My 1990 Subaru Legacy wagon is overheating, coolant is full though. Some slight smoke coming out of the end of the radiator hose.
I just had about 600$ worth of work on my car. An oil change, coolant Chang, and two hoses were changed. My vehicle was driving smooth for about a month and a half, then I noticed one day my temperature gauge hit the redline, checked the coolant and the coolant reservoir was empty. I then went to a gas station to fill it up with some pretty cheap coolant, things were fine again. And now here I am, 3 weeks later and I'm overheating again, this time with a small amount of smoke coming out of the (what I think) is the end of the radiator hose. Very concerned seeing as how things were just run
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hello, thank you for writing in. If the coolant is full this time, and no loss of coolant has taken place, then you are likely experiencing a lack of coolant flow. When the coolant is not circulated through the system, the hot coolant stays next to the engine and overheating occurs. The steam coming from the hose may be a small leak that is dripping onto something hot, or it may be steam building up inside the system and finding a place to escape. The main concern should be with the fact you lost all coolant at one point, and the vehicle is not holding coolant but not circulating it. You need to find the cause of the stagnant coolant and repair it. In the process of doing so, you need to do a thorough search for any leaks. Pressure testing the system is also a good idea. Make sure to find the issues as soon as possible as overheating is an easy way to ruin the engine.
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The most common reasons a Subaru Legacy is overheating are a coolant leak (water pump, radiator, hose etc.), the radiator fan, or a failed thermostat. Coolant leak (water pump, radiator, hose etc.)
An overheating engine is never a good thing. In fact, if the engine in your Subaru ever begins to overheat, the most important step is to safely pull over as soon as you can and shut off the engine.
A leaking head gasket, cracked engine block or warped cylinder head could allow coolant into the combustion chambers. The antifreeze will burn up during combustion and leave the exhaust as water vapor clouds.
If your Subaru keeps running low on coolant, you have a problem that needs to be fixed. The most common causes of coolant leaks in Subaru`s are; having a faulty or loose radiator cap, a damaged radiator, a failing water pump, degraded/damaged coolant hoses, a failed heater core, or failed head gaskets.
Normal coolant temperature will be around 195 to 220 Fahrenheit (approx 90°C) and anything above or below this can start causing problems.
If you notice excessive white smoke coming out of your exhaust, coolant may be entering the cylinders. Avoid driving and get your car to a technician immediately.
Coolant is a fluid that is added to your engine that helps prevent it from overheating. If your engine gets too far above its normal operating temperature, some serious damage can be caused and in the worst case scenario, cause an engine to seize and require that it be replaced.
Quantity Required: 2. 1 Gallon – SOA868V9210 – Genuine Subaru Part.
That said, a severely overheating engine can cause the cylinder walls or the pistons themselves to warp, bend and deform. This will cause the perfect seal between the piston and the rest of the engine to lose integrity. Oil could be forced past the piston rings and into the engine, where it will burn the oil.
Your overheated engine may still be running, but it`s not fine. You risk costly damage to your engine if you keep driving. DON`T panic. Your engine may have lost its cool, but now is the time for you to keep yours!
Signs and symptoms of radiator airlock include: Overheating during normal driving. Heater not functioning correctly. Reduced performance.
Rev the engine between 2500 to 4000 rpm off and on for 5 minutes, this should allow the water pump to force air out of the system.
Adding coolant does nothing to address the problem that caused your engine to overheat in the first place, but it often allows you to drive safely to the nearest repair station. “A professional will need to inspect your car`s cooling system,” says Reina. While driving, keep an eye on the temperature gauge.
Technically speaking yes you can use plain water in your cooling system but it isn`t recommended as a long term solution and certainly not in extreme weather conditions.
A cooling system leak is the most common cause of an overheating engine. The leak could spring from your hoses, your water pump, your coolant tank, or your radiator itself, so closer inspection is needed if you see that your coolant tank has gone dry. Using the wrong coolant could also get you into trouble.
If you find that you`ve got a car running hot but not overheating there might be a few reasons: Clogged or damaged radiator. Low coolant level. Damaged water pump or thermostat.
If you find that you`ve got a car running hot but not overheating there might be a few reasons: Clogged or damaged radiator. Low coolant level. Damaged water pump or thermostat.
A cooling system leak is the most common cause of an overheating engine. The leak could spring from your hoses, your water pump, your coolant tank, or your radiator itself, so closer inspection is needed if you see that your coolant tank has gone dry. Using the wrong coolant could also get you into trouble.
A cooling system leak is the most common cause of an overheating engine. The leak could spring from your hoses, your water pump, your coolant tank, or your radiator itself, so closer inspection is needed if you see that your coolant tank has gone dry. Using the wrong coolant could also get you into trouble.
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My 1990 Subaru Legacy wagon is overheating, coolant is full though. Some slight smoke coming out of the end of the radiator hose.
ANSWER : Hello, thank you for writing in. If the coolant is full this time, and no loss of coolant has taken place, then you are likely experiencing a lack of coolant flow. When the coolant is not circulated through the system, the hot coolant stays next to the engine and overheating occurs. The steam coming from the hose may be a small leak that is dripping onto something hot, or it may be steam building up inside the system and finding a place to escape. The main concern should be with the fact you lost all coolant at one point, and the vehicle is not holding coolant but not circulating it. You need to find the cause of the stagnant coolant and repair it. In the process of doing so, you need to do a thorough search for any leaks. Pressure testing the system is also a good idea. Make sure to find the issues as soon as possible as overheating is an easy way to ruin the engine.
overheating due to coolant loss with no leaking
ANSWER : Hi there. Completing a compression or pressure test might help diagnose the source of your problem, but I would suspect if you’re not finding a leak, that the issue is a blown head gasket. Two ways of determining if this is the case. First, check your engine oil. If the oil is milky, this means coolant is getting inside the engine oil galley’s some how, most likely due to a blown head gasket or cracked engine block. Second, check for signs of white smoke from the exhaust. This is also an indicator of coolant. Coolant has to go somewhere, and if you’re constantly running low on coolant and having consistent overheating problems; with no visible leak, the issue is probably internal.
No coolant in the reservoir. Seen low coolant message. I added 2 quarts of 50/50 coolant. Still getting the message. How much coolant doe it need?
ANSWER : Hi there. For the coolant light to go out, you would need to have the coolant between the low line and the full line for the light to go out. If the coolant is low and keeps on being low, then look for any signs of coolant leaks. You may have to use a coolant pressure tester to pressurize the reservoir to allow the leak to be found.
If you need further assistance with the coolant being low and the warning light being on, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
white smoke and coolant loss.
ANSWER : Hi there:
Overheating issues can be very tricky to fix and diagnose. However, when you’re losing coolant and white smoke is coming from the exhaust, this is a typical indication of a blown head gasket; which is causing coolant to seep into the engine. If this issue is not dealt with quickly; it can cause serious engine damage. The best advice I can offer is to have a professional mobile mechanic complete a car is overheating inspection; so they can determine if the repairs needed will be affordable or worth the expense.
Thick white smoke from exhaust, change thermostat, fan doesn’t come on, top hose stays cold,
ANSWER : Hello, thanks for writing in about your Geo Storm. If you are getting white smoke from the exhaust then you have a blown head gasket or cracked head. I suggest having a certified mechanic, like one from YourMechanic, diagnose the smoke firsthand by pressure testing the cooling system to see if the head gasket is blown.
My radiator is spitting out coolant onto my engine and the check engine light is on but no overheating and its sometimes dont want to start should I get a new radiator
ANSWER : Hi there:
Before you decide to purchase a new radiator and have a new radiator installed on your 2005 Nissan Murano, I’d recommend having a professional mechanic complete a car is leaking coolant inspection first. This will allow them to determine why your radiator is spilling coolant, and also what’s causing your check engine light to occur. It could be a faulty coolant line or other cooling system component is damaged. It might even be caused by an air bubble.
Slight white smoke coming from the engine
ANSWER : If there is underhood smoke, that can signify that something is leaking. Typically, that will be engine coolant or engine oil. Some leaks can be relatively easy to fix. If that is your circumstance, it will be advantageous to get the source of the leak identified and repaired as soon as possible. If you do have oil leaks, as many leaks as possible should be repaired because leaking oil can damage external engine components such as rubber motor mounts. Also, if oil is leaking onto a hot exhaust manifold that can create unhealthy fumes (as the oil burns off) and is also a fire hazard. If you want the sources of the leaks identified and the repair estimated, simply request a leak diagnostic and the responding certified mechanic will get this resolved for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic.
What could be building up pressure to where it is having my radiatior hose blow off the top of the radiator?
ANSWER : Hello, thanks for writing in. The blown head gasket could be a possibility. Over time the antifreeze can chemically become acidic and break down the head gasket. This will introduce engine compression into the coolant system, and when this happens, high pressure is produced which can blow the radiator hose off. A faulty radiator cap also could be the cause of this issue. There are tests that can be performed to confirm this. If you’d like, a certified YourMechanic technician can come to your location to perform a radiator cap pressure test on your vehicle.
