Coolant leak, replaced thermostat, but leaking higher... H2O

[superu]

Looking for opinions here...

So lay on your back, and slide under my 95 legacy EJ22 and here's what you see
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/03/P1070294JPGglUS-1.jpg

glance leftish to the lower rad hose...
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/03/P1070288JPGglUS-1.jpg

And viewing that spot from the front of the block
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/03/P1070289JPGglUS-1.jpg

slide a little bit left then look back up past the lower rad hose to the bottom of the timing cover...
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/03/P1070290JPGglUS-1.jpg

and looing specifically where the lower rad hose goes to the block
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/03/P1070291JPGglUS-1.jpg





So I've developped a coolant leak. it was dripping out of the lower rad hose, so I suspected the thermostat gasket (I threw P0125 and Po115 codes when coolant was low and when i was refilling... ) I got another (car quest) thermostat with gasket. Tirns out you can put the damned thing in upside down. :smt012 Also turns out the thing doesn't open at temp when it's in upside down :smt030

At any rate, then installed corectly and refilled with good clean coolant, the main leak seems to eminate from behind the timing cover.. . . . .

Should I suspect the water pump?

I'm fixin' to do a timing kit and a reseal (leaving the HGs alone on this EJ22), and a transmission swap pretty soon.
I figure I should do the water pump too, but this may seal the deal if the water pump is giving up the ghost.

BTW here are my valve covers. . .

passenger
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/03/P1070295JPGglUS-1.jpg

driver
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/03/P1070292JPGglUS-1.jpg

[96LegacyWagon]

Well, one thought would be... have you run the car and looked at it while running (or had a friend look while you start it and turn it back off)? It might tell you where it is coming from better. Also, they have UV dye you could put in (I have some somewhere in my junk pile, that I was going to use but ended up having a friend notice the radiator was pissing from the fins, which caused that replacement). Also check your hoses and it looks like all of your gaskets are stock (because my new ones came in blue). Umm, you might also want to thoroughly clean the area of all liquids beforehand so you can see where it is if it is not gushing, but instead drips. HTH

[Bhatman]

You installed a Car Quest t-stat? Theres a few posts out here saying to stick with OEM t-stats...

Id clean up underneath and then from there track the coolant again to see whether or not its the water pump...

[02_Legacy]

Could be the water pump gasket, mine was leaking at one point. The weep hole is outside of the timing covers so I wouldn't think it would be that.

[superu]

You installed a Car Quest t-stat? Theres a few posts out here saying to stick with OEM t-stats...

Id clean up underneath and then from there track the coolant again to see whether or not its the water pump...

Yeah, my buddy's convinced me to go wtih car quest or napa for everything, rather than my old MO of cheapest (like auto zone or checker/o'reiley)... The t-stat did look different (like it didn't have the little pin valve on the rim of the base) but had the same temp rating. . . Plus I'm like 2 hours from the closest Suby dealer. :smt012

whatevvs. could be that it was just the gasket that was bad and not the OEM t-stat. . . . I still have it and could reinstall it?

yeah, it kind of looks like the seep is coming from behind the timing cover. but I'm not 100% on that.

when I do the timing and reseal, i'll do new hoses, water pump and new clamps too.

[superu]

Well, one thought would be... have you run the car and looked at it while running (or had a friend look while you start it and turn it back off)? It might tell you where it is coming from better. Also, they have UV dye you could put in (I have some somewhere in my junk pile, that I was going to use but ended up having a friend notice the radiator was pissing from the fins, which caused that replacement). Also check your hoses and it looks like all of your gaskets are stock (because my new ones came in blue). Umm, you might also want to thoroughly clean the area of all liquids beforehand so you can see where it is if it is not gushing, but instead drips. HTH

yeah, it's just a little seep/drip from behind the timing cover near but above and a little over from where the thermostat is in the lower hose. I leave puddles but the coolant level barely drops at all even after a few days.

[96LegacyWagon]

What condition are your hoses in? It might be a gasket if it's not the hoses or thermostat.

[Bhatman]

You installed a Car Quest t-stat? Theres a few posts out here saying to stick with OEM t-stats...

Id clean up underneath and then from there track the coolant again to see whether or not its the water pump...

Yeah, my buddy's convinced me to go wtih car quest or napa for everything, rather than my old MO of cheapest (like auto zone or checker/o'reiley)... The t-stat did look different (like it didn't have the little pin valve on the rim of the base) but had the same temp rating. . . Plus I'm like 2 hours from the closest Suby dealer. :smt012

whatevvs. could be that it was just the gasket that was bad and not the OEM t-stat. . . . I still have it and could reinstall it?

yeah, it kind of looks like the seep is coming from behind the timing cover. but I'm not 100% on that.

when I do the timing and reseal, i'll do new hoses, water pump and new clamps too.

Well there is a difference between the OEM t-stat and Aftermarket t-stat...

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/03/IMG2011100300013-1.jpg

Thats the OEM one I pulled from my wagon this summer...

If you pulled the gasket I don't think its wise to re put the gasket since it may have lost its rigidity since its no longer being compressed by the pipes. If the temps act buggy after your reseal, I would check that t-stat immediately.

[superu]

You installed a Car Quest t-stat? Theres a few posts out here saying to stick with OEM t-stats...

Id clean up underneath and then from there track the coolant again to see whether or not its the water pump...

Yeah, my buddy's convinced me to go wtih car quest or napa for everything, rather than my old MO of cheapest (like auto zone or checker/o'reiley)... The t-stat did look different (like it didn't have the little pin valve on the rim of the base) but had the same temp rating. . . Plus I'm like 2 hours from the closest Suby dealer. :smt012

whatevvs. could be that it was just the gasket that was bad and not the OEM t-stat. . . . I still have it and could reinstall it?

yeah, it kind of looks like the seep is coming from behind the timing cover. but I'm not 100% on that.

when I do the timing and reseal, i'll do new hoses, water pump and new clamps too.

Well there is a difference between the OEM t-stat and Aftermarket t-stat...

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/03/IMG2011100300013-1.jpg

Thats the OEM one I pulled from my wagon this summer...

If you pulled the gasket I don't think its wise to re put the gasket since it may have lost its rigidity since its no longer being compressed by the pipes. If the temps act buggy after your reseal, I would check that t-stat immediately.

Yours looks like the OE replacement I got from Car Quest.

The one I pulled was a little different, with this little ball valve on the side, and it's geometry wouldn't allow an inverse installation (like I found out you could do with the Car Quest one).
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/03/P1070508JPGglUS-1.jpghttps://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-nxClr9oddjQ/T3PkEzHX9PI/AAAAAAAAYWQ/eM52vBNlm5U/s640/P1070509.JPG?gl=UShttps://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/03/P1070510JPGglUS-1.jpghttps://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/03/P1070511JPGglUS-1.jpghttps://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_tbfeovqqeI/T3PkHBY822I/AAAAAAAAYWo/5hgMC9xPqWc/s640/P1070512.JPG?gl=US

this is stamped 78deg C (172F), I can't remember the sepc for the one I got, seems like it might've been more in the 182 range. . . .

[superu]

Turns out the water pump was $#!+
old one was baaad
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/07/P1080418JPGglUS-2.jpg

doing timing and water pump and when we pulled the timing cover it became apparent the water pump was toasted....
I might (or really should) do new rad hoses while I'm in there just for fun, but doing timing, water pump, and some resealing now.

[Huffer]

I was going to suggest the water pump... do NOT use a used water pump or anything remanned' other than Subaru factory remanned parts. Also you might as well buy a proper genuine Subaru thermostat at the same time; they do look different and they work. You can always test the t-stat by throwing it in a pot of water and heating the water up; when it gets to a certain temp the t-stat should open; if it doesn't, junk it.

[superu]

I was going to suggest the water pump... do NOT use a used water pump or anything remanned' other than Subaru factory remanned parts. Also you might as well buy a proper genuine Subaru thermostat at the same time; they do look different and they work. You can always test the t-stat by throwing it in a pot of water and heating the water up; when it gets to a certain temp the t-stat should open; if it doesn't, junk it.

cool, thanks ;)

Yeah I got a Suby new water pump and seals. I'll keep the other new T-stat but get new hoses too.
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/07/0726120905_01jpgglUS-1.jpg

:smt024 :smt023