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Old 08-16-2003, 10:12 PM   #1
jay2theb
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Join Date: May 2003
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2003 WRX Sedan
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Default I think I have a coolant leak :(

I checked the coolant level today and it was below "low". I've only had the car 5 months so this seems strange to me. I did put the STi radiator cap on, but that's it so far as far as mods go. Can this cause a leak that I think is happening? Another thing, I hit a deer about a month ago, and it did about 5k worth of damage, messing up the front passanger side of the car. I got it all repaired and the shop didn't see any engine damage. Is it possible the radiator itself took some damage and is leaking very slowly?

PS: not sure if the deer died as I drove back to the "scene" and the deer was gone! I hit it doing 45mph too so if it did survive it probably wasn't for long. I'm hoping it died, or a wolf or coyote got it
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Old 08-16-2003, 10:31 PM   #2
cnk
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I would take it back to the shop that did the repair work and have them look at it again. Most likely, they missed something. They should be able to fix it and send in the repair fee to your insurance company as an addendum. As for the STi cap, you don't really need it and in some cases, it can be detrimental as it can hold a lot more pressure than the stock cap. Unless you're running mods to justify using it, I would switch back to the stock cap.

Calvin
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Old 08-16-2003, 10:39 PM   #3
jay2theb
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The cap makes me wonder though because Subaru now offers it as a "performance part". They don't sell any other mods in their catalogue that says they require the cap... therefore it seems like it's perfectly safe to use.

I'd take it to the body shop but my car is under warrenty and my dealership shoudl be able to fix it. I'll let them deal with it and I'll be happy as long as I get a loaner (no rental car reimbursement through my insurance).
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Old 08-16-2003, 10:47 PM   #4
cnk
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The car was under warranty, but only for whatever is still in original condition. Depending on the dealership, if they look up the car's history and see that it was in a front end collision, they may refuse to fix it and tell you to go through your insurance company anyways.

Calvin
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Old 08-16-2003, 11:02 PM   #5
jay2theb
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Well there are no visible signs of a leak per se... no dripping on pavement or anything. Maybe it's just low for no reason? What kind of coolant should I put in it, does it matter?

thanks for your help so far
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Old 08-16-2003, 11:05 PM   #6
cnk
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If you're looking at the resevoir, it can sometimes show low after you run the car, but will fill up when the coolant drains out of the system. Just pick up a jug of coolant from the dealership and mix it with distilled water (50/50 ratio).

Calvin
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Old 08-17-2003, 09:21 AM   #7
Austin
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Quote:
Originally posted by jay2theb
The cap makes me wonder though because Subaru now offers it as a "performance part". They don't sell any other mods in their catalogue that says they require the cap... therefore it seems like it's perfectly safe to use.
You assume it's safe because of words that don't appear in their catalog?!?

Wow, I can't quite see how you've made that jump...

Doubtful you'll still be singing that song if/when one of your endtanks pops off...
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Old 08-17-2003, 12:32 PM   #8
armand1
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Come on Austin, just think of it as jay2theb having continuous "pressure testing" of his cooling system.

jay, before you take it in, try filling the overflow tank to "full" or a bit higher with 50:50 Subaru coolant:water. Check the level before you start the car at least once a day for the next week or 10 days to see if the level goes down, and whether it goes down steadily or in a big jump.
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Old 08-19-2003, 09:52 PM   #9
jay2theb
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Yeah, heh, heh... real funny, pressure testing...

Anyhow, I took the damn thing off my car and am going to sell it. Thanks for the replies and advice.
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