My LGT wants to die, please help.

Hello everyone. I'm at the point where i want to scrap this car. Purchased it last year to replace my stolen LGT. Drove it for 2 month and it spun rod bearing. Had engine rebuilt by reputable shop. Since then still having issues, car runs fine, but there are bubbles in overflow tank. Has been checked and had very little exhaust in it, had headgaskets done by warranty and still having bubbles constantly going in overflow tank. Mechanic tested and there no exhaust gas in it. We thought it was turbo, I had spare VF52, had that installed with few other upgrades and tuned. No changes in air bubble thing. Now transmission started to slip. I can replace that, but can't figure out what's wrong with coolant. It has been in the shop more then i drove it so very disappointed now. They tried to replace rad cap, my overflow tank and do some investigation, but nothing seem to fix issue. no coolant in oil or vice versa. Any idea what else can be checked ? Thanks in advance.

If there anything i need to log, i can do that with accessport.

Has the system been burped correctly ?

 

Read a few of the other threads here about coolant issues.

 

Jack up the right front corner, take the cap off the turbo tank, start the engine with heater on full hot. Watch for bubble in the tank, top off as needed.

If he is having consistant bubbles, then I'm sure burbing is not going to help here. I have traced this issue down way too many times and it always leads toward the head gasket.

 

dedma3au, is the car overheating any? Are there any visual leaks?

Was just trying to find the simple things first, but agree with all that's been done, it points to a HG.

Has been burped couple times, not an issue since there are a lot of bubbles. If it is headgasket, would tester show colour change because of CO2 ? I had temperature rise once when i was stuck in traffic for good 20 minutes on a very hot day with ac on. JUst got to red zone slowly but didn't go further. Is there any chance something to do with heater core ? Not sure if related, but I have a huge temperature difference in passenger and driver side in the winter. Passenger will get cold and driver side hot air ( I thought could be same damn air bubbles getting into heater core. I flushed it few times with CLR and some other stuff and it seemed pretty clean. but maybe it's more then that. No temperature difference in summer with AC ) Also both headgaskets has been replaced once after engine has been rebuilt since that was the first idea.

If he is having consistant bubbles, then I'm sure burbing is not going to help here. I have traced this issue down way too many times and it always leads toward the head gasket.

 

dedma3au, is the car overheating any? Are there any visual leaks?

 

As for visual leaks, haven't seen anything on my driveway, with exception after driving it overflows the tank and goes all over. Once it cools down, i just add to minimum mark.

Based on that info, I say it's the head gasket. My reservoir did that when I blew my head gasket, and I could stick my nose down there and smell exhaust gasses coming up from the bubbles. No leaks, but I would lose about a quart of coolant in a few days from it bubbling over. If you are unsure, take it to another shop for a 2nd opinion.

Are your cooling fans coming on?

Are your cooling fans coming on?

Yes, running fine.

Looks like you're going to take it back to the shop and have them redo the head gasket.

Based on that info, I say it's the head gasket. My reservoir did that when I blew my head gasket, and I could stick my nose down there and smell exhaust gasses coming up from the bubbles. No leaks, but I would lose about a quart of coolant in a few days from it bubbling over. If you are unsure, take it to another shop for a 2nd opinion.

 

If it is headgasket, it would be exhaust gases, so the tester would show that ? I was told that it does not show any exhaust in coolant. So far I had no reason not to trust them and the honor warranty till now, just trying to see if there something else, since if it is not headgaskets i will have to pay for work if i insist on doing them again.

Pretty much , is headgasket the only thing that could cause that or there might be something else ?

Is there any chance my heating core could be causing that ?

No. It's the HGs. Have them do the warranty work and pay special attention to how they torque down the heads.

 

Out of curiousity -- Are you going to a Subaru-specialty shop, or are you using a Joe-Blow mechanic?

Pretty much it's the HG that's doing all the bubbling. The shop is prob. trying to divert you, so they don't have to do the work again. Like I said, have a 2nd shop check it out.

Just out of curiosity for my own build, reusing the head bolts could cause this to happen? I read a few people a while saying "torque to yield bolts already stretched, so skip that step on reassembly" but I haven't followed up on their results.

The color changing liquid for a head gasket is not the best way to diagnose the problem. The fluid actually starts to break down over time, giving false positives and sometimes no change on cars with hg problems. I never use that shit for those reasons. The BEST way to nail down a headgasket is with an emissions 5 gas analyzer, remove the radiator cap, remove some coolant, rubber band a plastic bag to the radiator neck, allow vehicle to run until hot. Poke a hole in the bag and insert the analyzer probe. This you will not have access to. expensive tool.

 

There is a simpler way for you DIYers. Remove all but one spark plug, have someone crank the engine, and check for bubbles in the coolant (disable any fuel injection). If none, remove that spark plug, and move to the next cylinder, install a plug and have someone crank, check for bubbles. repeat for each cylinder. if there is a bad gasket the cylinder where the gasket failed will push the compression into the water jacket, allowing you to see the bubbles.

 

Hope this helps, good luck to you.

Ok, so update at this point is I had it one of the shops that are highly recommended at local subaru community. Performed chemical combustion chamber test - was positive. Leak down test

Cyl 1 - bubbling coolant

Cyl 2 86/90psi

cyl 3 80/90psi

cyl 4 85/90psi

They also said that when head gasket was done some red silicone sealant or something like that was used which is bad. They also said that cyl 3 most likely have bad rings and I should consider new shortblock. What do you guys think ? I know I can get headgasket changed for free by the shop that did rebuilt, or I might end up paying for new block and hopefully get some money back.

Also had it tested at subaru dealership few month back, so here is the results:

PERFORMED COMPRESSION/LEAKDOWN TEST FRONT LEFT SIDE 20% @ 125PSI,

REAR LEFT SIDE 20% @ 125PSI, RIGHT SIDE REAR 10% @130PSI, RIGHT SIDE

FRONT 15% @135PSI

 

Does look like different test results. Just puzzled.

Ok, so update at this point is I had it one of the shops that are highly recommended at local subaru community. Performed chemical combustion chamber test - was positive. Leak down test

Cyl 1 - bubbling coolant

Cyl 2 86/90psi

cyl 3 80/90psi

cyl 4 85/90psi

They also said that when head gasket was done some red silicone sealant or something like that was used which is bad. They also said that cyl 3 most likely have bad rings and I should consider new shortblock. What do you guys think ? I know I can get headgasket changed for free by the shop that did rebuilt, or I might end up paying for new block and hopefully get some money back.

 

With those numbers? Sorry, dude, but it's new motor time.

 

See my shopping list for advice -

With those numbers? Sorry, dude, but it's new motor time.

 

See my shopping list for advice -

 

What's wrong with those ? Did some research and most of places say that up to 10% is good, up to 20% acceptable. Or there different numbers for subaru ?

Worst one is 80/ 90 PSI that is 12 %, right ?

 

Considering compression 125,125,130, 135

Bubbling coolant equals Head gasket. No matter how many test you run, bubbling coolant in the reservoir is a defective head gasket about 95%

What's wrong with those ? Did some research and most of places say that up to 10% is good, up to 20% acceptable. Or there different numbers for subaru ?

Worst one is 80/ 90 PSI that is 12 %, right ?

 

Considering compression 125,125,130, 135

 

 

Your first post says 86/90psi per cylinder-- but you say it's 125, 125, 130, 125. . . Which is it? 86-90 on any cylinder means new SB.

Your first post says 86/90psi per cylinder-- but you say it's 125, 125, 130, 125. . . Which is it? 86-90 on any cylinder means new SB.

 

I know, that i need headgasket. Just trying to figure out if that is the only problem. We had compression/leak down test done by subaru dealership few month back, and that's what they had :

PERFORMED COMPRESSION/LEAKDOWN TEST FRONT LEFT SIDE 20% @ 125PSI,

REAR LEFT SIDE 20% @ 125PSI, RIGHT SIDE REAR 10% @130PSI, RIGHT SIDE

FRONT 15% @135PSI

Yesterday, they just did leak down test, and that's the results. They didn't do compression test from my understanding.

Cyl 1 - bubbling coolant - headgasket

Cyl 2 86/90psi 5%

cyl 3 80/90psi 12 %

cyl 4 85/90psi 6%

Well the engines coming out for the HG's. While it's out, have the heads rebuilt, get a gasket kit for your year car, have the heads reassembled on a new ej257.

 

ej257 $1645.

gasket set $220.

 

See my click here link for other things to do to ensure long life.