Temp gauge spike.

Ser_Egg

Ser_Egg

Forum Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2019
Messages
286
Location
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Car Year
2005
Car Model
Subaru Forester SG series 1
Transmission
5Spd Manual
Hey guys. My temp gauge spikes to just over half on mainly long drives or hill climbs. It then goes back down to where it should be.

Ive asked on the subaru offroad australia facrbook page and someone had pretty much the same problem and said it was the coolant temp sensor for him and he replaced it. I thought it mightve been the thermostat but it would seem that it does open because it doesnt go all the way into the red. I dont have milky oil or anything but it does keep sucking coolant out of the reservior when it spikes.

What are your guys thoughts on this? Could it actually be the temp sensor or is it something else?
 
Fans running in reverse :ROFLMAO:

Just over midway when the engine is working hard is OK; any higher is an issue though. It's odd that it would be sucking coolant OUT of the reservoir when hot; it's usually the other way around?
 
Im gonna replace the thermostat and the radiator cap first. I just looked my cap and the oem cap and its different so im going to assume at some point there was some maintenance done to the system before i got her. Also considering the age of the motor it probably wouldnt hurt to change the thermostat over to a new one anyway. This time when i refill the coolant im gonna get that refill kit and do it that way. i may have screwed up the burping process and it also seems like a worthy tool to invest in. Its weird though because it just started happening out of the blue
 
Change the cap first and see how it goes! 14-18 psi I believe.
 
Are you actually using up coolant?
 
Kevin said:
Change the cap first and see how it goes! 14-18 psi I believe.
Click to expand...
there is a 108kPA which works out to be 15psi according to google and another cap at 137kPA which works out to be 19psi. Both genuine caps but im assuming one is for the the lower PSI is for NA motors and the higher kPA for the Turbos?


Ben Up North said:
Are you actually using up coolant?
Click to expand...

Well it was disappearing from the reserve but after abit of driving today seems to have settled abit sitting around where i filled it Friday.
 
Last edited:
Sweet because i ordered it before you said anything. I did a part number check as well
 
I have replaced the radiator cap. Have yet to take for a test drive but for the whole week back and fourth from work she has stayed where she needs to be. When i pulled off the old cap and put the OEM one on it i noticed that the coolant level is low to the point you can see the cooling fins or whatever you call them in there. Probably should top that top up and i also noticed that the tridon cap that was on their is rated for 16psi/110KPA, slightly better rated than the 108kPA OEM cap. Surely this couldnt be a problem
 
No problem, 16 PSI is within spec so it's fine
 
Depends on age and condition - always good to have a spare on hand ;-)
 
already put the new one on. Looks better with the OEM one there anyway. Guess ill keep this tridon as a spare, doesnt look to old
 
Get an engine watch dog or a scan gauge to see what is really going on. You can’t trust a factory gauge that doesn’t directly tell you the actual temp - it’s nothing more than an indicator. You would be surprised to see how much your temp fluctuates without that factory needle moving!

If you’re losing coolant I’d reckon you’ve got a head gasket issue. I’m sure others are thinking it. Watch that coolant level and if you can’t find any other issues (like a pin hole in a hose - holds while cold or op temp, but not when put under pressure when the engine is at a higher temp) get the HG done before you toast the heads. The metal goes soft when overheated ;)

Also, I’ve not known a factory thermostat to die in a subaru. Weirdly it’s just something that doesn’t happen! If replacing ALWAYS use OEM and get a new gasket too.

Cheers

Bennie
 
Which scanner do you recommend, im not looking to spend big money on them, just something that shows what i want to see. What am i even looking for when scanning the vehicle??
 
You guys use this when out on the road as well??

also what exactly am i looking for when using this tool???
 
Yes and you can get lots of info - I already gave you the link for Scangauge

Torque Pro:
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