I noticed today, in an STi that I looked at on a dealer's lot, that there was ice in the intercooler's water reservoir hidden in the trunk.

What do you STi guys, who live in the colder regions of the world, do when winter comes around? Do you empty the reservoir? Or add a little washer fluid? I'm curious.

Thanks!

I wondered the same thing when cold weather hit. I don't use it much, infact during AutoX is the only time I have ever used it and I won't be doing any of that in cold weather.

When it started to get chilly I just sucked the water out of the tank with a shop vac then ran the pump a few times to empty the system as much as possible. Maybe someone that knows the real answer will chime in.

LeRoy,

Thanks for the reply.

I hear tell that the owner's manual says to leave it half full.

The car I was looking at on the dealer's lot was actually my own. We paid for it that day, but were unable to take it home as my auto insurer was closed. (New Year's Eve).

I looked around some on the various forums and am yet to find someone complaining about a cracked reservoir or of a water line splitting from ice - so I've decided to let that little worry go.

But, thank you! When I asked the salesdude, he seemed stumped.

-jane

if a Turbocharger works anything like the early gas turbine engines, the lower the temp of the air the better the performance. might not need the water jets if its a cold winter. id say drain it for safety of the tank.

Drain it or run 50/50 ice melter washer fluid / distilled water.

Really only have to worry about cracking it if it is too full. I had mine freeze (1/4 full) and have had no problems.

I was mostly concerned with the lines, the pump, and the nozzels.

LeRoy

In your owners manual it states to leave it 1/2 full in freezing situations. Doing anything else is a waste. Do what you want though.