So much for reliability myths...

equ · 06-21-2007, 10:27 AM

Our impreza with 76k miles broke down on my gf yesterday - on a wonderful Newark highway. I had to leave work in the city and spent most of the day and the evening getting two tows out of yards and shops I'd rather not be acquainted with. Now it's at THE subaru specialist shop some 65 miles away (where it was serviced just last week). They'll look at it today.

It overheated, all the lights went on and she shut it off. There was coolant everywhere - I'm guessing it's a blown head gasket. Mucho $$$ for a car that's not worth that much.

What sucks is that we did a major (for a subaru) service last week, including a coolant flush and new plugs, fuel filter. I'm wondering if this somehow triggered it. 35k miles with no trouble and then this within 500 miles of a flush? It also made some screechy noises after the service (which was also done at this reputable place) but before the breakdown. I thought it might be the AC belt and we were about to take it back. Perhaps it is unrelated.

*Plaz* · 06-21-2007, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by equ

Our impreza with 76k miles broke down on my gf yesterday - on a wonderful Newark highway. I had to leave work in the city and spent most of the day and the evening getting two tows out of yards and shops I'd rather not be acquainted with. Now it's at THE subaru specialist shop some 65 miles away (where it was serviced just last week). They'll look at it today.

It overheated, all the lights went on and she shut it off. There was coolant everywhere - I'm guessing it's a blown head gasket. Mucho $$$ for a car that's not worth that much.

What sucks is that we did a major (for a subaru) service last week, including a coolant flush and new plugs, fuel filter. I'm wondering if this somehow triggered it. 35k miles with no trouble and then this within 500 miles of a flush? It also made some screechy noises after the service (which was also done at this reputable place) but before the breakdown. I thought it might be the AC belt and we were about to take it back. Perhaps it is unrelated.

Bleech. It didn't die on her while she was on 22, did it?

As a teen, I once stupidly ran out of gas on 22 East, right by the Frelinghuysen Ave. exit. Not an optimal place to have a disabled vehicle.

equ · 06-21-2007, 11:08 AM

It died on Rt. 1 & 9 by the airport. A "friendly" guy happened to stop by and offered to tow to his shop nearby. So in the time that I could get out of my downtown office, take the ferry, run to my car and get out there, the car was in some unbelievably bad lot off of, you guessed it, Frelinghuysen Ave & 22. All tractor trailers and no cars, deep deep mud & puddles and yes a shop of sorts - where they didn't even seem to know what was going on (like couldn't guess the head gasket right away). We got off by paying 40$ tow and 40$ unexplained fees - at some point the guy actually said some nonsense about having ordered parts already... Whew, I'm glad nothing happened to her, and next month she's going to get upgraded from AAA to AAA+ (which allows 100 miles of towing).

I went to a white castle about a mile away for the first time while there waiting for the evening tow out. Quite a cultural and digestive experience with bulletproof windows and a curious crowd.

*Plaz* · 06-21-2007, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by equ

It died on Rt. 1 & 9 by the airport. A "friendly" guy happened to stop by and offered to tow to his shop nearby. So in the time that I could get out of my downtown office, take the ferry, run to my car and get out there, the car was in some unbelievably bad lot off of, you guessed it, Frelinghuysen Ave & 22. All tractor trailers and no cars, deep deep mud & puddles and yes a shop of sorts - where they didn't even seem to know what was going on (like couldn't guess the head gasket right away). We got off by paying 40$ tow and 40$ unexplained fees - at some point the guy actually said some nonsense about having ordered parts already... Whew, I'm glad nothing happened to her, and next month she's going to get upgraded from AAA to AAA+ (which allows 100 miles of towing).

I went to a white castle about a mile away for the first time while there waiting for the evening tow out. Quite a cultural and digestive experience with bulletproof windows and a curious crowd.

Oh, man. That's horrible.

I meant the White Castle... the car stuff's bad too.

Glad you got through it okay. I bet that lot's the same one the "friendly" guy who took me to get gas was from.

BahnBaum · 06-21-2007, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by equ

It overheated, all the lights went on and she shut it off. There was coolant everywhere - I'm guessing it's a blown head gasket. Mucho $$$ for a car that's not worth that much.

What sucks is that we did a major (for a subaru) service last week, including a coolant flush and new plugs, fuel filter. I'm wondering if this somehow triggered it. 35k miles with no trouble and then this within 500 miles of a flush? It also made some screechy noises after the service (which was also done at this reputable place) but before the breakdown. I thought it might be the AC belt and we were about to take it back. Perhaps it is unrelated.

Could you just have blown out a hose? If she shut it down immediately upon overheating, maybe you're okay...

The screechy belt noise sounds like it could have been caused by a coolant leak.

Sure sounds to me like they're connected, maybe they didn't reinstall a hose properly. And maybe it's not a head gasket.

Alex

ff · 06-21-2007, 11:34 AM

That's kind of what I was thinking, Alex. I wouldn't think that a blown head gasket would result in coolant being all over the pavement. A blown hose would/could.

equ · 06-21-2007, 11:56 AM

The coolant blew out of an overflow tube that comes out from the coolant tank. The engine turns but didn't seem to have spark. I don't really have an experience in this - just thought I'd put it out to the 'mudgeon collective wisdom. I still think it has sth to do with the servicing - it's now back in the same place for diagnostics so - as good as the place is - I may never get a straight answer. Perhaps these appliance-mobiles are not to be serviced beyond oil changes.

*Plaz* · 06-21-2007, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by equ

The coolant blew out of an overflow tube that comes out from the coolant tank. The engine turns but didn't seem to have spark. I don't really have an experience in this - just thought I'd put it out to the 'mudgeon collective wisdom. I still think it has sth to do with the servicing - it's now back in the same place for diagnostics so - as good as the place is - I may never get a straight answer. Perhaps these appliance-mobiles are not to be serviced beyond oil changes.

Could it have just been overfilled?

ff · 06-21-2007, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plaz

Could it have just been overfilled?

Or not bled properly. Or needs a new thermostat. Or the correct one.

FC · 06-21-2007, 02:18 PM

That sucks. But yeah, I wouldn't rush to think blown gasket. It may not be so bad.

You know, you should have bought my Saabaru when you had the chance.

06-21-2007, 10:27 AM	#1
equ Alphanumeric Join Date: Aug 2005 Carmudgeonly Ride: 981S, 340i Posts: 9,584	So much for reliability myths... Our impreza with 76k miles broke down on my gf yesterday - on a wonderful Newark highway. I had to leave work in the city and spent most of the day and the evening getting two tows out of yards and shops I'd rather not be acquainted with. Now it's at THE subaru specialist shop some 65 miles away (where it was serviced just last week). They'll look at it today. It overheated, all the lights went on and she shut it off. There was coolant everywhere - I'm guessing it's a blown head gasket. Mucho $$$ for a car that's not worth that much. What sucks is that we did a major (for a subaru) service last week, including a coolant flush and new plugs, fuel filter. I'm wondering if this somehow triggered it. 35k miles with no trouble and then this within 500 miles of a flush? It also made some screechy noises after the service (which was also done at this reputable place) but before the breakdown. I thought it might be the AC belt and we were about to take it back. Perhaps it is unrelated.

06-21-2007, 11:08 AM	#3
equ Alphanumeric Join Date: Aug 2005 Carmudgeonly Ride: 981S, 340i Posts: 9,584	It died on Rt. 1 & 9 by the airport. A "friendly" guy happened to stop by and offered to tow to his shop nearby. So in the time that I could get out of my downtown office, take the ferry, run to my car and get out there, the car was in some unbelievably bad lot off of, you guessed it, Frelinghuysen Ave & 22. All tractor trailers and no cars, deep deep mud & puddles and yes a shop of sorts - where they didn't even seem to know what was going on (like couldn't guess the head gasket right away). We got off by paying 40$ tow and 40$ unexplained fees - at some point the guy actually said some nonsense about having ordered parts already... Whew, I'm glad nothing happened to her, and next month she's going to get upgraded from AAA to AAA+ (which allows 100 miles of towing). I went to a white castle about a mile away for the first time while there waiting for the evening tow out. Quite a cultural and digestive experience with bulletproof windows and a curious crowd.

06-21-2007, 11:34 AM	#6
ff . Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 13,514	That's kind of what I was thinking, Alex. I wouldn't think that a blown head gasket would result in coolant being all over the pavement. A blown hose would/could.

06-21-2007, 11:56 AM	#7
equ Alphanumeric Join Date: Aug 2005 Carmudgeonly Ride: 981S, 340i Posts: 9,584	The coolant blew out of an overflow tube that comes out from the coolant tank. The engine turns but didn't seem to have spark. I don't really have an experience in this - just thought I'd put it out to the 'mudgeon collective wisdom. I still think it has sth to do with the servicing - it's now back in the same place for diagnostics so - as good as the place is - I may never get a straight answer. Perhaps these appliance-mobiles are not to be serviced beyond oil changes.

06-21-2007, 02:18 PM	#10
FC Solving problems Join Date: Oct 2003 Carmudgeonly Ride: M5 / 718 GTS / Cooper S / GTI / LR4 Location: Metro Boston Posts: 25,264	That sucks. But yeah, I wouldn't rush to think blown gasket. It may not be so bad. You know, you should have bought my Saabaru when you had the chance.