The AUSubaru.com.au Forums

Gday.

I have an MY Subaru Wagon with a stock standard EA81. I knew for a fact when I bought it that it had a bit of ring wear, but nothing too serious. After it warms up, it now sits just below half, all the time, in town driving, with the thermo fan on constantly. Come to think of it, its constantly on half basically all the time with the fan on. With the exception of 4wding. It seems air flow is a bit of a bastard when you're travelling at 10 km/h. I forgot to turn on my fan for about 3 minutes or so, getting from highway to another spot, and the temperature gauge showed the needle reaching the 'red zone', or the white outline of it anyway. I'm paranoid about my car when it comes to these things, do I have an airflow problem? Or would you write it down to the worn rings? It doesn't blow smoke or anything, but it did when I bought it.

Also, I remember a while back someone getting stuck in 4wd High. It happened to me tonight. Must have taken a corner too quickly (on gravel obviously) and I couldn't get it back out. I remember you told him to cane it on gravel going straight. It worked! I thank you for that.

If there isn't a big piece of cardboard stuck in front of the radiator, and your thermo fan is working then I'd say your airflow is fine.
Look at the basics...
Is the radiator full of coolant? (not just the overflow bottle)
Is the radiator core in good condition?
Is the radiator clogged? (may need to get the tanks taken off and have the channels rodded)
Is your water pump working?

If all that is okay then its most likely a blown head gasket or two.

btw considering a secondhand good EA81 will cost you about the same as a brand new water pump its probably worth picking one up from somebody and spending an hour changing it out just as a troubleshooting excercise.

Ahh I see, just take out any possibility of engine trouble. That could work actually. I might look around, thanks

Oh, and I'll do all the other stuff when I grab some energy.

Usual trick to getting out of 4WD in any part time system vehicle, is as you drive off, just as you release the clutch not accelerating hard, is to then at that moment push the lever back to 2WD. Clutch in out again if no go the first time. Reverse works as well.
Hope this helps.

pfff, too complicated. just give it a swift kick up the ass in 4WLow in first and it's all good.

Yes, being rough with your gearbox and running the risk of damaging it is always easier

You might think my attitude is a bit off after I say this andrew, but I don't really mind. If I break it, I break it. It's on it's way out anyway.

heh, nah I thought your attitude was off before you said that.

k.



cheers.