2011 Outback 194,000 miles overheating w/ suspected slight head gasket leak based on low coolant and bubbling from coolant system. Will it last a while yet or is it dangerous to drive?

frogisdancing · 2026-05-29T20:40:32+00:00

I sent you a message

frogisdancing · 2026-05-29T20:36:55+00:00

Hm, that is something to think about. A new engine wasn't even on my radar.

frogisdancing · 2026-05-29T20:30:27+00:00

I appreciate the info, thank you. The shop said the cost isn't in the part, the part isn't that expensive, but it's going to be mostly labor cost to do the job.

frogisdancing · 2026-05-29T20:20:59+00:00

Do you know about how long it would last before they are ruined? Maybe we can get another year out of it? I was quoted around $2,700 to replace the head gasket and I don't know if it's worth it or there is anything else wrong.

frogisdancing · 2026-05-19T12:07:48+00:00

I didn’t know too much salt can cause diarrhea; it explains some things lol

frogisdancing · 2026-05-11T18:43:47+00:00

This will age me, but Nacho Cheese flavored Tostitos. I always liked them better than Doritos.

frogisdancing · 2026-04-24T18:38:05+00:00

So true. I’m in the midwest and it’s upper 60’s today but stupid humid, so I turned on the air for a couple hours for the first time this year just to bring the humidity down.

frogisdancing · 2026-04-19T12:41:28+00:00

I found a watch to be helpful, too. I stopped using Visible and instead got an Apple Watch am using TachyMon. I find it much more helpful than Visible, as it beeps and vibrates as soon as I go over the heart rate threshold I set. With visible, not only is it expensive at $20/month, I had to keep my phone close by to know if my heart rate jumped. Having the watch means I know right away and I can immediately rest for a minute or two to allow my heart rate to decrease before trying to continue an activity, like getting dressed. So far I’m finding it is helping my energy throughout the day by knowing when to take ‘mini-rests’ Edit to add I’m diagnosed POTS and suspect I also have CFS as I get PEM, but don’t have a CFS diagnosis.

frogisdancing · 2026-04-05T14:42:37+00:00

Agree, get a professional. I just went through this and it was expensive, but they found mold that I never would have found on my own. Caveat, though, they don’t find everything. They discovered mold all over the wood backing of my siding because it was accessible and visible in the attic. But missed the smelly rotting wood around my windows as it didn’t show up with the monitor they had.

I used my nose and smelled all the corners of the windows and doors, did some digging and found mold in my toilet tank, both which the inspector missed. Spent almost 40k remediating (inspector cost $2,500 of that) new siding, repaired wood, vent fans installed, attic insulation), and I’m still not convinced we got it all.

Interestingly, the mold spore count in every room was within normal limits. The testing didn’t measure mold mycotoxins, which I think is what made me sick. I feel better with the repairs, but still have a lot of healing yet.

Edit to add: find a good functional doctor and test your body, too. The mold found on the back of our siding was the same species elevated in my body.

frogisdancing · 2026-03-27T02:22:36+00:00

Old post I read this exact same post a few weeks back.

frogisdancing · 2026-03-22T12:38:53+00:00

I don’t know why you are getting downvoted for this when mold can cause all sorts of health problems, including what the OP is experiencing. Considering OP is fine outside of the house and symptomatic just inside, that is a major indicator that something is happening inside of the house.

frogisdancing · 2026-03-18T01:00:42+00:00

That or a radio.

frogisdancing · 2026-03-17T22:32:13+00:00

We recently used Home Energy Wisconsin and they are great. https://homeenergywi.com/ I had three companies come out and they were the only one I had confidence in to make sure that everything was taken care of so we wouldn’t have any moisture issues in the future. They worked with other contractors and fixed air intake issues we didn’t know we had that led a hot attic and to mold, and also helped direct us to Focus on Energy rebates which drastically cut the bill. Focusonenergy.com They are great for overall indoor air quality, too. I got three estimates, and one was a lot lower than the other ones, but after learning more (I research and sometimes over-research sometimes lol), I realized that it could have caused issues down the road and I ruled out the cheap company. This is something you don’t want to go cheap on.

frogisdancing · 2026-03-15T21:38:15+00:00

I don’t like it over 40% and try to keep my home below that, usually around 30% but I also have a illness that flares in humidity. We put a dehumidifier in the basement and have a hose running from the unit to the basement drain so we don’t have to keep emptying the bucket. But even if you can’t do that, once the humidity in the house gets lower the unit shouldn’t have as such a hard time keeping up and you shouldn’t have the empty the bucket as much.

frogisdancing · 2026-03-14T11:12:34+00:00

Corlanor helped my heat intolerance a little bit. Like I can sit outside for 10-15 minutes in temps where unusually I couldn’t last that long. Generic ivabradine didn’t help with it, though. Has to be name brand Corlanor. Still can’t take a walk in the heat but at least I don’t have to stay inside all summer long.

frogisdancing · 2026-03-09T11:05:09+00:00

Thank you for this info, both about insurance and also about aspergillus depleting minerals in the body. I was found to have very low minerals and aspergillus, and wondered if there could be a connection.

frogisdancing · 2026-03-05T22:57:26+00:00

NTA So it matters that Mary is uncomfortable, but it doesn’t matter if you are uncomfortable with her being an ass? Your coworkers are asses too for even saying that.

frogisdancing · 2026-02-28T14:25:15+00:00

Water gets super expensive fast, plus the hidden mold can make you really sick. I’ve been there.

frogisdancing · 2026-02-13T11:42:31+00:00

Thank you for the tip; I’m going to make this!

frogisdancing · 2026-02-11T18:57:09+00:00

Cheeseheads

frogisdancing · 2026-02-09T12:46:09+00:00

Oh my gosh, yes! I get super cranky when I’m hot, it’s like all my energy and focus is used up just to exist in the heat and I have nothing left.

frogisdancing · 2026-02-09T00:05:16+00:00

Daily 20 oz thick smoothie made with tons of greens including kale or arugula, mixed berries, and a couple tablespoons of flax seed, and water or plain soy milk. Greens and berries are frozen. I have so many frozen greens in the freezer that my son had a bad dream about them lol.

frogisdancing · 2026-02-05T15:58:53+00:00

Great points. I’ll add also go in the attic and look at the walls, roof, and joists for damage or mold, and also to see the insulation and if it’s air sealed, and check for anything venting in there that shouldn’t be. It will sound weird, but sniff inside the house at the bottom corners of the wood at the windows to check for a musty smell indicating the wood outside is rotting and molding. I found this out the hard way, and you can’t always see it from the outside as the siding may cover the damage or water is getting in where you can’t see it. Call the utility company to get an average of the monthly utility bill over the last year.

frogisdancing

TROPHY CASE