Got Genuine Subaru Cooling System Conditioner?

[nunyo]

Doesn't really have the same ring to it as the Got Milk? ad campaign, does it?

So I got a recall notice in the mail that in order to prevent coolants leaks at the cylinder head gaskets I need some conditioner for my coolant. Wonder if I can use White Rain, lol.

So uh SnowMan, you think you could install some conditioner for me? I'm sposed to have it added by a dealer. Maybe I'll get some horsepower out of it.

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[Sports Wagon]

Crack kills!

[steve_d]

pert plus has the conditioner built in!!!

sjd

[Monas]

ys i just got that same recall, i dont like crack

[Warp3]

Same recall here as well. It seems kind of an odd fix for a head gasket issue (have your dealer add this "conditioner" and from now on when you flush your cooling system make sure you use only Genuine Subaru coolant accompanied by our "conditioner" or your head gasket may leak).

I mean, yes, it's much more expensive to fix the actual problem, but what's going to happen when Subarus reliability rating goes to he** because they don't run as long as they used to unless you install 5 different "genuine Subaru bandaids"...ugh

This sounds like Ford's solution to the "brake line too close to the exhaust issue". Instead of recalling the trucks and rerouting the brake lines, they installed brake fluid with a higher boiling point.

Shane

[crazyhorse]

Until you own an XT6 with power steering... don't complain!

[Opie]

Hmmm, I wonder if this "conditioner" can be added to the Dex-Cool I'm running?

[MattWRX]

Originally posted by crazyhorse
Until you own an XT6 with power steering... don't complain!

XT6 Power steering fluid = liquid gold

[Opie]

Got my coolant conditioner added today! Took a whole 10 minutes to do!

I now went from having absolutely no warranty....to having another 17,625 miles of warranty! I think I'll reach 100,000 miles long before the car is 8 years old!

I saved the bottle, it's only 4.4 .oz of coditioner, made by some company from the U.K. that starts with an "H". I'll get a pic tonight when I get home (Bottle is down in the car!)

The recall letter includes a sticker to add to your owners manual that states you must use this conditioner each time you replace the coolant from now on...since you are required to use this exact conditioner...does that mean Subaru has to provide it for free? There is no other substitute (non-OEM) availible....

[nunyo]

Originally posted by Opie
...since you are required to use this exact conditioner...does that mean Subaru has to provide it for free?....

I think you know the answer to that question. You can get it a your friendly local Subaru parts counter at whatever price they want to charge for it.

[ForesterPerformance]

or online from a reputable dealer for what it should cost +10% instead of cost + 100% or more...

[Warp3]

Originally posted by Opie
since you are required to use this exact conditioner...does that mean Subaru has to provide it for free? There is no other substitute (non-OEM) availible....

Ummm...I think you got this confused with the law for air filters (which states that an aftermarket air filter cannot void your warranty, *unless* the manufacturer provides free air filters for their owners). (I believe this law applies to other filters (oil, fuel, etc.) as well, but I'm not positive.)

Shane

[mofugga]

SOA doesn't like me, i didn't get this recall notice. plus it never lets me join the subaru website thing cuz the place i bought the car from are morons' & entered my wrong information so they think it's stolen when i try to register. yes i've emailed 'em & no i've never heard back.

i'm off to repair ANOTHER striped wheel stud

[deadbolt]

I do not like the idea of putting "Stop-Leak" in to help mask cracked head gaskets. I am VERY disappointed in SOA for doing this.

I will not tell you what I think their reasoning is behind it.

This right after they announced that they are decreasing the powertrain warranty. Imagine that.

It really has me wondering if it is not time to look for another car company. I think SOA is getting ready to take a nosedive in customer satisfaction and product reliability.

This fringes on my rant about the way SOA has been doing things since the "change at the top" occurred some time back, and I am sure nobody wants to hear that, so I will shut up now.

[Porter]

Wow guys, calm down.


Yes, the coolant additive is kind of hokey. Yes, it seems to be a completely inane corporate knee-jerk "save our accounting department" reaction.

On the other hand, once you understand the nature of the head gasket issue, it begins to make more sense.

The Phase 2 2.5L motors begin to leak from the head gasket, but NOT due to a cracked gasket. Instead, they leak as a result of the head bolts stretching over time and allowing small gaps to form at the narrowest points along the block surface. There are two points on each head where the coolant passage along the bottom of the block comes VERY close to the surface, and the gasket seals an area about half as wide as around the rest of the head. This point is only about a centimeter across, but 90+ percent of the gaskets we've done here at SoG were leaking in those areas and upon inspection of the gasket found no cracks or breaks in the gasket material. It's leaking *around* the gasket.


The coolant additive is designed to add some sealant to these areas and hopefully stop these leaks before they start, as continued leakage can cause the gasket to actually break down.

The additive is made by Holts, a fluid vendor from the UK, and they have several different kinds of coolant additives. The only one that I could see sold in the same kind of 125mL bulk packaging as the Subaru conditioner is the Holts Radweld. It's a radiator stop-leak and system conditioner that logically would seal up the same kinds of leaks in other areas of the cooling system, i.e. the block.



http://www.holtsauto.com/products/index.html


Anyway, the gasket issues on the Phase 2 motor are NOTHING like the ones experienced with Phase 1 motors. This is not a compression or engine running issue other than the coolant drip itself.

Hope this helps...

-Porter

[Prestige Motorsports]

And remember, the price is a whoping $1.39 per bottle.

I am not a big fan of this either to be honest, and all the techs here just laugh at it as a band aid.

Many of you may not realize but the Phase I 2.5 head gaskets had a leak problem, but there was never a recall notice on it, Subaru just redesigned the head gasket. Well, the Phase II head gasket was designed just like the original phase I, not the better quality redesign. So this development comes as no surprise to many folks inside. I think Subaru is hoping that the conditioner will prevent the need for a redesign.

All this being said, I know lots of mechanics who swear by Barleak and other higher end leak stops. I personally had an 86 Corolla GTS that had coolant leak issues that were fixed with a leak stopper. The car ran for another 40k before I got rid of it and to the best of my knowledge, it is still on the road.

[sti300hp]

And for whatever it's worth...this talk about going to another car manufacturer...Having been a service manager for Volkswagen over the last 5 years, I can personally attest to the fact that those cars have SERIOUS QUALITY ISSUES!! As well as a manufacturer that really has lost touch with reality when it comes to it's customer base.

As many of you know, on 98-2002 Beetles, Golfs, Jettas, & GTI's there was window regulator problem. VW's fix for this during the summer of 2002 was to have the dealers go to Home Depot each day and buy 1X1X8 strips of wood and cut them to 27" for Beetles & GTI's, and 26" for Jetta's and Golfs. The purpose?? To prop the window up for 6-8 weeks while we waiting for "backordered" parts. Can you imagine owning a $26,000 Black GTI in Florida in August and not be able to put your window down? Then to be told that the solution to your problem is a stick of wood??

Sorry, I know it's not a VW site, but there are no other cars on the road in the price range of Subaru that offers such high mechanical reliability. Yes, it's a bandaid, but bandaids do stop infections and help cuts heal faster, so maybe all this needs is a bandaid.

Just my 2 cents...

[Opie]

Templar is right, it's made by Holts:


It's a red, thick fluid that looks strikingly familiar to Bars Leak in consistency. According to S.O.A. it is compatible with all types of coolant including Dex-Cool (What I’m currently running). I think it’s a preventative measure, and I don’t have a problem with it. I’m glad that Subaru has come up with something, and are offering rebates to those that had to pay for any of these cooling system repairs with these vehicles in the past. I have yet to be disappointed in the quality or build of any Subaru I have owned, can’t wait to get another one sometime in the future.

[Porter]

Yep, it's Holts Radweld.

[Matt]

Do I need to wait to get a letter from SOA? I received an email from them, however I'm not sure if either of our cars are affected. When I sold the RS, I removed it from my.subaru.com and added the TS. The OBS is on there as well, though I don't see any notes from Subaru regarding the service campaign.

I'll be at Mastro next Friday and could just bring Becky's wagon.

[imprezive]

Where can I buy some of this "Conditioner" ????

[Opie]

Originally posted by matt in fl
Do I need to wait to get a letter from SOA? I received an email from them, however I'm not sure if either of our cars are affected. When I sold the RS, I removed it from my.subaru.com and added the TS. The OBS is on there as well, though I don't see any notes from Subaru regarding the service campaign.

I'll be at Mastro next Friday and could just bring Becky's wagon.

The recall is only for '99 - '02 2.5L engines so it's most likely for Becky's car, your TS already came with the conditioner from the factory!

Originally posted by imprezive
Where can I buy some of this "Conditioner" ????

It's like $1.40 from the dealer...but if your car is part of the recall...it's free (if they install it).

[Matt]

Will,

I called SOA today since I figured they sent me the letter based on my ownership of the recently departed RS. After I gave them both VIN numbers, they said neither car was eligible. I guess Becky's car was just past the build date.

Seems like I'm always on the fringe for these...my RS was at the end of production for the ECU reprogram and my '95 L was at the end of the VIN range for the old towhook/airbag recall.

[Rebellion]

Originally posted by mofugga
SOA doesn't like me, i didn't get this recall notice. plus it never lets me join the subaru website thing cuz the place i bought the car from are morons' & entered my wrong information so they think it's stolen when i try to register. yes i've emailed 'em & no i've never heard back.

i'm off to repair ANOTHER striped wheel stud

hey mo... if you've got the title, call up SOA and they'll tell you to fax it in so you can get the my.subaru.com page working.

[2pt5RS]

where is my letter? I have yet to receive one...