Overheating

[George Adams]

I have a 1998 Forester L with 193,000 mi, which i bought new. The car is
running very hot in stop and go traffic, but runs normal temperature on the
highway. The fans seem to be working properly, and I am not losing coolant. The
radiator was off recently, and I'm wondering if there could be air in the
system, or perhaps there is a problem with the radiator.

Any ideas???

Thanks in advance.


George Adams

"All good fishermen stay young until they die, for fishing is the only dream of
youth that doth not grow stale with age."
---- J.W Muller

 

[Jim Stewart]

I have a 1998 Forester L with 193,000 mi, which i bought new. The car is
running very hot in stop and go traffic, but runs normal temperature on the
highway. The fans seem to be working properly, and I am not losing coolant. The
radiator was off recently, and I'm wondering if there could be air in the
system, or perhaps there is a problem with the radiator.

I was hoping someone would have some
better advice than me but it looks like
no one is chiming in. What happens if
you turn the heater and blower all the
way on in stop and go? If the temp
goes down, the water is at least partly
circulating.

Why did they have the radiator out?

When the car is cold, open the radiator
cap (not the reservour cap) and look in
with a flashlight. If it is low, top
it up with 50/50 water/antifreeze. Don't
trust it to syphon from the reservour
if it's lower than an inch or so.

Do not remove the radiator cap unless
the engine is *cold*

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Yeah, why was the rad out? Who did the work? many soobs require some
effort to get air outta the system. turn on full heat, fill overflow
bottle with 50/50, park facing up on incline or put front up on tall
ramps/curb ,etc. Run engine til fans com on. Turn off and let cool.
Monitor o'flow bottle to see if coolant was sucked back into system, if
not you could have a bad rad cap. Drive car and monitor o'flow bottle
for several drive cycles. Also, there shoul be no oily film in the
coolant or 'chocolate mousse' on the dip stick or under the oil filler
cap. soob 2.5l engines are known to have 'issues' with headgaskets. Hope
yours isn't one of them.

Carl
1 Lucky Texan

 

[George Adams]

Replying to Jim & Carl

Yeah, why was the rad out?

Head gaskets. {:-(

Who did the work?

Local shop with experience on Soobs. Couldn't get to a dealer without a tow.
This was done in Feb. The car has been running fine other than the heating
problem, which just showed up this week with the hot weather.

Also, there shoul be no oily film in the
coolant or 'chocolate mousse' on the dip stick or under the oil filler
cap.

Oil was changed 1,200 miles ago and is still clear and clean. Coolant also
appears clean.

Thanks to both of you for the replies. I'll try your suggestions.



George Adams

"All good fishermen stay young until they die, for fishing is the only dream of
youth that doth not grow stale with age."
---- J.W Muller