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1996 Legacy "overheating"

My Legacy is a great car and has about 80,000 miles. For the past year it has been sporadically overheating on the temp. gauge. I have tried three new thermostats and one new radiator. The guys checked for head gasket problems and gave me an all clear. This "overheating" may not happen for two to three months and then it starts up again for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks--but does NOT occur every time I drive. It happened today after we recently put coolant in the radiator (it was low)--we know to "burp" her, but it was leaking out of the radiator cap this morning after about a 10 minute drive--was the cap just not on right? Any ideas? I am hoping the engine is still good.

Thanks

Reply to
wheatlyk
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My 99 Subaru started to overheat after being serviced. After some investigation, I discovered that the cooling fans were unplugged. I plugged them in and the problem was fixed. I guessing it was an absent minded serviceman.

Reply to
Richard

I'm surprised you didn't get a check engine light. I know you will if the fan relay fails.

Reply to
Jim Stewart

Normal "compression" tests for headgasket issues don't reveal the most common 2.5L HG failure, because they're done with the engine cold. Also, the problem (again based on my personal experience) doesn't happen all at once; rather, a deterioration in one spot of the HG gradually gets worse, until eventually you lose coolant at a rapid enoug rate to overheat regularly -- THEN the service guys know to chack the HGs more thoroughly. I suspect, from the symptoms you are describing and based on my personal experience, that you do have a Head Gasket failure.

Reply to
wcb

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