Hawkeye D

What a surprise, more bad luck!

My 2007 STi may need a new rad? Please have a look at the video I made for Youtube, ignore the wetness under the cap area as I'd taken that off to check if it was full.

Looks more like the top tank end nearest the overflow bottle is weeping? I've been losing a small amount of coolant from the overflow bottle level when checking on cold, perhaps an inch over 1,000 miles or so, so not much, but you'll notice along from the cap it dries out, then is damp again at the far end....anyone else seen this?

Been quoted to supply a new Nissens rad, seems a good price at £135 inc VAT and the supplier has been dealing with Nissens for 30 years he said, and apparently are a good rad.
I filmed this yesterday, so no rain and a hot day, it must be coolant I can see, plus the drop in overflow bottle level....header tank and rad itself are full. I made this video whilst the engine was cold as I hadn't driven it since Sunday last week.

Temp needle has been ok, highest temps on my PSi3 were 97 then cooling fan takes it down to about 87. Hope my fresh build hasn't been harmed by this leak, full forged build with a brand new block 4k miles ago! - You may recall my cracked block pics from around Christmas time, soooo ugly!


May have a go at fitting myself, but fear the dreaded air lock syndrome. I do remember Alcazar's post on that by the way!
Genuine OEM Subaru one (possibly Calsonic not sure) was getting on the thick end of £400

1509joe

iTrader: (2)

Last nissens rad I got was 76+ vat from my supplier. Get it put in yourself an hour tops with the right tools

Hawkeye D

When you say right tools, is there any special tools required? Some good videos on Youtube
I've got the typical sockets and some confidence to do it, and a Lisle spill free funnel. Just don't want to airlock it and kill my fresh build.....I think the hardest part will be getting to the clamp holding the bottom hose onto the thermostat housing? I'd probably replace both hoses anyway.

I sense two weeks of backache coming on! lol
Has anyone had this weeping before along the top? I haven't noticed any steam when at running temp. I don't have pressure testing equipment.

MrRtm

Easy as pie, 2 bolts, 2 fan connectors, top and bottom rad hoses undone and it pulls right out.

Fill from back header tank hose and you won't get an airlock.

1509joe

iTrader: (2)

As above a little more to it than that but he's 100% right get some nice shinny stainless steel jubilee clips with your new hoses and you'll be right.

Vxr2010

what about the mishimoto ones , the only bit i had to change was trimmed a bit off the cooling fan shroud at the bottom of the rad where the lower coolant hose goes into the rad , it’s an easy job to do swapping a rad , there are two plugs for the fans don’t undo one and wonder why it’s not coming off , worth doing new rad hoses while you are there , i do a 30 per cent coolant mix , the burping process park it facing up hill , fill it up as much as you can whilst it is cold , start it up , then keep topping up the pressured expansion tank ,check the levels the next day after it’s all cooled down , the mishimoto ones run cooler , the only issue i had with one was the little top screw that goes where the pressure cap was was a bit of a fiddle , cheaper options are original nissens one , where are you based maybe a member nearby

1509joe

iTrader: (2)

They don't run cooler according to three syvecs ecu's here. They also tend to leak regularly. I have two sitting in the workshop that were removed and Nissens ones fitted and ran they run cooler according to syvecs data logging.

rossyboy

iTrader: (8)

Change the top and bottom rad hoses too if they haven’t been done. For £30 genuine Subaru part costs, it’s peace of mind, as they will fail at some point as well.

Hawkeye D

Found the hoses on ICP and yes will replace both as mine are now 13 years old.

These look like the spring type clamps on my top hose, will they be the same on the bottom hose? I don't think I have jubilee's on my current bottom hose? If I do, what's a good quality jubilee and size please?

https://www.importcarparts.co.uk/par...chKey=radiator

1509joe

iTrader: (2)

On the page on your link there is an option for oem wire clamps which are good enough

Hawkeye D

Apologies, I have possibly (hopefully) been an askhole here.

Last night I cleaned off the coolant on the rad and it's stayed bone dry / clean after a few spirited runs out last night. Will keep my eye on the overflow bottle level. I've marked it just now with a marker pen where the coolant is sitting now cold....so will keep an eye on it at cold.

If it is losing coolant then I'll have to go back to the builder, could be a hose or clamp somewhere, but easier to find a source of a leak when it's in the air.

There's a chance it was residue from where the rad was filled after build, we'll see. Or at least that's what I'm crossing my fingers for. I hope the coolant was just sat there...and even in the hot temps recently perhaps coolant doesn't dry up like just plain water would, hence I could see it on the rad - that's me just trying to be optimistic by the way!

Off to Oxford today, so if we take the STi that will be about a 140 mile round trip, should be a sensible / mixed test.
If you see a 2007 Spec D broken down on the M4 or A34, that'll be me! lol