Coolant from head

subidoo · Post by **subidoo** » Sat Jun 09, 2007 9:56 am

I've got an 89 L series EA82 MPFI. There's a small hole at the back of the passenger side head near the distributor and there's coolant weeping out of it! It appears to be some sort of fail safe setup similar to a water pump : you know the coolant comes out the hole instead of going somewhere else and really stuffing things up.

Is this the case? And what does it mean?

Any help much appreciated.

Cheers

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Sat Jun 09, 2007 5:22 pm

Is it a hole and a bung/pulg that it is leaking out of, or is it more like a hole left over from casting. It it on the side, top or bottom of the head that it is leaking from.
Take a picture and we will be able to give you a definate answer.

subidoo · Post by **subidoo** » Sat Jun 09, 2007 9:36 pm

It's like a hole left over from casting, about 2 -3 mm in diameter on the side of the head.
Tried taking a piccy, bit difficult. Will try again in the daylight.

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 2:17 pm

Is it the passage that lets water that accumulates aound the spark plug drain away? If it is, check around your spark pulg, although i doubt you would leak coolant from there. Maybe you have an external crack in your head, although very unlikely. Have you overheated recently and how much coolant are you leaking?

subidoo · Post by **subidoo** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 8:47 pm

Ah yes thanks suparoo!

It is that hole that lets water drain away from the spark plug.

There's a cast manifold that seems to run from the thermostat housing (on the other side if the motor) over to the passenger side. It sits next to and behind the inlet manifold. The heater hose also comes of this manifold. I assume this bolts onto the head somewhere to get coolant into the head. It looks like the leak maybe coming from where this heater manifold bolts onto the head (or block maybe?)

It's a bit heard to see in there as there's a few components in the way like the fuel lines etc. So I'll have to take a few bits off to have a look.

Would that sound about right?

Thanks for your help.

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 8:25 am

Yeah that cast manifold transports coolant from the head to the thermostat housing. If the leak is coming from where the manifold joins the head, it is possiably the intake manifold gasket that has sprung a leak.

All you have to do is remove the intake manifold and replace the gasket.
Just make sure that you remove all the wate from the manifold so coolant doesnt get into the intake, not sure how to do this. And be careful with the intake bolts, they like to snap.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 2:01 pm

Suparoo wrote:Yeah that cast manifold transports coolant from the head to the thermostat housing. If the leak is coming from where the manifold joins the head, it is possiably the intake manifold gasket that has sprung a leak.

All you have to do is remove the intake manifold and replace the gasket.

Make sure you replace both gaskets - one on each side. I've heard its best to use subaru gaskets as they are the best at keeping coolant where it should be.

Suparoo wrote:Just make sure that you remove all the wate from the manifold so coolant doesnt get into the intake, not sure how to do this. And be careful with the intake bolts, they like to snap.

Under each head near the exhaust port you will find a 14mm bolt. This is the drain plug. I think on the dizzy side of the engine its towards the back of the car and on the other side its at the front of the car. This will drain the engine when both undone.

Good luck with it. Make sure you clean the surfaces properly before putting it back together. Some people use a gasket sealer - each to their own i think. I've used copper-seal spary on stuff...

The other thing to check is that there are no leaks on the manifold itself - there is a section that bolts on to the mainfold that water passes through for the heater, these may be leaking and ending up at the place you first found the coolant.

Cheers

subidoo · Post by **subidoo** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 5:36 pm

Thanks for all the advice.

I'll keep all that in mind when I do the job and let you know how I got on.

Thanks again.

subidoo · Post by **subidoo** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 11:23 am

Hey, just went and bought the inlet manifold gaskets and they don't look right to me (I haven't pulled the manifold off the engine yet though!).

Each gasket has one hole for the inlet port and one hole for the coolant. It appears to me that that would be for the carburettor version not the MPFI. When I look at the inlet manifold it appears it has two holes for the inlet ports and probably one hole for coolant.

The part number I have been supplied is 14035AA150. I've checked this with two Subaru dealers.

Is the single port gasket the right one ?

If not, does anyone know the correct part number ?

Any ideas much appreciated.

Cheers

FROG · Post by **FROG** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 12:00 pm

i think you need 14035AA160 7.68 LIST
YOU ARE CORRECT... SINGLE PORT IS FOR THE CARBY VERSION...

subidoo · Post by **subidoo** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 2:29 pm

thanks greentreefrog. Have ordered the 14035AA160's. Will pick them up Monday , should be the right ones.
Cheers

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 2:52 pm

bugger eh?

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 12:13 pm

there are other holes in these heads that may weep too, given that so many of the tapped holes go through to the head bolt holes and that sometimes coolant somehow gets at the head bolts. From my limited experience with EA82's I'd say if you have not renewed these intake manifold gaskets yourself - Just Do It, coz these buggers leak inside giving the impression of stuffed head gaskets, or you lose enough water to cook your mtor, then you do need at least new head gaskets. Less than $20 pair

TIP: If you have A/C you need to remove compressor mount bolts and shove it aside (I think) coz mine has the back bolt into inlet manifold.

subidoo · Post by **subidoo** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 8:55 am

Yes, the gaskets were the right ones and I've fitted them.

The job looked a bit daunting at first but the the whole inlet manifold and fuel lines came off as one unit, after disconnecting the clutch cable, accelerator cable, a few hoses, wires, blah blah blah and that metal pipe that goes down into the exhaust (what's that for?). There seems to be a lot of stuff connected there. Wouldn't mind knowing what's really required and what could be safely removed.

Tried the drain bolts under the head to drain the coolant out but they felt like they were going to snap off, so I gave them a miss. Luckily I think most of the coolant had leaked out, so only had a small mop up job.

Started first go and then spluttered a bit until the fuel pressure got up. Won't idle though until it warms up, so I'll have to set that but all in all very successful and it seems to be running a bit better.

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 1:07 pm

subidoo wrote:Started first go and then spluttered a bit until the fuel pressure got up. Won't idle though until it warms up, so I'll have to set that but all in all very successful and it seems to be running a bit better.

Wont idle as in noly runs at like 500 rpm?? or at like 1500 rpm?

i dont no wt the choke is like on teh EA82's but id presume its automatic, specially if its EFI, which means that if it idles higher then the normal say 7 to 800 then theres nothing to worry bout as its just choke

but if it idles lower then it sounds like there is something wrong with the choke

Suby Wan Kenobi · Post by **Suby Wan Kenobi** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 8:30 pm

Check to see you havent left one of the many Vacuum lines off when reinstalling everything

subidoo · Post by **subidoo** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 10:32 pm

Matatak wrote:Wont idle as in noly runs at like 500 rpm?? or at like 1500 rpm?

No. Won't idle like in konks out. And as it gets warmer the idle rises then it idles OK.

90brumby · Post by **90brumby** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 11:01 pm

yer just make sure u didnt leave any wires off for the auto choke aswell

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 12:26 am

For MPFI EA82's there is no auto choke... it is a vacuum bypass system operated by a solienoid near the throttle body. This is how you also adjust the idle speed, some screw near there... These manuals will help you out, much better than any aftermarket manual for the finer details.
Part 1
Part 2
I don't remember which part it was that had this info about the screw adjustment for the idle.

If it won't idle, there must be a vacuum leak somewhere. Also check to see that all electrical plugs are connected and are not loose as some of these operate vacuum lines when the engine is cold and could be playing games with your cold idle.

That exhaust line you were talking about that goes to the manifold is the ERG valve - Exhaust Recirculation Gas Valve. This is a vacuum operated valve that opens when the engine is under load or revved from idle. What is does is allow some exhaust gas to be sucked in and re-burnt in the chamber. This drops the burn temperature in the chamber and reduces some "harmful" gas for pollution regulation. Removing this will create a rise in engine operating temperature, the above manual will have info about this part as well.

In terms of removing bits, i'd leave it standard, that way you know it will work and not affect any part of the engines operating systems.

Hope this is of use.

Cheers

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 11:18 am

those part 1, part 2 links don't work for me, Hostgator.com gobbles 'em up!

The AUSubaru.com.au Forums

Coolant from head

Coolant from head

correct inlet manifold gasket ?

hmmmm

Job done!