Welcome to the North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club Friday March 29, 2024
Home Forums Images WikiNASIOC Products Store Modifications Upgrade Garage
NASIOC
Go Back   NASIOC > NASIOC Technical > Service & Maintenance

Welcome to NASIOC - The world's largest online community for Subaru enthusiasts!
Welcome to the NASIOC.com Subaru forum.

You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our community, free of charge, you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is free, fast and simple, so please join our community today!

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.







* As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads. 
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-05-2012, 03:35 PM   #1
cwb124
*** Banned ***
 
Member#: 15571
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Not where you think
Vehicle:
2006 06 Forester XT
Silver

Default Blown gasket or thermostat or something else?

The last few days I have noticed that my cabin heat is inconsistent. Sometimes it blows warm air and sometimes it blows cold air, even when its on the highest heat setting. Even when I set it that high, the air that comes out is only mildly warm and it seems to go back to blowing cold air within a couple minutes.

Just yesterday I noticed my eng temp gauge being very active. After it warms up, the gauge can bounce between halfway and all the way up to almost overheating. It jumped all the way up while I was going down a slight hill with the clutch engaged, just coasting. It moves quickly up and down, unlike I've ever seen.

Bad thermostat? Head gasket? I haven't checked under the hood yet for gasket issues, but I will when I go to leave soon.
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.
cwb124 is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.
Old 01-05-2012, 03:43 PM   #2
JohnM10
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 244231
Join Date: Apr 2010
Chapter/Region: NESIC
Location: Providence, RI, USA
Vehicle:
2018 Crosstrek CVT
DGM

Default

Check the coolant level and see if it is full.
JohnM10 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2012, 06:02 PM   #3
FCP Import
Former Vendor
 
Member#: 305489
Join Date: Dec 2011
Chapter/Region: Tri-State
Location: CT
Vehicle:
91 skyline GTR
champ white

Default

Sounds like the thermostat has gone on you.
FCP Import is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-06-2012, 10:21 AM   #4
cwb124
*** Banned ***
 
Member#: 15571
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Not where you think
Vehicle:
2006 06 Forester XT
Silver

Default

I checked the coolant level and it was down. I topped it off near work and drove home. While driving home, I saw some unusual activity on the eng temp gauge. Usually once the car warms up that gauge doesn't move, but it was pushing higher and higher as I coasted down a couple hills.

This morning I checked and the coolant level was down again. I topped it off again and drove to work (8 miles). I'll check at lunch. Oil isn't milky and looks fine so I don't think the coolant is leaking there. There wasn't any puddle under my car either.
cwb124 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-06-2012, 08:13 PM   #5
takin_turns
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 303613
Join Date: Dec 2011
Chapter/Region: Tri-State
Vehicle:
02 WRX
AW

Default

Having the exact same issue in my Wrx! I changed my thermostat and it didn't fix it. Very curious to see what your outcome is
takin_turns is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-07-2012, 09:07 PM   #6
cwb124
*** Banned ***
 
Member#: 15571
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Not where you think
Vehicle:
2006 06 Forester XT
Silver

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by takin_turns View Post
Having the exact same issue in my Wrx! I changed my thermostat and it didn't fix it. Very curious to see what your outcome is
How long have you had it? Have you kept topping off your coolant?
cwb124 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-07-2012, 10:54 PM   #7
takin_turns
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 303613
Join Date: Dec 2011
Chapter/Region: Tri-State
Vehicle:
02 WRX
AW

Default

I've had it for the last 5 days. I've been topping off almost everyday. It would take all the coolant from the expansion tank. No smoke, no misfire, just intermittent heat loss and sucking coolant
takin_turns is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-07-2012, 11:18 PM   #8
cwb124
*** Banned ***
 
Member#: 15571
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Not where you think
Vehicle:
2006 06 Forester XT
Silver

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by takin_turns View Post
I've had it for the last 5 days. I've been topping off almost everyday. It would take all the coolant from the expansion tank. No smoke, no misfire, just intermittent heat loss and sucking coolant
Same damn thing hear, although oddly enough my heat has been stable the last day or two, although it was near 60 today so no need for heat.

I'd really like to know what the heck is going on. 06 Forester 2.5xt with 62k miles on it. I wouldn't think I'd blow a head gasket, although if that was where our coolant was going, we'd see it in the oil I would presume. My oil is fine.
cwb124 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-08-2012, 08:15 AM   #9
takin_turns
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 303613
Join Date: Dec 2011
Chapter/Region: Tri-State
Vehicle:
02 WRX
AW

Default

Same here. I'd hate to jinx myself but mine seems to have
stabalized too and yes it was around 65 degrees here too so no need
for heat. I sat in my driveway with a scan tool hooked up
and watched the coolant temp after a 30 minute trip and it maxed
out at 208 degrees with the heat on. The needle was around halfway
takin_turns is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-13-2012, 01:55 PM   #10
sababa1
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 301296
Join Date: Nov 2011
Chapter/Region: SCIC
Location: los angeles
Vehicle:
2008 wrx
SS

Default

do either of you smell coolant? in the car while driving, or outside after a long drive?
sababa1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-13-2012, 02:09 PM   #11
cwb124
*** Banned ***
 
Member#: 15571
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Not where you think
Vehicle:
2006 06 Forester XT
Silver

Default

No coolant smell ever that I am aware of. Although I've been stuffed up for a little while.
cwb124 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-24-2012, 05:07 PM   #12
afdk
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 289327
Join Date: Jul 2011
Chapter/Region: SCIC
Location: Newbury Park
Vehicle:
2016 Subaru WRX
Ice Silver

Default

My 2008 WRX was having the same issue, it was finally determined to have a head gasket problem. The engine heads were removed and found to be alright. One head gasket had a leak. The engine did not pass the head pressure test, that's why it was taken apart.
afdk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-24-2012, 05:18 PM   #13
cwb124
*** Banned ***
 
Member#: 15571
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Not where you think
Vehicle:
2006 06 Forester XT
Silver

Default

Oddly enough, it appears that my problem just went away. I did a 2 hour drive to AC and back this weekend and my temps were steady, heat worked. I have no idea what the heck was going on but I haven't had the problem since a week or so after I started this thread.
cwb124 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-24-2012, 05:54 PM   #14
JamesWilson2
ForumWars Winner!
 
Member#: 196948
Join Date: Dec 2008
Chapter/Region: TXIC
Location: Kyle, TX
Vehicle:
2003 Forester
Silver

Default

Air in the cooling system.
JamesWilson2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
280zx? or spend on something else Ruben_guy07 Off-Topic 18 03-25-2010 04:01 AM
Is my power steering pump bad? or is it something else? psychoskip Brakes, Steering & Suspension 11 01-25-2010 02:46 AM
Overheating at track. Head Gasket? New Radiator? Leak? Something else? mav1c Factory 2.5L Turbo Powertrain (EJ Series Factory 2.5L Turbo) 24 06-22-2009 03:41 PM
Is my alternator dead or is it something else? Jus Blaze Electrical & Lighting 4 09-22-2008 10:09 AM
Time for a VF39, or VF34 0r something else? I need opinions NRTmotorsports Factory 2.0L Turbo Powertrain (EJ Series Factory 2.0L Turbo) 13 02-22-2007 10:08 PM

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 10:53 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.0
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2024 Axivo Inc.
Copyright ©1999 - 2019, North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club, Inc.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission
Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.