It amazes me how relaxing car repair can be. Even if it isn't really repair so much as it is diagnosis.
Symptomatically, the car was warming up to normal temperature, then quickly overheating in the span of about five minutes. It seemed a mite suspicious, as though either the thermostat was stuck in the closed position, or perhaps there was some internal gunk that was blocking something.
Sounds like time for a coolant system flush.
So I put the Subaru up on the ramps so it would be easier to access the drain plugs on the bottom side of the engine. Tried to use the radiator drain plug, but it didn't seem to be draining very well, so then I did the next best thing, since the thermostat needed to be checked anyway: disconnected the lower hose to let it drain straight out.
Replaced the thermostat while I was at it.
Then filled the radiator with good, clean water and sealed up all the hoses and clamps and things, and cranked the engine. No dice. She warmed up slow again, the gauge creeping up like it had all the time in the world, then suddenly took off like a rocket, threatening to peak the meter.
Next step was to pull the radiator itself and check it for clogging, which took a bit of doing as the mounting bolts were quite rusted. In fact, one of them was so badly rusted that it broke off as I was trying to get it off. Wasn't able to remove it completely until the radiator was sitting horizontal on the driveway.
There are quite a few rusted bolts and clamps and things that will need replacing before it'll all go back together.
Meanwhile, I put the hose into the engine coolant inlet on the block and pressured it up, then cranked the engine to start and let it run for awhile, with the outlet flow going straight on the driveway once it was running clear. Let it run for nearly ten minutes and the engine didn't heat up at all. No gauge movement. That was odd.
I had my hand down near the outflow to test the temperature, and it never even got warm. Does that mean that the constant flow of cold water from the hose keeps the engine too cold? Mayhaps tomorrow I'll have to put the radiator back on temporarily and see how it does.
But that's enough for this afternoon. Tonight we have an 18th Birthday to celebrate!
Symptomatically, the car was warming up to normal temperature, then quickly overheating in the span of about five minutes. It seemed a mite suspicious, as though either the thermostat was stuck in the closed position, or perhaps there was some internal gunk that was blocking something.
Sounds like time for a coolant system flush.
So I put the Subaru up on the ramps so it would be easier to access the drain plugs on the bottom side of the engine. Tried to use the radiator drain plug, but it didn't seem to be draining very well, so then I did the next best thing, since the thermostat needed to be checked anyway: disconnected the lower hose to let it drain straight out.
Replaced the thermostat while I was at it.
Then filled the radiator with good, clean water and sealed up all the hoses and clamps and things, and cranked the engine. No dice. She warmed up slow again, the gauge creeping up like it had all the time in the world, then suddenly took off like a rocket, threatening to peak the meter.
Next step was to pull the radiator itself and check it for clogging, which took a bit of doing as the mounting bolts were quite rusted. In fact, one of them was so badly rusted that it broke off as I was trying to get it off. Wasn't able to remove it completely until the radiator was sitting horizontal on the driveway.
There are quite a few rusted bolts and clamps and things that will need replacing before it'll all go back together.
Meanwhile, I put the hose into the engine coolant inlet on the block and pressured it up, then cranked the engine to start and let it run for awhile, with the outlet flow going straight on the driveway once it was running clear. Let it run for nearly ten minutes and the engine didn't heat up at all. No gauge movement. That was odd.
I had my hand down near the outflow to test the temperature, and it never even got warm. Does that mean that the constant flow of cold water from the hose keeps the engine too cold? Mayhaps tomorrow I'll have to put the radiator back on temporarily and see how it does.
But that's enough for this afternoon. Tonight we have an 18th Birthday to celebrate!
2 comments:
Must be nice to have one you can work on. With our buick, one just has to have it towed in and pay the price
I don't want a car I can't work on.
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