Spontaneous radiator combustion. - Page 4

SoCal LS-L · #46 05-24-2010, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Awox

Okayyy...

So today I'm swapping the radiator out. I twist the plug out and let it drain into a milk jug, coolant is green and pretty clear, no issues there. I'm having a bugger of a time getting the bottom hose off, so I just cut it. A bit more coolant comes out, just a bit, but it's clear green, no issues there.

THEN, i'm having trouble getting the 2 smaller hoses off, the little heater core bypass ones or whatever they are. So I cut those off too. Uh oh...this nasty reddish oily stuff comes out Could this be ATF? It looks like it...but why would that be coming out of my radiator? And why was the other coolant clear?

Am I missing something here?

You cut the ATF cooling lines... they cycle ATF thru part of the radiator to cool it. Those are formed hoses and have to be bought from the dealer... do you have the campaign ATF filter installed?

Awox · #47 05-24-2010, 07:05 PM

Well...I feel stupid. Okay, Then that's a good thing.
I thought that's what the thing in front of the radiator was for...I thought that was the trans cooler. No...that's the AC radiator.
Anyway.....Thanks, I'm an idiot.

I cut the hoses just after the nipple, there's plenty of slack in them to be put back on the new one, less than an inch was removed from either.

Awox · #48 05-25-2010, 02:38 PM

Okay, so the new radiator is in. I fill it with water, just enough to get to a mechanic for a flush and fill, and to put the new thermostat in.

Normally I'd do that myself but there is no damn hose around here, and for me to buy one long enough to reach my faucet would cost more than having someone else do it, and frankly it's not the best weather to be working on a car.

Anyway i take it about a mile to my mechanic to get it flushed and put the new thermostat in, everything is fine, it gets up to temperature, the fans come on for a minute because it's city driving and I've got the AC cranked, but they switched off shortly after. So all is well with the fans, not overheating, nothing.

Sooooo as it's driven into the bay, they open the hood, suddently there's a pop. The overflow tank lid popped open and there's steam coming out, quite a lot of it. So we skip the flush and jump straight to cooling system diagnostic. The tester is blue if there is nothing, and yellow if there's hydrocarbons. It turned aqua...that means there is sooooomething...just not much.

Anyway, still why is there so much pressure that it nearly blew a second radiator, even just after that short trip? This time, the temperature gauge always stayed level, there was no overheating, we watched it very carefully.

This is still with the old thermostat in mind you. He won't replace it and do a flush because it will apparently make the problem worse?

Could the thermostat just be very stuck? I had to drive it home with the cap cracked just to vent the pressure. It strikes me as odd because it's not exhaust pressure, it's steam pressure, and the temp gauge stays normal, the fans appear to be coming on at the right time. Any ideas? Or is this normal of a blown SVX head gasket? My legacy doesn't make this much pressure, and i know for a fact that there's a leak on all 4 cylinders

svxfiles · #49 05-25-2010, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sowise

There are a few ways to go about it, you buy the parts to fix yours now with plenty of down time to do it correctly. Or you pull this engine for rebuild over time and put in an engine that is known good $600-$800 depending. You may find deals through this network or you can take your chances and buy one and cross your fingers on water pump, timing belt, and headgaskets on it. Or you can try and do the quick turn around fix but makes for tight spaces and knuckle busting blood sweat and tears type maintenance, that is just doing your HG and I believe there have been some who have done it with the engine still in the car. Plenty of options and choices though

No, no one has ever done a headgasket job on a Subaru 3.3 engine while installed in a Subaru SVX!
Unless you cut out the frame rails, and the inner fender metal.

svxfiles · #50 05-25-2010, 03:24 PM

Older plastic and aluminum radiators can explode violently without a head gasket problem.
Ask the crowd that saw The Racer radiator explode violently when SOMEONE let the car run without turning on the electric fan switch at a Cumberland Autocross.

I just replaced a radiator from a 92 SVX today that is not leaking, but you can crumble away the upper hose pipe like it was styrofoam.

SoCal LS-L · #51 05-25-2010, 05:08 PM

I tried telling ya, its the headgaskets. That stuff wont change color at all unless theres HC in the cooling system..... I only stressed this because I have seen it numerous times, and didnt want you to waste money.

Forgive me for asking, but didnt you say you tested it for a HG leak before dropping the cash on this new radiator??

Cam · #52 05-25-2010, 05:10 PM

Pulling your engine is a great excuse to start modding and paint your engine...just imagine the possibilities

Then again, thats where my paychecks go...

Wikedjuggalo · #53 05-25-2010, 06:29 PM

Did you ever fix the fans not working -.-?

sowise · #54 05-25-2010, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by svxfiles

No, no one has ever done a headgasket job on a Subaru 3.3 engine while installed in a Subaru SVX!
Unless you cut out the frame rails, and the inner fender metal.

All I know is I read it on a thread, but while I don't feel like researching it to prove someone else said it or have them validate whether or not they did it. I KNOW I did read it because I thought that would be a huge PITA to do and not really worth the effort.

1986nate · #55 05-25-2010, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sowise

All I know is I read it on a thread, but while I don't feel like researching it to prove someone else said it or have them validate whether or not they did it. I KNOW I did read it because I thought that would be a huge PITA to do and not really worth the effort.

Um, I would trust OT on this one... He's only been under an SVX a few hundred times

possibly even over a thousand

XT6Wagon · #56 05-26-2010, 01:46 AM

pulling a subaru engine is cake. Just go that route.

Awox · #57 05-26-2010, 01:52 AM

Yes, the fan problem was easy, a short in one of the fan wires. The AC is working now too.

And yes, there was a coolant test done prior to the radiator purchase. It didn't show any color change at all when it was done that time. It was blue the whole time. I was told though that those things flip bright yellow with even the smallest exhaust leak into the coolant, and this second test only barely turned aqua.

My gut is still telling me that it certainly is a head gasket leak, but is there any other possibility at all that would cause steam to be pushed so forcefully into the overflow tank? It's not exhaust, I smelled it, it's not gassy or exhausty at all. It's just steam from boiling coolant...Could my water pump be seizing or the old thermostat be clogged and stuck shut very badly? I'm grasping straws...

This is frustrating...
Oh well...

sowise · #58 05-26-2010, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1986nate

Um, I would trust OT on this one... He's only been under an SVX a few hundred times

possibly even over a thousand

Um I didn't say whether i believed him or not. I just responded with what has been read and what I remember. If someone says they did it with the engine in, fine. Who am I to call BS? Just as I didn't say I don't believe OT on this.

The only thing I did was support WHY I mentioned it in the first place, and should not be seen as an attack against OT or a disagreement with his knowledge of the SVX.

immortal_suby · #59 05-26-2010, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Awox

This is still with the old thermostat in mind you. He won't replace it and do a flush because it will apparently make the problem worse?

oab_au · #60 05-26-2010, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Awox

Okay, so the new radiator is in. I fill it with water, just enough to get to a mechanic for a flush and fill, and to put the new thermostat in.

Sooooo as it's driven into the bay, they open the hood, suddently there's a pop. The overflow tank lid popped open and there's steam coming out, quite a lot of it.

This is still with the old thermostat in mind you. He won't replace it and do a flush because it will apparently make the problem worse?

Could the thermostat just be very stuck?

Are you sure that the system was purged of air when you filled it? The heater circuit, and all the hoses, when drained, will hold air.
When a system overheats, the thermostat can melt the wax out of its operation cylinder. It should be replaced as a matter of course when an over heat has happened.

Harvey.