Problems with Cooling in my L - Help?

GTlegs · Post by **GTlegs** » Thu Oct 06, 2005 11:10 pm

Good to be back.

I am having the following problem with my L Series Suby.

Radiator fluid seems to be disappearing somewhere after each drive. Now whenever I drive, there is a smell of warm radiator fluid inside. Could it be going into exhaust/gearbox (auto) somewhere, or is it something serious? I cannot find any leaks.

Temperature gauge creeps up when the car idles, goes back down when the car moves (I think this is because the cooling system is no longer hermetically sealed or because fluid runs out). Gauge creeps up faster when gearbox is in drive (its auto).

Every time I open the radiator cap to top up fluid (after the engine cools down somewhat) I hear hissing noise as if air is escaping/entering the system.

Does anyone have any idea?

Thanks

midnight · Post by **midnight** » Fri Oct 07, 2005 8:36 am

To hear hissing air, it would have to be close to the filler hole.
Maybe get some RaceTap/Gafatape/ductape and out a few rounds on the hoses.

Maybe put your hand on top of the hole to block it off (only if its cool) to see if there is any pressure building up.

Check your welsh plugs, if they are brass then change them to steel ones as the brass ones wear out and leak.

Is your oil in either the motor or the box milky?

I cant think of anything else.
If none of that works, ask someone who is mechanically minded.

stephendean · Post by **stephendean** » Fri Oct 07, 2005 10:15 am

I recently had this problem. Turned out to a blown head gasket, fluid was escaping into the exhaust side of things. A new set of head gaskets could solve your problem.

GTlegs · Post by **GTlegs** » Fri Oct 07, 2005 1:50 pm

Also, forgot to mention, when I turn the engine off, there is a slight gurgling noise that goes on for about 3-4 seconds from behind the glovebox.

stamp_licker · Post by **stamp_licker** » Fri Oct 07, 2005 9:35 pm

heater core.

smoov · Post by **smoov** » Fri Oct 07, 2005 10:22 pm

block it off in the meantime, and wear a jacket

GTlegs · Post by **GTlegs** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 11:14 am

So can you guys confirm that its not the headgasket, but the heater core?

In that case, how do I block it off, and where does the coolant go?

Also, can the rest of the heating/ventilation system be operated (including air con) without a heater core?

Thanks

smoov · Post by **smoov** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 11:36 am

naturally, can't confirm without a visual. need to experience it first hand.

any wetness in the cabin?

best to test if its the heater core. won't cost you anything to test it

the hoses are located on the firewall, just to the right of the spare wheel well (you may have to take your spare out if its there to see it.)

Basically, take off the hose, and join them back around from where they came from.

johnarentz · Post by **johnarentz** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 6:46 pm

smoov wrote:naturally, can't confirm without a visual. need to experience it first hand.

any wetness in the cabin?

best to test if its the heater core. won't cost you anything to test it ]http://img314.imageshack.us/img314/5143 ... all0rb.jpg[/img]

Basically, take off the hose, and join them back around from where they came from.

You should be able to smell coolant in the cabin if it's the core....you can't miss that glycol stink, plus there should be some evidence of the leak in the form of moisture or a green stain.

The water pump seals can be tricky before they go. On one of my cars they leak during the cool down process then are fine...took a while to work out what was going on.

The carbie preheater hoses can also be tricky, a pin hole there could cause a hard to find leak as the coolant vaporises on the hot motor.

How well does your expansion bottle seal?

If you can't sort it it could be worth getting a pressure test before doing anything drastic.

GTlegs · Post by **GTlegs** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 10:43 pm

Checked and its the heater core!

Thank god its not the gasket, so I guess

I got green stains all over the front passenger floor, and drips from behind the dashboard.

So you recon its OK to join the hoses like that? Can I take the heater core out all together to avoid drips and operate the ventilation system without it?

Finally how much would a new core set me back do you think?

Thanks a lot for your help fellas, you saved me a couple of sleepless nights

smoov · Post by **smoov** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 11:02 pm

GTlegs wrote:Checked and its the heater core!

Thank god its not the gasket, so I guess

So you recon its OK to join the hoses like that? Can I take the heater core out all together to avoid drips and operate the ventilation system without it?

Finally how much would a new core set me back do you think?

Thanks a lot for your help fellas, you saved me a couple of sleepless nights

ive bought my car like this. pffft to heaters.
ive had my car for almost three years. no issues.
heater core requires removal of the dash. have fun....
dunno about the price of a new core.... dunno how to go about fixing this myself, although if you do find out, and find out who would be game enough to fix these sorts of things, give us a holler. if the price isnt to ridiculous, I may pamper myself to in car heating in the subaru! :P

stamp_licker · Post by **stamp_licker** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 6:39 pm

new ones about $300

johnarentz · Post by **johnarentz** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 10:46 pm

Just make double sure it's not something like the hoses or hose clips. This will require you to invert yourself under the dash with a torch while the engine is running.

I had the stains and leak on one car recently but it stopped when I tightened the clamps in the engine bay and under the dash.

If you need a heater..ie you live where it gets seriously cold (like Melbourne) then you will need to work out what you are going to do about it. there may be dodgy fixes out there that involve hacking the side of the heater box to replace the core. Whether you look at that method depends on how confident you feel and how prepared you are to spend a lot of time pulling the dash off. I hate to say it but it may have been easier if it had been the head gasket.

Good luck with it.

GTlegs · Post by **GTlegs** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 10:33 am

As I said thanks for your help guys. I have now detached the heater, and the car runs at 2/5th temp gauge all the time!

So no more coolant drips, or overheating!

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 1:59 pm

someone here has mentioned before some 'surgery ' that can be done to remove the core without removing the dash - like knowing where it is and a hot soldering iron to cut a hole in the plastic and slide it out- sort of thing

a vehicle inspection by the authoritis does not want to reveal a disconnected heater core coz no demister = no pink/blue slip

so arrange hoses to give impression that is not the case when inspection time occurs

smoov · Post by **smoov** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 11:28 pm

jono - apparently that's the case with cores in an MY. L series, unfortunately, can't be done as easily as that.

kingrat · Post by **kingrat** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 9:13 pm

had to replace my heater core in my ea82t powered 88 tourning wagon thought it was going to be a c#$% off a job but turned out to be not as bad as i thought. Wasn't easy but it can be done. let me know how you get on. Kingrat.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 11:26 pm

Hey GTlegs,

If going to replace/fix heater core, the easiest way is to remove the dash. There will be plugs near the stearing column, up the back near the stearing column, and near the left and right side panels, an earth wire will go from the dash loom to the gearbox mound...

There will be 7 bolts holding the whole dash board assembly in place. Two behind part of the part infront of the gearstick, one in each corner, upper and lower, and one in the upper centre. There will also be a vacuum tube or two to disconnect... and the speedo cable.

You'll most likely find that the heater core has a crack in the upper or lower resivour tanks, these are plastic. Mine had a crack in the lower one, we replaced it with a metal job... so hopefully the other end doesn't go the same way (i'm near melbourne and yes, we need heaters down here)...

Hope this helps you.

Cheers

El Freddo
(aka Bennie)

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Problems with Cooling in my L - Help?

Problems with Cooling in my L - Help?

heater core removale