Help For A New Scooby Owner

[bovsti]

Hi Folks,

my first post on the forum and a new Subaru owner.

I got my version 1 STI last week (the smile has not left my face in a week!) and since then i have had a little coolant leak from somewhere. The radiator is practically brand new we have inspected the hoses and there is no obvious sign of cracks and they all appear to be on tight. Im going to take it out this weekend, and ultimately replace the std hoses with some lovely blue Samco hoses. It only leaks after i have had the boost turned right up and i have been giving it some welly. The main leak seems to be coming from the around the area of the bottom radiator hose, but i have also noticed some spots of coolant on the top of the grill drivers side. Im pretty sure it is not a bad problem, but given i have only had the car a week im a wee bit worried.

Anybody got any ideas and lay my worried miund to rest?

Cheers,

Bovis

[Richie Cross]

Can't help you with the problem but hello and welcome to the forum

What's the spec of your car?

Post up some pics when you can.

Whereabouts in Glasgow are you?

We have our monthly meeting in Hillington on the first Thurs of every month.

Check the Events section.

[cusco kid]

Hi Folks,

my first post on the forum and a new Subaru owner.

I got my version 1 STI last week (the smile has not left my face in a week!) and since then i have had a little coolant leak from somewhere. The radiator is practically brand new we have inspected the hoses and there is no obvious sign of cracks and they all appear to be on tight. Im going to take it out this weekend, and ultimately replace the std hoses with some lovely blue Samco hoses. It only leaks after i have had the boost turned right up and i have been giving it some welly. The main leak seems to be coming from the around the area of the bottom radiator hose, but i have also noticed some spots of coolant on the top of the grill drivers side. Im pretty sure it is not a bad problem, but given i have only had the car a week im a wee bit worried.

Anybody got any ideas and lay my worried miund to rest?

Cheers,

Bovis

hi m8 possible your water pump is leaking ,the rads crack just at the top hose area and is only visible when you cane it m8

get a pressure tester on it asap to check cheers geo

[bovsti]

Can't help you with the problem but hello and welcome to the forum

What's the spec of your car?

Post up some pics when you can.

Whereabouts in Glasgow are you?

We have our monthly meeting in Hillington on the first Thurs of every month.

Check the Events section.

Thanks for the welcome Ritchie!

As i said its a version 1 STi Jap import. Full Hayward Scott exhaust system, blitz boost controller & turbo timer, helix organic clutch, walbro fuel pump and a few other bits and bobs including a L555B number plate, brakes, suspension. All this was done before i got the car as the guy kept a record of everything he's done......My first port of call is to get an Andy F remap. I owned a Corrado G60 before this and i thought it was quick, this thing blows it and me away! Its great!

I will defo need to try and get down to Hillington for a meet soon....

Cheers,

Bovis!

[bovsti]

hi m8 possible your water pump is leaking ,the rads crack just at the top hose area and is only visible when you cane it m8

get a pressure tester on it asap to check cheers geo

Thanks for the advice Cusco, i will get it tested asap!

Bovis

[scoobyseller555]

Was this Billy Reids motor m8,ex Brian,ex Paddy AWD,minted motor if it is m8.

Gav

[bovsti]

Was this Billy Reids motor m8,ex Brian,ex Paddy AWD,minted motor if it is m8.

Gav

Hi Gav,

aye it is that car awrite....wee Billy is my soon to be brother in law! It is an excellent car, i canny fault it at all, apart from the wee leak which Billy is going to try and help me get sorted this weekend!

Im sure i seen you yesterday morning when i was on my way to work past your garage?

Cheers,

Bovis....

[mystery machine]

Hello and welcome to the forum

Motor sounds great - and you can't beat the terminal 'Scooby grin'!

Hope you get the leaking welly problem sorted soon too

[colin_ross]

If it only leaks when you give it some stick I'd check that it isn't a head gasket failure.

Behind the passenger headlight you will see the expansion bottle. Take tke overflow rubber tube off the top of it and get a longer length. Run it up along the engine bay and out onto your windscreen. Make sure you don't pinch it too much when you close the bonnet.

Then take the car out and put your foot down. If coolant comes out the end, sorry mate, thats not a good sign. If not it's good news and you have ruled HGF out.

Best of luck.

[wilky]

Hello mate,

Another cause could be the coolant tank on the inlet manifold. On early cars they are made of a bakealite type material sealed with a chrome band around them and they are notorious for leaking around the chrome seal at anything above standard tuning levels.

I know this doesnt explain the coolant at the bottom hose however when mine went on my first impreza, when I gave it some gutty coolant was spraying out a tiny leak and spraying down the front of my engine/ cam covers and dripping onto the drive leading me initially to think the bottom hose was away.

Hope this helps and its not your head gaskets

Callum W

[bovsti]

If it only leaks when you give it some stick I'd check that it isn't a head gasket failure.

Behind the passenger headlight you will see the expansion bottle. Take tke overflow rubber tube off the top of it and get a longer length. Run it up along the engine bay and out onto your windscreen. Make sure you don't pinch it too much when you close the bonnet.

Then take the car out and put your foot down. If coolant comes out the end, sorry mate, thats not a good sign. If not it's good news and you have ruled HGF out.

Best of luck.

Thanks, i really hope it is not this! Does it make any difference if i had said that it does leak a wee bit when i have just been driving normally, but it just leaks a wee bit more when i have been giving it some welly? Does this rule out the cylinder head gaskets?

Cheers,

Bovis.

[bovsti]

Hello mate,

Another cause could be the coolant tank on the inlet manifold. On early cars they are made of a bakealite type material sealed with a chrome band around them and they are notorious for leaking around the chrome seal at anything above standard tuning levels.

I know this doesnt explain the coolant at the bottom hose however when mine went on my first impreza, when I gave it some gutty coolant was spraying out a tiny leak and spraying down the front of my engine/ cam covers and dripping onto the drive leading me initially to think the bottom hose was away.

Hope this helps and its not your head gaskets

Callum W

Cheers Callum. I really hope this is the issue and not the head gaskets! Im near hypertech so i am going to get it handed in there to get new hoses and a new coolant tank!

Cheers,

Bovis.

[colin_ross]

Thanks, i really hope it is not this! Does it make any difference if i had said that it does leak a wee bit when i have just been driving normally, but it just leaks a wee bit more when i have been giving it some welly? Does this rule out the cylinder head gaskets?

Cheers,

Bovis.

Not really.

I'm not saying that is defo what it is, just a possibility. There are other checks for a HGF but this would be the quickest and easiest unless you have a compression gauge.

It could be loads of different things but over that side of the engine bay there's only a couple of things it could be. Radiator, bottom hose, expansion tank and crossover pipe.

You said it's a new radiator, I've never heard of a tank or crossover pipe going so that leaves bottom hose (which is easy to check) or the water is being pushed out of the top of the top of the tank.

The only other reason could be it's coming out under high pressure and blasting accross the engine bay but that would be bloody obvious if it was.

Like I said, hope it's something simple.

[bovsti]

Hello and welcome to the forum

Motor sounds great - and you can't beat the terminal 'Scooby grin'!

Hope you get the leaking welly problem sorted soon too

Cheers for the welcome Mystery Machine!

I found the forum very welcoming and helpful so far.....

Hopefully get ma motor back to its normal self this weekend, so the terminal scooby grin can get even bigger

[bovsti]

Not really.

I'm not saying that is defo what it is, just a possibility. There are other checks for a HGF but this would be the quickest and easiest unless you have a compression gauge.

It could be loads of different things but over that side of the engine bay there's only a couple of things it could be. Radiator, bottom hose, expansion tank and crossover pipe.

You said it's a new radiator, I've never heard of a tank or crossover pipe going so that leaves bottom hose (which is easy to check) or the water is being pushed out of the top of the top of the tank.

The only other reason could be it's coming out under high pressure and blasting accross the engine bay but that would be bloody obvious if it was.

Like I said, hope it's something simple.

Cheers mate, for all your advice. Im going to get it tested this weekend, and hopefully my mind (and wallet) will get put to rest and it will be the bottom hose, or the coolant tank or something simple........fingers and toes crossed!

I'll let you's know how i get on.

Cheers again,

Bovis.

[mystery machine]

Cheers for the welcome Mystery Machine!

Much obliged!

Hopefully get ma motor back to its normal self this weekend, so the terminal scooby grin can get even bigger

Aye - let us know how you get on with that.

Looks like it could be decent driving weather on Sunday...

[johnnyr6]

Another prob could be a small pin hole in one of the rad tanks, espacially if it's still the standard rad. I had this and it took a bit to find it. try getting someone to rev it while you look at both sides of both end tanks.

Worth a try,

If it is let me know, i may know of a good rad for sale.

Johnny

[bovsti]

Another prob could be a small pin hole in one of the rad tanks, espacially if it's still the standard rad. I had this and it took a bit to find it. try getting someone to rev it while you look at both sides of both end tanks.

Worth a try,

If it is let me know, i may know of a good rad for sale.

Johnny

Cheers Johnny!

The more folks that say they have had a similar problem and its not the head gasket, makes me breathe a sigh of relief. But its all in the testing, and thats what we are up to this weekend, and hopefully we can get to the botom of it! If it is the rad, i'll be in touch m8!

Bovis.

[bovsti]

Much obliged!

Aye - let us know how you get on with that.

Looks like it could be decent driving weather on Sunday...

heres hoping i get the motor fixed tomorrow, and i am out driving (wi the scooby grin) in that decent weather on Sunday

[scoobyseller555]

Hi Gav,

aye it is that car awrite....wee Billy is my soon to be brother in law! It is an excellent car, i canny fault it at all, apart from the wee leak which Billy is going to try and help me get sorted this weekend!

Im sure i seen you yesterday morning when i was on my way to work past your garage?

Cheers,

Bovis....

Yep you sure did,met you moons ago,house Billy big and small doin?

Gav

[bovsti]

Yep you sure did,met you moons ago,house Billy big and small doin?

Gav

Aye thats rite when Billy was test driving the RB5!

Billy big & small are doing excellent....still motor daft, and are going to give me a dig out this weekend trying to get to the bottom of the leak!

Cheers Gav,

Bovis.

[bovsti]

News is semi-good.......had her in at Duncan at Hypertech today and the head gasket isn't gone. Pressure test revealed there were a couple of leaks on the top and bottom radiator hoses via loose hose clips, and the cap on the expansion tank is loose and letting coolant out.

So.........

The clips have been replaced and tightened and Im gona get myself a nice set of samco hoses, and get the alloy header tank fitted asap. The sniffer test for gases in the coolant came back negative so the head isnt away yet. But Duncan thinks there is too much pressure in the cooling system and this could be a sign that the gasket is on its way out. So im gona run with her just now and hopefully get the gasket replaced and upgraded later in the summer. I'll also get the coilpacks, plugs, oil & filter done (anybody think of anything else i should get done while the engine is out???) at the sametime, so i know she is in good shape to get handed over to AndyF!

[colin_ross]

Sorry to hear the gasket is on it's way out. Strange water leaks can normally be traced back to them as once the system starts to pressurise it's only a matter of time before it starts to find it's way out.

If the engine's out check the condition of the clutch as this is a great time to change a worn one.

[bovsti]

Sorry to hear the gasket is on it's way out. Strange water leaks can normally be traced back to them as once the system starts to pressurise it's only a matter of time before it starts to find it's way out.

If the engine's out check the condition of the clutch as this is a great time to change a worn one.

yeah it is a bit of a bummer that it is on its way out, but hopefully it'll last me a few months yet, then i'll get it done when the good weather comes in......mind you we do live in Scotland! It is the original head gaskets on her so its probably about time they were done.

An uprated clutch was only put in about 8K ago, so hopefully it doesn't need done yet.

[mystery machine]

That's a coupon-buster about the head gaskets, mate. I suppose at least this way you have some time to save up for the job, rather than have one of them blow unannounced, possibly causing something else to fail, car off the road, unexpected bill, etc...

Hope you can still enjoy the motor in the meantime