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Forester coolant level experience

From several threads here I've pieced together that erratic coolant behavior can signal a head gasket problem.

Here's what's happened so far with my wife's 2001 Forester, which we purchased used in 2003 and now has

120K miles on it:

Last fall I noticed erratic coolant levels in the reservoir. (Coincidentally -- or not? -- I had had the timing belt and water pump replaced a few weeks earlier, as per Subaru's 100K mile recommendation.)

So she took it to the dealer to have that free recall work done, which I understand involves an additive put in the radiator. Then throughout the winter I monitored the level carefully -- of the reservoir, that is, which remained oddly over the "full" mark. But then on the first really hot day this year, she reported that the temp gauge went almost into the red. I discovered that the radiator needed about a gallon of coolant, even though the reservoir level was still over full. The hose from the top of the radiator to the reservoir seems to be okay. What's going on? What else should I look for, and under what engine temperature conditions?

-- Charles Packer

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Reply to
Charles Packer
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Your seals are probably already shot. The 'coolant conditioner' won't fix it unless you have it in there before anything starts to go bad.

Run the car and look for bubbles in the overflow tank. Or flush the fluid and then run it a while and test for hydrocarbons. Do you know if the thermostat was replaced during the work? There is a special Subaru one so you can't just use any old after market, that could cause fluid and needle oddities if you have the wrong one.

You may be better off just flushing the fluid and selling the car, it's out of warranty now so "recall work" will probably not be done for free anymore.

New head gaskets run about 3k when you do the stuff that would be easy when you are in there.

Reply to
.._..

I'd suggest a new radiator cap too if it hasn't been replaced. Also, confirm that the electric radiator fan cycles on/off.

But it does 'sound' like HGs. (hope not)

Carl

Reply to
Carl 1 Lucky Texan

Sounds just like headgaskets; sorry! at our shop a head gasket set runs about 1500.

Reply to
S.Hansen

When headgasket failed on my 2001 Forester, the dealer charged almost $3000 to get it fixed. I didn't care, because I had extended warranty at the time - I only had to pay $100. But it's interesting that prices can vary so much (for the same fix).

bORIS

Reply to
boris

Depends on what the dealer "sells" our cost is a basic remove, clean and reassemble- this is what most rubies need. BUT you may need the head resurfaced if it has warp over 2 thousahths of a inch- that's more. then IF they are doing something with the valves....

Reply to
S.Hansen

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