2000 outback overheating

20

Asked by GuruHJSR9 Aug 14, 2019 at 03:01 AM about the 2000 Subaru Outback Base Wagon

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

After driving locally about 20 minutes,  I stopped in the middle of the road to
talk to a friend.  After several minutes I left, but noticed my temp gauge was
rising.  This car, while a 2000, only has 112,000 miles on it, I have owned it for
@50,000.  Over the next few miles, the gauge would go up, then settle
towards middle, only to get warm again.  I replaced the t-stat with an
aftermarket, but then it simply went hotter.  This all came on so suddenly....
What do I look for, before having a shop look for serious damage?  I figure
the body has @ 2-3 years left, but this car has brand new brakes on it.

1 Answer

3,300

First be sure that the aftermarket t-stat has the same large orifice as OE. Note that Subaru OE t-stats NEVER fail. But the overwhelming probability is that you have a blown head gasket that'll cost $1.6k to repair. But before tossing this antique start by back- flushing the rear heater hoses, then fully purge the coolant system by repeated hwy runs and topping off. If you're assured that the system is filled and it's still intermittently overheating then have a percolation sniffer test if you see bubbles in the coolant when idling hot (be careful!). But the odds are that it's time to part, Sorry. Ern TSG/B

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