Diz Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 Hi folks, Not a good start to the day and I fear it's about to get worse. Got about a mile away from home and noticed the temperature gauge had shot right up. Stopped, checked the coolant and it was pretty low but there was still coolant in there (I hadn't checked it for a while - yes, I know - so can't be sure if this happened suddenly or gradually), let the car cool down and nursed it home, put coolant in, ran the car for a while. The coolant level in the reservoir dropped which suggested it was circulating. However on travel attempt number two the gauge started to rise again after the same distance, so once more I am back home. Luckily I have this week off work. The pipes seem to have water circulating in them. I don't want to hear head gasket. The oil appears to be clean, there's no white bits in it, although I've read elsewhere that this doesn't necessarily mean it's not the head gasket. Has anyone else had this happen or have any other ideas as to what might be going on here? I'm really hoping it's the thermostat and nothing worse... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 if theres water in it still should be working. Top it up and bleed it properly and see what happens. Other option is sniff test 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diz Posted February 23, 2016 Author Share Posted February 23, 2016 Thanks Tidgy. I've heard of the sniff test but I'm a bit of a bimbo when it comes to cars. Where and what am I sniffing for and what will it tell me? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeoffLeggy Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 Sounds like a stuck thermostat. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diz Posted February 23, 2016 Author Share Posted February 23, 2016 That's the answer I want to hear Geoff, as I can pick one up from Europarts for £12.99. Was just suspicious as it is a bit of a coincidence that this has happened when the coolant got low, unless that can lead to the thermostat sticking which I wouldn't have thought would be the case. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambit Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 Hey Diz nice to see you been awhile You can test the Thermostat by dropping it in hot water, be able to see it open up. It is possible if the thermostat got scaled up and bit's of shite in it. The sniff test is a bit of kit you use think you can buy one from Halfrauds, it's a liquid type thing that changes colour when the gasses mix if it has a Head Gasket failure. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeoffLeggy Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 @Diz Doubt it. It's the best place to start for sure given the cost etc. If there was still water in the tank even low then you wouldn't expect it to be low enough to cause what your experiencing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diz Posted February 23, 2016 Author Share Posted February 23, 2016 Thanks so much for your advice and suggestions guys. One more question if you have time, does it need a gasket? Parts shop said gasket was integral to part (pointing to rubber seal), but we have gasket paper and can make one up if need be. Another troubleshooting clue I've just recalled is that the heater wouldn't come on at first on Sunday, so maybe the thermostat was on its way out? Today did indeed go downhill. Our mates were all at work so we had to take a taxi to our workshop as my other half had left his car there and we live out in the sticks. It had a flat Battery. Seriously. The jump leads were in my car back home and none of our neighbours had any. Grrrr! At least we have a Battery charger at the workshop but it took ages. Finally got to Europarts and got the thermostat, but was too dark to go out and fit it when we got home (we have a large garage but it is full of motorbikes and bits of motorbikes, none currently on the road, both of us guilty on this count so I can't even blame him ). BF has a decent working knowledge of older cars and is watching YouTube vids on how to replace the thermostat - it looks a ******, underneath on the WR1? The guy at the parts shop echoed what Tidgy said about bleeding the system, he reckoned the car is prone to airlocks. I knew how to bleed an airlock in my old Pug. I will swot up on how to do this on the Scoob, as when I pop the bonnet to me it just looks like a spaceship that you couldn't squeeze a !Removed! paper into, albeit a thing of beauty. I say I'm a dummy with cars, albeit I grew up with a cousin who is a time-served mechanic who taught me a lot. But a little learning is dangerous and I'm more than a wee bit wary of this engine and have a huge amount of respect for it. Hopefully tomorrow will be a more successful day if we get a chance to fit the new part and test it. Whatever the outcome I'll keep you posted. As soon as this gets sorted, aside from memories of your help, today will be deleted! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diz Posted February 23, 2016 Author Share Posted February 23, 2016 ps The starred out text is the correct term for a female dog. The !Removed! text could be substituted for cigarette, if that is allowed :-) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambit Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 One of the best ways to remove the airlock is to get the front end as high as you can they are a real pain for airlocks I remember doing the blobeye radiator I spent two weeks constantly worrying every time the fans came on luckily it was fine. And yeah the swear thing is annoying I have mentioned this to the boss but he seems to like the shit 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 It's a sealed system so air shouldn't be getting in, typically it's spat out if there's a hole somewhere due to it being a pressurised system. you can get a sniff test kit yourself http://www.uktools.com/block-tester-p-12508.html 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diz Posted February 24, 2016 Author Share Posted February 24, 2016 Well, the thermostat was replaced today by a friendly mechanic who came out to the house. Luckily it was a nice sunny day to be pulling the car to bits in the yard. He changed the coolant too, said to let the car cool down and top up again if the level dropped, and also diagnosed a faulty relay frying the glow plugs in BF's car which was turning over but again wouldn't start. What a man, he achieved a lot in the time he was here and only charged us £100 for the lot, including some second-hand glow plugs. I did the hot water test on the old thermostat and it opened so I wasn't too hopeful when I took it out for a test run. However the moment of truth has passed and after an 18-mile round trip all appears to be well. Don't know about you guys, but I can feel and hear the slightest change in the car - even before the temperature gauge first shot up I said to BF that something didn't seem right, but tonight it sounded sweet again. Gambit, I hear what you are saying about worrying about the issue for 2 weeks, I'll be obsessed with that gauge and coolant level for the next wee while too. However right now I am beyond relieved. Thanks very much for your help guys. Being able to ask questions and have knowledgeable fellow Subaru lovers give me some pointers was much appreciated, as well as keeping me sane when I was imagining all sorts of horrors. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoobyghost Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 I like to call it modifiers paranoia. Even worse when you keep asking passengers "did you hear that?" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeoffLeggy Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 Sounds like good news Diz! Mine was always am I getting through this journey without a twatting engine light!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambit Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 Glad to hear it's all sorted 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diz Posted February 25, 2016 Author Share Posted February 25, 2016 All seems well again today - here's hoping it stays that way! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambit Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 Fantastic some happy driving Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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