impreza coolant and water questions

[LANCENEOMAN]

So, 

 

looking underneath the bonnet, theres a coolant tub type thing with a plastic cap and a straw type pipe going into it. every morning, its on the low mark. I top it up the next day its on the low again.

 

Then you got the water compartment. (the steel one with the metal cap)

 

For some reason, there's no water level mark. So i top it up slightly with water the other day, now just checking it, its pretty much up to the top of the cap.

 

im confused.

 

Also in the plastic one with the straw type pipe, there seems to be bits floating round in there and looks very dirty.

 

any help please.

 

 

[Gambit]

Thats not a good thing mate the metal one I always have is filled to just below the cap level. the plastic one I have about half full but it's just an expansion. 

Now you either have a leak or could be worse headgasket failure :(

Have you seen any visible signs of coolant. Is it struggling to start in the morning at all ?

the bit's in the water tank could be from head gasket sealer, meaning the person who sold it knew about it, or could just need a clean through with fresh stuff but with what you have said so far I'd say HG mate :(

[LANCENEOMAN]

oh great. no it starts fine in the morning, doesnt seem to be any leaks from what I can see. There's no sludge, the oil on the dip stick looks clean. there does seems to be bubbles coming up on the plastic coolant tank ocasionaly when running it. It doesnt over heat or anything.

[BlackBosh]

Mine is towards the bottom but header is always full, when you say dirty what does it look like?

[LANCENEOMAN]

the header is always full also. just look a bit like dirty water you find in a puddle.

 

I was thinking of getting some radweld but where do you put it, in the coolant plastic one or the header

[Gambit]

It might be just the pressure then from when you have been driving it if you drive it hard it will build up pressure and make it rise a little  bit but then when stood over night pressures drops and should go back to normal. I probably have too much in my expansion really to what others have but I don't worry about it too much. not done any damage and if the Head gaskets going to go it will :) regardless of what I have the the expansion tank. Might be worth just giving it a flush through and a refill with fresh stuff. it's not over heating so thats a good sign but doesn't mean it hasn't gone. the bit's of it is worrying still from what I said before, but also could be just deadberry in the system if it's not been cleaned out for awhile. 

[LANCENEOMAN]

how do i flush the system, wouldlike to get it done asap.

 

if i bought rad weld,bould i put it in the expansion tank next to the header, or main water compartment on the top of the engine?

[Tlag]

It's quote unusual for coolant and oil to mix when head gaskets go in a Subaru, due to the cylinder bores being surrounded by a water jacket. They usually go at that point which means the combustion gasses are forced onto the coolant system.

After a drive, engine still running, flip open the yellow plastic cap on the expansion bottle. (The one attached to the radiator). If you see a lot of bubbles, and it frothing, then the head gaskets are probably gone. Just under the head of that tank is a very small breather hole. If the system is too full of coolant to able able to take those gasses, the coolant will overflow out of that hole, but usually you won't see it because, it happens whilst you are driving. However, immediately after driving, that area will show signs of damp, dirty water marks.

[Gambit]

I wouldn't use radweld others might say otherwise but for me seems to do more harm then good. Just a clean through should see it doing ok 

 

I think sniff tests if unsure is the only other way to be fully sure :) 

[Tlag]

DO NOT use rad weld. That stuff is only for a leak in the radiator. It won't stop this but could make things worse.

By all means, change the coolant and flush it through but don't use any additives. You need to fix the actual problem.

[LANCENEOMAN]

okay ill try it, just as a question though where woulf  i add the radweld or similar?

[LANCENEOMAN]

ok then, surely the main radiator water level would be going down though if it was head gasket

[LANCENEOMAN]

how do i flush it? is it easy to do?

[Tlag]

The metal header tank with the metal cap on is effectively the radiator cap, so you would put it in there, but don't, you will waste money and make things potentially worse by creating a blockage.

If you have a lot of bubbles in the expansion tank, it's head gaskets. Rad weld will do nothing for that scenario. There are products that you can add that are supposed to fix head gaskets. However, the fix can last anything from a week to 6 months. Beyond that, it's unlikely to last due to the pressures inside a subaru engine. Having seen inside an engine after that stuff has been used, the clean up is horrendous and you will require more new parts than if you just have the head gaskets done now. ( if that is the problem, of course).

The other thing to point out is, if you do use one of those products, it is very obvious to a potential buyer, that you have done so.

[Tlag]

To flush the system out, drain the coolant, ( radiator drain plug is bottom, drivers side corner of rad, engine side). I then remove the bottom rad hose and the thermostat. Then get a garden hose and put water through the entire system until it all runs clean, put it all back together, fill system and bleed it. Job done.

[LANCENEOMAN]

oh dear. i might just take it to a garage. im at work all day, was gong to do it tonihgt but limited on tools and dont even have a hose pipe

[Tlag]

Before going to a garage, do the check on the bubbles in the expansion tank.

If you have bubbles, no amount of flushing will cure it.

If you do take it to a garage, get them to do a sniff test. That will leave you in no doubts

[LANCENEOMAN]

just checked the water, its dyed like a greeny colour. but it has little cream coloured hard partcles in it. No sludge in top of oil cap etc.

[Jay762]

its green in colour as its a coolant mix - not just water. There are not supposed to be any particles in it but I suspect someone has used radweld on it already.

 

Have a look with a torch in the radiator itself see if it is coated with anything or just metal

[LANCENEOMAN]

everywhere i ring, they either wont touch it, or cant get it in until end of next week. Supposed to be drving to bristol the weekend. It does like like radweld. there was the odd bubble every 4 or 5 seconds earlier in the tank

[Gambit]

I just read your OP again there is markers on the tank you have to get right down and you will see two more prominent parts that stick out on the inside. Not easy to see at all but are there oversley bottom is low and top is high/full.

As Tlag pointed out it's easy enough to drain down and fill up it's just making sure you have all the air out is more of a pain. And I would risk giving it a flush through. See how it goes keep some mixed water/antifreeze in the car as you drive and to Bristol just incase. 

[Tlag]

Ok, the amount of bubbles you describe dosnt sound like head gasket.

I would now be looking really closely at a radiator leak. Subaru rads are prone to cracks in the plastic end tanks.

With the engine running and at temperature. Look down all the sides of the rad with a torch. Pay particular attention to the end tanks at both ends.

[LANCENEOMAN]

Just been for quite a firm drive. There's probably a 3 bubbles every 6 or 7 seconds they're not continuous however there is a sqeak in the engine somewhere not sure where from but it sounds like a rotary squeak

[LANCENEOMAN]

In face less bubbles than that. Doesn't seen to have lost any water on the hard drive either . The squeak sounds like it's from the front but can't tell where doesn't sound like a bearing or something can only hear it with bonnet open

[Gambit]

I shouldn't worry too much about the squeak I'd maybe say aircon pump, or the belts when was they done/changed ?

Their a bit more important :)

With only a few bubbles I'd agree with it being more blocked up or cracked rad than HG now.  :)