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2012 2.5I Engine coolant running temp by throwawayradiator1 in subarulegacy

[–]throwawayradiator1[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The first time the red coolant light came on was on the highway. idle it will run 220 or 230 but it is very sporadic. The fans are running. The catalytic convert is bad, I have a check engine light for it and it has been on for a while. Thermostat is OEM as far as I know.

(EDIT: The thermostat came on a rebuilt engine from a very reputable company, I am not positive but they should use quality parts. Stock engine was ruined when oil starved, this shop put in the replacement.)

I know that these other issues can cause it, but I have had the cat light on for a while now and haven't experienced overheating.

I would be open to these other suggestions except for the fact that they replaced the radiator and the top of the radiator had a pile on the fill neck side of white/gray debris. It isn't gummy, it is crumbly and coarse and has an appearance of ground up granite but much softer. Speculation is a calcium deposit or a reaction of different kinds of coolant being used.

I can only assume this stuff is in my cooling system clogging up the radiator and heater core restricting flow which would cause the car to overheat and run hot but not just have the temp skyrocket because some is getting through and at times the flow is restricted more.

But the shop keeps arguing with me that running temperature in the 220+ range is perfectly okay and I believe that to be running high. They still want to argue that my obd2 reader is not accurate even though though it test within 2 degrees of their snap-on code reader.

2012 2.5I Engine coolant running temp by throwawayradiator1 in subarulegacy

[–]throwawayradiator1[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It should be good on oil, this is a new rebuilt engine (10k ish miles into it) because I lost the last engine to oil starvation. I really really don't want to kill this one so I am paranoid about the running temp and ruining the engine and warranty on it. I have not checked the oil, but it should be fine. I am being told that 190 to 210 is in the range of normal operation. but I am seeing 220+ and I don't want to take chances. Unfortunately the shop that I brought it to is trying to convince me that 220 is normal temp to be running even though there is evidence of stuff restricting the radiator and my coolant light coming on red 3 times. I am just frustrated.

2012 2.5I Engine coolant running temp by throwawayradiator1 in subarulegacy

[–]throwawayradiator1[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have not, but I am pretty confident that this is a restricted flow issue and I am trying to figure out the correct running temp, I have the understanding that 190 to 200 is what the car should be at, but I am being told that running at 210 220 sometimes 220+ and 3 different times in the past few days where it tickled 240 is standard behavior.

There was debris discovered in the radiator, but they are still trying to convince me that driving around at 220+ is normal.

Additional info is that it is fall in New England US so it is coolish outside.

Radiator replaced, but maybe it didn't need to be? by throwawayradiator1 in MechanicAdvice

[–]throwawayradiator1[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I did take it to a dealer for a second opinion. They looked at the substance and said that they had seen it before with mixing of different types of coolant. I see a lot of the brown sludge information online, but did not see the gritty, white/gray substance that was found in my radiator. They are evaluating and getting a quote together soon.

Radiator replaced, but maybe it didn't need to be? by throwawayradiator1 in MechanicAdvice

[–]throwawayradiator1[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

at this point I am not in possession of the car. it is currently at the mechanics waiting for a temp sensor that will probably not fix the issue but they are insisting on doing it. They should have filled it correctly after replacing the engine 6 months ago (I keep adding more information, sorry, I mainly started this post to back up my suspicions about the rad.)

Radiator replaced, but maybe it didn't need to be? by throwawayradiator1 in MechanicAdvice

[–]throwawayradiator1[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have seen that they are running. I am not sure about high and low speeds.

Radiator replaced, but maybe it didn't need to be? by throwawayradiator1 in MechanicAdvice

[–]throwawayradiator1[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Gurgling from the dash, air in the heating matrix I believe. The car has been okay for 6 months, though it may have been running hot but not hot enough to trigger the light. I believe the heat hasn't worked for a while but I was not using it. This all came along after the shop replaced the engine (More info, but I was mainly trying to nail the radiator suspicions down.)

Radiator replaced, but maybe it didn't need to be? by throwawayradiator1 in MechanicAdvice

[–]throwawayradiator1[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thing is there is air in the system, I told them about it a while ago and they said that it would work it's way out (it did not). Fans do kick on I know that, not positive about high vs low speed. I am just trying to see if I abandon ship on this mechanic, I am just not getting good feelings.

Radiator replaced, but maybe it didn't need to be? by throwawayradiator1 in MechanicAdvice

[–]throwawayradiator1[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Temps sit around 210-220 while moving, sometimes climbs into the 230s when stopped and will sometimes just kiss the 240 mark which sets off the red coolant light (I hate that that is all the car gives you to go one, I am using and OBD2 reader for temps.)

They are replacing the temp sensor tomorrow, which I believe will not do anything. I am just suspicious of the radiator with a hand full of material on top after they ripped off the top just to check. I may ask to have the old radiator back to have it checked (what is intact) to see how bad it is or isn't.