Finally picked up my 96 SVX. Temp gauge moves around a little.
 

There is a little road noise which I think might be the tires or it could be a wheel bearing. Not unexpected. Brakes seem solid. Once warm, tranny shifts almost imperceptibly. Pretty good news all around.

One thing I noticed when driving in hilly country (in 3rd on the climbs!) was that the temperature gauge moved a little. When climbing a hill it went up to around where the little thermometer bulb would be on the gauge decal. That's about 40-45% up. When going down the hill in 4th it would drop a little to about where the wavy water part of the decal is. I would say that's about 35-40% up. It doesn't move much but you can notice it moved. Is this normal or is it a sign that something needs to be checked or replaced? The outside temp was mid-70s.

Re: Finally picked up my 96 SVX. Temp gauge moves around a little.
 

First change to a new Subaru thermostat, t-gasket, Subaru radiator cap, and new coolant.
Second, start saving for a head gasket job.:(
Also make sure your radiator fans are working.

Re: Finally picked up my 96 SVX. Temp gauge moves around a little.
 

If the problem is just a bad thermostat and the temperature is not getting high, why worry about the head gasket?

Re: Finally picked up my 96 SVX. Temp gauge moves around a little.
 

Usually a fluctuating temp gauge indicates abnormal cooling system operation, and this paired with the fact that our cars are all about due for HG failures from age, and its a logical assumption.

Re: Finally picked up my 96 SVX. Temp gauge moves around a little.
 

OK, I get that head gaskets can fail with age, and I should be aware of it, but this may not be related. I guess a good question for me would be to ask how I can look for symptoms of an actual head gasket failure or, better yet, the beginnings of a leak. I don't see how temp fluctuations from cool to normal would indicate a head gasket problem.

Re: Finally picked up my 96 SVX. Temp gauge moves around a little.
 

Just wait, it will get progressively worse. I have a 96 Lsi and had the same issues two years ago. Temp. gauge would spike all the way up and then settle down to normal, and coolant would spill out of the overflow tank. Drove the car like this for two weeks, and nothing got better. Svxfiles tried stopleak and same results. He finally gave me the cheapest Head Gasket job anywhere. Runs awesome now. Thanks again Tom K!:D

Re: Finally picked up my 96 SVX. Temp gauge moves around a little.
 

Our SVX temperature gauges are a little misleading.
While still in the normal, almost level range the ACTUAL water temperature could be as high as, say 260°f!:eek: (as I rember)
The definative head gasket test on an SVX for me is to after replacing the rad cap, thermostat and gasket, pressure testing the system, checking the fans, to drive out to "HEADGASKET HILL".
And while driving up this seven mile, 7° incline observe the actual water temperatures with a Subaru Select Monitor.
If, on this drive the temperature spikes by the top of the hill/mountain, I know that the head gaskets are bad.
I have posted actual readings regaurding "Dan The Man's" SVX, but do not have time right now to look up the pojst.
Perhaps John can find them for us?:) John?

Re: Finally picked up my 96 SVX. Temp gauge moves around a little.
 

Hi Dan,
just talkin about you.:)
Do you know where that thread is?:o

Re: Finally picked up my 96 SVX. Temp gauge moves around a little.
 

My '92 pearl had (a) blown HGs when I bought it-- temp gauge would yo-yo as you've described. If I recall correctly, the other symptoms I had were bubbling in the coolant overflow tank after I turned off the car, and a lot of black gunk in the coolant tank as well. The temp gauge would yo-yo gradually at first, and as the car got hotter, it would get more extreme, shooting up into the red before coming down when the fans kicked on (A/C relay would kick off as well.)
After I replaced the head gaskets, the temp needle was rock-solid about 45% of the way up, regardless of terrain.

I hope for your sake it's the rad cap or the thermostat.

Re: Finally picked up my 96 SVX. Temp gauge moves around a little.
 

But I am not getting to level. I am actually at only about 40% full scale and that was after a long, steep climb. If I had a head gasket problem, wouldn't I keep consuming fluid? If I fill the overflow container, drive it, fill it again to make sure the system is full and then monitor it, shouldn't I see it drop relatively fast? I don't know, I kept hearing about HG problems in legacies as well and mine never had an issue after 14 years and 161K miles. Of course, I drove that car from day 1 and know it was never abused. I don't know about this car.

Re: Finally picked up my 96 SVX. Temp gauge moves around a little.
 

Go borrow a block tester kit from Autozone or other local auto parts shop. Its simply a vial you fill with special blue fluid, and set over your radiator filler neck. It detects exhaust gases and will turn yellow if they are present in your cooling system. Cheap, easy, and can save you a lot of hassle replacing little stuff here and there that arent necessary.

Re: Finally picked up my 96 SVX. Temp gauge moves around a little.
 

Assuming the leak is exhaust-into-coolant. Is that the most common type of leak for an SVX?

Re: Finally picked up my 96 SVX. Temp gauge moves around a little.
 

I do not know what is the most common type of failure for the headgasket. I can say that mine was both oil into coolant and coolant into oil, though.

Re: Finally picked up my 96 SVX. Temp gauge moves around a little.
 

If it were causing an overheat, and since he didnt mention huge puddles of coolant underneath his car, id assume it would be..... as its also the most common type of HG leak anyways. Ive only seen about 50 test kits turn yellow on Subarus... which is why I recommended the stuff.

Re: Finally picked up my 96 SVX. Temp gauge moves around a little.
 

Maybe you pretty much already described it.

Keith:cool:

Husky maniac, is it the 4 legged animal Husky you are crazy about? The dog?