Also, when the engine is overheating, the check engine light flashes the oxygen sensor code (we replaced to oxygen sensor already) and the code does not flash any other time. It always flashs the Solenoid Purge Control Valve code which we have not replaced yet. Could that cause the overheating?
We have replaced the T-stat twice now. I guess replacing the water pump and back filling to avoid the bubble is all that is left?
Also, it will idle fine if you idle it from a cold start but after you drive it 60+ and then slow down and try to idle it over heats.
If there are no mixture of fluids(water in oil, oil in water) do we have to worry about a blown head gasket or warped heads? There is also no loss of power or smoke.
Even when the engine is hot, should only one fan run when the AC compressor is on? Should the fan have two speeds? The Hanes manual mentions a high and low speed for this model.
The water pump replacement is going to be free because it is still under warranty. We replaced it in December. The problem is getting it to the mechanic and doing without the car long enough to have it replaced.
The problem is getting it to the mechanic and doing without the car long enough to have it replaced.
Well, it cannot be of much use now, if it predictably and regularly overheats! Definitely check to make sure both of the fans are operating properly. I have never seen only one fan come on.
Also, have you run your heater? Is there heat coming out? Is there heat when the car is overheating? If there is no heat in the heater and the radiator is cold, the water pump is the most likely culprit. If there is no heat in the heater while the car is operating normally, there could either be air in the system or a blockage in the heater core. I am not sure that a blockage in the core would cause overheating in the engine, but air could (as you and Mike have already discussed).
I am not sure if this helped or not, but I would always make sure my car was up on ramps or in some other way sitting at an incline toward the front of the car when refilling. Also, once the system was essentially full, I would rapidly and aggressively squeeze the upper radiator hose to force the coolant to move. I usually get numerous large bubbles out of the system when I do this. With a funnel in the radiator opening, any back flow of fluid flows up into the funnel rather than pouring all over the ground.
I had a water pump go out once, and it did start intermittently as a problem at idle (though it did not require a highway drive first!). The temperature would creep up and creep up... but would cool down quickly if I rev'd the engine. This happened 3-4 times before the cold night that it quit altogether.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
That is exactly what this was doing- when it would get hot, we could rev it and it would immediately start to cool back down. Now, even that does not work.
When the car is over heating and we run the heater the air is cold. When the car is running normally there is heat.
Thank you so much for the advice. You have both helped tremendously. The water pump it must be! Once we get that replaced, I will let you know how it is running.
That is exactly what this was doing- when it would get hot, we could rev it and it would immediately start to cool back down. Now, even that does not work.
When the car is over heating and we run the heater the air is cold. When the car is running normally there is heat.
Thank you so much for the advice. You have both helped tremendously. The water pump it must be! Once we get that replaced, I will let you know how it is running.
Thanks again!
Yup sounds like you narrowed it down to the water pump. Keep us updated!
I drove to work in a freaking snowSTORM this morning ... not flurries ... not a nice light snowfall .. but a snowSTORM ... the trucks were pulling off the road to wait it out!
The highway I take for a short distance usually moves about 80 mph (65 posted), and today people were driving 30-35 ... yeah .. it was ... interesting ..
It snowed most of the day off and on and we still have snow on the ground tonight ... although the temp has now risen to 37 degrees .. and more possible tonight ...
Here in SE Wisconsin, we got about 4" of heavy wet slush snow. It started sticking about 6am this morning and continued until about 3pm or so. Seems now it's just misting out.
Over here in the moistmost corner of the country, we had mostly sunny skies, near 60 degrees. Even the slugs were wearin' shades. :shades: Rain on the way, though.
I called a friend in the Houston area yesterday and left a voice mail with a less than happy report of the weather we were having ...
she left a voicemail in return about how she was riding home from work in shirtsleeves in her miata with the top down ...
when we finally connected to talk, I told her I'd "get her back" in the summer on a day we had 75 with light breezes and she had 98 with 150% humidity ..
(I know someone will tell me that it's impossible to have 150% humidity ... if you think that, you've obviously never been to Houston in the summer ... )
Although, I must say our gain was your loss. The snow was very welcome at Mt Bachelor where we got a final ski trip in for the year- had about 20" of new snow! Totally unexpected- it was a total blast.
But driving through it was not fun, especially over the mountain passes!
tom
PS serge, I grew up where every day was summer- got sick of the endless days of sunshine without seasons! :P
Yeah, I know what you mean Tom. Although I constantly moan about the rough winter we get, truth be told, I like living where there is four distinct seasons.
Once again, I'm back. Last week I celebrated my 50th birthday. I have to admit, 20, 30 & 40 really didn't bother me much, but turning 50 kind of freaked me a bit. I told Beth that she best get me out of town and take my mind off of life, or horrible things could happen (like an expensive new car, or something worse). So in late March (two weeks prior to my BD - April 6), she booked a 7 night cruise on Royal Caribbean's "Voyager of the Seas" out of Miami. We have never done a cruise before, so it was a real shot in the dark. We flew down to Ft. Lauderdale, visited with family for two days, then off to the East. Stops included Nassau in the Bahamas, St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, San Juan PR, and Royal's private peninsula on the Northern Shore of Haiti.
All I can say is WOW!!! Voyager is an incredible ship (the size of an Aircraft Carrier), with a 1500 seat theatre, ice skating rink with great shows and freeskate time, wonderful dining, and the like. Everything was spotless, and the service beyond excellent. On the islands we did a glass bottom boat, Emily and I went snorkeling and on the BOSS 'underwater motor scooters' (think diving bell helmets on motorbikes). Swimming on white sand beaches in crystal clear warm water. On my birthday, Beth and I went parasailing 500' behind a speedboat! Now that is a heck of a way to usher in the second half of life.
Well, we arrived back in Miami on Saturday to a cold, hard dose of reality. Our shepherd Madison had been taken from the kennel to an animal hospital with 'bloat' and saved. We took him home but he blew up again and required emergency surgery in the early hours of Monday morning. He is home, but last night started to go again, so back to the vet this morning. His stomach is now tethered, so it cannot rotate, but something is chronically wrong, so how long he will last is an open question.
I guess we take the bad with the good in life and look for balance....
Always glad to have you back, Steve, and happy birthday! Somehow, I expect that I will likely usher in the "second half of life" much earlier than 50.....
Sorry to hear about your pup. Our shepherd mix, Girl, passed away this last Saturday from bloat. She was 16. It was not a situation where surgery was an option (at 16, they have to die from something!), but she was gone within an hour of discovering the problem anyway. She was "fine" at noon when I took her out to her tether but was puffed up like a sausage at 8pm when I let her back inside. I took her to the emergency clinic to get her checked out and no sooner had they given her a once-over than she expired. We were sad that she had to go in such pain, but thankful that she enjoyed an active and healthy life right up to within hours of the end.
I sincerely hope that Madison recovers. Pets are hard to lose, even for a "practical" hum-bug like me. :P
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
Last Sept we took RC out of NJ (may actually have been Voyager) and had a BLAST to Bermuda. It was our first cruise too. Shoot me an e-mail and I'll shot you our pics.
Steve - hope Madison does well. No matter what anyone says, pets are family memebers too. Helen and I decided to never had kids, so instead we have 3 cats who get spoiled worse than kids, including having pet insurance.
As far as the cruise, I'm glad to hear you had a great time. We did a cruise to Alaska last summer and loved it so much we are leaving in 29 days to go from NYC to Bermuda/Bahamas on Norwegian Cruise line. It's great to just get onboard, unpack once and visit different places!
Sorry to hear about your loss. Our Golden, Annie, is almost 11, and has slowed down considerably over the last year or so. She really now acts like an old dog, so she probably doesn't have much time left either.
Mike, thanks for the offer, we might take you up on it. Steve, Happy Birthday and hope Madison recovers Jason, sorry to hear about Girl...take time to mourn before you think about another.
Michael will be flying up and I will be driving up a couple of days later; I need to finish my last certification class. Serge
Only if we take the Alaska Marine Highway ferry up the Inside Passage or cruise Iceberg Alley to Newfoundland - so we can take our Subarus!
I think cruising with the locals has spoiled me for the floating hotels.
Oh yeah, the best place to put your tent up is near the solarium on the rear deck, although I was able to sneak down to the car deck and sleep in the van on the Canadian ferry.
Wes, we seem to have strangely parallel lives, don't we? Bloat is a horrible way to go, which only makes some of our efforts to save him seem a bit selfish. We are torn between our actions and letting him go. He just turned 8, and can still run with the deer when he feels like it. To be suddenly stricken seems so unfair. I thought last night was his last, but we carried him back into the hospital this morning for one last IV and (maybe) miracle drugs to see if we can restart his digestive tract, or if it has gone necrotic. Our vet briefly discussed going in again to look, but then quietly advised against it, so this is the final act.
I appreciate the kind words from everyone. It is hard to say goodbye. Bad ending to a great vacation!!
Reminds me of when we had to put Ashley down. She'd had a massive stroke and couldn't even eat, and would probably have starved to death.
I was very sad (a wreck, actually) but I was holding her when they gave her the shot, and when her body suddenly relaxed I could sense the relief she felt. That made it somewhat easier for me to let her go.
Mike and others -- thanks for all your help. I've learned a lot trying to beat this problem and the car is now at the shop getting a new water pump put in. Both labor and parts are covered under warranty as they were put in when the shop put a used engine in the car in December (been overheating since then in varying degrees). I'll let you know if it works out and feel confident this will do the trick.
Thanks again -- BTW - if anyone has a tranny for a 96 Outback with AWD, please let me know, as I may be in the market for one soon. --Dan M.
If Alaska is a viable destination, I am all for a meet & greet! Granted, I may not have my Subaru any more at that point, but I suspect we will end up with another one in the not-too-distant future.
As for pets, no more for us for a while. We still have Kobresia, a yellow lab - Alaska husky cross, and she is 6 now. She seems to be taking Girl's loss the hardest. My wife, who had Girl from about 6 months old, had reconciled herself to losing the dog eventually and did not take the loss too hard. Of course, she did not actually see Girl die, either, so I imagine it was probably a bit easier for her. With our son at almost-3 and our second (and last) one due in October, we are thinking that it is best to save further toddler-induced dog torture for Kobresia and spare a "new" pup such a fate!
If your dog is "acting old," especially if it is coming on quickly, it may be tooth pain and/or joint pain. Inspect the teeth for discoloration or highly sensitive gums, as this could be an indication of an abscess. Tooth extractions are fairly cheap, and dogs can get along well without a tooth or two (both Girl and Kobresia cracked a molar, and both did/do fine without them). For Girl, it was like bringing her back to life when we had her abscessed tooth removed. Kobresia's was not infected, but was noticeably broken (split down the middle as a result of trying to pulverize a moose rib). For joint pain, I highly recommend a daily dose of glucosamine sulfate w/ MSM. I gave Girl a single pill (Sam's Club special!) daily, along with one for myself, and she did great. She was still playful and energetic up through the morning she died, even though her hips were so badly arthritic that they markedly shook all the time.
Between the age of 10 and 11, she "got old," which is why we picked up Kobresia in the first place. But, after the tooth extraction, she perked up dramatically. Then, after putting her on glucosamine at 13, she basically stabilized for the last three years of life, other than going mostly deaf. In the photo posted above, she was just over 14 years old, and we were on a hike and almost at the top of Rendezvous Peak outside Anchorage. Obviously, she was still gearing to go!
Steve, I am sure Madison appreciates your efforts and, more importantly, your company and comfort. It is a tough choice to make - your heart and his eyes will let you know when it is time. The fact that he has held on this long, after repeated relapses, means he has a lot of life in him and was not ready to give up. He is still in his prime, so it is such a shame for him to be going through this.
The vet said the following when I took Girl in, "Bloat is more common in shepherds than most other breeds and we do not know what triggers it. It can happen in a 6-month-old pup, in their prime, or in old age. It does not seem to matter."
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
Dina is now 9 1/2 (shepherd/lab mix) and is also on glucosamine...she had started limping earlier this winter and our neighbors suggested it; she hasn't limped since; of course, she gets her pill wrapped in cheese, which she loves. These animals are part of our families and it's tough to see them suffer and tough to put them down after so many years of selfless love.
Steve, I am very sorry to hear of your beloved pets Problem.I do hope he pulls through it as he is still in his prime. I know I would be devastated if anything happened to Mac our little Schnauzer.
Sorry to hear 'bout the recent troubles with canine companions. When I was in my late teens, I watched my parents' crazy Bassett that I had spent many years with, "Banzai Bonnie". Bonnie loved to rocket around the yard wild-eyed, at full-throttle, and her lower center of gravity (hey, like a Subaru!) really allowed her to carve up the corners. She'd race under the apple tree and jump up to grab the lowest-hanging fruit. Not what I expected from a Bassett. Anyway, she ended up getting seriously ill & I had to take her to the vet. She hung on 'til my folks made it home, so I didn't have to make the final decision myself, but a small part of me always felt I betrayed her by taking her to the place she was euthanized. I know it was best for her, and never wanted her to suffer needlessly, but there's always that silly twinge of regret I still feel today. I miss that poor pup. :sick: Maybe as my boy gets a year or two older, we'll get a dog for our family.
On a lighter note, the DW, boy & I would be up for an Alaska "Subaru Crewse", scheduled far enough ahead. I'm always at work during the weekly chat (), and it'd be nice to meet some of you fine folks in person. My honey always thinks I spend too much time on Subaru-related stuff (though she likes the brand as much as I), so this'd be a good way to combine my interest with some family travel. Maybe I wouldn't tell her it was a "crew" cruise... "Oh look who we bumped into on the ship, honey... a whole flock of Subaru owners! What a coincidence!" Nah. :P
I can relate to the angst of turning 50 ... and wayyyy more so than the other decade birthdays ....
We had a dog once who lived to be 17 and had survived me running all the way over her in the driveway when she was 13 .... so I can empathize with the loss ...
Wes had it quite right. Their eyes tell you when they have had enough, but my heart had a tough time coming to grips with what had to be done. We were back at the vet on Thursday, and put Madison into the hospital on Friday when fever, vomiting and dehydration began to take a toll. We visited with him Friday evening and Saturday, but this morning he was severely bloated again. Jerry, our terrific vet, called to say that it was time. We all spent some time with him, then Beth took the girls out to the waiting room. So once again I sprawled out on the floor and held a beloved friend as we cried our good-bye.
Please do me a favor, someone, and remind me how to post a photo?
Comments
Also, when the engine is overheating, the check engine light flashes the oxygen sensor code (we replaced to oxygen sensor already) and the code does not flash any other time. It always flashs the Solenoid Purge Control Valve code which we have not replaced yet. Could that cause the overheating?
We have replaced the T-stat twice now. I guess replacing the water pump and back filling to avoid the bubble is all that is left?
T-stat done.
This leaves the bubble, blockage in the engine iteself or water pump. Highly unlikely of a blockage.
Still think it might be a bubble or the water pump at this stage in the game. Just was tryign to avoid the water pump replacement.
-mike
If there are no mixture of fluids(water in oil, oil in water) do we have to worry about a blown head gasket or warped heads? There is also no loss of power or smoke.
You will likely not overheat it when standing still but put some load on the engine and it'll heat up quickly.
-mike
Though the Sprinter is so big you could play hockey back there. :surprise:
-mike
The water pump replacement is going to be free because it is still under warranty. We replaced it in December. The problem is getting it to the mechanic and doing without the car long enough to have it replaced.
Not yours, though.
-mike
-mike
Well, it cannot be of much use now, if it predictably and regularly overheats! Definitely check to make sure both of the fans are operating properly. I have never seen only one fan come on.
Also, have you run your heater? Is there heat coming out? Is there heat when the car is overheating? If there is no heat in the heater and the radiator is cold, the water pump is the most likely culprit. If there is no heat in the heater while the car is operating normally, there could either be air in the system or a blockage in the heater core. I am not sure that a blockage in the core would cause overheating in the engine, but air could (as you and Mike have already discussed).
I am not sure if this helped or not, but I would always make sure my car was up on ramps or in some other way sitting at an incline toward the front of the car when refilling. Also, once the system was essentially full, I would rapidly and aggressively squeeze the upper radiator hose to force the coolant to move. I usually get numerous large bubbles out of the system when I do this. With a funnel in the radiator opening, any back flow of fluid flows up into the funnel rather than pouring all over the ground.
I had a water pump go out once, and it did start intermittently as a problem at idle (though it did not require a highway drive first!). The temperature would creep up and creep up... but would cool down quickly if I rev'd the engine. This happened 3-4 times before the cold night that it quit altogether.
When the car is over heating and we run the heater the air is cold. When the car is running normally there is heat.
Thank you so much for the advice. You have both helped tremendously. The water pump it must be! Once we get that replaced, I will let you know how it is running.
Thanks again!
-mike
When the car is over heating and we run the heater the air is cold. When the car is running normally there is heat.
Thank you so much for the advice. You have both helped tremendously. The water pump it must be! Once we get that replaced, I will let you know how it is running.
Thanks again!
Yup sounds like you narrowed it down to the water pump. Keep us updated!
-mike
Bob
-mike
The highway I take for a short distance usually moves about 80 mph (65 posted), and today people were driving 30-35 ... yeah .. it was ... interesting ..
It snowed most of the day off and on and we still have snow on the ground tonight ... although the temp has now risen to 37 degrees .. and more possible tonight ...
I say we shoot that groundhog! :sick:
-Brian
she left a voicemail in return about how she was riding home from work in shirtsleeves in her miata with the top down ...
when we finally connected to talk, I told her I'd "get her back" in the summer on a day we had 75 with light breezes and she had 98 with 150% humidity ..
(I know someone will tell me that it's impossible to have 150% humidity ... if you think that, you've obviously never been to Houston in the summer ... )
-mike
EVERY DAY IN THE SUMMER!
Serge
Gotta drive it every chance I get. With two cars, I still end up putting about 9k miles/year on the Forester and only 6k on the Miata.
So any non-rainy day above 40, it's top down on the roadster. :shades:
Although, I must say our gain was your loss.
But driving through it was not fun, especially over the mountain passes!
tom
PS serge, I grew up where every day was summer- got sick of the endless days of sunshine without seasons! :P
-mike
Cheers Pat.
All I can say is WOW!!! Voyager is an incredible ship (the size of an Aircraft Carrier), with a 1500 seat theatre, ice skating rink with great shows and freeskate time, wonderful dining, and the like. Everything was spotless, and the service beyond excellent. On the islands we did a glass bottom boat, Emily and I went snorkeling and on the BOSS 'underwater motor scooters' (think diving bell helmets on motorbikes). Swimming on white sand beaches in crystal clear warm water. On my birthday, Beth and I went parasailing 500' behind a speedboat! Now that is a heck of a way to usher in the second half of life.
Well, we arrived back in Miami on Saturday to a cold, hard dose of reality. Our shepherd Madison had been taken from the kennel to an animal hospital with 'bloat' and saved. We took him home but he blew up again and required emergency surgery in the early hours of Monday morning. He is home, but last night started to go again, so back to the vet this morning. His stomach is now tethered, so it cannot rotate, but something is chronically wrong, so how long he will last is an open question.
I guess we take the bad with the good in life and look for balance....
Steve
I'll give Hadji an extra long walk tonight.
Sorry to hear about your pup. Our shepherd mix, Girl, passed away this last Saturday from bloat. She was 16. It was not a situation where surgery was an option (at 16, they have to die from something!), but she was gone within an hour of discovering the problem anyway. She was "fine" at noon when I took her out to her tether but was puffed up like a sausage at 8pm when I let her back inside. I took her to the emergency clinic to get her checked out and no sooner had they given her a once-over than she expired. We were sad that she had to go in such pain, but thankful that she enjoyed an active and healthy life right up to within hours of the end.
I sincerely hope that Madison recovers. Pets are hard to lose, even for a "practical" hum-bug like me. :P
Steve, happy birthday, kid! Hadn't seen you on the boards much lately. Hope you and the family are well and that Madison gets better.
Jim
-mike
Steve - hope Madison does well. No matter what anyone says, pets are family memebers too. Helen and I decided to never had kids, so instead we have 3 cats who get spoiled worse than kids, including having pet insurance.
As far as the cruise, I'm glad to hear you had a great time. We did a cruise to Alaska last summer and loved it so much we are leaving in 29 days to go from NYC to Bermuda/Bahamas on Norwegian Cruise line. It's great to just get onboard, unpack once and visit different places!
Hey, here's an idea. How about a Crew Cruise?
Mark
It's funny, he used to be black and brown, now he's black and gray! Just like me, except I have more gray.
Bob
Steve, Happy Birthday and hope Madison recovers
Jason, sorry to hear about Girl...take time to mourn before you think about another.
Michael will be flying up and I will be driving up a couple of days later; I need to finish my last certification class.
Serge
Only if we take the Alaska Marine Highway ferry up the Inside Passage or cruise Iceberg Alley to Newfoundland - so we can take our Subarus!
I think cruising with the locals has spoiled me for the floating hotels.
Oh yeah, the best place to put your tent up is near the solarium on the rear deck, although I was able to sneak down to the car deck and sleep in the van on the Canadian ferry.
I appreciate the kind words from everyone. It is hard to say goodbye. Bad ending to a great vacation!!
Steve
I was very sad (a wreck, actually) but I was holding her when they gave her the shot, and when her body suddenly relaxed I could sense the relief she felt. That made it somewhat easier for me to let her go.
Thanks again -- BTW - if anyone has a tranny for a 96 Outback with AWD, please let me know, as I may be in the market for one soon. --Dan M.
As for pets, no more for us for a while. We still have Kobresia, a yellow lab - Alaska husky cross, and she is 6 now. She seems to be taking Girl's loss the hardest. My wife, who had Girl from about 6 months old, had reconciled herself to losing the dog eventually and did not take the loss too hard. Of course, she did not actually see Girl die, either, so I imagine it was probably a bit easier for her. With our son at almost-3 and our second (and last) one due in October, we are thinking that it is best to save further toddler-induced dog torture for Kobresia and spare a "new" pup such a fate!
If your dog is "acting old," especially if it is coming on quickly, it may be tooth pain and/or joint pain. Inspect the teeth for discoloration or highly sensitive gums, as this could be an indication of an abscess. Tooth extractions are fairly cheap, and dogs can get along well without a tooth or two (both Girl and Kobresia cracked a molar, and both did/do fine without them). For Girl, it was like bringing her back to life when we had her abscessed tooth removed. Kobresia's was not infected, but was noticeably broken (split down the middle as a result of trying to pulverize a moose rib). For joint pain, I highly recommend a daily dose of glucosamine sulfate w/ MSM. I gave Girl a single pill (Sam's Club special!) daily, along with one for myself, and she did great. She was still playful and energetic up through the morning she died, even though her hips were so badly arthritic that they markedly shook all the time.
Between the age of 10 and 11, she "got old," which is why we picked up Kobresia in the first place. But, after the tooth extraction, she perked up dramatically. Then, after putting her on glucosamine at 13, she basically stabilized for the last three years of life, other than going mostly deaf. In the photo posted above, she was just over 14 years old, and we were on a hike and almost at the top of Rendezvous Peak outside Anchorage. Obviously, she was still gearing to go!
Steve, I am sure Madison appreciates your efforts and, more importantly, your company and comfort. It is a tough choice to make - your heart and his eyes will let you know when it is time. The fact that he has held on this long, after repeated relapses, means he has a lot of life in him and was not ready to give up. He is still in his prime, so it is such a shame for him to be going through this.
The vet said the following when I took Girl in, "Bloat is more common in shepherds than most other breeds and we do not know what triggers it. It can happen in a 6-month-old pup, in their prime, or in old age. It does not seem to matter."
Cheers Pat.
Sorry about your dog (as well as yours, Wes) It's always sad to see a faithful companion suffer.
tom
On a lighter note, the DW, boy & I would be up for an Alaska "Subaru Crewse", scheduled far enough ahead. I'm always at work during the weekly chat (
I can relate to the angst of turning 50 ... and wayyyy more so than the other decade birthdays ....
We had a dog once who lived to be 17 and had survived me running all the way over her in the driveway when she was 13 .... so I can empathize with the loss ...
Please do me a favor, someone, and remind me how to post a photo?
Heartbroken in NY,
Steve