Bleeding cooling system

davidjones · Post by **davidjones** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 10:38 pm

Got a 97 2.5L Rx liberty, great car only 120K on clock. Had radiator replaced, just seems to push coolant into overflow tank and coolant does does not return to radiator when cold.
any ideas whats going on. had all checks for blown head gasket etc and everything OK.

phillatdarwin · Post by **phillatdarwin** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 12:00 am

sounds like a blown head gasket i get it tested .
a press a test done on radiator to see if a bleed off is going on and press a test done on the engine .

davidjones · Post by **davidjones** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 5:31 am

I have all the tests, KT for blown Head head gasket, presure test every things and these do not highlight any problem.

Craigus · Post by **Craigus** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 7:52 am

Have a look here (see page 4), noting the reference to removing the air breather plug from the radiator:

http://www.endwrench.com/current/winter ... eMaint.pdf

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 8:18 am

Someone was telling me that there is a bleed hole near the firewall where the heater hoses go into the cabin. This is the highest point in the cooling system.

I havent checked myself yet to be sure though

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 12:16 pm

A mate has a 92 Lib in his shop with same symptoms. Records show it has thermostat replaced twice before, new waterpump, new radiator, new cap. Is OK at idle but take it for a drive and she pumps it out , gets hot and does not suck water back. Classic sign of head gasket gone says my machine shop guy. Dunno how it is passing the pressure test. Tried a cylinder leak down test? Has it got a miss on cold start up in the mornings that comes good? There are early signs of head gasket gone, and there is stuffed head gasket. This Lib has a bleed screw RHS of radiator at the top. Sub mechanic also says they jack LHF of car to help bleed air out of system. To me sounds like you are getting cylinder pressure under load into the cooling system and cyl pressure being greater....

One of those situations. Have you got the best diagnosis? What do you do? Keep driving until you boil engine dry and completely stuff it? Sell it ? If it was mine I'd grin and bear it, rip the motor out pull heads off and then....

Can you put the old radiator back in and see? Why did you replace the radiator, was it dong same thing or damaged ?

daza · Post by **daza** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 3:14 pm

Suby motors do have a reputation for air locks.
There was a stink some years ago, some people had cooked their motors and tried to get Subaru to pay for it.
I had a little trouble with the Lib at one stage, ended up parking slightly nose up, filling and running it for a bit, then shutting it down, letting it cool and repeating.
Came good eventually.
Daza.

davidjones · Post by **davidjones** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:21 pm

Thanks all,
It has none of the other signs of a blown head gasket, eg rough running etc, can thrash the bags out it and does not even look like overheating, When I go to top up the radiator I just put back in the radiator what is in the overflow tank. I have heard about the jacking of the car to get the air out. Misses has said she has heard the siound of water running under the dash.
I will look for a bleed near the firewall.
Thanks all, any further suggestions are appreciated.

AlpineRaven · Post by **AlpineRaven** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:53 pm

Last friday night I did the timing belt service and new water pump in my Liberty, I spent two hours trying to get the bloody airlocks out, after I took my car across the road drivers side nose up on the side of the slight hill, where the bleed valve has to be pointing right up, and I had small water container (but first I removed the bleed cup right out) to put water back in until it was enough water in the system, then put the bleed cup back in and wait for the air it come out, dont remove the bleed cup, you should see bubbles going thru the thread of the cup until the coolant comes out then thats the point there is no more air in the system, go for a drive, then go back to same point and repeat..

Be aware, Do NOT remove the bleed cup completely due hot water & steam possible will come out and burn you, and there is no need to take it out as you only want to get the air out.
Cheers
AP

djparker · Post by **djparker** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:57 pm

Hi,
this sounds a bit like a problem I had years ago with a mini. The radiator cap was stuffed and would only let coolant out when the engine was warm and not allow any back when the engine cooled. A new radiator cap was all I needed. Just an idea

Otherwise run the engine (not hot) with the radiator cap off and look for bubbles which could indicate head gasket or a cracked head

Good luck,
David

djparker · Post by **djparker** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 10:01 pm

Doh, should have read the first post again! Already done the rad cap

wrxer · Post by **wrxer** » Sun Sep 27, 2009 1:48 am

as dj says, if it only spits a bit out and you just replace it from the overflow bottle, this indicates a stuffed radiator cap that wont recover, or maybe the overflow hose is stuffed or isnt long enough to be submerged in the fluid in bottle.

davidjones · Post by **davidjones** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 10:38 pm

Problem was eventually solved. It was a minute leak / cracked head on exhaust port side of number 4 cylinder.
The so called expertrs let me down on trying to solve this problem. Dealers where not equiped to diagnose, just wanted quick solution at heaps of cost.
Had advice to replace engine to repalce radiator, replace water pump.
In future I will do the invetsigation and repairs myself.
Had both heads overhauled etc total cost $2700.00. Could have been more but the repairer did not charge me for waterpump replacement.
I now have a bloody brillant motorcar even though it is over 10 years old.
Thanks all

subie_1st_timer · Post by **subie_1st_timer** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 9:40 pm

everything mentioned here is what im going thru now with my 98 RX Lib, i must agree brilliant motorcar, its certainly growing on me..... Not to keen on having to spend $2700 on getting the heads redone tho

if my outcome the same....

dont happen to have any pics of the damage to the head/s cause im guessing mine has the same issue.... only seems to open up enuf tho on/after long drives but can thrash it around town and no issues.

atm my heater core is disconnected cause we trying to diagnose it but i still think im right in guessing mine got a cracked head too.

davidjones · Post by **davidjones** » Fri Apr 30, 2010 12:38 pm

Sorry no pics, though what you describe is exactly what I had.