Coolant Change

[muddy02]

feel free to chime in anyone:

 

i checked my coolant level today while changing out a burnt fog light (pain in the ass), and noticed my "resevoir tank" (which is the clear tank near the wiper fluid on a GT), and it basically only had less than an inch in the bottom, enought to tell what color it was.

 

If i fill this up to the full line, is that pretty much all i need? or this a sign of something else. I can understand flushing and replacing, but should we need to "top off" the coolant that much?? since there is at least some in the tank, i'm assuming i have enough coolant to run safely.

 

thoughts?

[SBT]

Did you also check your recirc reservoir above/ahead of the turbo? If that is low also, then it's indicative of a leak (somewhere). Depending on how long it's been since you serviced your coolant (I recommend check every week and replace every 30K miles), your overflow tank could be low just due to natural evaporation - that's not unusual.

 

Since your's is an 05, I'm guessing that you're still using Subaru 50/50 coolant, so I'd just add more of that to the half-way to the "cold" point on the overflow tank and then just add distilled water to fill it the rest of the way and then monitor it for a few cycles to see what's happening.

[FocuS]

Is there a way to drain the system without removing the entire undertray? I need to do mine but haven't had the time to put the car up on stands.... Also, should I bother with any of the rad. flush products after I drain. I figured I'd just run a couple of gallons of distilled water through before I refill?

 

Also, some have said to use the conditioner, which I have, but not to use the Redline Water Wetter...? It worked great in my '02 and says it's safe for our AL system.

 

Thanks!

[SBT]

You can do it without removing the undertray, but it's much easier with it off (and less messy IME). Not necessary to flush if you've pulled the bottom hose, Yes to the Conditioner, No to the RL WW solution.

[fishbone]

The undertray only has a handful of screws, not a big deal to take off and put back on.

[SBT]

^ Agreed. And, it'll give you a good opportunity to check-out the underside of the engine (close-up inspection)

[FocuS]

Good call on taking it off. Thanks for the guidance.

[sleeper8406]

So the best way to drain is, Remove drain screw, remove cap, remove bottom hose....no flush required then?

[SBT]

This is how I do it... which presumes that you're replacing the thermostat or at least the thermostat gasket, rather than undoing the lower hose. How To

[Waxiboy]

What do you guys use to catch the draining anti freeze? Can I just use the Blitz one I use for changing oil? It has a small opening and I am afraid it might overflow.

[bluesuby]

So the best way to drain is, Remove drain screw, remove cap, remove bottom hose....no flush required then?

 

Removing the drain plug is a major pita. It has a cut out on its head into which you can insert a phillips screwdriver....but....it would be a lot easier if the plug had "ears" which you could grip with your fingers and simply unscrew. Has anyone found an aftermarket replacement plug which fits my description? I've seen a few on the internet but they are all for older Subarus.

[fishbone]

Using a Philips head is difficult because?

[bluesuby]

Using a Philips head is difficult because?

 

Because I try to remove the plug by going over the top, not removing the undertray. And you need a stubby phillips and cannot attack it directly because of obstructions. I like the plug on our Acura because it's like a wingnut, just twist and it's removed.

[fishbone]

Forgot about the under tray. Given this is not something done frequently, just grit your teeth and pull it off

[legacyshawn]

Slimjoe,

Thanks a crap load for your tutorial! I have a 09 N/A and this was my first DIY maintenance procedure since I bought this car (has 53k on it, bought the used fleet at 51k) so it's fairly new.

 

I only removed passenger side plastic undercover (3 pop-its, and one philip screw). Gained access to the rubber phillips drain plug and bam. I hope I power cycled everything properly and don't have any bubbles in the hose but the radiator and filler tank is topped off and took a total of a gallon and a half to fill both as the filler was empty.

 

Again, thanks for the write up

[Subadozer]

Slimjoe,

Again, thanks for the write up

+1. This and SBT's post #77. Along with a bunch of other stuff this weekend I replaced my green AF with the Subaru Super. My undercover is missing and I had more important things on which to spend $100 to replace it so that isn't an issue. After I got the thermostat out I realized that there were 3 hoses that I should replace as well. Why go with a 75,000+ mile AF and risk having the hoses go? My local Subaru dealer didn't even have the lower radiator hose in stock so I had to hunt down after-markets, which for the heater hoses on top of the T-stat housing was a real challenge. I ended up having to make the 1/2" one out of regular heater hose with a clamp at the bend to insure against crimping. The 5/8" one I made by buying a similar one and shortening it, which I also had to do to both the upper and lower rad hoses that were supposed to be correct application.

 

One thing I realized as I was waiting for the system to drain my fresh water flush through the radiator drain is that without pulling the T-stat about a quart or more of fluid will remain dammed up behind the closed T-stat so once the flush water was running clear I pulled the T-stat again.

 

Another odd thing I thought about is that the T-stat gasket is a separate part from the T-stat itself. I guess it's conceivable that somebody might just replace the gasket but is the thermostat that reliable that it's worth saving the few bucks not to replace it once it's out?

[SBT]

If I pull the thermostat housing to flush/refill the coolant, I replace the thermostat and gasket with OEM ones. I replace all of the hoses at the 90K flush/refill (I do mine every 30K miles along with the transmission and diff fluids) intervals and keep the take-offs for spares.

[bluesuby]

If I pull the thermostat housing to flush/refill the coolant, I replace the thermostat and gasket with OEM ones. I replace all of the hoses at the 90K flush/refill (I do mine every 30K miles along with the transmission and diff fluids) intervals and keep the take-offs for spares.

 

Did you use OEM or aftermarket hoses? What's a good source?

[SBT]

For interval stuff like this, I always use OEM. Fred Beans Parts is a good source as is Infamous Performance.

 

P/Ns for all of the cooling system hoses and other bits follow:

807615182 - Cooling - Water Pump Lower Hose, All Turbo

807612011 - Cooling - Water pump - Upper hose, All Turbo

14065AA250 - Cooling - Water pump - By-pass pipe, 2005-2006 Turbo

14065AA330 - Cooling - Water pump - By-pass pipe, 2007-2009 Turbo

21210AA030 - Cooling - Water pump - Thermostat - w/gasket, All Turbo

21236AA010 - Cooling - Water pump - Thermostat Housing gasket, All Turbo

45161AG00B - Cooling - Radiator - Upper Inlet Hose (P/N may be discontinued)

45161AG01A - Cooling - Radiator - Lower Outlet Hose

14472AA091 - Cooling - Turbo - Hose Assembly

[compsurge]

Thanks for the parts list! I just turned 90k, so I'm going to have to look into what needs to be done for the service interval as well. This will help since I have some leaky coolant lines.

[SBT]

I find that the reusing the clamps on OEM parts is not an issue if that helps. Just need to make sure that they're on square and not angled.

[Subadozer]

If I pull the thermostat housing to flush/refill the coolant, I replace the thermostat and gasket with OEM ones. I replace all of the hoses at the 90K flush/refill (I do mine every 30K miles along with the transmission and diff fluids) intervals and keep the take-offs for spares.

I agree. For what little relative savings is realized why not just replace them both? I just found it a little odd that the gasket came as a separate part, especially in these days of commonly not being able to replace individual parts on so many things. I guess Subaru figures the thermostat is a lifetime part that commonly doesn't need replacement and thus the gasket-only option. I've had enough stuck thermostat experiences in my life that for $22 it was worth it for me not to have to worry about it.

 

I would have used OEM hoses but with my poor planning I didn't have time to wait for them since the local dealer was out of stock on all of them. The aftermarkets I got at Advance are Dayton and there again, I would have reused all the OEM clamps but the new hoses were just enough thicker that I couldn't get some of them on.

[RustyShackleford]

I agree. For what little relative savings is realized why not just replace them both? I just found it a little odd that the gasket came as a separate part, especially in these days of commonly not being able to replace individual parts on so many things. I guess Subaru figures the thermostat is a lifetime part that commonly doesn't need replacement and thus the gasket-only option. I've had enough stuck thermostat experiences in my life that for $22 it was worth it for me not to have to worry about it.

 

I guess I figure the chances of installing a new thermostat that's faulty out of the box are about as good as the old one failing.

 

FWIW, I've never replaced thermostat (when I pull it and replace the gasket, as part of a coolant change as described here). One car (now friend's) is pushing 200K miles and mine is pushing 70K. And never had a problem. Knock on wood ...

[bluesuby]

For interval stuff like this, I always use OEM. Fred Beans Parts is a good source as is Infamous Performance.

 

P/Ns for all of the cooling system hoses and other bits follow:

807615182 - Cooling - Water Pump Lower Hose, All Turbo

807612011 - Cooling - Water pump - Upper hose, All Turbo

14065AA250 - Cooling - Water pump - By-pass pipe, 2005-2006 Turbo

14065AA330 - Cooling - Water pump - By-pass pipe, 2007-2009 Turbo

21210AA030 - Cooling - Water pump - Thermostat - w/gasket, All Turbo

21236AA010 - Cooling - Water pump - Thermostat Housing gasket, All Turbo

45161AG00B - Cooling - Radiator - Upper Inlet Hose (P/N may be discontinued)

45161AG01A - Cooling - Radiator - Lower Outlet Hose

14472AA091 - Cooling - Turbo - Hose Assembly

 

This great, but now I'll push my luck....heater hoses and numbers?

[SBT]

72421AG00B - Heater outlet hose - All Turbo

72411AG100 - Heater Inlet hose - All Turbo

 

 

And, in one place...priced from FB Parts