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Old 06-03-2001, 05:14 PM   #1
Piusma
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Member#: 6644
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Vehicle:
2000 2.5 RS
Blue Ridge Pearl

Unhappy Engine Overheat, CE light problem

Hi there, first post so far, never needed to post anything coz the search function worked pretty well. I'm posting because I'm having a little trouble with my car this morning. MY00 RS went overheated yesterday, coolant tank was a little higher than full and my gauge told me the engine went overheated. I proceeded to check the fluids that's in the diffuser/radiator. May be I was stupid, opened the cap before the engine cooled down and the coolant shot up like 3 feet high (luckily I didn't get burnt!) The coolant was everywhere in my engine compartment and I wiped whatever I could but left some that was around the radiator. Filled the thing back with water and everything went fine, no more overheating. The excess coolant that was in the compartment evaporated eventually and when I was driving my car today, my CE light went off. I can hear some leaking sound from my radiator cap, so I tightened it again and also checked my engine oil. It was far lower than the "Low" line and I filled it up. Still got the CE light going. My question here is. What would be the cause of the CE light?
1. Engine overheated and needed service?
2. Coolant evaporated and damaged my intake?
3. Recall for 00 RS for O2 sensor?
4. New exhaust with an ECU reset?
5. My car had an accident and valves was totally replaced and had my engine repair, could that be the repairing guys' problem?

I'm still covered by the repair shop for another 6 months or so, should I send my car to the repair guys or go to the dealer first?

Please help me out, Thanks.
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Old 06-03-2001, 05:20 PM   #2
kevinsUBARU
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Member#: 2263
Join Date: Sep 2000
Chapter/Region: Tri-State
Location: Hudson Valley
Vehicle:
2014 Sportwagen TDI

Cool

Truck it (or drive it) off to the Dealer, leave it on the lot, and politely ask what they can do for you transportation wise untill it is fixed. It is definately under warranty, and you should contact Subaru of Canada ASAP to explain your problem/plan of action. Good luck,
Kevin

If it was infact the other service guys who fixed the engine, you should ask them. If you had a warranty on the work, and they deny to fix it, go to small claims court. If they used genuine Subaru parts, I would go to the dealer if the shop stiffs you and you dont have time to screw around in court. The only hitch you might run into is if when the dealership runs your VIN, they might see that it was in a accident and work was done. Any way, contact SOC ASAP.


BTW, welcome to the club!

[This message has been edited by kevinsUBARU (edited June 03, 2001).]
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Old 06-03-2001, 05:34 PM   #3
P.K. Motorsports
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Vehicle:
1999 RS
Silver

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I have never heard of overheating throwing a CE light. However, being low on oil definitely will.

I have a feeling you will end up with a blown headgasket, but that's just a hunch. The work on the car likely is related to the problem. I gather you had to have valves replaced because some object impacted the timing belt and this resulted in the pistons hitting the valves. When an engine has been through that kind of trauma there is no gaurantee that it will run right ever again. It probably will, if fixed competently, but it is not gauranteed.

Your warranty is void unless the repair shop was an authorized Subaru repair facility. The shop will say it's Subaru's problem, Subaru will say its the shop's fault. You can go to arbitration but you will lose. Trust me on this one, I had two friends in college who worked at the call center for a major Detroit automaker and this very situation (independent shop does work, then a problem happens) came up again and again.

When this happens again (it will), DO NOT remove the radiator cap when the engine is hot. A radiator cap can explode off with enough force to kill you if it hits your nose. Then DO NOT pour cold water in! That is a really good way to get warped heads.

I would get yourself ready emotionally to total your RS with your insurer. Sorry this had to be your first post, this is a pretty bad situation!
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Old 06-03-2001, 06:06 PM   #4
Piusma
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Blue Ridge Pearl

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Now that you've got me worried, my car was repaired under the local insurance company authorized shop, how do I know my car is readily to be claimed "total lost"? They've paid over 16000 CAD (~10000US) repairing that thing and I doubt if they would let me total it. How do I know if my engined is not repairable? BTW, how big is a job to fix a blown headgasket? I'm still covered by the shop until problems are all fixed so I am not really worried, I though sigh for my car coz I had the car accident when it was only 2 months old, now that I cannot tell the difference if the car is running as good as before or just simply a car that is running.
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Old 06-03-2001, 06:14 PM   #5
SubaTubaru
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to replace 2 headgaskets, its $1,200 in the US. as for the overheating problem and oil low thing, i have the EXACT PROBLEM! over heats randomly and the coolant bucket overflows with cool fluid. i brought it to a delaer and they replaced thermostat and it did not get better everyone telling me head gaskets. anyways, i am going to a dealer, and telling them the story and having them fix whats wrong. i think its the headgaskets. it is a big deal to replace them. takes a long time ans a lot of effort. anyways, let me knwo what happens...
Mike
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Old 06-03-2001, 06:16 PM   #6
Piusma
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2000 2.5 RS
Blue Ridge Pearl

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BTW, if it helps you guys to come up with some thing, I filled my engine with 2Litres of engine oil for about 3000KM milage. Unless the guys at the repair shop forgot to fill it up at the very first place.
Thank you.
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Old 06-03-2001, 11:21 PM   #7
P.K. Motorsports
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1999 RS
Silver

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<i>my car was repaired under the local insurance company authorized shop</i>

But not a Subaru Authorized facility (i.e. a dealer), so thus an independent shop, thus voiding the warranty.

<i>how do I know my car is readily to be claimed "total lost"</i>

It may need a new engine, or enough rebuilding that it would be better to install a new engine. Once you pull the engine, you are better off dropping the new one into a straight chassis, not one which has been in a bad wreck. Leave that kind of stuff to pros like Dale Teague who know what the hell they are doing, or you will have a gauranteed future of problems towards which to look forwards. In my mind the car is toast.

<i>How do I know if my engined is not repairable? BTW, how big is a job to fix a blown headgasket?</i>

Anything is repairable if you have the $$$$. A blown headgasket is a pretty big deal, to really do it right you should probably pull the engine and true the block to you don't end up with another warped head or blown gasket soon thereafter. Your engine was the subject of an impact in a wreck, I would not trust it unless I had it out of the car and blueprinted it, but maybe that's just me being paranoid. But let me ask you this, how do you know the wreck didn't crack the block?

<i>I am still covered by the shop until problems are all fixed so I am not really worried</i>

Do you really want guys who (1) are paid by the hour, (2) are not getting paid for this job because they screwed it up the first time, and (3) screwed it up the first time doing the work?!? Do you think they will fix it up right this time somehow? Will this car ever really run right again? It needs TLC from a specialist.

If it was $10000 to fix it your insurance company should have totaled it.

<i>BTW, if it helps you guys to come up with some thing, I filled my engine with 2Litres of engine oil for about 3000KM milage.</i>

2 LITERS? Your engine only holds 4 liters! More evidence that your engine is probably not going to have a long life ahead of it, in fact is it probably on its last legs. Sorry this had to happen to you.
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Old 06-04-2001, 02:30 AM   #8
Wheels
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Talking

Ok first off sorry about the accident. Glad you never got hurt. Second I had this problem on a diesil I had The engine block was cracked and was drawing air into the system. You haven`t said you have hard starting so its possible a guess right now. But what would happen is back pressure in the engine would block the flow of coolant throught the system. resulting in high temp. It would only occur after stop starts.

But here is another solution you can try. take the top off the rad and the expansion bottle (do only when cold) Undo the bottom hose on the radiator and then once completly drained fill the radiator with coolant rather than water. fill then close the radiatior and then fill the expansion tank to the full mark. Leave running 10 mins and then fill again if needed. You may have an airlock. This should cure it. If your temp rises still check the thermostate in a pan of boiling water and watch to see if it opens. If not then get a new one.
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Old 06-04-2001, 02:37 AM   #9
SubaTubaru
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hmm engine block crack? I was in an accident involving a massive pothole and about 3,000 worth front end damage: controll arm, strut, rim cracked bad,wheel bearing. think my block could be cracked? my overheating only happens after a really hard run. bout 5 min after the pushing the engine, it overheats and pours coolant into the opverflow bottle. the coolant is cool. think that could be my problem?
Mike
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Old 06-04-2001, 04:18 AM   #10
AlexM_UK
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Hi,

Two things - a cylinder leakdown test will show up cracked blocks, leaking head gaskets, or a bad valve job.

Similarly, you should also pressure test the cooling circuit to test for leaks.

Get the car back to the dealer so they can use the select monitor to read the error codes causing your CEL.

Rgds,

Alex


[This message has been edited by AlexM_UK (edited June 04, 2001).]
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Old 06-04-2001, 04:39 AM   #11
SteveS
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Piusma ~~ Definitely contact your insurance company and tell them what's going on. Since you had the car repaired at a place they recommended, they probably give you a "lifetime" warranty for the work that was done. They guarantee the work, that's why you took it to the shop they recommended, right? Second of all, tell them you REFUSE to have the car repaired anywhere but a certified Subaru dealer. Fight with them if you have to, but that's what I would do.

SubaTubaru ~~ Your problem sounds like a failed head gasket. Classic symptoms. Doubt you have a cracked block.

Steve http://www.forcefed4.com
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Old 06-04-2001, 05:35 PM   #12
Piusma
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Join Date: May 2001
Location: Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Vehicle:
2000 2.5 RS
Blue Ridge Pearl

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Follow up on the incident, my car is currently at the dealer and they've checked the CE code, ended up they didn't understand what the code stands for but they realized that the engine is running a little rough. At last the called Suburu Canada and they figured something is wrong with the engine. Right now they're taking the engine apart to see what's the problem. Since they recommended me to the repair shop, they're going to settle it between themselves, if that is an accident related problem, they're sending the car back to the repair shop and let insurance pay for it. If it's something with the warranty, they'll fix it themselves. I also called the insurance company but I havn't got much help yet, got a phone number that I could call tomorrow to find out more about everything. Thanks for your advices guys, it really helped. I won't have my subie for a while but at least it's being taken care of.
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