Oh Crap - This can't be good...!

maddog · Post by **maddog** » Thu May 08, 2008 9:16 pm

Help - my EA82 L carbie wagon has started frothing at the expansion bottle - and continues dumping coolant til it cools down. But the temp gauge never moves above its' usual 1/4 to 1/3 way up the gauge and the engine doesn't appear to be overly hot. The thermal fan is fine (checked & tested), thermoswitch is fine (checked & tested), no coolant leaks anywhere (apart from the above!).
The car starts and runs fine. (apart from the above)
I know that the catalytic converter is shot cos it used to rattle but doesn't anymore - could the exhaust be restricted and causing the above?
I am going to fit a cat/front headers at the weekend just in case...

Who reckons it's a head gasket?
Or the Catalytic Converter?
Or what else?

I have a good EA82 in the shed - is that the answer?

Thanks to all for suggestions...

D3V1L · Post by **D3V1L** » Thu May 08, 2008 9:20 pm

good ea82 in the shed sounds like agood 1 night stand

sounds like head gasket to me

dave

maddog · Post by **maddog** » Thu May 08, 2008 9:27 pm

Thanks D3VIL NOT! ha ha - but seriously, do you reckon it's worth the trouble to put head gaskets in it after I remove it and then keep as spare or is 320,000kms about the life of one?

D3V1L · Post by **D3V1L** » Thu May 08, 2008 9:33 pm

ea82's are most of the time not worth rebuilding..but its all up to u...unles its just a bung radiator cap it definetly sounds like a gasket...which on ea's dont seem worth it to me..u could prolly buy a whole good motor for the price of the gaskets these days

as for life...im not entirely sure...ive seen them way over 300 and still going strong before

dave

Venom · Post by **Venom** » Fri May 09, 2008 8:52 am

I had this problem with my Ford, it was just a wrong mixture of water - coolant and for some reason it was foaming like a mother trucker. Same thing as you i thought it was a gasket till i flushed out all the coolant and it was fine.

Goon · Post by **Goon** » Fri May 09, 2008 4:39 pm

Maybe thermostat too?

maddog · Post by **maddog** » Fri May 09, 2008 6:25 pm

Venom - I put fresh antifreeze in about the same time as this started happening (for winter in the Snowy Mountains) - you may well be on the money!!! I bloody hope so! I'll flush it tomorrow and keep you posted - Oh Please Subaru Gods let it be so! (Beats the crap out of fitting a motor!)

And D3VIL - I would tend to agree with you tis cheaper to buy whole car!

Subafury · Post by **Subafury** » Fri May 09, 2008 8:20 pm

coincidently the identical problem is happening to me- i know overheating problems arent rare with my car haha, but i do need a proper rad cap , i was thinking maybe a big air bubble in the system also?

maddog · Post by **maddog** » Tue May 13, 2008 3:34 pm

OK - flushed cooling system for about 30 mins but no difference... you can see the champagne bubbles in the coolant (plain water now!) whilst refilling with the motor running... must be head gasket... oh goody guess what I'm doing next weekend!
Thanks for your inputs guys - keep subing!

Subafury · Post by **Subafury** » Tue May 13, 2008 5:36 pm

damn thats no good. my problem hasnt ceased either- even with a new rad cap. hmm.

maddog · Post by **maddog** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:51 pm

Replacement engine fixed it! (Duhhhhhh!) Oh and 12 degrees of advance makes a HUGE difference to how the thing goes!

Morcs · Post by **Morcs** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 9:58 pm

Check that you dont have an air lock in the cooling system that can cause frothing in some cases. Run car with all heater taps on etc while topping off radiator make sure the thermistat opens while filling so the is no way you can have a air lock.

You may also have a leaking water pump seal.