legacycentral bbs

I bought a 1990 legacy that had been sitting at a camp in Maine for 3 years and got it running again. Couple of weeks ago, I started having overheat issues when idling. Replaced the thermostat (yes, OEM), hoses and checked the radiator. The impeller in the water pump looked ok from visual looking underneath. It ran fine for a couple more weeks. Then another big cold snap and I'm planing that overheat tune again.

This time, I begin to suspect timing. Either the belt or I slipped a tooth. I pulled the timing cover off, inspected the belt, pulleys and seals. The timing marks were not lining up, so I pull the belt off, turn the cams and start lining everything up.

My problem is this: the driver side cam mark seems to be half a tooth off! Am I reading everything wrong or should I be looking at this engine deeper? Or should I move the belt one more tooth to the right? There's a white mark on the cam, but it's just to the side of the

http://i.imgur.com/WDO2lNj.jpg linked for size
TIA

Pull the pin on the tensioner and rotate the engine by hand till the marks line up. It should be spot on.

The groove in the belt cover (timing mark) is NOT that exact with respect to the cam. Within half a tooth is ok.. Usually the drivers side looks worse for "alignment". With the new belt, they might have put white marks or lines on the back of the belt in order to make sure your marks are in the correct position.

I fixed the timing, put it back together and started it up. Ran nicely for 1 minute, then started showing overheating and threw codes 21, 35 and 42. It's making me think that my waterpump is screwed up. Upper hose warms up nicely, but the lower hose is cold to the touch. I don't know.

I'm getting a new water pump, replacing the timing belt while I'm there. Going to do some seals as well since half the engine will be apart anyway. Need a new click thing for the #4 injectors since I broke the last one when I did the crank pulley trick. I'll be putting together a list of parts later and we'll see. Also, new tool to help pull the temp sensor b/c whoever did it last time stripped the thing.

My only weird question is this: Would the water pump or thermostat freeze when exposed to air? I'm asking b/c it's down into the single digits at night right now in CT.

Did you check the thermostat?

imtb wrote:Did you check the thermostat?

Opened in boiling water.

Silly question....did you happen to remove the bleeder screw on the passenger side of the radiator when you bled the air from the system?

Also, what ratio of antifreeze & water are you running? Since the water pump & t-stat are low points the chances of them being in an air bubble are probably slim.

Legacy777 wrote:Silly question....did you happen to remove the bleeder screw on the passenger side of the radiator when you bled the air from the system?

Also, what ratio of antifreeze & water are you running? Since the water pump & t-stat are low points the chances of them being in an air bubble are probably slim.

50/50.

I opened the bleeder screw enough for antifreeze to come out and the clamped it down tight. Both hoses have been squeezed to move air. The car was filled with the drivers front side in the air. I don't think this is an air bubble. It's like the thermostat isn't opening. Since the thermostat it's 2 weeks old, I'm going with water pump.


On a creepy stalker note, I've been reading and rereading a ton of your posts lately. You've been a tremendous help.

Water pumps don't typically fail where the impeller no longer spins. So I guess I'd be a little curious to hear if the water pump was the problem.

I'm glad the posts have been helpful

I'm quickly running out of things it could be. There's some leakage from the weep hole, so it either went or was going soon. I also have new coolant sensors that I had lying around and I'm doing a bunch of rubber while I'm in there.

Now I just need to unbury the car and get it to the garage once my parts are in. I love this car but shit needs to break in the summer.

If you have coolant coming from the weep hole, then yes I'd suggest replacing the pump as the seals are probably starting to go.

Do your cooling fans run 24/7 either near operating temp or before?

I've been tracking down an overheat condition in my car for a few days and I think I nailed it to "overcooling". I think my ECT is bad cause as soon as the engine comes up to op temp, both fans kick on at full tilt and don't shut off. At 20F outside temp and 30F temp at the lower hose, I think the cold coolant is snapping closed my thermostat. Weird, I know, but when I pull my fan fuses, the temps behave normally, temps are much better across the radiator and nothing higher than 180 on any of my coolant passages...

Something to consider.

RoughDiamond wrote:Do your cooling fans run 24/7 either near operating temp or before?

I've been tracking down an overheat condition in my car for a few days and I think I nailed it to "overcooling". I think my ECT is bad cause as soon as the engine comes up to op temp, both fans kick on at full tilt and don't shut off. At 20F outside temp and 30F temp at the lower hose, I think the cold coolant is snapping closed my thermostat. Weird, I know, but when I pull my fan fuses, the temps behave normally, temps are much better across the radiator and nothing higher than 180 on any of my coolant passages...

Something to consider.

Regarding your issue, are you using a Subaru or aftermarket/generic thermostat? The non-Subaru thermostats react in the way you describe to cold temps and close quickly. The Subaru t-stat does not react to temperature change as rapidly.

Regarding your cooling fans always running. Are you using the defrost settings on the HVAC system? If so, the fans will run since the AC compressor runs in defrost mode to keep the windows from fogging up.

You still may have an issue with the coolant temp sensor, but based on the symptoms you described there would be some other things I'd check first.

RoughDiamond wrote:Do your cooling fans run 24/7 either near operating temp or before?

I've been tracking down an overheat condition in my car for a few days and I think I nailed it to "overcooling". I think my ECT is bad cause as soon as the engine comes up to op temp, both fans kick on at full tilt and don't shut off. At 20F outside temp and 30F temp at the lower hose, I think the cold coolant is snapping closed my thermostat. Weird, I know, but when I pull my fan fuses, the temps behave normally, temps are much better across the radiator and nothing higher than 180 on any of my coolant passages...

Something to consider.

Get a multimeter and check both temp sensors. Also, check the wires going to both sensors and see if they're in good shape. After that, it's plug and chug along the money line to see which part is going.

I replaced the pump and am still having circulation problems. I thought the flow test from the radiator was good so I'm thinking a blocked heater core. Going to get a bypass hose to see if that isolates it.

I'm also buying one of those propane tank heaters. I can't be doing this stuff in 15 degree weather. Too damn cold.

If you come up to Alaska, working outside when it's in the 40's is not too bad.

Added a coolant bridge after talking with some Aussies. Looks cool. About it working? Don't know. Timing jumped all over the place.



Currently resetting the timing and well see.

Update. Something's not working. Still overheats. I'm left with the radiator. Overheats too quickly for it to be a head gasket. Or a blockage in the block, which I just can't see it being. I'm getting real tired of this crap.

Edit: anyone in ct want to come help? I'm at my wits end

Will a 1995 legacy radiator fit into here? I found a deal on nasioc and an trying to determine if it'll fit

The 95-99 radiators will fit fine, depending on what he's asking for it though you may be better off buying new. They can be had off eBay for under 80 bucks shipped.

With your temps there you shouldn't have no problem keeping it cool, mine right now is totally blocked off with cardboard and it been in the 40's. I don't think its the radiator but you can try. Is the engine getting hot enough to blow coolant out or you just going by the gauge? If the t-stat wasn't opening the upper hose would be cold because the flow goes from the t-stat to the radiator and out from the top. How is the radiator cap? I have replaced my cap with a heavier cap and help mine when heavily loaded and climbing long hills from getting hot.

Back from vacation! Figured that I probably didn't burp it correctly, so I did every step again. I jacked it up, filled the system from the top hose into the block, topped it off, double checked my timing and revved the crap out of it from the engine bay. Guess what? Still overheated.

I've redone everything but the radiator and head gaskets. Anyone have any other ideas? Anyone in ct want to come for some good food and bullshitting?

For shits and giggles, you ARE using a Subaru thermostat, yeah?

And come to find out it was a mostly clogged radiator that was causing my overheat issues. Pull it and put some water in one end and treat it like a rain-stick. Hold the loaded end up so it flows across the core. If it doesn't start gushing water out the other end quickly, it's a blocked core(s).

Any bubbles in the overflow or radiator (with the cap off)? Black soot/residue? Bad fuel/combustion smell from the coolant? I'd make sure you have AT LEAST one of those symptoms before condoning the head gaskets...