Just had head gaskets done and still over heating

[06liberty]

Hi guys got my car out of the mechanic today after paying $2200 for new head gaskets and timing kit and the car is still over heating I took it for a drive when I got it out about 17kms and it started to over heat I stopped and checked the radiator and the coolant was empty (I noticed the overflow container was full to the top) I filled it back up with a new bottle of coolant I bought from the servo I let it cool down for about 5 mins before driving again I even cranked the heater all the way up for 5 mins I thought maybe a air lock or some shit
But it still drains all the coolant within 5 mins of driving
I will be definitely taking it back to the dodgy F**K head of a mechanic or hitting fair trading up!!!! But if anyone can give me some sort of idea would be much appreciated I no it's not the thermostat I only just put a brand new one in I was thinking maybe the radiator is no good or maybe the water pump as a mechanic he should of fixed the problem!!!! And to make it worse I only just bought it before it started over heating I will laugh it is just the radiator or water pump n I just payed 2 grand for nothing it didn't even really need a timing belt as the last owners only had it done 50,000kms ago any help would do me a solid

[06liberty]

Any help would be good I'm stuck at the moment

[Ric]

So none of it is landing on the ground?
It sounds like you're assuming it's all going out the exhaust. There should be lot's of indications of moisture in the exhaust pipe if that's happening.

[06liberty]

So none of it is landing on the ground?
It sounds like you're assuming it's all going out the exhaust. There should be lot's of indications of moisture in the exhaust pipe if that's happening.

Not that I no of the coolant I put in when turned off stays there it's only after 5mins of driving it all disappears and over heats today I bled the air i rigged up a funnel to fit in the radiator and ran the car with the heater full ball 32.5 degrees for well over halfa until there was no more bubbles I took it for a drive and it still lost the coolant and over heated but on the temp gauge it didn't rise all the way to red this time it went just under then went down and back up but didn't go right into red like it did before I bled it? It still gets hot as tho it builds up alot of pressure blowing steam out the over flow resivour pipe I assume that's the bubbling or boiling that is going on I can hear it when I stop if I take the resivour hose off it pumps steam until it cools down and there's nothing left In the radiator I don't want to keep havin to test drive it n shit cause I don't want to kill it even more I just payed over 2g for supposedly new head gaskets and timing kit I rang him today before he closed he said the radiator is probly blocked but to me this makes no sense as the coolant is dissapering if it was blocked wouldn't it be trapped in the radiator? Im going to take the new thermostat I put in before I took it to japenese auto clinic and boil it tomorrow see if that's working alrite I was going to change the radiator and water pump if I can't figure anything else out I'm going to take back on Monday and see what he has to say

[Ric]

If the radiator is blocked, most of the water will push through the thermostat and just recirculate in the engine with no cooling.
So, it is a valid suggestion of what the problem might be.
It could be a cracked rubber hose that only leaks under pressure, but I'd expect you to see some water dripping out under the car after a drive if that was the problem.

[06liberty]

If the radiator is blocked, most of the water will push through the thermostat and just recirculate in the engine with no cooling.
So, it is a valid suggestion of what the problem might be.
It could be a cracked rubber hose that only leaks under pressure, but I'd expect you to see some water dripping out under the car after a drive if that was the problem.

yeah true I was going to buy some radiator flush would that help if it is the problem? And maybe a cracked hose but as you said I don't see any coolant leaking it just dissapears when I drive it but when I let it cool down and fill it back up with just water after a second I can see the coolant in the water? Would that mean it's not loosing all the coolant from the engine just the radiator? And if so would that mean it's the radiator side of things? Just trynna narrow it down abit cheers dude

[Ric]

Hard to say. There'd certainly be some coolant in the heater core.
Note, adjusting the heater temperature does NOT affect the coolant flow through the heater core. There is no water valve on the heater these days (they fail too often), so the temperature adjustment just affects a flap that directs air through or around the heater core.

[06liberty]

Hard to say. There'd certainly be some coolant in the heater core.
Note, adjusting the heater temperature does NOT affect the coolant flow through the heater core. There is no water valve on the heater these days (they fail too often), so the temperature adjustment just affects a flap that directs air through or around the heater core.

I tried to flush the heater core with the hose but didn't seem to make a difference and I only used the heater when I was bleeding it made a little difference to the over heating according to the gauge but none to the coolant lose issuse

[Ric]

... and I only used the heater when I was bleeding it

i think you missed my point that it makes NO difference if you "use" the heater.
Coolant is ALWAYS flowing through the heater core, regardless of the settings in the cabin.

[06liberty]

... and I only used the heater when I was bleeding it

i think you missed my point that it makes NO difference if you "use" the heater.
Coolant is ALWAYS flowing through the heater core, regardless of the settings in the cabin.

Ohh my bad dude yeah I didn't get it n I just went by what I read on here trying to solve the problem as I want to drive it was in the mechanic for two months n he done fuck all probly was the wrong diagnosis payed for head gaskets n its obviously somethin else just trying to find out the problem I no nothing about Subarus that is why I'm on this forum to try learn n get help n shit

[spike2135]

I feel your pain
if you can tell us your general location (state and/or suburb) maybe someone can recommend a Subaru specialist you can take it to for a better diagnostic.

[06liberty]

Coffs Harbour NSW there's a fella from Sydney about 27kms away he specialises in Subarus my missus uncle took his WRX there for the head gaskets I was going to take it there but couldn't make it that far that's the reason I went with Japanese auto clinic in Coffs he had a decent rep for doing subies but obviously not!

[bigBADbenny]

Op pmd me so I recommended the bleed faq and it’s promising.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=36514

I must reiterate:

Like I say don’t run the car over 1/2 way on the temp gauge.

Do the rad fans work at all?



Ric I’ll have to change the faq to reflect your advice

[06liberty]

I bled it today seemed to do something still loosing coolant and over heating but the temp gauge didn't go right into red it went just under went down back up down n just sat there when I stopped all the coolant was gone from radiator just blowing steam from the overflow pipe and the fans come on when I turn the AC or heater on not sure about normal driving as I've only driven it about six times since I bought it

[bigBADbenny]

Do the radiator fans work?