87 Subaru losing coolant

- E
- elijahs
  
  Contact options for registered users
posted
13 years ago

Sat, Apr 23, 2011 3:45 AM

I have a stock, 2wd 87 Subaru wagon, manual, SPFI with 225k miles on it; the blue bomber -- she just keeps running (though the valves are getting clackety).

Lately though I've been having to put as much as a gallon of water in even after short city drives. There is some white smoke coming out of the tailpipe but not *clouds* of it... and it's been cold here in Seattle this year (hasn't hit 60 yet).

I've had to replace some heater hoses in the past, and the radiator even, so I know my way around finding even an occasional leak, but I'm stumped on this one. Can't locate a leak for the life of me but I really don't want to believe the head gasket finally went. Is there anything else I can check? Not sure this car is worth the R&R cost at this point but I sure could use another season out of it...

thanks in advance for any help!!

Elijah

- H
- hls
  
  Contact options for registered users
Vote on answer
posted
13 years ago

Sat, Apr 23, 2011 2:01 PM

That white smoke coming out your tailpipe is typical of a blown head gasket or cracked or warped head or block, as you already know.

Areas where you can leak water and it can be difficult to spot include leaky Welch plugs (cc "freeze plugs"), water pump or fittings, etc. But normally if you can get a view from below the car with good lighting, you can spot pretty small leaks.

A compression test or cylinder leak down test would be a cheap and easy place to start if you cant spot an obvious leak..

Exactly which engine do you have in this vehicle?

- J
- jim beam
  
  Contact options for registered users
Vote on answer
posted
13 years ago

Sat, Apr 23, 2011 3:00 PM

well, duh. if you hadn't snipped the pertinent bits of the o.p., maybe you'd have seen that the guy was already on top of that bit.

not reliable for had gasket detection unless it's large enough. early stage leaks can only show when the engine is hot. the much more reliable test is to run a chemical test on the coolant.

chevy 350?

- J
- jim beam
  
  Contact options for registered users
Vote on answer
posted
13 years ago

Sat, Apr 23, 2011 3:08 PM

shouldn't use just water - doesn't contain corrosion inhibitors. you should also not use tap water, only distilled or properly deionized water with your antifreeze. if mixing is not convenient, just get the pre-mix.

no room for "belief" with this stuff - deal with the reality.

head gasket. with a leak this bad, you'll almost certainly be seeing bubbles in the coolant when the motor is running. look in the expansion bottle. if it's not obvious, buy a chemical test kit and test it that way.

- S
- Scott Dorsey
  
  Contact options for registered users
Vote on answer
posted
13 years ago

Sat, Apr 23, 2011 7:54 PM

Wash the inside of the engine compartment with soap and water. Put coolant into the thing. Then watch with a UV light in there... the dye in the coolant fluoresces and (if there isn't huge amounts of other crap all over everything) you'll see it very clearly.

BUT... the honest truth... if you are losing water by the gallon, and it's not squirting out of something fairly obvious in the engine compartment or under the dashboard... then it has to be squirting out the tailpipe. It's hard to miss that much coolant.

--scott