Hey guys looking for your suggestions, inputs, opinions, advices, ect. And here's my story: A few weeks ago, my 05 sti started to overheat. I kept on driving and the temp gauge shot up to the red zone and steam and smoke was shooting out from the hoodscoop and through any cracks from the hood! I panic and I only have 2 more minutes drive until I reach my apartment so I kept on driving at high speed to get there as soon as possible. I know, I wasn't thinking about stopping and my common sense didn't kick in at the moment. Made it home and it was obvious that there was cracks in the radiator and I'm losing coolant fast. The Subaru dealership warned me that I will be needing a new radiator soon so I knew it was the radiator is at faulty. So I went ahead and ordered an aftermarket radiator plus 2 hoses from Mishimoto. Me and a buddy of mine installed the new radiator and the hose and added coolants left over that we had on us. Enough to fill the radiator to the top. Started up the car and it was still overheating... mind you we are not mechanics fyi. Just a few searches on the internet and a lot of things were suggested. That's when we tried adding a new thermostat and the car was sitting cool! Yes! A six miles drive to bring my friend back home and I noticed the temp gauge was rising within that 4 miles. I turn the heat up and it help alittle but the gauge was still fluctuating pointing between the middle and the next line up. For the next few days I had to drive to work and back with the heater on just so I can get by. Did another internet search and read about there could be air in the system. Ok cool. Burping the cooling system will be my next step looking into. I went to Auto Zone and bought 2 Prestone Dex-Cool 50/50 coolant and a regular funnel. Right in the parking lot, I took the cap off the radiator, placed the funnel there and poured the coolant in it until it reached just pass were the funnel shape forms on the funnel and I added some more in the reservoir tank. I turn the heat on to full blast and started the car up. When the temp gauge the point 1/4 up (first line), I step on the gas slowly to 2,000 rpms and held it there and watch the coolant from the funnel rises to halfway and then let go of the gas. Air are coming out! I squeezed the upper radiator hose to speed up the air bubbling. I repeat the these steps within the 1 hour and a half that I spent there until I see no more noticeable air bubbles. I think I fan turned on twice during the process. Cool! I think it s done! I turned off the engine and top off the radiator. Drove home with no more overheating! The temp gauge even looks like it's sitting cooler than before! A week went by and it's overheating again... it's showing the same symptoms, gauge fluctuation pointing between normal and 3/4 up(the second line up). I drove it that way with the heat blasting again for a couple of days. Could there be more air in the system? So one day on my hour lunch break from work ,I try burping the system again. Same process like how I did it before. But I added alittle more coolant through the radiator and res tank after I was done. nomore overheating. I did noticed there was a pool of coolant on the ground after the car sitting there for 8 hours at work the next day...But I thought it was nothing to be worrying about and hoping it was just because I added too much coolant this time . And then 2 days later, and it starting to overheat again =( I'm determined to get all of the air out now since I have all day to do so. So I repeated the process and air was bubbling out and I think after 2 hours, the needle rises to the last line just before the red zone and still rising slowly! during my experience with this burping process, this never happened before. the bubbles from the funnel are popping fiercely and erupting like mad! As if it was boiling.... it probably were! At the time I thought it was air still so I let it keep on happening but then my check engine light came on and also my cruise control is blinking. That's when I know I had to cut the engine off. I can't even drive it without overheating after 2 minutes now. The heat trick doesn't work this time. What could this all mean? Things to know about the car: Car is completely stock except for Turbo XS bov and Mishimoto radiator. Car have about 92,XXX miles. Had Subaru did my 60,000 miles( was it 60,000 miles?) service check up when my car was at 68,000 miles. Timing belt replace last year around this time @75,000 miles. New steering pump replace 2 months ago. I do not race nor go to the tracks with it. It's my DD and I pretty much babied it... well now I do because I have become an adult (lol) I am the second owner of the car and I bought it with only 9,000 miles. I don't know if any of these info is useful. Sorry for writing a book but I wanted to be as detail as I can be. Please help!
Over heating problem over and over again =(
- Thread starter ChhewBAKA
- Start date
Alter3go
New member
Few questions/requests:
What color is the smoke (if any) coming out of your exhaust?
When's the last time you did an oil change? If there is antifreeze in your oil?
Does your radiator pressurised even when cool? Like when u take the cap off does it explode with liquid?
How's it looking in the intercooler and overflow tank?
Pics would be sweet!!
What color is the smoke (if any) coming out of your exhaust?
When's the last time you did an oil change? If there is antifreeze in your oil?
Does your radiator pressurised even when cool? Like when u take the cap off does it explode with liquid?
How's it looking in the intercooler and overflow tank?
Pics would be sweet!!
Alin
Diehard Car Enthusiast!
Ok, lets start with the basic factor of them all... You're COMPLETELY stock in exception to the TurboXS BOV and the Mishimoto radiator?! If so, did you ever get a tune for the BOV?
Second, I just did my timing belt 2 weekends ago, we drained the entire coolant out, then took out the radiator. When we put the radiator back in, we topped off the coolant in the radiator and in the overflow tank. We burped the radiator and the overflow tank and then topped both off. I haven't had any issues.
You said you changed the thermostat as well. You definitely burped the hell out of that radiator! :lol: I don't know what else to say as I'm not too technically inclined, so I know for sure someone else will chime in and give you the solution you are looking for. I'm definitely interested to learn as well! :tup:
Is your coolant level where it needs to be?
Second, I just did my timing belt 2 weekends ago, we drained the entire coolant out, then took out the radiator. When we put the radiator back in, we topped off the coolant in the radiator and in the overflow tank. We burped the radiator and the overflow tank and then topped both off. I haven't had any issues.
You said you changed the thermostat as well. You definitely burped the hell out of that radiator! :lol: I don't know what else to say as I'm not too technically inclined, so I know for sure someone else will chime in and give you the solution you are looking for. I'm definitely interested to learn as well! :tup:
Is your coolant level where it needs to be?
Alin
Diehard Car Enthusiast!
Hood and hood scoop!! Not exhaust!
Spamby
Meat Product Toy
Your filling at the highest point and thus evacuating air from there as well? The little coolant reservoir on top of engine by intercooler?
Radiator cap replaced?
Thermostat installed the right direction?
Coolant hoses on tight? No leaks?
Water pump is good? Coolant coming from the weep hole?
Water in oil? This would be a frothy milky look.
What does the cel say? Can you pull the code(s)?
Radiator cap replaced?
Thermostat installed the right direction?
Coolant hoses on tight? No leaks?
Water pump is good? Coolant coming from the weep hole?
Water in oil? This would be a frothy milky look.
What does the cel say? Can you pull the code(s)?
Alter3go
New member
Pics of the liquid and smoke would be a good start of possible you'll know when u see it. Also antifreeze weighs more than oil and can sink to the bottom of your oil pan so check the oil to see what lies at the bottom and again you'll notice immediately the color depending on the oil u use. Also the smell is very harsh and not the same oil smell to me it almost smelled like burnt maple syrup.
Alter3go
New member
Not sure on a subaru I'm still learning 
on a FL4T!! In my experience it's been gaskets being installed or done improperly shoot I've even seen coolant when I've pulled spark plugs :-/ I am pretty certain @Holy can school some of us.
Check the places man. And let us know also upon initial look at overflow of you don't see nothing. You may have to force it out and may be stuck where the overflow and radiator meet so u may have to pump a bit of air through to force out any gunk that's built up since u can't even drive 2 miles.
on a FL4T!! In my experience it's been gaskets being installed or done improperly shoot I've even seen coolant when I've pulled spark plugs :-/ I am pretty certain @Holy can school some of us. Check the places man. And let us know also upon initial look at overflow of you don't see nothing. You may have to force it out and may be stuck where the overflow and radiator meet so u may have to pump a bit of air through to force out any gunk that's built up since u can't even drive 2 miles.
The oil looks fine to me and there are no smoke coming from the exhaust.
What is the weep hole and where can I locate it?
I have nothing that I can use to read the CEL.
I will try to upload pics or make a video and post a link to it later in the week when I can. Thanks for the responds so far guys!
What is the weep hole and where can I locate it?
I have nothing that I can use to read the CEL.
I will try to upload pics or make a video and post a link to it later in the week when I can. Thanks for the responds so far guys!
HolyCrapItsFast
Drinks beer!
I believe you may have some serious problems developing and I think it is time to take it to a mechanic. They can do some simple tests to determine what the issue is. One, they can test the coolant for hydrocarbons which would indicate a bad head gasket and two, they can pressurize the system to find leaks or add a phosphorescent die.
You can also buy these same tools from a good auto store or sears and do these tests yourself.
You can also buy these same tools from a good auto store or sears and do these tests yourself.
