Heating/overheating issues

[Redlined]

well. it started "snowing" today... if you can call flying shards of razor sharp ice snow.

anywho, to combat a long standing problem with my car not warming up I got a new thermostat, gasket, and some antifreeze. The information in my Chilton manuel was wrong and often contridictory and those crafty Japanese put the Thermostate on the bottom of the engine with the lower radiator hose as opposed to on top of the engine with the upper radiator hose as on every other engine i have ever worked on.

So. to make a long story short, after a long, expensive day. I got the thermostat in place. and the car warms up in a very few minutes.

The problem is. it KEEPS warming up. My Temp gauge hit red after about 15 minutes. I pulled over and popped the hood. the radiator was cool. I gave the radiator cap a partial twist and luke warm Coolant shot out everywhere. (yes I covered my hand with a rag). then, oddly, the engine cooled off. then heated again.

my theory is I got the thermostat in backwards so the pressure from the cooling system is preventing it from opening.

I want some feedback before I start tearing into my engine again.

thanks in advance

[Redlined]

ok. lets try something more basic. 1990 Subaru Legacy 2.2 N/A.

Thermostat is in the BOTTOM radiator hose against the block.

Should the Spring on the thermostat face up into the block or down twords the radiator hose?

[vrg3]

The spring side goes into the water pump.

Also, the jiggle valve (the little pin kind of sitting in the plate of the thermostat) is supposed to be pointed towards the front of the car on NAs.

If you're not using an OEM thermostat, I suggest you get one from the dealer. Aftermarket thermostats are notorious for not fitting quite right, not sealing quite right, failing closed, and being generally undesirable.

[Legacy777]

Also, did you open the bleed screw when filling up the radiator?

[Redlined]

Bleed screw? you mean the drain Petcock? erm... no

[Legacy777]

Nope. There is a plastic screw on the top passenger side of the radiator. Remove it when you fill the radiator.

[Redlined]

Just tore it back down, much easier this time.

1) bleeding the radiator. My chilton manuel advises to "bleed the cooling system" after filling but gives no further information. ($25 well spent *sigh*) This what josh is talking about above?

2) My thermostat (shucks aftermarket) Doesnt appear to have a "Jiggle valve" at all... at least not that I can find. Is it Junk? turns out car didnt HAVE a thermostat when I bought it so cant even compair it to the old thermo.

[Legacy777]

Look at your radiator, you should see the screw. This includes the whole screw thing.

Get rid of the shucks thermostat and get a subaru one.

[Redlined]

Hmmm looks like they Jerked the screw and filled the whole with a suspension bolt /cry

ok. so toss the shucks thermo. will prolly have to wait till after the hillidays to get another thermo.

Thanks for all the help Josh (& everyone else)

[Redlined]

just put her back together, hoping the bleed thing does the trick, took a whole heck of a lot more coolant than it did last time. ]

Keep your fingers crossed!

Thanks again!

[CCorsair]

Why do i feel i looking at doing the same things...?

I just had to replace the top hose as it blew out yesterday(a parking lot fix with new hose and coolant 50/50 mix).

The wagon over heated as I got it on the road but after try 3 times it stopped over heating and is now work right.

I was thinking I didn't open the top bleed valve when adding but did fill the overflow and the radiator. I did not get any heat in th car for bit then the heater kicked in and no more over heatings.

Still I been told to just run the wagon with out the thermostat.

Is this something i can do in a subaru?

I have 1990 Subaru Legacy L wagon.

CC

[CCorsair]

Ok all got good news that all is work right but for the Aux fan it needs a new motor and that about it .
you can read more on my other post but it looks good .

thanks for the help

CC