Subaru Coolant Conditioner?

Depends if you want your head gasket warranty to be honored.

Since they took the time and expense to issue a recall on the issue, and print new manual pages including instructions to use it, my guess is "yes."

Good news is that's it's not expensive stuff.

-- Todd H.

2001 Legacy Outback Wagon, 2.5L H-4 Chicago, Illinois USA

There is a problem with coolant leaks in some Subys. Seems like a small investment for peace of mind. Check with a dealer for the need in your particular application. Sparky

Yes, it is needed if your car fits the recall. All signs are that it is Holts Radweld:

Subaru magic conditioner:

(notice "Holts" on the bottle). Radweld:

Subaru state that the "coolant conditioner" must be used in all models every time the coolant is changed. Cost is $2.50 for a 125ml bottle but, my dealer gave one to me free of charge.

That would likely mean they didn't fix the problem with the 2.5l engine.

My speculation is that the displacement is too big for the size of the engine block, and the head gasket fails as there is too little mass in crucial areas- tiny air bubbles in the cooling system are enough to initialize overheating and damage the gasket.

I guess I won't be buying a Subaru for some time, unless I spring up for the 3.0L six engine, which supposedly is prone to hesitation, not likely to happen :( Well the the new Mitsu looks nice.

M.J.

I wouldn't over react to the coolant conditioner since most manufactures install it at the factory and also add it when the coolant is changed.

Please, I am not overreacting to the conditioner, just recognizing a long time problem Subaru has had with the 2.5l engine. I believe their approach has been to try and put a super strong headgasket, plus the conditioner, without addressing the source of the problem.

I believe that the displacement is too large for the egnine size block, which leads to the engine being sensitive to overheating in low mass areas which then causes these notorious head gasket failures. People have been saying for a long time that its the air trapped in the cooling system that causes the overheating. Well, i don't know, Subaru stays mum which leads me to believe in my theory, plus the

2.2L engine never had any of these problems, so go figure.

M.J.

IIRC, the 8 oz. container is less than $5.

THANKS

Where does it say it? When the original recall was issued, I checked online and MySubaru stated that there is no recall on my Forester 2002. I also checked with dealer and confirmed that. I just went to MySubaru and downloaded Owners' Manual to see if it is updated but now, it's an old document last modified in the fall of 2001.

DK

Hi,

I don't know if it's "needed" but is probably not a bad idea. It's certainly cheap enough insurance. Water-cooled boxer engines, by their very design (talk to a VW mechanic about their adventures w/ the Wasserboxer if you think Subies are bad!), seem to be hard on head gaskets... so what's to hurt?

Rick

The recall to have the conditioner was not for all model years. Subaru's recommendation is to use the conditioner in all 2.5L engines whenever the coolant is changed. The factory added the conditioner starting in the year 2002. The TSB or Subaru factory TIPS said it will be reflected in the owners/service manuals to add the conditioner at each coolant change.

I'm pretty sure SOA or Subaru is now specifying coolant conditioner for ALL their engines...last coupla three years or so.

The 2.5 is a 4 cyl. and the 3.0 is a 6. Larger engine block so will have different dynamics for heat dissipation. I haven't heard anything about the

3.0. Anybody else hear anything about it? I thought they eventually overcame the problems with the 2.5, but I'm not sure which year. Thought it was around 03'. Be I mistaken?

~Brian

That was in 2006.

In 2005 it was '02, in 2004 in '01, in 2003 was '00.

In 2007 it's gooto be '04, i.e. last model year with 2.5l engine headgasket problems. In 2008 it will be '05, and so on.

You get my point! I would recommend staying away from the 2.5l permanently. I regret not purchasing the last model year 2.2l (2001) or 2.0 turbo engine. SAAB-Subaru still had these 2.0L just two years ago I think.

M.J.