OK so my car is at about 50K miles and according to the manual I should have changes it about 20K ago. So I am wondering if anyone has done a writeup on materials needed and steps to take to do this. I thought I heard in somewhere that you have to remove the thermostat to get all the coolent out. So does such a guide exist for the DIYer? Andy
Be careful, because when you release the drain plug, it comes gushing out and ethylene glycol is really nasty for the environment.
I would suggest that you only use Subaru coolant and make sure you also use the additive! And you don't have to take out the termostat.
remove the lower hose and both top caps, drain it plug it back on temp fill up with water and run till warm with heater on ( i did that 2x) Drain last time and tighten back up lower hose I premix my coolant and then pour it into the radiator and run it then burp it (i used the top cap and pressed the upper radiator hose)
One suggestion, when you mix the coolant use distilled water. It has a lot less minerals than can build up crud.
Yes! Use SUBARU coolant! However, the additive is for the 2.5 N/A SOHC engines ONLY. Do not use it in the EJ205/EJ257/EJ255/EZ30D/EZ36D/EJ25D/EJ22E/EJ18E/EG33D. Eventho some subaru people say to use it, its just a waste in those engines. The purpose of the additive it to keep the EJ251 and EJ253 SUCK-ASS headgaskets from developing an external leak....which they will always develop. The 11044AA632 gasket is just shitty. They should be replaced with the 11044AA642 gaskets. Distilled water is HIGHLY recommended as well. I also recommended changing the thermostat and gasket...but if you dont do it at 30k, defiantly do it at 60k. Since you are at 50k, might as well invest the $20 into it. Use the SUBARU OE parts on that as well. Also, the only reason I remove the t-stat (even if I am not replacing it) is the make the coolant drain faster...aka in 1 minute vs 10 minutes.
Thanks Will. I make RO/DI water with a TDS of < 1 for my salt water aquarium so I pretty much have an umlimited supply of pure H2O. I probably will go ahead and change the thermostat. Is that in an easily accessable location? How much coolent to I need to purchase? I am assuming the rest will be the water.
Bottom. The housing that the lower rad hose attaches to. two 10mm bolts. dunno what the FSM tq is...just snug it down. not too much, the bolt holes will strip.
Do not use non-subaru coolant. The SUBARU coolant has an additive package specifically for the subaru engine and cooling system.
your doomed you need to let me have your car just drain and rinse a couple cycles and fill it with subie juice
long term use of non subaru coolant and distilled water will result in AL corrosion and build up of those particles that will clog the radiator and heater core along with making the heat transfer from the block/heads to radiator and coolant to radiator more difficult, which decreases cooling efficiency.
yeah....change it soon. Altho it takes a few years to build up to BAD BAD levels, its still not good.
sorry for bumping an old thread but its the same topic Im approaching 30k miles and I looked at my coolant tank, its right around the MIN level. So should i flush it out or is it ok to buy some coolant from SOG and just fill it up?
This is on your coolant overflo tank? Just put some distilled water in it and you should be fine. Will would probably recommend you change your coolant since you are at 30K. I changed mine out at 35K and it took like 30 minutes.
I am not positive where it is on the WRX but mine is on the driver side right next to the radiator. Yes, it is a clearish bottle with hose going from the top of the radiator to it.