coolant boil over help

[willz52]

Hey have been reading heaps of forums trying to work out why my coolant is boiling over all the time but starting a new topic cos i have a few different things that might be a reason for mine doing it and need some help.

Haven't as of yet done any compression tests etc but here we go.

have a V3 STi done 124000kms. Bought it about 6k ago and everything seemed fine then got it serviced etc coolant was not boiling over.

Car was completely stock when i bought it.

Since bought it have put a boost gauge in it but did not replace the standard vacuum hoses and took it for a burn from auckland up to waipu with some friends. Noticed over heating on the way up and wasnt boosting properly. Got up there and the standard vacuum line had split on the tee causing boost leak (since been fixed) and since then my coolant and constantly been boiling over out the over flow tank.

Wondering if a long drive with alot of boosting on the way to waipu with the boost leak most of the way probably caused something to happen hence causing my constant boil out of the over flow tank?

Since then it always boils over out the over flow driving around all day (but doesnt over heat )

If i thrash it for a good 5 minutes it spills all the coolant that is in the reservoir completely spilled out (yesturday) and caused over heating for a short time then back to normal.

Another thing is that my turbo has bad bearings. Turbo has been tested and running at full capacity except would anything about the bad bearings cause it to heat up to much and then hence causing extra heat and spill out all the coolant.

Alot of info and sorry if something is not worded right i will try explain it more if anyone has any questions.

Cheers.

and radiator cap has been replaced to see if that made a difference about a month ago.

[DRFVDR]

You have the classic signs of a blown head gaskets

the coolant is being pressuirised by the extra pressure induced by the gases

[zarnah]

I would say you got a cracked head gasket mate, sounds like exactly what mine was doing (that was the end of engine number two, now on engine number four! lol, been a couple of big end bearing failures since then) I could drive mine sweet as as long as I didnt let any boost build up, as soon as I boosted it would just start pushing all its water out the overflow and start to overheat. turn it off, top up the water and it would be right as rain again untill I boosted it again. take it to a mechanic and get them to do a compression test.

[willz52]

yea basically what i thought just checking up.

oil is good tho no milky colour.

how much is a head gasket usually cost to replace on this car

[zarnah]

yea i never got the classic oil in water/water in oil symptoms usually associated with a blown head gasket, dont know how that works but my mechanic showed me the head gasket and it was definately munted. Where are you based? might be able to recomend someone to do it for a good price. I didnt bother doing mine, my mechanic was after a closed deck block for a rebuild he was doing so he took my old engine (for the block) and did me a good deal on a replacement (wasnt that great a deal in the end as it had a blown big end bearing 3 months later.....)

[willz52]

west auckland (huapai)

my mechanic down the road is usually pretty good he knows his subarus. will take it into him monday morning to talk with him.

just looking for a round about price though im guessing nothing over a grand?

[Guest]

workshop prices will vary, but between $1400 and $2500

Depends on what else it needs, and why it blew the gaskets (if that what the fault is) in the first place

[zarnah]

for a cheap job you could just get the mechanic to do the one side that blew, although any good mechanic will strongly advise you to do both sides or you could end up doing the other side anyway 6 mnths down the track, costing you more time and money. Unfortunately subarus are not the the cheapest to do head gaskets on, and my engine was also due for cambelt etc which is why i just went with the new engine, I think i was quoted 1300-1400 for head gaskets, but got a replacement engine that had the cambelt etc done 6000kms before i bought it and only cost me 2k all up in the car drive away. You gotta weigh up your options........

[willz52]

yeea prob best to get it all done but ill see what the mechanic says. cambelt and water pump were done bout 40 k ago so not to bad on that side.

Cheers guys.

[G-unit]

my rs was pushing water out the overflow but that was after i filled it right up, has now stoped tho, u never filled overflow up did u?

[willz52]

after i went up to waipu and the vacuum hose had split i opened the reservoir and it was empty so i filled it up, ever since then its seemed to spill it out, i did think maybe it was all just sitting in the radiator and wasn't sure whether the reservoir needed to be full all the time (was new to the sti cooling set up used to my legacy which was just filling up the radiator.) since then its spilled it out and i top it up whenever it does. so maybe i am over filling it? but at the same time it over heated yesturday breifly after alot of boosting which is why i think it might be head gasket.

havent filled it up since yesturday when the reservoir was drained so will see what happens.

and over heating is only brief so it might not be a major concern just yet but will still talk to mechanic tomorrow.

[Guest boostcut]

try a new radiator cap, it might not be holding pressure.... i had that problem... also strongly advise you ask your mechanic to perform a"TK HEAD CHECK" as this will tell you if exhaust gasses are in the cooling system.. if its not toooo bad try one if the stop leak products at repco the copper/bronze type is well worth the 8 bux....

[willz52]

yea have tried a new cap still boiling over. Will get mechanic to do a check this week.

[Guest boostcut]

sweet. post up how ou get on.... this sometimes helps nooobs...

[willz52]

my main mechanic wasnt there this morning but got the guy that works for him to do the TK Head Check and yea came back pretty certain that my head gasket is stuffed.

Waiting for my mechanic to call me now to discuss pricing etc will let you know how it goes as a reference for other people.

[willz52]

said they would pull engine out for a grand and then send it away and it gets all tested etc and find out whats wrong. showed me a cost for another impreza they did it was 2500.

anybody know anywhere could do it cheaper out west auckland? need it done by next thursday preferably...

[willz52]

F*** it im getting it done, need it for next week to drive to beach hop haha.

so they gonna pull it out tomorrow and send the heads away to get done then should have it back tuesday hopefully.

Prob gona cost 2-2500 but o well then itll be done for sure.

[Guest]

wow, didnt think you needed to pull the engine out to change the head gasgets?

-smurff

[nzkaosnz]

subaru, yea, pretty much need to lift motor.

$2.5k is expensive...

theres $3-500 in parts depending on whats done....

[pl0x]

 willz52 said:

F*** it im getting it done, need it for next week to drive to beach hop haha.

so they gonna pull it out tomorrow and send the heads away to get done then should have it back tuesday hopefully.

Prob gona cost 2-2500 but o well then itll be done for sure.

lol ill c u at beach hop then

yea id say max of 1k for parts thats with cambelt & water pump etc

[Guest]

 nzkaosnz said:

subaru, yea, pretty much need to lift motor.

$2.5k is expensive...

theres $3-500 in parts depending on whats done....

i was being sarcastic, seen it done with out lifting the motor in a bh legacy, looks reasonably easy.

whould think its would be similer with all of them

i wud say tht is a crazy price hahaha

-smurff

[willz52]

mint what do you drive ill look out for you at beach hop? was gona post a pic of my car in the Impreza pictures section once i get it back. and done a few things to it before i go to beach hop.

Dont really mind about the price to be quite honest i just want it done for next week and when the take the engine out im getting rocker covers resealed and cam belt checked and going to get the head repainted while im at it so its good to get it all done at once.

[Guest]

yea, may aswell change the belt, got to take it off anyway, and same with the seals on the rockers, dont think there expencive

-smurff

[willz52]

yea it was pull out engine check everything replace gaskets and do seals was all up 2-2.5 k . then paint the head will be extra.

[pl0x]

 willz52 said:

mint what do you drive ill look out for you at beach hop? was gona post a pic of my car in the Impreza pictures section once i get it back. and done a few things to it before i go to beach hop.

Dont really mind about the price to be quite honest i just want it done for next week and when the take the engine out im getting rocker covers resealed and cam belt checked and going to get the head repainted while im at it so its good to get it all done at once.

lol i wont drive it much!! attracts to much attention and on beach hop thats not a good thing with all the v8 dudes round! lol ive seen jap cars getting bottled more than once

But its a bucktoothed black legacy lol if u see it u will know what i mean