rad?

JC-R

Thanks for that
If i take the top off the header tank and let it run , would that clear any airlocks ? Just incase its an airlock ?

madscoob

iTrader: (3)

jack the front end up. remove header cap run engine with a funnel in the header tank and watch the air come out, that's how a mechanic mate of mine got the air lock out of mine after a rad change, it worked a treat air will always rise to the highest point

JC-R

Thanks Buddy could i just ask why jack the front end up and why put a funnel in the header tank ?

madscoob

iTrader: (3)

dunno he said it raises the header tank, i sat there and watched all the bubbles coming up the funnel so i know it works, just make sure the funnel is a good fit in the hole. then top up using the header tank afterwards, then top up the rad overflow on passenger wing

JC-R

Fat Boy

After all the driving it is almost certainly the HG I'm afraid - the sniffer test will take a mechanic about 30 seconds to do - and will tell you instantly as you stand alongside him when he does it. I would do that before you faff around trying to get air locks out.

JC-R

Great bit of advice ! thanks m8

JC-R

I'll get my mechanic to do a sniffer test but yeah it looks like the HG.
The engines fully forged with a 2.1 stroker kit . This engine work was done about 2.5 years ago and covered about 12 k miles since the build.
Is this shockingly low miles for the HG to go allready ? Is there a special HG that i'll need to put in or would a standard one do ?

Maz

iTrader: (34)

I think the OP means radiator when he mentions inter cooler.