Another Overheating Subaru.....

[LunchBox04V]

Hi folks..... I have looked through the previous posts on overheating and still had a few unanswered questions. So here is what I got....

About 4 days ago I developed a coolant leak. I tracked it down to either the lower radiator hose, or the bypass hose. Took it to a shop the next day (no overheat, not even a wiggle from normal, never below the low mark on the coolant tank) and they quickly put it up on the lift and found it was the bypass that was leaking. So, I had them change them both. Right there anyway.

So, today I was driving to Thanksgiving dinner(so yes, hungry and trying to figure this out now. lol) and I notice that the heat was on, at normal operating temperature, and I was not getting any heat. I watched the coolant temp and then she started to rise. Shutdown the car(left it in "on" to keep fans going). After two cycles of this (not 5 minutes from home) I started to get hot air out of the heater.

So, I am thinking air bubbles because the heat came back, and while limping home the temp would rise, then fall (1/8 to 1/4 inch on the guage). I am a little baffled. No oil in coolant tank, no bubbles there....

Oh, and prior to this the car was and has been running 100% on the money, no overtemps for the last 5 years I have had the car. Any help? I believe it might be multiple bubbles. How would I get them out? I dont know if I want this shop doing the work again, seeing as that all they had to do was change two hoses and now the car is overtemping...... thanks again for the help. And it is an EJ22 Gen 2.

[chuckthefuk]

Well since you replaced the coolant you probably didn't give enough time to bleed the system. Honestly you can check other post some people needed over 30 mins of constant running to get rid of all the air bubbles.

I want to say its a head gasket but no milky-ness in the coolant = no leak, however in some cases when the head gasket blows the oil does not flow into the coolant, it just leaks and gets burnt off causing a loss of temp efficiency. There are a few members who have experienced this issue, its one of those... I have no idea it was blown until i tore the motor a part kind of things.

Example: My old GT would burn so much coolant that when the needle did rise I had to refill the entire system sometimes.

Jumpy temp gauge usually means there is air in the system. Slow rising temp gauge is usually real overheating.

I am sure others will argue or agree but hey you got nothing to lose. Take your rad cap off and run your car for a bit.

-Chuck

[httrdd]

my water pump would only leak occasionally until it went. I used to have heating problems then it would go back to normal. Try and target the area in which the leak is coming from.

[LunchBox04V]

Thanks Chuck and Htt. I suspected an air bubble, and called the shop I took it too. I left them a message last night saying what happened and that I had to bleed the system. I give them props for calling early this morning. I will talk to the tech and see exactly how long they tried to bleed the system, but I have a feeling they were rushing(had it all day, but parts delivery guys were running late) and just let it warm up, and drove it around the block(if they even drove it at all).

Thanks again for the help, if it comes back, I will post up. lol