New To Subarus- Overheating Problem

So here's a novel for you:

 

I just bought a 98 Outback and what happens is after a few minutes, the engine temp goes higher than you would expect (up to the screw) way past the H and it smokes when you hit the gas, mostly pouring out smoke from the exhaust.

 

After a "heated" call from the man I bought it from, he said they've been driving it like that since summer. Often times it has no heat, shifts a little late but I made it out of the mountains after 3 hours of driving it like that.

When it's hot, it drips boiling hot coolant from the bottom of the motor. The coolant went down more than he said it would too.

So... is this the head gasket? The fact that the engine didn't blow is completely bizarre to me. The oil is great too by the way, no knocking.

I love this thing already and am wondering what I'm better off doing.

Definitely a bad case of head gasket and it may have caused warped heads too.

Definitely blown head gaskets. And if he was driving it for that long overheated, with aluminum heads, the heads are shot.

That sucks.

the heads may be warped and could be resurfaced to be flat, BUT there is a high likelihood that the rod bearings will let go if the engine has been overheated severely. white smoke?? there is no way that is a good sign. even if you correct the head gaskets, the bearings will probably not last the but a few months.

If the bearing failure would have anything to do with over heating only, I wouldn't be that doubtful of the rob bearings. I drove my car around for about 3 months after the head gaskets failed. My gaskets never failed to the point of leakage or white smoke, but I can say that it's handled WAY more overheating than any other car I've seen. It's been almost 3 months since they were replaced and haven't heard any abnormal noises from the the crankcase.. I was even overheating badly for about a week and a half to two weeks recently because of my radiator cracking.

What an asshat.

+1 and then some.

I have white smoke almost like steam but no overheating

white smoke is not a ''typical'' symptom in subaru head gasket failures. but obviously if the failure gets severe enough it can happen.

 

for the early ej25s the leak it is usually an internal leak, combustion gasses into the coolant, not coolant into the combustion chamber.

 

for the 00+ it is usually an external leak.

 

but anything is possible.

Turns out its the head gasket and water pump.

It's leaking right on the side of the motor and bottom, I'm having my Subaru mechanic take it all apart and re-do it; new seals and everything.

 

Dumb previous owner.

 

I see why people love Subies now, they're fun to drive!

Will post pictures. Not the nicest looking Outback but it's certainly a blast

I'm amazed that it works still.

yup white smoke out the tail pipe is definitively a head gasket issue.

I have white smoke but i don't have head gasket issuse.

I have white smoke but i don't have head gasket issuse.

 

You know that transmission leak you've been having, that could definitely be part of that problem. You could also be burning a bit of oil as well. How much smoke comes out of your exhaust pipe?

I have white smoke almost like steam but no overheating

 

do you have a question though? when cold you can see the exhaust steam on all cars its a byproduct of combustion. and as mentioned head gaskets dont always smoke out the tail pipe and smoke out the tail pipe is not always a headgasket but as for the op when driving and overheating and smoke pouring out the tail pipe.... its a head gasket

It was smoking before the tranny leak smoking since the new engine went in supposedly it is valve stem seals or something but it really don't bother me for now.

Yeah.. that'll do it. My Camaro's valve stem seals are shot too. Every time I start it up after it's sat for a little while it fills up the surround 500 square feat.

one of these days i will fix it but i dont want to spend the money that i dont have if i dont have too.

Same. Although it's not going to cost me money because I have the tools, I just don't want to spend the time to do it because of what a pain it is to do.

All fixed.

Not sure if this is just a Subaru thing, but it shifts kinda funny. It hesitates sometimes and then shifts abruptly.

 

I'm also guzzling gas, 230 miles and I'm on E

20 mpg average on these cars is not unheard of.

 

I'd start sifting through the trans issues with fresh fluid if you haven't already.

20 mpg average on these cars is not unheard of.

 

I'd start sifting through the trans issues with fresh fluid if you haven't already.

 

That's what I'd like to do, but the past cars I've had, when changing the transmission fluid, they got worse.

 

Can anyone tell me where the transmission dipstick is?

I spent 10 minutes looking for it but I can't find it

Can anyone tell me where the transmission dipstick is?

 

driver side near the fire wall, under the heater and AC lines. between the ''dogbone'' trans support mounted on the fire wall center and the master brake cylinder.

driver side near the fire wall, under the heater and AC lines. between the ''dogbone'' trans support mounted on the fire wall center and the master brake cylinder.

 

Great, thanks.

Has anyone had any problems doing that?