hi guys i just picked up a 1990 legacy with a 2.2 and have a
problem . it overheats when you drive it. with it idling and racing
standing still its ok, but when you drive it immediatly shoots up to
hot. the upper hose on the passenger side gets really hot but the
lower drivers side with the t-stat attached stays cold. i replaced
the t-stat with an oem t-stat from subaru and pulled it back out
while it was still hot to ensure it was working and it is. while i
had the t-stat out i also looked at the water pump impeller when i
cranked it over really quick and it looked like it was turning. i
also "burped" the radiator and jacked it up so it was at a really
good angle when i did it. i did not have heat before and now i do. i
cant figure it out. i really need this car as i am in the military
and going overseas really soon so i have to have this ready for the
wife before i leave. help!!!!!!!!anyone ever had this
problem??????????
overheating problems 2.2L 1990
Moderators: Helpinators, Moderators
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Doug Hancock
overheating problems 2.2L 1990
You have got air in your cooling system. Look on the right hand top of the
radiator and you will see what looks like a screw. Run your car until
operating temp.
Stop the car and take out the screw. There should be alot of steam. (BE
CAREFUL).
Take off the radiator cap and fill the radiator. Coolant should start to
flow out the little screw hole. This is what it sould be doing.
It may take a couple of goes to do it.
Hope it works out.
radiator and you will see what looks like a screw. Run your car until
operating temp.
Stop the car and take out the screw. There should be alot of steam. (BE
CAREFUL).
Take off the radiator cap and fill the radiator. Coolant should start to
flow out the little screw hole. This is what it sould be doing.
It may take a couple of goes to do it.
Hope it works out.
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nikntina
overheating problems 2.2L 1990
hi doug, i already did that i even took a suggestion and jacked up
the front end while i did it so the air would rise to the "burp" plug
and i did it for almost and hour, do you still think thats my
problem??? i can try it again. also i installed a connector to my
heater core input line that i can hook a hose up to. do you think i
should use that??????
the front end while i did it so the air would rise to the "burp" plug
and i did it for almost and hour, do you still think thats my
problem??? i can try it again. also i installed a connector to my
heater core input line that i can hook a hose up to. do you think i
should use that??????
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Josh Colombo
overheating problems 2.2L 1990
Like Doug said....you either have air in your cooling system, which you'll just have to keep at it with the burping.....it is a pain in the ass....but patience is the key to the stupid burp screw.
The other thing if you still cannot get it to work, and you are positive that your thermostat is working correctly, and it was an OEM Subaru thermostat (taller in height, and meatier), then I would be inclined to say you have a blockage some where in the coolant system. You could try running some sort of cleaner or something through, and/or get a new radiator.
That's about the only thing I can think of.....only other possibility is your temp sending unit is tits up.
Not sure if you have Chilton's or Haynes manual to see how you can test it. I can look up in mine to see how, and post.
Hope that helps
Josh
The other thing if you still cannot get it to work, and you are positive that your thermostat is working correctly, and it was an OEM Subaru thermostat (taller in height, and meatier), then I would be inclined to say you have a blockage some where in the coolant system. You could try running some sort of cleaner or something through, and/or get a new radiator.
That's about the only thing I can think of.....only other possibility is your temp sending unit is tits up.
Not sure if you have Chilton's or Haynes manual to see how you can test it. I can look up in mine to see how, and post.
Hope that helps
Josh
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Josh Colombo
overheating problems 2.2L 1990
I lied.....the stupid Chilton's manual doesn't have it in there....sorry.
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Doug Hancock
overheating problems 2.2L 1990
Sorry but I'm out of ideas. It did take me 3 hours the other day though and
I had a mecanic to help. We just replaced the front main seal. Let this be a
warning to thoses that are changing the timing belt. For the extra $12 AUD
genuine and 10 min extra work I would reaplace the bastard. I knew there was
oil coming from some were and did'nt discover it until one Saturday
afternoon when ever thing was shut. So we put the thing back together and
fixed it 20000 km + 5lt oil later. Once again keep trying there is bound to
be an air pocket some were or a blockage.
I had a mecanic to help. We just replaced the front main seal. Let this be a
warning to thoses that are changing the timing belt. For the extra $12 AUD
genuine and 10 min extra work I would reaplace the bastard. I knew there was
oil coming from some were and did'nt discover it until one Saturday
afternoon when ever thing was shut. So we put the thing back together and
fixed it 20000 km + 5lt oil later. Once again keep trying there is bound to
be an air pocket some were or a blockage.
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nikntina
overheating problems 2.2L 1990
so it took you like 3 hours to purge the sytem of air???? wow i
spent an hour on it the last time . can you give me an exact set of
procedures for purging the system so i know i'm doing it right. i
mean if this is all it is its gonna save me alot of money. i was
actually veering towards a head gasket for the problem and thats alot
of work to try and do before i go where uncle sam sends me overseas,
the wife is getting worried that the car is a piece of crap and this
is the car she's gonna be driving while i'm gone, thanks
spent an hour on it the last time . can you give me an exact set of
procedures for purging the system so i know i'm doing it right. i
mean if this is all it is its gonna save me alot of money. i was
actually veering towards a head gasket for the problem and thats alot
of work to try and do before i go where uncle sam sends me overseas,
the wife is getting worried that the car is a piece of crap and this
is the car she's gonna be driving while i'm gone, thanks
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Doug Hancock
overheating problems 2.2L 1990
If you have steam coming out of the exhaust then the head gasket is blown.
To bleed the system fill the radiator as much as possible and run until
operating temp. Stop the car. Remove pressure from system and fill with
coolant. Repeat the sequence. Also rev the car at about 4000rpm for about
1-2 minuets each time you try. When the system finally fills with coolant
the temp should not vary at all. It will vary even up until 3 quarters, I
would not go any higher. I would leave the car on level ground so that the
coolant can pass to the other side of the engine. If you don't get water to
the other side of the engine than it won't work. The only reason it takes so
long is that you put colder water in than what the engine needs, so it needs
to heat it. There fore the thermostat is closed until the coolant and water
reaches operating temp. Once the mixture reaches operating temp it will pass
through the engine. Stop the car, fill and start again. It should only take
max 1 hour but we were leaving the car run while we tried to refill it which
you do on some cars but not this one. Make sure that you get coolant flowing
out of the radiator cap and bleed valve.
To bleed the system fill the radiator as much as possible and run until
operating temp. Stop the car. Remove pressure from system and fill with
coolant. Repeat the sequence. Also rev the car at about 4000rpm for about
1-2 minuets each time you try. When the system finally fills with coolant
the temp should not vary at all. It will vary even up until 3 quarters, I
would not go any higher. I would leave the car on level ground so that the
coolant can pass to the other side of the engine. If you don't get water to
the other side of the engine than it won't work. The only reason it takes so
long is that you put colder water in than what the engine needs, so it needs
to heat it. There fore the thermostat is closed until the coolant and water
reaches operating temp. Once the mixture reaches operating temp it will pass
through the engine. Stop the car, fill and start again. It should only take
max 1 hour but we were leaving the car run while we tried to refill it which
you do on some cars but not this one. Make sure that you get coolant flowing
out of the radiator cap and bleed valve.
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nikntina
overheating problems 2.2L 1990
THANKS EVERONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i put a new water pump in the old one was pretty shitty looking and i
wound up changing the head gasket. the water jacket seal was
virtually gone so bang problem fixed runs like a dream now. i really
want to thank evryone on their input it was a great help. i really
appreciate it. thanks again.
i put a new water pump in the old one was pretty shitty looking and i
wound up changing the head gasket. the water jacket seal was
virtually gone so bang problem fixed runs like a dream now. i really
want to thank evryone on their input it was a great help. i really
appreciate it. thanks again.
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Josh Colombo
overheating problems 2.2L 1990
This may be a bit late, but there is also a little bleed screw on the passenger side of the radiator (US spec cars) Unscrew this, it's a little black square looking thing. It will help get trapped air out of the system. I just flushed the radiator this weekend & replaced the radiator hoses.....didn't take me that long to get all the air bubbles out.